Burst Spinal Cord Stimulation (Burst-SCS) Study
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03718325 |
Recruitment Status :
Recruiting
First Posted : October 24, 2018
Last Update Posted : March 10, 2020
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Pain, Chronic Failed Back Surgery Syndrome | Device: Burst-SCS Device: Sham SCS | Not Applicable |
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Estimated Enrollment : | 20 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Crossover Assignment |
Masking: | Triple (Participant, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor) |
Masking Description: | There will be two research teams. One team will be unblinded (e.g. clinical care provider/company representative, study coordinator) and will perform stimulator programming/adjustment, and the other team will be blinded (e.g. research personnel) and will perform clinical testing and collect study outcome measures. |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | Clinical Characterization of Burst Spinal Cord Stimulation for Chronic Pain Management |
Actual Study Start Date : | March 12, 2019 |
Estimated Primary Completion Date : | March 2021 |
Estimated Study Completion Date : | March 2021 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
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Burst-SCS/sham SCS
First, participants will receive clinically-effective Burst-SCS per their standard of care. Study evaluations will be completed prior to and after stimulation. Then, participants will have their stimulation adjusted to receive sham (no) SCS. Study evaluations will be completed prior to and after this sham.
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Device: Burst-SCS
The treatment arm used in the study is clinically-effective burst spinal cord stimulation (Burst-SCS). The device used to deliver Burst-SCS is the St. Jude Medical Invisible Trial System. Device: Sham SCS The placebo control arm used in the study is sham spinal cord stimulation (sham SCS). The device used to deliver sham SCS is the St. Jude Medical Invisible Trial System. |
Sham SCS/Burst-SCS
First, participants will receive sham (no) SCS. Study evaluations will be completed prior to and after this sham. Then, participants will have their stimulation adjusted to receive clinically-effective Burst-SCS per their standard of care. Study evaluations will be completed prior to and after stimulation.
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Device: Burst-SCS
The treatment arm used in the study is clinically-effective burst spinal cord stimulation (Burst-SCS). The device used to deliver Burst-SCS is the St. Jude Medical Invisible Trial System. Device: Sham SCS The placebo control arm used in the study is sham spinal cord stimulation (sham SCS). The device used to deliver sham SCS is the St. Jude Medical Invisible Trial System. |
- Change in Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score [ Time Frame: Pre-implant visit, up to approximately 2 weeks ]VAS is a horizontal line 100 millimeters (mm) in length with the word "no pain" and "worst possible pain" with a score between 0 (no pain) to a score of 100 (worst possible pain). The participant marks on the line the point that they feel represents their perception of their current state. The score is determined by measuring in millimeters from the left hand with a total range of 0-100 millimeters. Higher VAS values represent more severe pain.
- Change in Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SFMPQ) score [ Time Frame: Pre-implant visit, up to approximately 2 weeks ]SFMPQ will be used to describe the quality of pain and has 15 descriptors (11 sensory and 4 affective). Each descriptor is scored by a 4-point intensity scale (0=none to 3=severe) (sensory range 0-45). Three pain scores are derived from the sum of the intensity rank values of the words chosen for sensory, affective and total descriptors. The SFMPQ also includes the Present Pain Intensity (PPI) index (for example (i.e.) the VAS) and an Evaluative Overall Intensity of Total Pain Experience.
- Change in General Pain Disability Index (PDI) score [ Time Frame: Pre-implant visit, up to approximately 2 weeks ]Quality of pain will be described by using this 6-question survey regarding daily living activity. Range is 0 (0 points, completely able to function) to 10 (10 points, totally unable to function). The higher the number score the greater the disability (due to pain).
- Change in Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF) score [ Time Frame: Pre-implant visit, up to approximately 2 weeks ]Pain severity is measured and includes 9 questions with scores ranging from 0 to 10 with higher scores indicating more severe pain and greater interference with functioning.
- Michigan Body Map (MBM) [ Time Frame: up to approximately 2 weeks ]Pain spread will be collected by having the participants check all areas of their body as outlined on the body map where they have felt persistent or recurrent pain. If there is no pain, the No chronic pain box will be marked. MBM will be used to assess body areas where chronic pain is experienced, and quantify the degree of widespread body pain in the participant (i.e. pain centralization).
- Fibromyalgia Survey Questionnaire (FSQ) [ Time Frame: up to approximately 2 weeks ]Participant is to mark where they have had pain or tenderness on a map of their body (or mark no pain in areas). FSQ in combination with the MBM will be used to assess pain centralization.

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Men or women with chronic, intractable pain of the trunk and/or limbs, including unilateral or bilateral pain associated with any of the following: failed back surgery syndrome and intractable low back and leg pain, and for whom Burst-SCS has been recommended as a treatment option
- Candidates who can speak, read, and understand English
Exclusion Criteria:
- Subjects who are pregnant- as determined by verbal report or chart review
- Subjects with current, habitual, or previous use within the last 12 months of artificial nails, nail enhancements, or nail extensions that cover any portion of either thumbnail. Exceptions, including brief and/or occasional use, may be permissible at the discretion of the principal investigator
- Subjects who are unable or unwilling to cooperate with clinical testing
- Subjects having any impairment, activity or situation that, in the judgement of the study coordinator or PI, would prevent satisfactory completion of the study protocol

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT03718325
Contact: Vishwanath Sankarasubramanian, PhD | (734) 647-9052 | vishwans@med.umich.edu |
United States, Michigan | |
University of Michigan | Recruiting |
Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48109 | |
Contact: Sana Shaikh, MD 734-763-5226 skazi@med.umich.edu |
Principal Investigator: | Vishwanath Sankarasubramanian, PhD | University of Michigan |
Responsible Party: | Vishwanath Sankarasubramanian, Research Fellow, University of Michigan |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT03718325 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
HUM00147961 |
First Posted: | October 24, 2018 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | March 10, 2020 |
Last Verified: | March 2020 |
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
Plan to Share IPD: | No |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | No |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | Yes |
Product Manufactured in and Exported from the U.S.: | No |
Burst-SCS Chronic pain Spinal cord stimulation |
Chronic Pain Failed Back Surgery Syndrome Pain Neurologic Manifestations |
Postoperative Complications Pathologic Processes Back Pain |