Brain Controlled Spinal Cord Stimulation in Participants With Cervical Spinal Cord Injury for Upper Limb Rehabilitation

About this trial

This trial is enrolling three individuals with chronic cervical spinal cord injury to test the safety and effect of an implantable electrocorticography (ECoG) neuroprosthetic device combined with electrical epidural spinal cord stimulation (EES) on voluntary arm movements. EES is a technique for stimulating the spinal cord with an implanted electrode array placed next to the spinal cord to modify spinal cord function. ECoG is a technique connecting a computer to implanted electrodes on the brain to record brain activity; brain signals thus control an external device to drive muscle-specific EES. This device has been implanted in four individuals in other studies. If included, participants will undergo surgery for: 1) implantation of the ECoG device on the brain and; 2) implantation of the EES device on the cervical spinal cord. Preliminary efficacy (arm and hand function) will be assessed over 7 months and safety will be monitored for 12 months.