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Spinal stimulation may reawaken paralyzed arms — a trial puts it to the test

NCT ID NCT07722429

Disease control Sponsor: Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital 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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 23, 2026 · Last updated Jul 24, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This trial investigates whether a surgically implanted device that delivers personalized electrical stimulation to the spinal cord can improve upper limb function in people with spinal cord injury. Twenty participants with injuries at or above the T4 level will receive the implant along with a structured rehabilitation program. The study measures changes in independence, dexterity, and neurological function to see if this approach can help restore movement and daily living skills.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
a surgically implanted device that delivers epidural electrical stimulation to the cervical spinal cord, combined with physical rehabilitation
What this could lead to
If it works, this approach could offer a way to restore hand and arm function in people with spinal cord injury, improving independence in daily life.
What could go wrong
This is a small early-stage trial with only 20 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The surgical implantation carries risks such as infection or device complications, and not all participants may see meaningful improvement.

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 20 people

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

Started

Nov 2025

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

18 to 70 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.

Inclusion Criteria: * Age between 18 and 70 years. * Duration since spinal cord injury ranging from 1 to 10 years. * Spinal cord injury level at or above T4. * MRI and/or CT imaging confirms adequate spinal cord decompression and spinal stability. * Stable vital signs and no dependence on mechanical ventilation. * Stable neurological and psychological status, with no history of neurological deterioration within the past 6 months (e.g., acute worsening of motor or sensory function, new-onset seizures, acute changes in muscle tone, or other neurological symptoms). Participants must be conscious, able to understand, and comply with study instructions. Clinical neurological examinations and imaging findings (MRI or CT) should demonstrate no new abnormalities. * Willingness to participate in and comply with rehabilitation programs. * Participants who have completed spinal cord electrical stimulation implantation surgery and/or are currently undergoing conventional rehabilitation therapy. Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with untreated fractures of the upper extremities. * Patients with severe skin lesions or wounds that interfere with EMG electrode placement or the surgical sites for electrical stimulation implantation (e.g., chest/back, upper extremities, posterior cervical region, or subclavicular area). * Patients with a history of other neurological diseases. * Patients with known allergy or hypersensitivity to silver (Ag).

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

spinal cord injury

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Spinal cord injury(SCI)

How to take part

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

  1. The places running it

    1 site. 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

  • Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital

    RECRUITING

    Hualien City, Taiwan

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