Distal Nerve Electrical Stimulation for Neuromuscular Reinnervation

Brief Electrical Stimulation for Promoting Peripheral Nerve Regeneration After Primary Neurorrhaphy of Upper Extremities

During the process of nerve microsurgical reconstruction, 30 minutes of electrical stimulation is applied to the distal end of the damaged nerve to assess its potential benefits for nerve regeneration, functional recovery, slowing down the degeneration at the neuromuscular junction, and preventing muscle atrophy.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adults aged 18 and older

• Acute peripheral nerve rupture between the elbow and wrist

• Acute rupture of the median or ulnar nerve

• Patients who have signed a valid written consent for surgery and trials

• Patients with acute transection or compression of the median nerve or ulnar nerve resulting in impaired hand motor function.Patients with hand motor dysfunction secondary to nerve compression are defined as those who meet all of the following criteria:

  1. Evidence of muscle atrophy (including thenar muscles, hypothenar muscles, and interosseous muscles)
  2. Positive Froment's sign
  3. Positive Wartenberg's sign
  4. Presence of ape hand deformity
  5. Abnormal findings on electromyography (Needle EMG), such as abnormal insertional activity, increased spontaneous activity, or abnormal motor unit recruitment
  6. Classified as Grade IIA, IIB, or III according to the McGowan classification system for severity of nerve compression

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of injury or other causes leading to muscle and joint dysfunction in the affected area
• Patients with radial nerve damage
• Diabetes
• History of arrhythmia
• Stroke
• Multiple sclerosis
• Hereditary peripheral neuropathy
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• Patients with a pacemaker
• Presence of local infection at the wound site
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women
• Patients deemed unsuitable for enrollment by a physician