Nerve Transfer Surgery to Restore Upper-limb Function After Cervical Spinal Cord Injury
Recruiting now
Conditions studied: Spinal Cord Injury, Spinal Cord Injury at C5-C7 Level, SCI - Spinal Cord Injury, Upper Extremity Paralysis, Upper Extremity Dysfunction, Tetraplegia, Upper Extremity Paresis, Cervical Spinal Cord Injury
In brief
The goal of this prospective, open-label cohort study is to assess functional outcomes in individuals with cervical spinal cord injury who have undergone nerve transfer surgery to restore upper limb function. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does nerve transfer improve hand function in individuals with cervical spinal cord injury? * What factors are associated with functional improvement following nerve transfer? Researchers will compare functional outcomes at 24 months post-surgery to 1) baseline outcomes and 2) individuals with cervical spinal cord injury who did not undergo nerve transfer. Participants who have received nerve transfer surgery as part of their regular medical care will complete functional hand tests, electrodiagnostic assessments, and questionnaires on independence and mood every 3 months for 24 months after surgery.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT05638191
- Run by
- University of British Columbia
- People needed
- 40
- Starts
- 2021-06-03
- Expected to finish
- 2028-01-01
- Last updated by the study team
- 2026-05-29
Who can join
Age: 18 and older, up to 70. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.
You may qualify if…
- Traumatic, motor-complete cervical SCI (AIS A or B)
- Male or female, ages 18-70
- Consent and plan to undergo nerve transfer to restore grasp function in at least one limb
- Motor grade 4-5 at C5
- Motor grade 0-1 at C8/T1
- Injury duration within 6 months at the time of surgery
- English-speaking and cognitively intact
- Able to provide informed written consent
- Able to attend and comply with the testing protocols
You may not qualify if…
- Inability or unwillingness to participate in post-operative rehabilitation (in person or virtual)
- Secondary complication of SCI (e.g., intractable neuropathic pain, edema, contracture) or major medical comorbidity (e.g., traumatic brain injury) that would independently influence response to surgery or ability to participate in rehabilitation
Where it is running
- GF Strong Rehabilitation Hospital — Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (enrolling)
- QEII Health Sciences Centre — Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (enrolling)
- Kingston Health Sciences Centre — Kingston, Ontario, Canada (enrolling)
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre — Toronto, Ontario, Canada (enrolling)
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
Trial information comes from ClinicalTrials.gov and is refreshed daily. TrialsForMe does not provide medical care and does not run the studies it lists.