Safety of Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation for Acute Spinal Cord Injury

This study is looking at whether a treatment called transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) using the ARC-EX device is safe and can help people recover movement after a recent spinal cord injury (SCI). The stimulation is delivered through electrodes placed on the skin. Researchers want to see if starting this treatment 3 days after injury is safe and if it helps improve movement. You could be eligible if you are an adult (21 years or older) with a traumatic, non-penetrating SCI that occurred within the last 12 hours, and your injury is classified as AIS Grade A, B, or C. This study plans to enroll 15 participants.

Study design
This is an interventional study with an unclear status, planning to enroll 15 participants. It involves comparing transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation with a sham (inactive) stimulation.
What's involved
You would undergo several tests before and after a single treatment, with assessments repeated before you go home around 7 days post-injury.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Your motor scores will be measured from enrollment until the end of the study at 6 months follow-up.

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

NCT07090473

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

Recruiting
NAAges 21+InterventionalTreatment
University of California, San Francisco
~15 participants
Updated 2026-06-04 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:transcutaneous spinal cord stimulationsham transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Incidence of adverse events
Measured over From enrollment to the end of treatment at 7 days post injury
+1 more outcome measured
Acute Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)
Acute Spinal Cord Injury of Traumatic Origin (tSCI)
1 sites across 1 states
California1
  • Rajiv Saigal, MD, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of California, San Francisco
  • Anastasia V Keller, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of California, San Francisco

Opens a ready-to-send draft in your own email app — review before sending.

  • Incidence of adverse eventsFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 7 days post injury

    Number of observed events over the transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) sessions. Examples of adverse events (AE) that will be carefully monitored * Hemodynamic instability * Skin irritation * Patient condition deterioration * Unanticipated AE

  • International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) motor scoresFrom enrollment to the end of study at 6 months follow up

    International Standards for Neurological Classification of SCI (ISNCSCI) motor scores; Standardized manual muscle testing is used to assess the strength of each key muscle, typically on a 6-point scale (0-5, 0 - total paralysis to 5 - normal strength with full ROM against gravity and maximal resistance); The motor score is derived by summing the individual muscle grades, with a maximum score of 50 for each upper and lower extremity, and a total maximum score of 100 for both limbs. Immediate change in scores with acute tSCS and change in scores from baseline to post treatment and at 6-month follow up will be assessed in the study.