Spinal Cord Injury Clinical Trials

This study aims to better understand how occupational therapists provide rehabilitation for adults recovering from stroke or spinal cord injury (SCI), with a focus on improving arm and hand function. Using video recordings of real outpatient therapy sessions, researchers will identify the key elements of treatment, such as the types of activities, the therapist's techniques, and how patients respond. The study will use the Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System (RTSS), a framework designed to clearly describe rehabilitation methods. By analyzing these sessions, the research team will develop a practical toolkit to help therapists and researchers deliver and study more effective rehabilitation treatments in the future. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to test whether electrical stimulation of the skin in the pelvic area (near the genitals) can reduce the reflexes that cause bowel accidents in people with spinal cord injuries. Current bowel treatments either involve diet and medications or surgery. This study will evaluate whether electrical stimulation can be an alternate option for bowel management. Researchers will: * Use an FDA approved Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) device off-label * Compare a target stimulation level to a placebo stimulation level Participants will: * Use electrical stimulation on the skin in the pelvic area for 6-8 hours each day for 4 weeks at home * Visit the research center 3 times to participate in exams and answer questions * Keep a daily diary of their bowel symptoms and stimulation times Read Less

The purpose of this study is to evaluate a surgically implanted functional electrical stimulation (FES) system to facilitate stability of the trunk and hips. FES involves applying small electric currents to the nerves, which cause the muscles to contract. This study evaluates how stabilizing and stiffening the trunk with FES can change the way spinal cord injured volunteers sit, breathe, reach, push a wheelchair, or roll in bed. Read Less

Objectives: The study objective is to carry a pilot clinical assessment comparing the exciflex bandage to standard of care (SoC) for ischemic wounds and will involve participants who are Veterans with lower extremity ischemic wounds. Research Plan: The study will employ a randomized repeated measures design to assess the therapeutic effectiveness of exciflex in clinical use. Methodology: All participants with chronic ischemic wounds treated at LSCDVAMC will be potentially eligible for the study. Primary target populations will include Veterans with SCI who are inpatients or residents of the on-site Long Term Care Unit and Veterans with diabetes being followed by the Podiatry Service for wound care. In addition to meeting the general inclusion criteria noted above, further exclusion criteria relating to clinical factors include; (1)Age less than 18 years and (2)Pregnancy. Clinical Significance: Chronic ischemic wounds fail to heal normally and are a major challenge in the long-term care of many Veterans. The exciflex bandage can improve outcomes and lower cost by automatically delivering electrotherapy without disturbing the wound dressing for up to seven days, unless indicated. The overall study goal is to complete pre-market testing and evaluation of the exciflex bandage system. Read Less

Stimulation of the spinal cord and brain represents a new experimental therapy that may have potential to restore movement after spinal cord injury. While some scientists have begun to study the effect of electrical stimulation on patient's ability to walk and move their legs after lower spinal cord injury, the use of stimulation of the upper (cervical) spine to restore arm and hand function after cervical spinal cord injury remains less well explored. The investigators are doing this research study to improve understanding of whether cervical spinal cord stimulation and brain stimulation can be used to improve arm and hand function. To do this, the investigators will combine spine stimulation (in the form of electrical stimulation from electrical stimulation wires temporarily implanted next to the cervical spinal cord) and brain stimulation (in the form of transcranial magnetic stimulation). The investigators will perform a series of experiments over 29 days to study whether these forms of stimulation can be applied and combined to provide improvement in arm and hand function. Read Less

Following spinal cord injury, most men are infertile and require medical assistance to father children. The conditions that contribute to their infertility are erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory dysfunction, and semen abnormalities. The Miami Project Male Fertility Program is a research study designed to understand and improve impairments to male fertility resulting from spinal cord injury. Read Less

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if the online program and web-based platform for delivery of self-management services to people with spinal cord injury (SCI) called "SCI \& U" can support transitions from hospital to the community after injury. Specifically, can providing support from trained peer health coaches via the SCI \& U web-based self-management program increase health self-management among those within two years of a spinal cord injury with a planned discharge to or living in the community with SCI for less than two years in the province of British Columbia, Canada or the state of Connecticut, United States. The main question it aims to answer is: • Does the SCI \& U web-based self-management program lower emotional distress and increase self-efficacy Researchers will compare those who participate in SCI \& U with those who receive usual peer support after 6 months to see if the SCI \& U program improves self-management knowledge, skills and self-efficacy and decreases secondary complications Participants will: * engage in up to 14 online sessions, each of which lasts about an hour with a peer health coach trained in motivational interviewing, goal setting and brief action planning. During sessions, they may also review resources and create follow up plans on the online platform on health management topics * complete an interviewer administered survey at baseline, 6 and 12 months Read Less

The goal of this feasibility study is to learn whether Cannabidiol (CBD) can improve urinary incontinence and other symptoms in people with recent spinal cord injury (SCI). Participants will take Epidiolex (purified CBD) for 90 days Read Less

This study aims to determine the effects of transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation to increase blood pressure and use that device to increase power output and heart rate recovery during arm cycle ergometry. In addition, the investigators will see if the stimulation helps regulate body temperature when in a cool environment. Read Less

The objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of remote manual wheelchair skills training program. First, peer coaches will be enrolled and trained. Then, trainees will be enrolled into one of three interventions: intervention with remote feedback (Group 1), wait list control group (Group 2), and structured self-study (Group 3). Read Less

The purpose of this research study is to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of using two CRS Arrays (microelectrodes) for long-term recording of brain motor cortex activity and microstimulation of brain sensory cortex. Read Less

The DOSED clinical study evaluates the safety and utility of a novel delivery device to deliver LCTOPC1, a cell therapy, to the spinal cord of patients with a spinal cord injury (SCI). LCTOPC1 is designed to replace or support cells that are absent or dysfunctional due to traumatic injury, with a goal to help improve the quality of life and restore or augment functional activity in persons suffering from a traumatic cervical or thoracic injuries. Read Less