Systemic Hypothermia for Acute Cervical Spinal Cord Injury

This study is looking at whether cooling the body (intravascular hypothermia) can help people who have recently experienced a cervical (neck) spinal cord injury. Researchers will use a special catheter, the Alsius Icy CoolGuard® catheter, inserted into a vein to cool the body to 33 degrees Celsius (modest hypothermia). The goal is to see if this treatment is safe and if it can improve how well people recover from their injury. You might be able to join if you are between 18 and 70 years old, have a certain type of spinal cord injury (AIS Grade A-C), and can start the cooling treatment within 24 hours of your injury. Success in this study would mean that participants show improvement in their neurological function, as measured by the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) scale, between the start of the study and 12 months later. The current status of this study is unclear.

Study design
This is a prospective multi-center study aiming to enroll 120 participants. It is an interventional study, meaning participants will receive a specific treatment.
What's involved
Not specified in the trial record.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Participants will be followed for neurological improvement between baseline and 12 months after the start of the study.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT02991690

Systemic Hypothermia in Acute Cervical Spinal Cord Injury

Recruiting
NAAges 18–70InterventionalTreatment
University of Miami
~120 participants
Updated 2026-08-26 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Alsius Icy CoolGuard® Catheter

At a glance

Recruiting sites
5 of 7 listed sites are recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Neurological improvement on American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA)
Measured over Between baseline and 12 months
+1 more outcome measured
Spinal Cord Injury, Acute

NCT02991690

Where you'd take part

This study runs at 7 sites. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.

  • HonorHealth Research Institute with Barrow Brain and Spine

    Phoenix, Arizonastudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

  • Jackson Memorial Hospital

    Miami, Floridastudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

  • Prisma Health - University of South Carolina

    Columbia, South Carolinastudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

  • University of Maryland School of Medicine

    Baltimore, Marylandstudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

  • Thomas Jefferson University

    Philadelphia, Pennsylvaniano site contact published

    Recruiting

  • Emory University School of Medicine

    Atlanta, Georgiano site contact published

    Terminated

  • Indiana University School of Medicine

    Indianapolis, Indianano site contact published

    Terminated

Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.

  • Allan D Levi, MD, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of Miami

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

18 - 70 years of age
AIS Grade A - C
Glasgow Coma Scale ≥14
Able to start hypothermia treatment within 24 hours of injury
Non-penetrating injury. Patients urgently taken to the operating room for surgical reduction may also be included.

Exclusion

Age \> 70 years
AIS Grade D
Hyperthermia on admission (\>38.5ºC)
Severe systemic injury
Severe bleeding
Pregnancy
Coagulopathy
Thrombocytopenia
Known prior severe cardiac history
Blood dyscrasia
Pancreatitis
Reynaud's syndrome
Cord transection
  • Neurological improvement on American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA)Between baseline and 12 months

    Improvement in ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS) after modest hypothermia. ASIA Motor Score: 0-100, with higher scores indicating better motor function

  • Neurological improvement on ASIABetween baseline and 12 months

    Improvement in ASIA motor score after modest hypothermia. ASIA Motor Score: 0-100, with higher scores indicating better motor function