Transcript Slide 1

Determining the Effectiveness of
an Intradural Lumbo-Sacral
Nerve Rerouting Procedure
Neurosurgery: Gerald Tuite, Luis Rodriguez, Carolyn Carey, Bruce Storrs
Urology: Yves Homsy, Ethan Polsky, Mike Reisman, Mark Kolligan
Physical Therapy: Maggie Reilly, Kathleen Thompson
Neurology: Parrish Winesett
Research Nurse Coordinator: Lisa Tetreault
Pathology: Ignacio Gonzalez
All Children’s Hospital and Johns Hopkins Medicine
St. Petersburg, FL
Two Efficacy Studies for Patients with
Neurogenic Bladder
• Patients who do not have spina bifida
o Spinal cord injury (exclude conus/cauda equina)
o Prospective
o Longitudinal
• Patients with spina bifida
• Only patients who require detethering
• Randomized at the time of surgery
• Double blinded
Clinical Trial Initiation, March 2009
Left L5 ventral root to Sacral root anastomosis
One Spinal Cord Injury Patient
• Primary End Points
– Voiding
– Scratch Test described by Xiao et al
– Continence
• Secondary end points
– Motor and sensory function
– Bowel function
– Urodynamic changes
– Sexual function
– Quality of life
– Ability to perform ADL
– Frequency and severity of surgical complications
Assessment at 3,6,12,18 and 24 months
• Six Months – initial optimism
• Some improvement in bladder and bowel function
• Possible initiation of voiding?
• Urologists saw bladder contractions on urodynamic testing
in the proper dermatomal distribution to suggest bladder
reflex
• Two Years
• No clinical improvement
• No initiation of voiding with scratching
• No contractions by urodynamic testing
Surgical re-exploration of spinal
cord injured patient
• Bladder volumes too small
• Transplant candidate if bladder volumes larger
• Selective Sacral Rhizotomy vs. Bladder
Augmentation
• Prior experience with selective rhizotomy:
Schneidau T, Franco I, Zebold K, Kaplan W: Selective sacral rhizotomy
for the management of neurogenic bladders in spina bifida patients:
long-term follow-up, J Urology 154, 766-768, 1995
• In anatomic continuity, sensory L5 root intact
• No contraction of bladder with stimulation
(bladder electrode in place)
• Nerve action potentials could not be
measured across the anastomosis
NEUROFILAMENTS
S100 protein
Single Patient with L5-Sacral Anastomosis
1. Some initial improvement at six months
2. No clinical improvement at two years
3. Anastomosis intact on gross inspection
4. No electrophysiological activity
5. Nerves did not grow past anastomosis
Twenty Children with Spina Bifida Undergoing
Spinal Cord Detethering Surgery
• Spina bifida patients who require detethering
– Not just a radiographic diagnosis
– Clinically confirmed by multidisciplinary team
• Neurogenic bladder
– Urodynamically confirmed
– Stable or worsening condition
– Urologist confirmed
• Lower thoracic or lumbar neurologic level
Exclusion Criteria
• Surgical: anesthesia problems, fusion
• Current shunt malfunction
• Comprehension of study and willing to
participate in follow-up
• Bladder cancer, radiation, augmentation
• Anatomic bladder outlet obstruction
• If they can control their own urination
Randomized and Double Blinded
½ Detethering (D)
½ Detethering + Xiao Procedure (D + X)
(D + X) – D = X
Why have a control group?
• In spina bifida patients, spinal cord detethering is required to
perform the Xiao procedure
• Detethering alone can impact bladder function
• Placebo effect
• Safety: patients who require a spinal cord detethering anyway
Why double blinded?
Patients, doctors, nurses, families
ALL WANT THIS TO WORK!!!
Objectives
• Primary End Points
– Voiding
– Scratch Test described by Xiao et al
– Continence
• Secondary end points
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Motor and sensory function
Bowel function
Urodynamic changes
Sexual function
Quality of life
Ability to perform ADL
Frequency and severity of surgical complications
Multidisciplinary Assessment
(No assessment by surgeons who performed the operation)
• Preop and 3, 6, 12, 24, 36 months after surgery
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Same Questionnaires as Before Surgery
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PEDI
Bowel, Bladder, Sexual function
Urodynamics (with Scratch test)
PT: motor and sensory function
Scratch Test
The family and all evaluators are blinded to randomization
in the study involving patients with spina bifida
End of study: patient/family notified, crossover possible
Current Status of ACH Trials
• Both IRB Approved
• Randomized Spina Bifida Trial
– Enrollment stopped: 20 patients total
– Procedure can be safely performed as an adjunct
to spinal cord detethering procedure
– Two more years of follow-up
• Spinal Cord Injury Study
– No further enrollment
– Awaiting outcome of spina bifida study
Roots Can Be Difficult to Characterize
Anastomosis Not Difficult Yet
Multidisciplinary Project
Why Expose Asymptomatic Patients to
Spinal Cord Dissection Unnecessarily?