Open AccessTranslational Approaches to Electrical Stimulation for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration
Author(s) -
Seth C. Ransom,
Shane Shahrestani,
Brian V. Lien,
Ali Tafreshi,
Nolan J. Brown,
Brian Hanst,
Brandon M. Lehrich,
Ryan C. Ransom,
Ronald Sahyouni
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
neurorehabilitation and neural repair
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1552-6844
pISSN - 1545-9683
DOI - 10.1177/1545968320962508
Subject(s) - regeneration (biology) , medicine , peripheral nerve , stimulation , functional electrical stimulation , clinical trial , translational research , neuroscience , physical medicine and rehabilitation , bioinformatics , psychology , pathology , biology , anatomy , microbiology and biotechnology
Achieving functional repair after peripheral nerve injury (PNI) remains problematic despite considerable advances in surgical technique. Therein, questions lie regarding the variable capacity of peripheral nerves to regenerate based on environmental influence. In-depth analyses of multiple therapeutic strategies have ensued to overcome these natural obstacles. Of these candidate therapies, electrical stimulation has emerged a frontrunner. Extensive animal studies have reported the ability of brief intraoperative electrical stimulation (BES) to enhance functional regeneration after PNI. Despite these reports, the exact mechanisms by which BES enhances regeneration and its effects on long nerve lesions are largely unknown. Indeed, clinical translation of this seemingly simple therapeutic has not been so simple, but a few studies performed in humans have yielded highly encouraging results.