Study Results
Outcome measurements, participant flow, baseline characteristics, and adverse events have been published for this study.
View full resultsBasic Information
Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.
COMPLETED
NA
12 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
2015-04-30
2021-07-31
Brief Summary
Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.
Related Clinical Trials
Explore similar clinical trials based on study characteristics and research focus.
Sub-study to Spinal Cord Stimulation to Restore Cough
NCT00995215
Spinal Cord Stimulation to Restore Cough
NCT00116337
Functional Electrical Stimulation for Production of Artificial Cough
NCT00589199
Spinal Cord Stimulation and Training
NCT05472584
Closed-loop Spinal Stimulation for Restoration of Upper Extremity Function After Spinal Cord Injury
NCT05267951
Detailed Description
Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.
The purpose of this trial is to determine if electrical stimulation of the expiratory muscles by wire leads is capable of producing an effective cough on demand. According to the trial researchers, if successful, this technique will prevent the need for frequent patient suctioning - which often requires the constant presence of trained personnel. It will also allow spinal cord injured patients to clear their secretions more readily, thereby reducing the incidence of respiratory complications and associated illness and death.
In the trial, researchers will study 16 adults (18-75 years old) with cervical spinal injuries (C8 level or higher), at least 6 months following the date of injury. After an evaluation of medical history, a brief physical examination, and initial testing, participants will have wire leads placed - by a routine, minimally invasive surgical procedure - over the surface of their spinal cords on the lower back to stimulate the expiratory muscles and restore cough.
Conditions
See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.
Study Design
Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.
NA
SINGLE_GROUP
TREATMENT
NONE
Study Groups
Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.
Procedure & Device
Procedure/Surgery: Implantation of device; Device: Expiratory Muscle Stimulator
Expiratory muscle stimulator
The expiratory muscle stimulator consists of two small electrodes (wire leads) implanted on the surface of the spinal cord on the lower back to stimulate the expiratory muscles and restore cough. These electrodes are connected to an implanted receiver in the abdomen or chest wall. The device is activated through an external antenna connected to an external control box.
Implantation of device
The expiratory muscle stimulator consists of two wire leads(each with two metal contacts) inserted onto the surface of their spinal cord on the lower back using a needle. The procedure to implant these wire leads is commonly used today for other purposes. This is a minimally invasive surgical technique with minimal risks. The wire leads are connected to an implanted receiver in the abdomen or chest wall. The device is activated through an external antenna connected to an external control box to stimulate the expiratory muscles and restore cough.
Interventions
Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.
Expiratory muscle stimulator
The expiratory muscle stimulator consists of two small electrodes (wire leads) implanted on the surface of the spinal cord on the lower back to stimulate the expiratory muscles and restore cough. These electrodes are connected to an implanted receiver in the abdomen or chest wall. The device is activated through an external antenna connected to an external control box.
Implantation of device
The expiratory muscle stimulator consists of two wire leads(each with two metal contacts) inserted onto the surface of their spinal cord on the lower back using a needle. The procedure to implant these wire leads is commonly used today for other purposes. This is a minimally invasive surgical technique with minimal risks. The wire leads are connected to an implanted receiver in the abdomen or chest wall. The device is activated through an external antenna connected to an external control box to stimulate the expiratory muscles and restore cough.
Other Intervention Names
Discover alternative or legacy names that may be used to describe the listed interventions across different sources.
Eligibility Criteria
Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.
Inclusion Criteria
* 12 months post-injury (if the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale (AIS) incomplete) or 6 months post-injury (if AIS complete)
* Expiratory muscle weakness
* Between 18 and 75 years of age
* Adequate oxygenation
Exclusion Criteria
* Scoliosis, chest wall deformity, or marked obesity
* Unmanaged hypertension (high blood pressure) or hypotension (low blood pressure)
* Low oxygenation
* Minor infection at the site of implantation requiring antibiotics within the past 3 weeks
* Serious infection requiring hospitalization within the past 6 weeks
18 Years
75 Years
ALL
No
Sponsors
Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
NIH
MetroHealth Medical Center
OTHER
Responsible Party
Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.
Anthony F. Dimarco
Professor
Principal Investigators
Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.
Anthony F. DiMarco, MD
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
MetroHealth Medical Center
Locations
Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.
MetroHealth Medical Center
Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Countries
Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.
References
Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.
DiMarco AF, Kowalski KE, Geertman RT, Hromyak DR. Spinal cord stimulation: a new method to produce an effective cough in patients with spinal cord injury. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2006 Jun 15;173(12):1386-9. doi: 10.1164/rccm.200601-097CR. Epub 2006 Mar 16.
DiMarco AF, Kowalski KE, Geertman RT, Hromyak DR, Frost FS, Creasey GH, Nemunaitis GA. Lower thoracic spinal cord stimulation to restore cough in patients with spinal cord injury: results of a National Institutes of Health-Sponsored clinical trial. Part II: clinical outcomes. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2009 May;90(5):726-32. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2008.11.014.
DiMarco AF, Kowalski KE, Geertman RT, Hromyak DR. Lower thoracic spinal cord stimulation to restore cough in patients with spinal cord injury: results of a National Institutes of Health-sponsored clinical trial. Part I: methodology and effectiveness of expiratory muscle activation. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2009 May;90(5):717-25. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2008.11.013.
Kowalski KE, DiMarco AF. Comparison of wire and disc leads to activate the expiratory muscles in dogs. J Spinal Cord Med. 2011 Nov;34(6):600-8. doi: 10.1179/2045772311Y.0000000039.
DiMarco AF, Romaniuk JR, Supinski GS. Electrical activation of the expiratory muscles to restore cough. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1995 May;151(5):1466-71. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm.151.5.7735601.
DiMarco AF, Romaniuk JR, Kowalski KE, Supinski G. Pattern of expiratory muscle activation during lower thoracic spinal cord stimulation. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1999 Jun;86(6):1881-9. doi: 10.1152/jappl.1999.86.6.1881.
DiMarco AF, Romaniuk JR, Kowalski KE, Supinski G. Mechanical contribution of expiratory muscles to pressure generation during spinal cord stimulation. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1999 Oct;87(4):1433-9. doi: 10.1152/jappl.1999.87.4.1433.
Wada JA, Osawa T, Mizoguchi T. Recurrent spontaneous seizure state induced by prefrontal kindling in senegalese baboons, Papio papio. Can J Neurol Sci. 1975 Nov;2(4):477-92. doi: 10.1017/s031716710002062x.
Romaniuk JR, Dick TE, Kowalski KE, Dimarco AF. Effects of pulse lung inflation on chest wall expiratory motor activity. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2007 Jan;102(1):485-91. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00130.2006. Epub 2006 Sep 7.
Kowalski KE, Romaniuk JR, DiMarco AF. Changes in expiratory muscle function following spinal cord section. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2007 Apr;102(4):1422-8. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00870.2006. Epub 2006 Dec 7.
DiMarco AF, Kowalski KE, Romaniuk JR. Effects of diaphragm activation on airway pressure generation during lower thoracic spinal cord stimulation. Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2007 Oct 15;159(1):102-7. doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2007.06.007. Epub 2007 Jun 22.
DiMarco AF, Kowalski KE. Effects of chronic electrical stimulation on paralyzed expiratory muscles. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2008 Jun;104(6):1634-40. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.01321.2007. Epub 2008 Apr 10.
DiMarco AF, Kowalski KE, Hromyak DR, Geertman RT. Long-term follow-up of spinal cord stimulation to restore cough in subjects with spinal cord injury. J Spinal Cord Med. 2014 Jul;37(4):380-8. doi: 10.1179/2045772313Y.0000000152. Epub 2013 Nov 26.
DiMarco AF, Geertman RT, Tabbaa K, Polito RR, Kowalski KE. Economic Consequences of an Implanted Neuroprosthesis in Subjects with Spinal Cord Injury for Restoration of an Effective Cough. Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil. 2017 Summer;23(3):271-278. doi: 10.1310/sci2303-271.
DiMarco AF, Geertman RT, Tabbaa K, Polito RR, Kowalski KE. Case report: Minimally invasive method to activate the expiratory muscles to restore cough. J Spinal Cord Med. 2018 Sep;41(5):562-566. doi: 10.1080/10790268.2017.1357916. Epub 2017 Oct 11.
DiMarco AF, Geertman RT, Tabbaa K, Kowalski KE. Complete Restoration of Respiratory Muscle Function in Three Subjects With Spinal Cord Injury: Pilot Interventional Clinical Trial. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2019 Jan;98(1):43-50. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000001018.
DiMarco AF, Geertman RT, Tabbaa K, Nemunaitis GA and Kowalski KE. Case Report: Effects of Lower Thoracic Spinal Cord Stimulation on Bowel Management in a Person with Spinal Cord Injury. Journal of Neurology and Neurobiology (2019) Volume 5 - Issue 1 | DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.16966/2379-7150.156.
DiMarco AF, Geertman RT, Tabbaa K, Kowalski KE. Complete Restoration of Respiratory Muscle Function in Subjects With Spinal Cord Injury: Interventional Clinical Trial. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2020 Jul;99(7):e91-e92. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000001338. No abstract available.
DiMarco AF, Geertman RT, Tabbaa K, Nemunaitis GA, Kowalski KE. Restoration of cough via spinal cord stimulation improves pulmonary function in tetraplegics. J Spinal Cord Med. 2020 Sep;43(5):579-585. doi: 10.1080/10790268.2019.1699678. Epub 2019 Dec 6.
DiMarco AF, Geertman RT, Tabbaa K, Nemunaitis GA, Kowalski KE. Effects of Lower Thoracic Spinal Cord Stimulation on Bowel Management in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2021 Jun;102(6):1155-1164. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2020.09.394. Epub 2020 Nov 5.
DiMarco AF, Geertman RT, Nemunaitis GA, Kowalski KE. Comparison of disc and wire electrodes to restore cough via lower thoracic spinal cord stimulation. J Spinal Cord Med. 2022 May;45(3):354-363. doi: 10.1080/10790268.2021.1936388. Epub 2021 Jul 7.
DiMarco AF, Geertman RT, Nemunaitis GA, Kowalski KE. Impact of the cough stimulation system on the care burden and life quality of caregivers of tetraplegics. J Spinal Cord Med. 2023 Sep;46(5):778-788. doi: 10.1080/10790268.2022.2148845. Epub 2023 Apr 5.
Provided Documents
Download supplemental materials such as informed consent forms, study protocols, or participant manuals.
Document Type: Informed Consent Form
Document Type: Study Protocol
Document Type: Statistical Analysis Plan
Other Identifiers
Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.
IRB 15-00014
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id
More Related Trials
Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.