Serial assessment of functional recovery following nerve injury using implantable thin-film wireless nerve stimulators.
Comprehensive assessment of the time course of functional recovery following peripheral nerve repair is critical for surgical management of peripheral nerve injuries. This study describes the design and implementation of a novel implantable wireless nerve stimulator capable of repeatedly interfacing peripheral nerve tissue and providing serial evaluation of functional recovery postoperatively.



Thin-film wireless implants were fabricated and subcutaneously implanted into Lewis rats. Wireless implants were used to serially stimulate rat sciatic nerve and assess functional recovery over 3 months following various nerve injuries.



Wireless stimulators demonstrated consistent performances over 3 months in vivo and successfully facilitated serial assessment of nerve and muscle function following nerve crush and nerve transection injuries.



This study highlights the ability of implantable wireless nerve stimulators to provide a unique view into the time course of functional recovery in multiple motor targets. Muscle Nerve 54: 1114-1119, 2016.
Department of Neurosurgery, Washington University School of Medicine, Campus Box 8057, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri, 63110, USA.
Paul
P
Gamble
Department of Neurosurgery, Washington University School of Medicine, Campus Box 8057, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri, 63110, USA.
Manu
M
Stephen
Department of Neurosurgery, Washington University School of Medicine, Campus Box 8057, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri, 63110, USA.
Matthew
M
MacEwan
Department of Neurosurgery, Washington University School of Medicine, Campus Box 8057, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri, 63110, USA.
Wilson Z
WZ
Ray
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004576:Electromyography; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology; D058542:Implantable Neurostimulators; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D020426:Sciatic Neuropathy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013686:Telemetry; D013997:Time Factors
electrical stimulation; functional recovery; nerve injury; nerve regeneration; peripheral nerve; wireless stimulation