Partial restoration of spinal cord neural continuity via vascular pedicle hemisected spinal cord transplantation using spinal cord fusion technique.

AIMS: Our team tested spinal cord fusion (SCF) using the neuroprotective agent polyethylene glycol (PEG) in different animal (mice, rats, and beagles) models with complete spinal cord transection. To further explore the application of SCF for the treatment of paraplegic patients, we developed a new clinical procedure for SCF called vascular pedicle hemisected spinal cord transplantation (vSCT) and tested this procedure in eight paraplegic participants. METHODS: Eight paraplegic participants (American Spinal Injury Association, ASIA: A) were enrolled and treated with vSCT (PEG was applied to the sites of spinal cord transplantation). Pre- and postoperative pain intensities, neurologic assessments, electrophysiologic monitoring, and neuroimaging examinations were recorded. RESULTS: Of the eight paraplegic participants who completed vSCT, objective improvements occurred in motor function for one participant, in electrophysiologic motor-evoked potentials for another participant, in re-establishment of white matter continuity in three participants, in autonomic nerve function in seven participants, and in symptoms of cord central pain for seven participants. CONCLUSIONS: The postoperative recovery of paraplegic participants demonstrated the clinical feasibility and efficacy of vSCT in re-establishing the continuity of spinal nerve fibers. vSCT could provide the anatomic, morphologic, and histologic foundations to potentially restore the motor, sensory, and autonomic nervous functions in paraplegic patients. More future clinical trials are warranted.

Partial Restoration of Spinal Cord Neural Continuity via Sural Nerve Transplantation Using a Technique of Spinal Cord Fusion.

BACKGROUND: Spinal cord injury (SCI) can cause paralysis and serious chronic morbidity, and there is no effective treatment. Based on our previous experimental results of spinal cord fusion (SCF) in mice, rats, beagles, and monkeys, we developed a surgical protocol of SCF for paraplegic human patients. We designed a novel surgical procedure of SCF, called sural nerve transplantation (SNT), for human patients with lower thoracic SCI and distal cord dysfunction. METHODS: We conducted a clinical trial (ChiCTR2000030788) and performed SNT in 12 fully paraplegic patients due to SCI between T1 and T12. We assessed pre- and postoperative central nerve pain, motor function, sensory function, and autonomic nerve function. Conduction of action potentials across the sural nerve transplant was evaluated. Neural continuity was also examined by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). RESULTS: Among the 12 paraplegic patients enrolled in this clinical trial, seven patients demonstrated improved autonomic nerve functions. Seven patients had clinically significant relief of their symptoms of cord central pain. One patient, however, developed postoperative cord central pain (VAS: 4). Five patients had varying degrees of recovered sensory and/or motor functions below the single neurologic level 1 month after surgery. One patient showed recovery of electrophysiologic, motor-evoked potentials 6 months after the operation. At 6 months after surgery, DTI indicated fusion and nerve connections of white cord and sural nerves in seven patients. CONCLUSION: SNT was able to fuse the axonal stumps of white cord and sural nerve and at least partially improve the cord central pain in most patients. Although SNT did not restore the spinal cord continuity in white matter in some patients, SNT could restore spinal cord continuity in the cortico-trunco-reticulo-propriospinal pathway, thereby restoring in part some motor and sensory functions. SNT may therefore be a safe, feasible, and effective method to treat paraplegic patients with SCI. Future clinical trials should be performed to optimize the type/technique of nerve transplantation, reduce surgical damage, and minimize postoperative scar formation and adhesion, to avoid postoperative cord central pain. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: [http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=50526], identifier [ChiCTR2000030788].