Investigation of intermittent electrical stimulation as a potential prophylaxis against the formation of deep pressure ulcers after spinal cord injury
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Abstract
Deep tissue injury (DTI) is a severe form of pressure ulcers resulting from ischemia and mechanical damage due to unrelieved pressure. Despite many preventative methods, none so far has significantly reduced the incidence of DTI. The use of a novel method of pressure ulcer prevention, intermittent electrical stimulation (IES), was investigated. The current study investigated the effects of IES on surface pressure and tissue oxygenation in individuals with SCI. The results demonstrated that IES induced contractions caused significant reductions in pressure around the ischial tuberosities, as well as significant and sustained increases in oxygenation. Direct measurements of oxygen in an invasive rodent model indicated that IES induced contractions resulted in a 20-100% increase in tissue oxygenation.
The results indicate that IES directly targets the pathogenic factors contributing to the development of pressure ulcers and thereby may be an effective method for the prevention of DTI.