Two years of Functional Electrical Stimulation by large surface electrodes for denervated muscles improve skin epidermis in SCI

This study investigates the effects of long-term home-based Functional Electrical Stimulation (h-bFES) on the skin of spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. It focuses on patients with complete conus and cauda equina lesions, who experience permanent denervation-induced muscle atrophy. The researchers analyzed skin biopsies from the legs of 3 SCI patients before and after two years of h-bFES. They measured the total area of the epidermis in transverse skin sections to assess the impact of the stimulation. The study found a statistically significant 30% increase in the area of the epidermis after two years of h-bFES. This suggests that long-term electrical stimulation has a positive effect on the epidermis in SCI patients with denervated muscles.

• 1
  The skin biopsies data of three subjects, taken together, present indeed a statistically significant 30% increase in the area of the epidermis after two years of h-bFES.
• 2
  The two SCI persons have a significantly increased epidermal area after two years of electrical stimulation.
• 3
  In two subjects (1 and 2) the skin biopsies from both the right and left legs show a significant increase in cross area of epidermis