Umbilical cord patch used in womb to repair spina bifida
NCT ID NCT04243889
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Aug 26, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study tests a new way to repair spina bifida before birth using a tiny camera and a patch made from donated human umbilical cord tissue. The patch is placed over the spinal cord to create a watertight seal, which may reduce problems after birth. The trial includes 50 pregnant women carrying a baby with spina bifida, and the surgery is done between 22 and 25 weeks of pregnancy.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- cryopreserved human umbilical cord allograft (NEOX Cord 1K)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could offer a less invasive way to repair spina bifida before birth, potentially reducing the need for postnatal surgeries and improving outcomes.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage trial with only 50 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The procedure is complex and carries risks for both mother and fetus, including preterm birth or failed repair.
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
-
100 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Aug 2020
- Expected to finish
-
Mar 2029
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 years and older
- 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 Hide 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: Maternal inclusion criteria: * Singleton pregnancy * Gestational age at screening is 19 to 25 5/7 weeks and gestational age at surgery is 22 to 25 6/7 weeks * Maternal age: 18 years and older * Body mass index \< 40 kg/m2 * No preterm birth risk factors (short cervix, history of previous preterm delivery) * No previous uterine incision in the active uterine segment * Willing to undergo an open fetal repair if the fetoscopic approach is unsuccessful Fetal inclusion criteria: * Spina bifida defect between T1 to S1 vertebral levels * Chiari II malformation * No evidence of kyphosis (curved spine) * No major life-threatening fetal anomaly unrelated to spina bifida * Normal karyotype, or normal Chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA), or a CMA with variants of unknown significance Exclusion Criteria: Maternal exclusion criteria: * Non-resident of the United States * Multifetal pregnancy * Poorly controlled insulin-dependent pregestational diabetes * Poorly controlled A2 diabetes mellitus (A2DM) insulin-dependent diabetes * Current or planned cerclage or documented history of an incompetent cervix * Placenta previa or placental abruption * Short cervix of \< 20 mm * Obesity as defined by a body mass index of \> 40 kg/m2 * Previous spontaneous singleton delivery prior to 37 weeks * Maternal-fetal Rh isoimmunization, Kell sensitization, or a history of neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia * HIV or Hepatitis-B positive status * Known Hepatitis-C positivity * Uterine anomaly such as large or multiple fibroids or a mullerian duct abnormality that is diagnosed via imaging prior to surgery, which that are unavoidable during surgery * Other medical conditions which are contraindication to surgery or general anesthesia * Patient does not have a support person * Inability to comply with the travel and follow-up requirements of the trial * Patient does not meet psychosocial standardized assessment criteria * Participation in this or another intervention study that influences maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality * Maternal hypertension * Zika virus positivity * Allergy/history of drug reaction to Amphotericin B Fetal exclusion criteria: * Major fetal anomaly not related to spina bifida * Kyphosis in the fetus of 30 degrees or more * Ventriculomegaly greater than 15 mm and no movements noted at hip and knee joints
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Myelomeningocele are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
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
Locations
-
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Houston, Texas, 77030, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can a simple device stop enema leaks for spina bifida patients?
- Can a diabetes drug curb obesity in kids with movement challenges?
- Running reimagined: could an adapted program get kids moving?
- Can a new workout boost balance in teens with movement disabilities?
- Can breathing power boost balance and Well-Being in paralympic athletes?
- Can a robotic suit help kids with neurological conditions walk better?