Open AccessNeuromuscular stimulation of the common peroneal nerve increases arterial and venous velocity in patients with venous leg ulcers
Author(s) -
Das Saroj K.,
Dhoonmoon Luxmi,
Chhabra Swati
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international wound journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.867
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1742-481X
pISSN - 1742-4801
DOI - 10.1111/iwj.13510
Subject(s) - medicine , common peroneal nerve , anesthesia , sitting , stimulation , blood flow , vein , cardiology , surgery , pathology
Activation of the venous muscle pumps by neuromuscular stimulation of the common peroneal nerve has been previously shown to increase venous and arterial flow in the legs of healthy subjects. The aim of this study is to determine whether a similar effect is observed in patients with chronic venous leg ulcers. 1 Hz intermittent electrostimulation of the common peroneal nerve was applied to 14 patients with ulcers between 1 and 10 cm in diameter, eliciting a small, painless, regular, muscular twitch of the leg. Flow was measured using Duplex ultrasound in the popliteal vein and the popliteal artery. Peak arterial velocity increased from 57 to 78 cm/s ( P = .001) in sitting position, and from 79 to 98 cm/s in recumbent position ( P = .001). Peak venous velocity increased from 10 to 33 cm/s ( P = .001) sitting, and from 14 to 47 cm/s ( P = .001) recumbent. Significant increases were observed in both venous and arterial blood flow in the lower limb. This suggestsed that activation of the venous muscle pump and improvement of arterial flow assisted oxygen delivery at the wound site. Moreover this may be a worthwhile intervention to assist in the healing of venous leg ulcers, and may provide a mechanistic explanation for the increased healing rates previously reported with neuromuscular stimulation of the common peroneal nerve.