Clinical Research Directory

Closed-loop Deep Brain Stimulation to Treat Refractory Neuropathic Pain

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) holds promise as a new option for patients suffering from treatment-resistant chronic pain, but current technology is unable to reliably achieve long-term pain symptom relief. A "one-size-fits-all" approach of continuous, 24/7 brain stimulation has helped patients with some movement disorders, but the key to reducing pain may be the activation of stimulation only when needed, as this may help keep the brain from adapting to stimulation effects. By expanding the technological capabilities of an investigative brain stimulation device, the investigators will enable the delivery of stimulation only when pain signals in the brain are high, and then test whether this more personalized stimulation leads to reliable symptom relief for chronic pain patients over extended periods of time.

Kinematics-Based Prediction of Chronic Pain After Combat-Related Extremity Trauma

Combat-related extremity trauma frequently results in persistent pain, including neuropathic, residual limb, and phantom limb pain. The kinematics of injury-including energy level, direction of force, and dominant force components-may independently predict tissue deformation, nerve stress, and the transition from acute to chronic- pain. This prospective observational cohort study will assess whether kinematics-only variables predict chronic pain outcomes after combat-related upper and lower limb injuries. Pain outcomes will include pain intensity, pain extent (surface/area), neuropathic pain features, and mechanical pain sensitivity measured using von Frey filaments.

Silencing Neuroma Pain-Botulinum Toxin Versus Local Anesthetic Injection

Neuroma-related pain is a frequent and disabling condition after limb trauma and amputation. Available treatments often provide short-lasting or insufficient analgesia. The SILENCE-NEUROMA Trial is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, active-controlled study designed to compare the efficacy and safety of botulinum toxin type A versus local anesthetic injection for the treatment of neuroma-related pain. The primary outcome is pain reduction at 8 weeks after treatment.

Amputations in Childhood and Neuropathic Pain

This observational study aims to assess the presence of neuropathic pain in children and adolescents who underwent limb amputation during childhood. The study focuses on two types of neuropathic pain: phantom limb pain and residual limb pain. It also evaluates quality of life and functional autonomy in this population and explores potential associations between neuropathic pain, autonomy, quality of life, and age at amputation. Using a mixed retrospective and prospective design, data are collected from medical records and standardized questionnaires administered during routine follow-up visits at a specialized pediatric limb anomaly center. The study seeks to improve understanding of neuropathic pain after pediatric amputation and its impact on daily functioning.

Home-based Rehabilitation Intervention for Phantom Limb Pain in Veterans With Lower Limb Amputations

Nearly 60-85% of Veterans with amputations experience pain at the location of the amputated limb called phantom limb pain (PLP). PLP is a major problem and can have a profound impact on Veteran's daily function and ability to fully participate in life. Although several rehabilitation interventions are promising, advances in novel rehabilitation interventions are limited. The objective of this project is to refine a mobile app for graded motor imagery in 12 Veterans with amputations and test the mobile app with 36 Veterans with amputations. For this pilot project, the investigators will measure the preliminary feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. Knowledge from this project will provide evidence to guide future larger studies of this graded motor imagery intervention. Developing novel strategies for chronic pain in this population will positively impact quality of life for Veterans with amputations.

Optimizing Rehabilitation for Phantom Limb Pain Using Mirror Therapy and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

This is a two-site study that explores the effects of mirror therapy and transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS, Soterix ©) in a randomized factorial controlled trial in which patients will be assigned to one of four groups: active tDCS and active MT; sham tDCS and active MT; active tDCS and sham MT (which consists of using a covered mirror for the therapy); and both sham tDCS and sham MT (covered mirror).

Prevention of PostAmputation Pain With Targeted Muscle Reinnervation

The goal of this study is to compare postamputation pain (phantom limb pain and residual limb pain) one year postoperatively in patients who received a lower extremity amputation (LEA) with standard nerve handling (neurectomy) versus those who received Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR). Patients between 18 and 75 years old, scheduled for an LEA (transfemoral to transtibial) as a primary or secondary sequela of vascular disease, are randomized into standard neurectomy or TMR. TMR is a frequently studied surgical technique and prevents neuroma formation by rerouting a cut mixed nerve end to a functional motor nerve. The investigators hypothesize that TMR during amputation surgery will significant improve PostAmputation Pain (PAP), quality of life, participation in family life and society, and reduction of health-related costs. Participants will be asked to complete multiple online questionnaires postoperatively regarding these outcomes at five evaluation moments (at 2 weeks, and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months).

Pragmatic Trial of Remote tDCS and Somatosensory Training for Phantom Limb Pain With Machine Learning to Predict Treatment Response

The investigators have designed a pragmatic trial of home-based transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for phantom limb pain (PLP), the PLP-EVEREST trial (PLP-EffectiVEness pRagmatic Stimulation Trial) to test a portable device that would reach underrepresented populations and would validate this therapy in a more pragmatic setting. Subjects will be randomized to home-based tDCS of the primary motor cortex (M1) with somatosensory training or usual care only (including their current pharmacological treatments, physical therapy, and occupational therapy). The investigators will therefore test the effectiveness of home-based tDCS and somatosensory training in a real-world, home-based setting. The Investigator will compare patients randomized to this combined strategy vs. usual care alone (subjects from this group will be offered combined treatment at the end of the trial). The investigators hypothesize that the combined strategy will be associated with a significantly larger Cohen's d effect size (at least 1) compared to the control group.

Novel Non-invasive Brain Stimulation Techniques in Neurological Rehabilitation

Paired associative stimulation (PAS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation protocol, where two stimuli (a peripheral and a cortical one, the latter delivered with transcranial magnetic stimulation - TMS) are repeatedly associated to enhance plasticity in the brain. In the present study, a new cross-modal, visuo-motor PAS protocol - called "mirror-PAS"- will be tested as a possible non-invasive brain stimulation treatment in neurological rehabilitation to promote motor recovery and pain reduction. Participants will perform the standard PAS targeting the motor system and the recently developed mirror-PAS in two separate sessions. The investigators will compare the possible effect of the protocols in terms of neurophysiological and behavioral outcomes to identify the optimal PAS method to enhance plasticity and promote sensory-motor function.

Electrical Nerve Block for Amputation Pain

The purpose of the clinical trial is to learn whether electrical nerve block via the Altius System is a safe and effective treatment for patients with post-amputation pain.

Treatment of Phantom Limb Pain by Intensive Visual Simulation Therapy

Phantom limb pain (PLP) is reported by as much as 80 % of patients following an amputation. There is increasing knowledge of the relation between PLP and maladaptive changes in brain cortical regions. Research has shown that the sight of an "intact arm" moving in a mirror may reverse maladaptions (Mirror-therapy, MT) and reduce PLP. The current project will implement a digital and modernized version of MT, i.e. Intensive Visual Simulation Therapy (IVS-T). Pilot studies have shown promising results on pain reduction in people with phantom limb pain when using IVS-T. However, there is a lack of RCT studies on this patient population. This study is a 2-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigating the effectiveness of IVS-T compared with usual care in person with unilateral upper- or lower limb amputation with chronic phantom limb pain. The primary aim of the study is to investigate if IVS treatment is superior to usual care in reducing phantom limb pain intensity after 2 months of treatment in unilateral amputees with moderate to severe PLP. The study will furthermore explore quality of life, analgesic consumption, phantom pain characteristics, mobility, and disability. In addition, the study utilizes brain imagery during treatments to investigate neural plasticity and the association between PLP and maladaptive cortical changes.

VR to Evaluate Phantom Limb Pain

The objective of this study is to develop a virtual rehabilitation system that can be used to effectively treat Phantom Limb Pain (PLP) within the research setting and for at-home use by individuals with upper and lower extremity amputation. We hypothesize that the system will improve PLP for individuals with upper or lower extremity amputation, as measured through with various outcome measures and questionnaires.

Peripheral Magnetic Stimulation (PMS) Effects on Somatosensory Perception in Patients with Upper Limb Amputation

The study investigates the capabilities of peripheral magnetic stimulation (PMS) as a tool for creating somatosensory sensations of various submodalities and analyzing the dynamics of bioelectric signals of the brain (using encephalography (EEG)) in healthy participants and participants with upper limb amputations. During the experiment, the participants' subjective sensations and EEG activity are recorded in response to magnetic pulses of varying intensity. In addition, the continuous PMS stimulation protocol and its effect on phantom sensations in participants with amputations will be tested for subsequent implementation in clinical practice.

Surgical Treatments for Postamputation Pain

This is a double-blind randomised controlled trial (RCT) which compares the effectiveness of three surgical techniques for alleviating residual limb pain (RLP), neuroma pain and phantom limb pain (PLP). The three surgical treatments are Targeted Muscles Reinnervation (TMR), Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interface (RPNI), and an active control (neuroma excision and muscle burying). Patients will be follow-up for 4 years.

TITAN Trial: Reducing Phantom Limb Pain in People with Amputations

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the effectiveness of two rehabilitation programs for individuals who have undergone amputations and are experiencing phantom limb pain. The main question it aims to answer is: \- In individuals who have undergone amputations and are experiencing phantom limb pain, what is the effectiveness of a progressive rehabilitation program compared to a treatment program consisting of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and cranial electrical stimulation on reducing pain intensity and pain interference? A total of 208 participants will be randomized into two groups: progressive rehabilitation program and stimulation devices. The progressive rehabilitation program includes pain science education, sensory training, and left/right judgements, imagined movements and mirror therapy. The treatment program for the group receiving the stimulation devices includes transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and cranial electrical stimulation. Both interventions will be delivered via eight, up to 1-hour telehealth sessions. Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline and weeks 12, 24 and 52.

Evaluation of Neuroprosthesis with Sensory Feedback for Modulation of Phantom Limb Pain and Enhancing Quality of Life

This clinical trial is designed to assess the effectiveness of advanced neuromodulation techniques in reducing phantom limb pain by improving sensory feedback in bionic prostheses. The study will explore the use of Peripheral Nerve Stimulation to evaluate their impact on pain relief and sensory restoration. The trial aims the development of neuroprostheses that can provide sensory feedback through stimulation.

Quest to Analyze One Thousand Humans Meditating

This study will be focused on assessing the molecular, physiological, and emotional correlates of an intensive meditation experience in the context of a retreat setting in a large 2000 plus-person cohort comprised of healthy and clinical populations.

Study of Phantom Limb Pain Suppression Using Neuromodulation Methods

This study assesses the effectiveness of neuromodulation in alleviating pain through the stimulation of peripheral nerves. The research involves implanting electrodes for test stimulation of peripheral nerves (PNS - Peripheral Nerve Stimulation), spinal cord (SCS - Spinal Cord Stimulation), dorsal root ganglia (DRGS - Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation), and motor cortex (MCS - Motor Cortex Stimulation). The study aims to explore the use of neuromodulation for pain relief in patients experiencing pain due to upper or lower limb amputation.

Clinical Evaluation of the Medical Device (MD) (Caloprothese Connected Kit, CCK)

Neuropathic pain is common in limb amputees and causes reductions in activity and participation as well as impaired quality of life. Some of these pains lead to the diagnosis of a responsible lesion and to precise and effective treatments (amputation neuroma pains, for example), whether they are etiological or symptomatic. Other pains of a neuropathic character remain totally or partially resistant to symptomatic treatment. Their appearance, intensity, duration and frequency vary depending on the amputee. Old scientific data confirmed by modern imagery indicates a process of reorganization of cortical areas by multimodal afferents. This reconstruction, coherent or not of the body diagram, is at the genesis of sensations, normal or not, in the amputee. Early plurimodal reassignment constitutes the founding principle of the rehabilitation of amputees: tactile afferents, visual afferents, motor afferents, proprioceptive afferents. Rehabilitation techniques and early fitting contribute to this reafferentation and to the functional integration of the fitting and to the quality of life of the amputee. Scientific work by Katz et al, and experiences of amputees relieved by the application of local heat or stay in hot climatic zones show that the thermoregulation of the residual limb could be of interest. It has been shown that these pain conditions are often related to a reduction in superficial blood flow to the distal part of the stump. The physiological response of the body to variations in outside temperature physiologically consists in the regulation of skin temperature. The goal seems to keep the body in a so-called "thermal neutrality" zone, substantially between 30 ° C and 33 ° C, by vasodilation or vasoconstriction of the superficial blood vessels depending on exposure to cold or heat. An innovative medical device has been developed for a regulated thermal re-afferentation of the residual limb, during and outside the wearing of the prosthesis. The Connected Caloprosthesis Kit (CCK®) includes a connected sleeve put in place when wearing the prosthesis (interface between the skin and the socket) and a connected sock to put in place outside of wearing the prosthesis. These 2 devices include an autonomous heating and regulation process, which maintains the amputation stump in the area known as "skin thermal normality". This device is non-invasive. It includes a silicone sleeve and a heating sock for femoral or tibial amputee patients equipped with an expandable textile warmer, a flexible micro-temperature sensor and a 4-conductor extensible cable connected to a thermoregulation box worn as a belt which regulates the temperature of the stumps in the thermal neutrality zone between 30 and 33°C. In order to assess the therapeutic effect of CCK®, given the heterogeneity of the population and the small number of patients eligible for the study, the Single Case Experimental Design (multiple baselines design) seems to us to be the methodology the most suitable: the principle is to evaluate intensively and prospectively a small group of subjects, each case being its own comparator. The methodology is defined a priori including systematic observations and repeated measurements at a defined frequency before, during, or even after the intervention introduced in a sequential and randomized manner. The data analysis can be individual and therefore patient-specific, but also group with the calculation of the size of the therapeutic effect and the calculation of significance. This design therefore makes it possible to overcome the difficulties encountered during randomized controlled trials: having to have a large number of subjects necessary to show a significant difference in the medical device and to have a homogeneous population. This methodology is therefore not a description of a clinical case but an alternative methodology to randomized controlled trials. In fact, it is considered by the Oxford Center for Evidence-Based Medicine 2011 to be level I, like the randomized controlled trials. The proposed clinical study therefore has a dual objective: practical as a new treatment therapy by validating this medical device and theoretical, supporting the pathogenic model of painful sensations in amputees

Comparison of Efficacy of Mirror Therapy vs Mental Imagery in Reduction of Phantom Limb Pain in AKAP

Limb amputation results in many types of pain, including localized pain at the stump and projected pain experienced by the patient in the location where the amputated limb used to be, known as phantom limb pain (PLP). The aim of this study is to determine the relative benefits of mirror therapy vs mental imagery in reduction of phantom limb pain. Randomized clinical trial study design will be followed.