Improving Bowel Function and Quality of Life After Spinal Cord Injury
Neurogenic Bowel
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Neurogenic Bowel focused on measuring bowel, spinal cord injury, epidural stimulation
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- At least 18 years of age at the time of enrollment
- At least 2 years post injury
- Non-progressive spinal cord injury
- Stable medical condition
- Unable to voluntarily move all joints of the legs
- Unable to stand independently
- Cardiovascular dysfunction including presence of persistent resting low blood pressures and/or symptoms of autonomic dysreflexia and/or orthostatic hypotension and/or dysregulation in response to postural changes and/or highly variable blood pressures in 24 hour period
- Bowel dysfunction as a result of spinal cord injury
Exclusion Criteria:
- Ventilator dependent
- Untreated painful musculoskeletal dysfunction, unhealed fracture or pressure sore
- Untreated psychiatric disorder or ongoing drug abuse
- Colostomy bag
- Any implanted pump (i.e., baclofen pump, pain pump, etc)
- Cardiovascular or bowel dysfunction unrelated to SCI
- Ongoing nicotine use
- Pregnant at the time of enrollment or planning to become pregnant during the time course of the study
Sites / Locations
- Frazier Rehab InstituteRecruiting
- University of LouisvilleRecruiting
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Arm 3
Arm 4
Experimental
Experimental
Experimental
Experimental
Epidural stimulation for blood pressure without stand
Epidural stimulation for blood pressure with stand
Epidural stimulation for trunk and core without stand
Epidural stimulation for trunk and core with stand
To assess whether epidural stimulation, used for regulating blood pressure without standing, is neuromodulatory for bowel motility after motor complete SCI
To assess whether epidural stimulation, used for regulating blood pressure with standing, is neuromodulatory for bowel motility after motor complete SCI
To assess whether epidural stimulation, used for activating the trunk and core musculature without standing, is neuromodulatory for bowel evacuation after motor complete SCI
To assess whether epidural stimulation, used for activating the trunk and core musculature with standing, is neuromodulatory for bowel evacuation after motor complete SCI