Bosanquet, David C. ![]() |
Abstract
Background Neuromuscular electrical stimulator (NMES) devices increase blood flow to the lower limb by a process of intermittent muscular contraction initiated by a transdermal stimulus to the common peroneal nerve. However, its effects on localized microvascular blood supply to lower limb wounds are unknown. This study is a single-center open label study measuring the effect of neuromuscular stimulation of the common peroneal nerve on the microvascular blood flow within the wound bed of arterial leg ulcers. Methods Eights patients with ischemic lower limb wounds had an NMES (geko™) applied to the common peroneal nerve. Baseline and intervention analysis of blood flow to the wound bed and edge was performed using Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging. Mean flow (flux) and pulse amplitude (pulsatility) were measured. Results Stimulation of the common peroneal nerve with the NMES resulted in a significantly increased flux and pulsatility in both the wound bed and the wound edge in all 8 patients. Conclusions Neuromuscular electrical stimulation immediately increases microcirculatory blood flow to the wound bed and edge in patients with ischemic lower limb wounds. These data may provide mechanistic insight into the clinical efficacy of NMES in healing wounds.
Item Type: | Article |
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Date Type: | Publication |
Status: | Published |
Schools: | Medicine |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
ISSN: | 0890-5096 |
Date of Acceptance: | 9 July 2020 |
Last Modified: | 26 Jun 2024 14:30 |
URI: | https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/169985 |
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