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Safety of Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation Potentiating Recovery in Acute Spinal Cord Injury Syndromes

Technology
General health
Online since 2 December 2025, updated today
Curated trial

About this trial

This trial is enrolling 15 participants to test the safety of transcutaneous spinal stimulation (tSS) in acute spinal cord injury. tSS is a non-invasive technique that uses surface electrodes to deliver electrical stimulation aimed at modifying spinal cord function. If included, participants, starting three days after injury, will be assessed before and after a single 60-minute session of active electrical stimulation. In a second phase, participants will undergo assessments before five consecutive daily sessions of stimulation and assessments before going home at around 7 days post injury. In this second phase, participants will be randomized to receive active or sham electrical stimulation. Final testing of safety and motor recovery will be performed after 6 months.

Included participants

Gender
All
Age
≥ 18 years
Injury level
C4 - T10
  • Severity (AIS)?
    • AIS-A
    AIS-B
    AIS-C
    Time since injury
    ≤ 12 null
  • Injury type

    • Traumatic

    Healthy volunteers
    No
    C4-T10
    Additionally, participants must
    Not have a penetrating SCI or complete transection of the spinal cord.
    Not have multiple spinal cord lesions.

    What’s involved

    Type

    Technology

    Details

    - Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either a single 60-minute session of active transcutaneous spinal stimulation (tSS) or five consecutive daily sessions of active versus sham stimulation, delivered in the intensive care unit. - tSS is a non-invasive technique that uses surface electrodes to deliver electrical stimulation aimed at modifying spinal cord function. - Final testing of safety will be performed after 6 months.

    Potential benefits

    Main benefits

    General health

    Additional benefits

    Arm/hand function

    Bladder health/function

    Bowel health

    Mental health and psychosocial factors

    Pain

    Sensory function

    Standing/walking/mobility

    Good to know: Potential benefits are defined as outcomes that are being measured during and/or after the trial.

    Wings for Life supports SCITrialsFinder

    Wings for Life has proudly initiated, led and funded the new version of the SCI Trials Finder website. Wings for Life aims to find a cure for spinal cord injuries. The not-for-profit foundation funds world-class scientific research and clinical trials around the globe.

    Learn more


    • Trial recruitment status
    • Recruiting soon
    • Trial start date
    • 1 Dec 2025
    • Organisation
    • University of California, San Francisco
    View on clinicaltrials.gov
    for more details
    • Trial recruitment status
    • Recruiting soon
    • Trial start date
    • 1 Dec 2025
    • Organisation
    • University of California, San Francisco
    View on clinicaltrials.gov
    for more details

    Wings for Life supports SCITrialsFinder

    Wings for Life has proudly initiated, led and funded the new version of the SCI Trials Finder website. Wings for Life aims to find a cure for spinal cord injuries. The not-for-profit foundation funds world-class scientific research and clinical trials around the globe.

    Learn more

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