Volume 57, Issue 4 pp. 541-549

Effects of percutaneous electrical stimulation on peripheral nerve regeneration using silicone rubber chambers

Yueh-Sheng Chen

Yueh-Sheng Chen

Institute of Chinese Medical Science, China Medical College, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C.

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Cheng-Li Hu

Cheng-Li Hu

Institute of Chinese Medical Science, China Medical College, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C.

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Ching-Liang Hsieh

Ching-Liang Hsieh

Institute of Chinese Medical Science, China Medical College, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C.

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Jaung-Geng Lin

Jaung-Geng Lin

Institute of Chinese Medical Science, China Medical College, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C.

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Chin-Chuan Tsai

Chin-Chuan Tsai

School of Post Baccalaureate Chinese Medicine, China Medical College, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C.

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Ter-Hsin Chen

Ter-Hsin Chen

Department of Occupational Safety and Health, China Medical College, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C.

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Chun-Hsu Yao

Corresponding Author

Chun-Hsu Yao

Department of Radiological Technology, Chung-Tai Institute of Health Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C.

Department of Radiological Technology, Chung-Tai Institute of Health Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C.Search for more papers by this author

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether 0.8–1 mA, 2 Hz of percutaneous electrical stimulation could affect the regeneration of a 10-mm gap of rat sciatic nerve created between the proximal and distal nerve stumps, which were sutured into silicone rubber tubes. Six weeks after implantation, though the group receiving the electrical stimulation had a lower success percentage of regeneration (57%) compared with the controls receiving no stimulation (70%), quantitative histology of the successfully regenerated nerves revealed that the mean values of the axon density, blood vessel number, blood vessel area, and percentage of blood vessel area in total nerve area in the group with the electrical stimulation were all significantly larger than those in the controls (p < 0.05). These results showed that the electrical stimulation could elicit rehabilitating effects on the regenerated nerves. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 57: 541–549, 2001

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