Clinical Research Directory

A Study of Autonomic Dynamic Dysfunction to Predict Infections After Spinal Cord Injury.

The study is designed to investigate whether autonomic shifts (dysautonomia, sympatho-vagal instability) that develop after SCI have value in predicting SCI-associated infections (SCI-AI). SCI-AI impair outcomes by (1) reducing the intrinsic neurological recovery potential and (2) increasing mortality. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) data will be tracked in both the time and frequency domains to discriminate between the relative contribution of sympathetic and parasympathetic innervation to changes in HRV. The ability to predict infections will enable novel treatments thereby reducing infection-associated mortality and improving neurological and functional outcomes.

Surgical Versus Non-Surgical Treatment of Thoracolumbar Burst Fracture

Treatment for acute traumatic thoracolumbar burst fractures differs significantly across the world in patients without neurological impairments and without damage to the posterior column of the spine. This randomized controlled, non-inferiority clinical trial's goal is to evaluate the effectiveness of surgery versus initial non-surgical treatment for patients with traumatic thoracolumbar spine burst fractures who don't have any neurological symptoms. The study's precise objectives are to: 1. evaluate the clinical outcome (Oswestry Disability Index) 2. evaluate the radiography result (restoration and maintenance of spinal alignment) 3. determine the prevalence of complications at least 24 months of follow-up of neurologically unaffected patients with acute traumatic burst fractures. Both groups will get the same therapy using standardized methods: The surgical group's entire patient population will get combined anterior-posterior (360°) spinal fusion therapy. Three-point hyperextension orthoses will be used to treat all patients in the non-surgical group for six weeks following the injury.

Effectiveness of Erector Spinae Plane Block for Percutaneous Arthrodesis of Spinal Fractures

Spinal fracture surgery is a common surgery. Post-operative pain has been reduced by the advent of so-called minimally invasive techniques. The immediate post-operative pain, however, remains relatively high, mainly because of muscle pain following the trauma. The erector spinae plane block (ESPB) is a loco-regional anesthesia technique first described in 2016. A retrospective cohort study showed an improvement in post-operative analgesia of percutaneous osteosynthesis spinal surgery through a reduction in 24-hour morphine use. In order to prove and confirm the effectiveness of this technique, we will conduct a double-blind randomized controlled study. The objective will be to demonstrate the analgesic effectiveness of the technique by reducing morphine consumption in post-operative. The expected reduction in morphine consumption is set at 30%, based on the clinical experience developed in our practice.