Chilling the spine: could hypothermia heal paralysis?
NCT ID NCT02991690
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study is testing whether cooling the body to 33°C (just below normal) for 48 hours soon after a cervical spinal cord injury can improve nerve recovery and function. Researchers will enroll 120 adults aged 18-70 with severe but non-penetrating injuries. The cooling is delivered through a catheter in the leg, and participants are monitored for safety and neurological improvement.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
hypothermia (body cooling via catheter)
What this could lead to
If it works, this could become a standard early treatment to limit nerve damage and improve movement and independence after spinal cord injury.
What could go wrong
This is an early study without a control group, so results may not prove effectiveness. Cooling carries risks like infection, bleeding, and heart problems.
Disclaimer
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This is a summary of
the original study
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Study contacts
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Contact
Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Locations
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Emory University School of Medicine
TERMINATEDAtlanta, Georgia, 30303-3049, United States
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HonorHealth Research Institute with Barrow Brain and Spine
RECRUITINGPhoenix, Arizona, 85027, United States
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
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Indiana University School of Medicine
TERMINATEDIndianapolis, Indiana, 46202-1000, United States
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Jackson Memorial Hospital
RECRUITINGMiami, Florida, 33136, United States
Contact Phone: •••-•••-••••
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Prisma Health - University of South Carolina
RECRUITINGColumbia, South Carolina, 29203, United States
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
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Thomas Jefferson University
RECRUITINGPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, 19107-5125, United States
Contact
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University of Maryland School of Medicine
RECRUITINGBaltimore, Maryland, 21201, United States
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••