View clinical trials related to Spinal Cord Diseases.
Filter by:This research study is being conducted to help improve the pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative course for patients and enhance recovery.
Incomplete spinal cord injuries (SCI) are the most frequent neurologic category, comprising 66.7% of all SCI cases. People with incomplete SCI may retain some ability to move the legs and therefore the capacity to regain walking. Studies that show functional improvement in locomotion via electrical stimulation of lumbosacral circuits suggest that the underlying mechanisms are neuromodulation of lumbosacral spinal cord automaticity and sensory feedback. Both epidural and transcutaneous spinal stimulation are demonstrating exciting potential to improve limb function for people after chronic SCI. Available treatment options for SCI are less than satisfactory and most often do not achieve full restoration of function. Recent experimental results suggest an exciting new approach of using electrical spinal stimulation to enable users to regain control of their weak or paralyzed muscles. Using surgically-implanted electrodes, epidural stimulation results in remarkable improvements of lower extremity function as well as autonomic functions such as bladder function and sexual function. In addition to epidural stimulation, over only the last few years a novel strategy of skin surface electrical spinal stimulation has also demonstrated exciting potential for improving walking function. Using a high-frequency stimulation pulse, current can pass through the skin without discomfort and activate the spinal cord; this results in patterned stepping movements for people without SCI and improved lower extremity function following SCI. This study will directly compare skin-surface transcutaneous stimulation with implanted epidural stimulation for improving lower extremity function.
Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a surgery performed from the front of the neck in which damaged discs are removed and a bone graft is inserted into the space to allow the bone to grow together to set up a bridge or fusion between the bones of the spine. The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is an advantage to using autograft (bone material taken from the patient's own hip) or allograft (bone material derived from other sources) when performing ACDF. Both of these materials are routinely used by surgeons in ACDF surgeries. Neither is experimental. Subjects who participate in this study will be randomized to receive either allograft or autograft bone for the surgery. They will receive the 2 level ACDF surgeries routinely employed by the surgeons. The same screw-plate fixation will be used for all subjects in the trial and the same allograft material will be used for all subjects who are randomized to the allograft arm of this study. A determination will be made as to whether there is a difference in fusion rates associated with the choice of either allograft bone or autograft bone based on the subjects' x-rays one year post surgery. The study will also determine whether there are differences in clinical and functional outcomes associated with the choice of bone graft as measured by patient-reported outcomes instruments collected. In addition, the study will examine whether there are differences in clinical and radiographic outcomes based on choice of bone graft for the subgroup of smokers participating in the study. Overall hospitalization costs will also be obtained and compared as an indication as to whether one method or the other may be superior from a financial standpoint.
Neural injury is a well-known complication following extreme lateral lumbar interbody fusion (XLIF). It has been found that up to 9.4% of patients will have either temporary or persistent neurologic deficit. This occurs with traversal of the psoas muscle or direct injury to lumbosacral plexus or sympathetic ganglion. While often temporary, it can cause hip flexor weakness, thigh numbness, or pain. Several studies have demonstrated reduced patient reported pain scores following steroid administration, particularly in the early postoperative period. However, few studies have investigated the efficacy of intraoperative local injection of corticosteroid in reducing the incidence and duration of postoperative pain or neurologic injury for XLIF patients.
This study seeks to evaluate the efficacy of nerve transfers in restoring hand function in patients with cervical spinal injuries.
This is a phase 4 study being conducted at the Ohio State University Department of Neurology Multiple Sclerosis Research Program. The purpose of the study is to administer a single shot of intrathecal (injection into the space surrounding the spinal cord via a lumbar puncture or spinal tap) ziconotide as a test dose to patients who have chronic painful myelopathy (pain from spinal cord damage) or painful peripheral neuropathy (pain from nerve damage) that has not responded to other pain medicines.