Prospective Study for Delay in Surgical Treatment of Traumatic Cervical Central Cord Injury in Canal Stenosis

NCT ID: NCT02673320

Last Updated: 2025-07-16

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 72 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2016-07-31
• Study Completion Date: 2027-07-31

Brief Summary

The studied pathology concerns post traumatic cervical spinal cord contusion on narrow spinal canal.

The pathophysiology remains controversial. This pathology does not enjoy consensus support. Many questions remain regarding the surgical care and its delay.

The purpose of the study was to demonstrate non-inferiority of early surgical treatment compared to the same surgery performed with a delay among patients identified as having a cervical spinal cord contusion on posttraumatic narrowed cervical canal.

In the current state of knowledge and practices, the treatment of post traumatic spinal cord contusions on narrow spinal canal spinal decompression is performed remote diagnosis. The generally accepted delay is 15 days.

The surgical technique is a conventional cervical spinal decompression surgery. The type of decompression (anterior or posterior) is dependent on the compression and therefore the clinical radiological analysis. The choice of the technique and the surgical approach are therefore left to the discretion of the surgeon.

After completion of the clinical and radiological diagnosis of post-traumatic spinal cord contusion on narrow spinal canal, the patient was hospitalized in intensive care or in the Neurosurgery Service of the University Hospital concerned.

After anesthetic consultation determining the feasibility or not of surgery and in the absence of other vital injury or involving life-threatening, early surgery within 48 hours of diagnosis is then considered (according to the assigned group).

The surgical technique is a conventional cervical spinal decompression surgery. Way posterior surgery, laminectomy for spinal stenosis significant if greater than or equal to 3 floors will be preferred. In other cases, the type of surgery will be at the discretion of the surgeon and the opinion of the Staff Neurosurgery.

The surgical procedure is identical in the two groups. Alone, the delay of the surgery varies : less than 48 hours for the first group and 15 days for the second.

During the different monitoring visits (D0 (surgery), D7, M3, Y1 and Y2), the following criteria will be assessed : the quality and quickness of the motor and sensory recovery, the early post-operative evolution and the long and medium term evolution but also disability and functional sequelaes.

Conditions

Acute Traumatic Cervical Central Cord Syndrom Injury

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: OTHER
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Early surgery

Early surgery within 48 hours

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Early surgery within 48 hours

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

After completion of the clinical and radiological diagnosis of post-traumatic spinal cord contusion on narrow spinal canal, the patient was hospitalized. After obtaining the signed consent form, the patient was included in the protocol. After anesthetic consultation determining the feasibility or not of surgery and in the absence of other vital injury or involving life-threatening, early surgery is then realised within 48 hours. The surgical technique is a conventional cervical spinal decompression surgery. Surgery by way posterior surgery, by laminectomy in case of significant spinal stenosis greater than or equal to 3 floors will be preferred. In other cases, the type of surgery will be at the discretion of the surgeon. Then, the follow-up visits are D7, M3, Y1 and Y2.

Delayed surgery

Delayed surgery at 15 days

Group Type: OTHER

Delayed surgery at 15 days

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

After completion of the clinical and radiological diagnosis of post-traumatic spinal cord contusion on narrow spinal canal, the patient was hospitalized. After obtaining the signed consent form, the patient was included in the protocol. After anesthetic consultation determining the feasibility or not of surgery and in the absence of other vital injury or involving life-threatening, delayed surgery is then realised at 15 days. The surgical technique is a conventional cervical spinal decompression surgery. Surgery by way posterior surgery, by laminectomy in case of significant spinal stenosis greater than or equal to 3 floors will be preferred. In other cases, the type of surgery will be at the discretion of the surgeon. Then, the follow-up visits are D7, M3, Y1 and Y2.

Interventions

Early surgery within 48 hours

After completion of the clinical and radiological diagnosis of post-traumatic spinal cord contusion on narrow spinal canal, the patient was hospitalized. After obtaining the signed consent form, the patient was included in the protocol. After anesthetic consultation determining the feasibility or not of surgery and in the absence of other vital injury or involving life-threatening, early surgery is then realised within 48 hours. The surgical technique is a conventional cervical spinal decompression surgery. Surgery by way posterior surgery, by laminectomy in case of significant spinal stenosis greater than or equal to 3 floors will be preferred. In other cases, the type of surgery will be at the discretion of the surgeon. Then, the follow-up visits are D7, M3, Y1 and Y2.

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

Delayed surgery at 15 days

After completion of the clinical and radiological diagnosis of post-traumatic spinal cord contusion on narrow spinal canal, the patient was hospitalized. After obtaining the signed consent form, the patient was included in the protocol. After anesthetic consultation determining the feasibility or not of surgery and in the absence of other vital injury or involving life-threatening, delayed surgery is then realised at 15 days. The surgical technique is a conventional cervical spinal decompression surgery. Surgery by way posterior surgery, by laminectomy in case of significant spinal stenosis greater than or equal to 3 floors will be preferred. In other cases, the type of surgery will be at the discretion of the surgeon. Then, the follow-up visits are D7, M3, Y1 and Y2.

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Man or woman,
• Aged from 18 years old or over,
• Initial glasgow score ≥ 13,
• Initial ASIA score grade A-D,
• Scan of the cervical spine in bone windows
• Posttraumatic cervical spinal cord contusion on narrow cervical canal confirmed by MRI,
• Complete or incomplete tetraplegia on whiplash on narrow cervical canal,
• Patient's consent form (or, if appropriate, by an third party independent of the sponsor and the investigator in the case of physical disability to sign)
• Location of the stepped spinal cord injury C2 to t1,
• Affiliation to a social security system.

Exclusion Criteria

• Nontraumatic narrow cervical canal,
• Nontraumatic not acute cervical myelopathy,
• Cervico brachial neuralgia,
• Contraindication to one of the methods studied, of a functional exploration, subject on exclusion period,
• Penetrating cervical-spinal wounds,
• Lesions threatening the vital prognosis and preventing the emergency decompression,
• Contraindications to MRI : Pacemaker or implantable defibrillator or pacemaker neurosensory, cochlear implants, ocular or cerebral ferromagnetic foreign body close to the nerve structures, metal prostheses, agitation of the patient : not cooperating or agitated patients, claustrophobic subjects, valves of neurosurgical ventriculoperitoneal shunt, dental braces,
• Pregnant women,
• Unconscious patients whose score ASIA is not feasible,
• Adults under a legal protection regime (guardianship, trusteeship, safeguard justice).

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Nantes University Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Locations

CHU d'Angers

Angers, , France

CHU de Brest

Brest, , France

Hospital LA TIMONE

Marseille, , France

CHU de Nantes

Nantes, , France

CHU de Rennes

Rennes, , France

Countries

France

Other Identifiers

RC15_0040

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id