The purpose of this feasibility study is to determine if neuromodulation can be used to improve pain relief and rehabilitation in people with a spinal cord injury (SCI), as well as to further describe neurophysiological measures and clinical outcomes.

You may qualify for this study if you meet the following criteria.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosed with thoracic spinal cord injury (affecting the upper or mid-back, T1-T12)
• Experiencing chronic nerve pain
• Injury at least 1 year ago
• Medically stable enough to undergo surgical implantation of a spinal cord stimulator (SCS) and participate in rehabilitation programs
• Ages 18-80
• Pain has been occurring for at least 3 months
  
  

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnancy or plans to become pregnant in the near future
• Active drug or alcohol dependency
• Active infection
• Diagnosis of complete spinal cord transection (meaning the spinal cord has been fully compressed or severed, completely eliminating the brain’s ability to send signals below the point of injury)
• Current psychosis or psychotic disorder

Your participation will involve a number of in-person visits over a 2-year period, including baseline visit(s), treatment allocation visit, and study visits after 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 18 months, and 24 months.

Participants will be randomly placed in one of two treatment groups:

1. Placebo arm. Under the direction of the study physician, you may receive a variety of treatments, such as medications and various forms of rehabilitation.
2. Treatment arm. The study physician will perform a trial procedure to see if the study procedure works for you, and may implant a permanent device if it is successful. There is a temporary trial procedure, or a “test drive,” which usually lasts 5-7 days. If this is successful, we will discuss with you a more permanent implant.

This study involves the concurrent placement of two SCS devices (one focused on pain and the second for rehabilitation).
For three months, treatment group participants will have the SCS turned on and will have rehabilitation as part of their treatment plan. Participants in the placebo arm will have their SCS remain off and will undergo a treatment plan with rehabilitation therapy similar to the treatment group. Both groups will not know which group they are in for the 3-month period after the implant.

Compensation for participation is provided.