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Neuromodulation Techniques After SCI
Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development
Summary
Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to several health-related consequences often linked to reduced levels of physical activity. Direct stimulation of the spinal cord, either through implanted devices or surface stimulation, has been combined with intense physical therapy assisted treadmill walking to facilitate independent standing and stepping. These current methods require 3-4 highly skilled therapists and may not be feasible in all rehabilitation settings, especially when considering the growing number of SCI patients each year. Therefore, the use of robotic exoskeleton suits combined with direct stimulation of the spinal cord (requiring 1-2 therapists) may offer an alternative rehabilitation approach to overcome their limited abilities to stand and walk. Such improvements may also help to reverse or eliminate other health-related consequences associated with SCI. The pilot work will provide the preliminary evidence required to design future clinical trials for Veterans and civilians with SCI to restore overground mobility.
Official title: Transspinal Versus Epidural Stimulation for Exoskeletal Assisted Walking After Spinal Cord Injury
Key Details
Gender
MALE
Age Range
18 Years - 70 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
4
Start Date
2020-06-01
Completion Date
2024-12-31
Last Updated
2026-04-28
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
EAW+SCES (exoskelton and spinal cord epidural stimulation)
Three months of exoskeleton training followed by 6 months of epidural stimulation.
EAW+TS (exoskelton and transspinal stimulation)
Three months of exoskeleton training followed by 6 months of transspinal stimulation.
Locations (1)
Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center, Richmond, VA
Richmond, Virginia, United States