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Nerve Transfer Surgery to Restore Upper-limb Function After Cervical Spinal Cord Injury
Sponsor: University of British Columbia
Summary
The goal of this prospective, open-label cohort study is to assess functional outcomes in individuals with cervical spinal cord injury who have undergone nerve transfer surgery to restore upper limb function. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does nerve transfer improve hand function in individuals with cervical spinal cord injury? * What factors are associated with functional improvement following nerve transfer? Researchers will compare functional outcomes at 24 months post-surgery to 1) baseline outcomes and 2) individuals with cervical spinal cord injury who did not undergo nerve transfer. Participants who have received nerve transfer surgery as part of their regular medical care will complete functional hand tests, electrodiagnostic assessments, and questionnaires on independence and mood every 3 months for 24 months after surgery.
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - 70 Years
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
40
Start Date
2021-06-03
Completion Date
2028-01
Last Updated
2026-10-16
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
Nerve transfer surgery
The intervention in this study, which follows our clinical approach, is the "double nerve transfer" to restore grasp function (i.e., hand opening and hand closing). Finger and thumb extension (hand opening) is restored via the supinator-posterior interosseous nerve (PIN) transfer. Finger and thumb flexion (hand closing) is restored via a nerve transfer to the anterior interosseous nerve (AIN). There are two donor nerve options available to restore function to the muscles supplied by the AIN: the nerve to the brachialis and the nerve to the extensor carpi radialis longus (ECRL) or extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB).
Locations (4)
GF Strong Rehabilitation Hospital
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
QEII Health Sciences Centre
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Kingston Health Sciences Centre
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Toronto, Ontario, Canada