NCT07412808

Spinal Cord Stimulation Combined With Motor Training in Non-Traumatic SCI: A Prospective Interventional Study

Evaluation of Spinal Cord Stimulation Assisted by Motor Rehabilitation Training for Restoring Motor Function in Non-traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: an Interventional, Prospective, Monocentric Study

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 10 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Albano Luigi · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Interventional prospective longitudinal on the evaluation of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) assisted by motor rehabilitation training for restoring motor function in patients with non-traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). The investigators will enroll ten research participants with clinically incomplete/complete SCI (patients with paraplegia or severe paraparesis) who will undergo SCS subsequently assisted by motor rehabilitation training for restoring motor function at IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy. The main goal of the project is to evaluate the improvement in motor function generated by the combination of SCS and locomotor training. In line with recently published studies, the investigators propose that daily locomotor training in the presence of SCS with continuous stimulation parameters setting will enable the SCI individuals to stand and step independently while bearing full weight.

Conditions

• Spinal Cord Disease
• Spinal Cord Injuries (Complete and Incomplete)

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Spinal cord stimulation surgery (device implant) and motor rehabilitation	The first part of the study will involve a preoperative evaluation. Participants' clinical history, neurological, neurophysiological and advanced brain/spine MRI examination will be assessed (Part 1). Subsequently, participants will undergo spinal cord stimulation surgery which involves the implantation of a medical device (Part 2). After the surgery, the research participants will be hospitalized at the Neurosurgery Unit (5-14 days) to monitor the incision site (Part 3). Thereafter, the patients will be moved (for at least 6 weeks) to the Rehabilitation Unit in order to identify appropriate stimulation parameters for inducing stepping and standing and for starting training. The combination of epidural stimulation with manual step/stand training will be thus evaluated (Part 4). Patients will be finally assessed by clinical evaluation, advanced MRI and neurophysiological examination to study the brain, spine and peripheral functions after six months (Part 5).

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-03-01
• Primary completion: 2028-04-01
• Completion: 2029-04-01
• First posted: 2026-02-17
• Last updated: 2026-02-17

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Italy