Home › Spinal Cord Diseases › NCT07660250

Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Myelopathy

Vagus Nerve Stimulation to Improve Post-operative Outcomes of Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy

Who can join

Ages 18 and older · All sexes · Healthy volunteers welcome

Inclusion Criteria:

* 18 years of age or older
* Moderate or severe degenerative cervical myelopathy according to the mJOA
* Decompression surgery planned

Exclusion Criteria:

* • Pregnancy

  * Electrically active implants (e.g. pacemaker)
  * Known diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, concomitant thoracic and/or lumbar stenosis, spine tumor, HIV-related myelopathy
  * Ongoing cancer therapy
  * Ongoing use of immunomodulating or suppressive medication
  * Sustained bradycardia with a heartrate \<50 beats per minute for \> 5 minutes following admission.
  * Prior cervical spine surgery

About the study

The objective of this study is to generate preliminary data to establish the feasibility and effectiveness of transauricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) to improve post-operative outcomes of moderate to severe degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM)

What is being tested

• Vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) (device)
• Sham Stimulation (device)

Sponsor: Washington University School of Medicine · Participants: 36 · Started: Apr 14, 2026

Contact the study team

• Linda Koester, BS · Phone: 314-362-7368

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07660250

Locations in the U.S.

Conditions

• Spinal Cord Diseases

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 29, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.