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TSCS for Acute SCI

Sponsor: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai • ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05305118

Registry updated: 2026-08-24

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Description

This project will focus on a novel approach to stabilizing blood pressure (BP) during inpatient rehabilitation after acute SCI. After SCI, people have unstable blood pressure, ranging from too low (orthostatic hypotension) to too high (autonomic dysreflexia). Unstable BP often interferes with performing effective physical rehabilitation after SCI. A critical need exists for the identification of safe, practical and effective treatment options that stabilize BP after traumatic SCI. Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation (TSCS) has several advantages over pharmacological approaches: (1) does not exacerbate polypharmacy, (2) can be activated/deactivated rapidly, and (3) can be applied in synergy with physical exercise. The study team is asking the key question: "What if applying TSCS earlier after injury could prevent the development of BP instability?" To facilitate adoption of TSCS for widespread clinical use, the study team plans to map and develop a parameter configuration that will result in an easy to follow algorithm to maximize individual benefits, while minimizing the burden on healthcare professionals. This project will provide the foundational evidence to support the feasible and safe application of TSCS in the newly injured population, thereby overcoming barriers to engagement in prescribed inpatient rehabilitation regimens that are imposed by BP instability.

Interventions

TSCS Mapping (Procedure)
Prior to TSCS Intervention, participants will undergo TSCS Mapping. Electrode location, pulse frequency will be maintained while the stimulation intensity is ramped from 10 to 200 mA. Brachial blood pressures and symptoms will be monitored and recorded at each ramping interval and will continuously monitor and record beat-to-beat heart rate and blood pressures to determine the optimal site and frequency for further TSCS intervention TSCS electrodes will be placed at two vertebral levels in the and back and pulse frequency will be set at 30 to 240 Hz to determine the optimal site and frequency for further TSCS intervention.
Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (Device)
TSCS will be used as an adjunct intervention to promote blood pressure stability in conjunction with daily physical and occupational therapy in the inpatient rehabilitation gym. Stimulation will be added to therapy 3-5 times per week as needed for the duration of inpatient hospitalization following SCI. TSCS stimulation will be delivered using Digitimer DS7A, DS8R stimulators and Chattanooga Continuum (DS7A has FDA 510(k) clearance #K051357; Chattanooga Continuum is a Class 2 device).

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * All newly injured patients with SCI who are sequentially admitted during the 42-month recruitment period * Meet the following Model Systems entry criteria with evidence of BP instability * Exhibit one or more of the following: Resting hypotension - systolic BP ≤ 110 mmHg for males or ≤ 100 mmHg for females; OH - fall in systolic BP ≥ 20 mmHg and/or a fall in diastolic BP ≥ 10 mmHg within 10 minutes of assuming an upright position; BP instability - fluctuation in systolic BP ≥ 20 mmHg and/or fluctuation in diastolic BP ≥ 10 mmHg within a single day during routine activities in the AIR setting. * Have trouble with your blood pressure as determined by your doctor. * Participants must be between the ages of 18-89 years old, experienced a spinal cord injury (SCI) within the past 30 days to 6 months, have sustained a SCI with temporary or permanent loss of sensory and/or motor function, and are an inpatient for acute SCI rehabilitation therapy at Mount Sinai. * You are not dependent on a ventilator at this time. * You do not have a history of implanted pacemaker/defibrillator or significant coronary artery disease. Exclusion Criteria: * Implanted brain/spine/nerve stimulators, cochlear implants, cardiac pacemaker/defibrillator, or intracardiac lines * Open skin lesions on or near the electrode placement sites (neck, upper back) * Significant coronary artery or cardiac conduction disease * Recent history of myocardial infarction * Insufficient mental capacity to understand and independently provide consent * Pregnancy * Cancer * Deemed unsuitable by study physician As part of the feasibility assessment, the study team will document demographic and injury characteristics of eligible patients who refuse enrollment, as well as reasons for ineligibility among those who do not meet entrance criteria.

Conditions

Acute Spinal Cord Injury Blood Pressure Hypotension

Locations

Mount Sinai Spinal Cord Injury Model System — New York, New York, United States

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Official Source

Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

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