Cure My Disease

Don't miss your cure!

 Log in / Sign up

Implanted electrical system aims to restore movement in paralyzed limbs

NCT ID NCT00623389

Disease control Sponsor: Case Western Reserve University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 10, 2026 · Last updated Jul 10, 2026

Summary

This study tests a surgically implanted device that uses mild electrical pulses to stimulate muscles in the legs and trunk. The goal is to help people with paralysis from spinal cord injury, stroke, or other conditions exercise, stand, step, and improve balance. Ten participants will receive the implant and undergo physical therapy, with researchers measuring how long they can stand and how far they can walk over a year.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Implanted Stimulator-Telemeter (IST) device with functional electrical stimulation
What this could lead to
If successful, this implanted system could help people with paralysis stand, walk short distances, and improve daily function without relying on caregivers.
What could go wrong
This is a very small early-stage trial with only 10 participants. The device requires surgery and may not work for everyone. Risks include infection, device failure, or no improvement in function.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 10 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Jun 2018

Expected to finish

Dec 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

21 to 75 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Phase I Inclusion Criteria 1. Skeletal maturity and ability to sign informed consent (\>18 years) 2. Non-ventilator dependent paralysis resulting from injuries such as: mid cervical/thoracic (C4 or below) spinal cord injuries, poststroke hemiparesis, TBI, or MS, affecting the trunk and/or lower limbs 3. Innervated and excitable lower extremity and trunk musculature 4. Adequate social support and stability 5. Willingness to comply with follow-up procedures Phase I Exclusion Criteria 1. Non-English speaking 2. Females who are pregnant 3. Current pressure injuries that would be exacerbated by study activities 4. Severe contractures or uncontrolled spasticity of any major joint of the upper or lower extremities that results in a fixed deformity that would interfere with study activities 5. History of spontaneous fractures or other evidence of excessively low bone density 6. History of vestibular dysfunction, balance problems, or spontaneous falls 7. Acute and or/untreated orthopedic problems that would prevent a participant from weight bearing or exercising such as a dislocation or fracture.

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Multiple sclerosis are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

multiple sclerosis nervous system disorder palsy paraplegia quadriplegia Rare Diseases spinal cord injury stroke disorder traumatic brain injury

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Paralysis Paraplegia Spinal cord injuries Stroke Tetraplegia

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    2 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center

    RECRUITING

    Cleveland, Ohio, 44106, United States

  • MetroHealth System

    RECRUITING

    Cleveland, Ohio, 44109, United States

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.