13 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
Chiari Malformation (CM) is a chronic health condition characterized by brain and spinal malformations and displacements that cause obstruction of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF; Hadley, 2002) circulation. The most common type of CM, CM1, is characterized by the displacement of the cerebellar tonsils more than five millimeters into the foramen magnum (Hadley, 2002). Approximately 215,000 Americans may have CM1, over six times the prevalence of multiple sclerosis (Dilokthornsakul et al., 2016; Speer et al., 2003). Chronic pain is a major problem for patients with CM; (Curone et al., 2017; Garcia et al., 2019). Craniovertebral decompression is the most common surgical intervention for CM1, but it may not be effective in relieving long-term pain and is not recommended for all CM1 patients (Arnautovic et al., 2015; Imperato et al., 2011). In addition to chronic pain, patients with CM also have high levels of depression, anxiety, and sleep dysfunction (Garcia et al., 2019; Lázaro et al., 2018; Watson et al., 2010). Psychological interventions, specifically Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), have been effective at treating chronic pain when administered online (van de Graaf et al., 2021). We previously found an online self-administered version of ACT to be effective at improving psychological flexibility and chronic pain acceptance in participants with CM (Garcia et al., 2021). In our pilot study (Garcia et al., 2021), participants in the intervention group received phone coaching to improve intervention adherence and use of skills; however, we found that duration of phone coaching did not impact treatment outcomes. We also had excellent retention in the control group. It is unclear whether phone coaching is necessary for treatment engagement or efficacy in groups particularly motivated to seek treatment. If it is not necessary, online ACT can be offered more efficiently and cost-effectively. The proposed study will randomize participants to either ACT+ phone coaching, ACT without coaching, or wait-list control conditions to determine if coaching impacts treatment adherence and outcomes in this population. Based on power analyses, the sample size will be 111. The sample will be recruited online and randomized to one of the three treatment groups. The intervention will consist of eight modules that are administered weekly over 8 weeks. Follow up assessments will be administered after completion of the intervention, and at one and three months after completion.
Twenty percent of US adults report chronic pain symptoms. Both psychological symptoms and sleep issues commonly co-occur with chronic pain. Chronic pain is a frequently reported symptoms of Chiari Malformation (CM); however, the cause of pain symptoms is not fully understood, and pain is not associated with the extent of neural abnormality in CM. ACT is not a set of techniques, but rather a way of thinking. ACT encourages acceptance, as opposed to avoidance of unwanted feelings, all in the context of mindfulness (i.e., being aware of one's present environment and in tune with internal thoughts and emotions). ACT has been found to be successful at reducing pain perceptions and targeting multiple symptoms at one time. However, ACT has not been examined in CM and it is unknown whether ACT will improve sleep as well as pain-related symptoms. The purpose of the current study is to assess the efficacy of an online ACT intervention at reducing pain interference and sleep dysfunction symptoms in a sample with CM. It is hypothesized that CM patients may benefit from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). More specifically it is hypothesized that the treatment group will report significantly less pain interference and psychological flexibility compared to the control group. It is also hypothesize that ACT will mediate the relationship between sleep dysfunction and pain interference. Based on power analyses the sample size will be 56. The sample will be recruited online and randomized to the treatment or control group. The intervention will consist of eight modules that are administered weekly over eight weeks. Additionally, a 7-day sleep diary will be administered the week prior to the intervention and the week after the intervention. Follow up assessments will be administered upon completion of the 8-week intervention (at the beginning of week 9), 1-month after, and 3 months after the completion of the intervention.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether a posterior fossa decompression or a posterior fossa decompression with duraplasty results in better patient outcomes with fewer complications and improved quality of life in those who have Chiari malformation type I and syringomyelia.
Uncontrolled pain after posterior fossa surgery and associated negative side effects of conventional opioid therapy causes significant morbidity and mortality in infants and children. Intravenous (IV) acetaminophen has been shown to be effective in treating mild to moderate pain, and moderate to severe pain in conjunction with adjuvant opioids in children. However, it is unknown if IV acetaminophen is effective as analgesic adjuvant therapy in children undergoing posterior fossa surgery. In this prospective, randomized controlled trial, the investigators aim to determine whether the addition of IV acetaminophen for 24 hours can lead to reduction in postoperative pain and opioid requirement after neurosurgical procedures of the posterior fossa compared with conventional therapy.
This research study is to find out which types of dural grafts used during surgery for Chiari Malformations are superior. We believe that autologous dural grafts are superior to non-autologous grafts.
The study evaluates two materials used for duraplasty of the posterior cranial fossa in treatment of Chiari malformation. One material (DuraGen) is a non-suturable collagen matrix that is applied over the defect if brain coverings (dura); the other (DuraGuard) is made out of bovine pericardium and has to be sutured during application. The study compares these two materials used for duraplasty of patients undergoing Chiari surgery in a prospective randomized fashion to check the rate of surgical complications associated with each material, patient's outcomes, length of surgery and the hospital stay, etc.
The brain and spinal cord are surrounded by fluid called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The CSF flows through channels in the brain and around the spinal cord. Occasionally, people are born with malformations of these channels. Syringomyelia is a pocket within the CSF channels that results from abnormal CSF flow. Syringomyelia is associated with problems in the nervous system. Patients with syringomyelia may be unable to detect sensations of pain and heat. If the condition is not treated it can worsen. Treatment of this condition is surgical. It requires that the flow of CSF is returns to normal. There are many different treatment options, but no one procedure has been shown to be significantly better than any other. In this study, researchers would like to learn more about how the CSF pressure and flow contribute to the progression of syringomyelia. Ultrasounds and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will be used to evaluate the anatomy of the brain. Researchers hope that information gathered about anatomy and measures of CSF pressure and flow can be used later to develop an optimal surgical treatment for syringomyelia.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of a fetoscopic surgical technique for antenatal correction of fetal myelomeningocele. Two surgical approaches will be utilized. The percutaneous approach will be offered to participants with a posterior placenta. The laparotomy/uterine exteriorization approach will be offered to participants regardless of placental location.
The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate maternal and fetal outcomes following fetoscopic repair of fetal spina bifida at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. The hypothesis of this study is that fetoscopic spina bifida repair is feasible and has the same effectiveness as open repair of fetal spina bifida, but with the benefit of significantly lower maternal and fetal complication rates. The fetal benefit of the procedure will be the prenatal repair of spina bifida. The maternal benefit of fetoscopic spina bifida repair will be the avoidance of a large uterine incision. This type of incision increases the risk of uterine rupture and requires that all future deliveries are by cesarean section. The use of the minimally invasive fetoscopic surgical technique may also lower the risk of preterm premature rupture of membranes and preterm birth compared to open fetal surgery. Finally, successful fetoscopic spina bifida repair also makes vaginal delivery possible.
Background: * Syringomyelia is a disorder in which a cyst (syrinx) forms within the spinal cord and causes spinal cord injury, with symptoms worsening over many years, including paralysis, loss of sensation, and chronic pain. Researchers are interested in obtaining more knowledge about how a syrinx forms in order to develop safer and more effective treatments for syringomyelia and related conditions. * The goal of surgical treatment of syringomyelia is to eliminate the syrinx and prevent further spinal cord injury. In most patients, surgery results in the syrinx becoming smaller, but the effect of surgery on a patient s muscle strength, pain level, and overall function has not been studied over time. In addition, some individuals with syringomyelia or related conditions are not considered to be good candidates for surgery, and more information is needed about potential alternative treatments for these individuals. * By recording more than 5 years of symptoms, muscle strength, general level of functioning, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan findings from individuals who receive standard treatment for syringomyelia, researchers can obtain more information about factors that influence its development, progression, and relief of symptoms. Objectives: - To conduct a 5-year natural history study of individuals with syringomyelia and related conditions. Eligibility: - Individuals at least 18 years of age who have syringomyelia or related conditions (including pre-syringomyelia or Chiari I malformation without syringomyelia). Design: * This study requires 7 outpatient visits to the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center: an initial visit; a visit 3 months later; and visits 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years after the initial visit. An additional 10 days of inpatient treatment and testing will be required if surgery is needed during the study. * The following tests will be performed during this study: * Medical history and physical examination, which may also determine eligibility for surgery * Detailed neurological history and examination * Blood and urine samples * MRI scans: Participants will have 2 scans at the initial evaluation, 2 scans at the 3-month visit, and 1 scan every year for the following 5 years. * Additional neurological and imaging tests if needed, including a lumbar puncture to collect spinal fluid, a myelogram (imaging study) of the spinal fluid, and a computed tomography scan of the skull and spine. * Participants who are surgical candidates will have additional tests along with the surgery, including diagnostic studies (electrocardiogram and chest X-ray) before surgery and an MRI scan 1 week after surgery.
The purpose of this study is to better understand the genetic factors related to the Chiari I malformation. In people with this abnormality, the lower part of the skull is smaller than normal. As a result, the lowest part of the brain, called the cerebellar tonsils, protrudes out of the hole at the bottom of the skull into the spinal canal. This study will try to discover the location of the genes responsible for the malformation. Candidates for this study are: 1) Patients with Chiari I malformation who also have a family member with the abnormality or a family member with syringomyelia (a cyst in the spinal cord that is often associated with the Chiari I malformation). 2) Family members of patients with the Chiari I malformation. Participants will have a medical history and physical and neurologic examinations. They will undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and cervical (neck) spinal cord to measure the size of the head and determine the presence of the Chiari I malformation and syringomyelia. A small blood sample (about 2 tablespoons) will be drawn for DNA studies relating to the Chiari I malformation.
Diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imaging is a well established method for detecting acute injury to the brain and is used on all children undergoing an MRI brain scan at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. The possibility of using DW MRI to study other areas of the body, such as the spinal cord, has been recognised as having great clinical potential. However, two main problems have hindered the clinical application of the technique; firstly, the extreme motion sensitivity of the technique meant that respiratory motion have hampered clinical studies. Secondly, the close proximity of the spinal cord to the bones in the spinal column complicates the application of the techniques developed for the brain to the spine. Recently, several techniques have been developed which address these problems and these are now available on the MRI scanners used at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. We now wish to evaluate how well these techniques work on children in a routine clinical setting. For this reason we wish to add a single scan of the spine to the imaging protocol of children receiving a routine scan of the brain or spine. This will permit us to evaluate the image quality in both normal and abnormal spines. We plan on enrolling 60 patients with normal spines and 30 patients with abnormal spines. No additional sedation and/or contrast will be required and the additional imaging time for the diffusion studies will be less than 10 minutes. Parental consent will be a pre-requisite for any patient to be enrolled into the study.
Duke University Medical Center is investigating the hereditary basis of Chiari type I malformations with or without syringomyelia (CM1/S). Our research is aimed at learning if CM1/S is indeed caused by factors inherited through the family and, if so, which genes are involved.