[Peripheral nerves' function recovery by intratissual electric stimulation].

Abstract

An intratissual electrical stimulation, accompanied by irritation of their central neurons, is used to recover the function of damaged peripheral nerves. Treatment results exceeded those with the use of cutaneous electrical stimulation, which is confirmed by comparative results of trial animal experiments. The time and quality of peripheral nerves' function recovery in comparison of intratissual and cutaneous electrical stimulation methods remain unknown.

Objective: To evaluate the time and quality of peripheral nerves' functions recovery after their suturing and conducting two different methods of electrical stimulation, namely intratissual and cutaneous, in projection of central neurons of damaged spinal nerves in the postoperative period.

Material and methods: The basic technical parameters of the method of peripheral nerves' functions recovery in the postoperative period were ptacticed. Postoperative rehabilitation treatment was performed in 77 patients with traumatic peripheral nerves' injuries at the level of the forearm: in 42 with intratissual electrical stimulation, in 35 - using cutaneous one with similar characteristics of electrical current and concomitant pharmacological therapy. The follow-up duration was 2 years.

Results: A significant (in 4-6 times) reduction in time of treatment and a greater improvement in qualitative indicators when using intratissual electrical stimulation compared to the use of cutaneous stimulation were obtained. The effectiveness of the restorative therapy was dependent on the number of procedures, and a complete recovery of the damaged peripheral nerves' functions was observed after three courses of intratissual electrical stimulation.

Conclusion: The time and degree of recovery of peripheral nerves' functions depends on the functional activity of their central neurons at the level of the spinal cord. The activation of these neurons by low-frequency electrical current allows to activate their trophic function. Thus, the cutaneous electrical stimulation does not cause the necessary level of irritation of the neurons due to the fact that the skin is a barrier to electrical current, which reduces its impact in 200-500 times. The intratissual electrical stimulation allows to solve the problem by supplying the needle-electrode much closer to the «target». The proposed method of intratissual electrical stimulation has shown its advantage over cutaneous electrical stimulation, significantly reducing the duration of the restorative treatment and increasing its qualitative indicators.