Safety and Efficacy Study of Implantable Neuromodulation for Poststroke Hemiplegia

Summary

Background: Hemiplegia is a common complication after a stroke. Studies have shown that traditional medical and rehabilitation treatments are not good for improving patients' motor function, deep brain stimulation (DBS) and vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) can improve the motor function of patients, but there is no comparative study between them. Objectives: This study compares the efficacy and safety of DBS and VNS in the recovery of motor function in patients with post-stroke hemiplegia, determining the best treatment for patients with post-stroke hemiplegia, and providing high-level clinical evidence for patients and clinicians to choose from. Methods/Design: This is a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, cross-controlled pilot study. A total of 98 patients with post-stroke hemiplegia are assigned to receive DBS or VNS. After 3 and 6 months of follow-up, all the devices are turned off. After a 2-week washout, the control group is turned on, but the stimulation group is given sham stimulation. After 9 and 12 months of follow-up, all the devices are turned on. Then, at postoperative 15 and 18 months, postoperative neuroimaging and various post-stroke motor-related scores were performed for data collection and analysis. Discussion: We propose a study design and rationale to compare the efficacy and safety of DBS and VNS in patients with post-stroke hemiplegia to provide evidence and reference for implantable neuromodulation in the treatment of post-stroke dysfunction, and to compare the therapeutic effects of DBS and VNS to provide evidence for patient and clinical diagnosis and treatment choices. Study limitations are related to the small sample size and short study period.

Conditions

• Stroke Sequelae
• Deep Brain Stimulation
• Vagus Nerve Stimulation
• Motor Recovery
• Stroke
• Hemiplegia

Interventions

PROCEDURE

The DBS electrodes are implanted into MLR.

MLR-DBS#Deep brain stimulation of the mesencephalic locomotor region#The arm will be switched on one month postoperatively for electrical stimulation therapy,exercise training rehabilitation and EMG-triggered neuromuscular stimulation. Specialist doctors will assess the patient's rehabilitation status through the telerehabilitation system every week, and provide guidance on rehabilitation training and electrical stimulation therapy.

PROCEDURE

The electrodes are implanted into the patient's vagus nerve

A pre-surgery assessment was performed. Device implantation was done under general anaesthesia. A horizontal neck crease incision was created left of the midline at the level of the cricoid cartilage. After the vagus nerve was identified, the stimulation lead was wrapped around the vagus nerve. The lead was then tunnelled subcutaneously to the pulse generator device which was contained in a subcutaneous pocket in the pectoral region

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Chinese PLA General Hospital

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Zhiqi Mao, PhD · Chinese PLA General Hospital

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

80 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2023-11-10

Primary Completion

2029-10-30

Completion

2030-10-30

Countries

• China

Study Locations