The goal of this prospective observational study is to determine whether brief intraoperative electrical stimulation and temporary postoperative electrical stimulation improve motor and/or pain outcomes for patients with cervical spinal cord injury undergoing standard of care nerve transfer surgery to improve hand function.
The main hypotheses include:
Hypothesis #1: Brief intraoperative electrical stimulation of the donor nerves will result in improved motor outcomes (hand function) compared to standard nerve transfer surgery in patients with cervical spinal cord injuries.
Hypothesis #2: Placement of a temporary peripheral nerve stimulator for 60 days of postoperative electrical stimulation will result in improved pain outcomes compared to standard nerve transfer surgery in patients with cervical spinal cord injuries.
Researchers will prospectively enroll patients with cervical spinal cord injury and no hand function who will undergo standard of care nerve transfer surgery combined with standard of care brief intraoperative electrical stimulation and temporary postoperative electrical stimulation. Motor and pain outcomes will be compared to a retrospective group of patients who underwent nerve transfer surgery without intraoperative or postoperative electrical stimulation.
Participants will receive standard medical care (nothing experimental) as part of this study. Participants will:
* Have a preoperative assessment including physical examination, electrodiagnostic studies, functional electrical stimulation, and will complete questionnaires assessing function and quality of life * Agree upon a surgical plan, including the specific nerve transfers to be performed and whether to include brief intraoperative electrical stimulation and/or temporary postoperative electrical stimulation before being considered for enrollment in the study * Will undergo standard of care nerve transfer surgery, with at least one nerve transfer targeting improvement in hand function and will receive brief intraoperative electrical stimulation of the donor nerves and placement of a temporary peripheral nerve stimulator * Will follow-up with the surgeon 3, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months after the surgery * Will have a physical examination and will complete questionnaires at the postoperative visits * Will participate in hand therapy following the operation * Will be eligible for placement of a permanent peripheral nerve stimulator, depending on response to the temporary peripheral nerve stimulator.
Cervical spinal cord injury, ASIA A or ASIA B
International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury neurological level of injury C6 or C7
Agreed upon surgical plan includes at least 1 nerve transfer targeting finger flexion with the anterior interosseous nerve as the recipient and at least 1 nerve transfer targeting finger extension with the posterior interosseous nerve as the recipient
Age 18-65 years
Contraindication to electrical stimulation, including any implanted electronic device such as a pacemaker or intrathecal drug delivery pump
Active infection at the operative site or systemic infection
Active malignancy
Pregnancy
Stanford University
Lead sponsor
United States Department of Defense
Collaborator