Home-based functional electrical stimulation rescues permanently denervated muscles in paraplegic patients with complete lower motor neuron lesion.

BACKGROUND: Spinal cord injury causes muscle wasting and loss of function, which are especially severe after complete and permanent damage to lower motor neurons. In a previous cross-sectional study, long-standing denervated muscles were rescued by home-based functional electrical stimulation (h-bFES) training. OBJECTIVE: To confirm results by a 2-year longitudinal prospective study of 25 patients with complete conus/cauda equina lesions. METHODS: Denervated leg muscles were stimulated by h-bFES using a custom-designed stimulator and large surface electrodes. Muscle mass, force, and structure were determined before and after 2 years of h-bFES using computed tomography, measurements of knee torque during stimulation, and muscle biopsies analyzed by histology and electron microscopy. RESULTS: Twenty of 25 patients completed the 2-year h-bFES program, which resulted in (a) a 35% cross-sectional increase in area of the quadriceps muscle from 28.2 ± 8.1 to 38.1 ± 12.7 cm(2) (P < .001), a 75% increase in mean diameter of muscle fibers from 16.6 ± 14.3 to 29.1 ± 23.3 µm (P < .001), and improvements of the ultrastructural organization of contractile material; and (b) a 1187% increase in force output during electrical stimulation from 0.8 ± 1.3 to 10.3 ± 8.1 N m (P < .001). The recovery of quadriceps force was sufficient to allow 25% of the subjects to perform FES-assisted stand-up exercises. CONCLUSIONS: Home-based FES of denervated muscle is an effective home therapy that results in rescue of muscle mass and tetanic contractility. Important immediate benefits for the patients are the improved cosmetic appearance of lower extremities and the enhanced cushioning effect for seating.

In vivo assessment of conduction velocity and refractory period of denervated muscle fibers.

Stimulation needle electromyography was used to study the muscle fiber conduction velocity and refractory period in 4 patients with long-term denervation of the lower limb muscles due to lesion of the conus cauda or cauda equina (2 untrained and 2 trained by functional electrical stimulation). In untrained patients, the results demonstrated that propagation velocity is reduced and refractory period of the muscle fiber is increased with time of denervation. The patients performing electrical stimulation training showed higher conduction velocities and reduced refractory period despite longer lasting denervation. This suggests that electrical stimulation training is effective to improve the electrical properties of the muscle fiber. Since the obtained data show a good correlation to other clinical tests and biopsy investigations, this method could serve as an additional measurement technique to specify the status of the denervated muscle. Further animal experiments and clinical studies are necessary to proof the results in comparison to more invasive established techniques.

Electrical stimulation of denervated muscles: first results of a clinical study.

To evaluate the effects of electrical stimulation on denervated muscles in spinal cord injured humans, the EU Project RISE was started in 2001. The aims of this project are: to design and build sufficient stimulators; to develop stimulation protocols by means of mathematical models, animal experiments, and practice in humans with denervated lower limbs; to develop examination methods and devices for evaluation of electrical stimulation training effects; and to acquire basic scientific knowledge on denervated and stimulated denervated muscle. In the clinical study 27 spinal cord injured individuals were included, furthermore 13 pilot patients participated. After a series of initial examinations they underwent an electrical stimulation program for their denervated lower limb muscles. Some of the patients have already follow up examinations. A marked increase of muscle mass and quality was observed, the trophic situation of the denervated lower limbs had improved obviously.

Motor control in the human spinal cord.

Features of the human spinal cord motor control are described using two spinal cord injury models: (i) the spinal cord completely separated from brain motor structures by accidental injury; (ii) the spinal cord receiving reduced and altered supraspinal input due to an incomplete lesion. Systematic studies using surface electrode polyelectromyography were carried out to assess skeletal muscle reflex responses to single and repetitve stimulation in a large number of subjects. In complete spinal cord injured subjects the functional integrity of three different neuronal circuits below the lesion level is demonstrated: first, simple mono- and oligosynaptic reflex arcs and polysynaptic pathways; second, propriospinal interneuron system with their cell in the gray matter and the axons in the white matter of the spinal cord conducting activity between different spinal cord segments; and third, internuncial gray matter neurons with short axons and dense neuron contact within the spinal gray matter. All of these three systems participate continuously in the generation of spinal cord reflex output activating muscles. The integration of these systems and their relative degree of excitation and set-up produces characteristic functions of motor control. In incomplete spinal cord injured patients, the implementation of brain motor control depends on the profile of residual brain descending input and its integration with the functional neuronal circuits below the lesion. Locomotor patterns result from the establishment of a new structural relationship between brain and spinal cord. The functions of this new structural relationship are expressed as an alternative, but characteristic and consistent neurocontrol. The more we know about how the brain governs spinal cord networks, the better we can describe human motor control. On the other hand such knowledge is essential for the restoration of residual functions and for the construction of new cord circuitry to expand the functions of the injured spinal cord.

Denervated muscles in humans: limitations and problems of currently used functional electrical stimulation training protocols.

Prior clinical work showed that electrical stimulation therapy with exponential current is able to slow down atrophy and maintain the muscle during nonpermanent flaccid paralysis. However, exponential currents are not sufficient for long-term therapy of denervated degenerated muscles (DDMs). We initiated a European research project investigating the rehabilitation strategies in humans, but also studying the underlying basic scientific knowledge of muscle regeneration from satellite cells or myoblast activity in animal experiments. In our prior study, we were able to show that high-intensity stimulation of DDMs is possible. At the beginning of training, only single muscle twitches can be elicited by biphasic pulses with durations of 120-150 ms. Later, tetanic contraction of the muscle with special stimulation parameters (pulse duration of 30-50 ms, stimulation frequency of 16-25 Hz, pulse amplitudes of up to 250 mA) can improve the structural and metabolic state of the DDMs. Because there are no nerve endings for conduction of stimuli, large-size, anatomically shaped electrodes are used. This ensures an even contraction of the whole muscle. Contrary to the current clinical knowledge, we were able to stimulate and train denervated muscle 15-20 years after denervation. The estimated amount of muscle fibers that have to be restored is about 2-4 million fibers in each m. quadriceps. To rebuild such a large number of muscle fibers takes up to 3-4 years. Despite constant stimulation parameters and training protocols, there is a high variation in the developed contraction force and fatigue resistance of the muscle during the first years of functional electrical stimulation.