2011
EMSS 2011 Proceeding
CT Based Models for Monitoring Bone Changes in Paraplegic Patients Undergoing Functional Electrical Stimulation
Authors: Páll Jens Reynisson, Benedikt Helgason, Stephen J. Ferguson, Thordur Helgason, Rúnar Unnţórsson, Páll Ingvarsson, Helmut Kern, Winfried Mayr, Ugo Carraro, Paolo Gargiulo
Abstract
Spinal Cord Injured (SCI) paraplegics suffer from pathological changes in the lower extremities such as muscle degeneration, hormonal alterations and bone resorption. The aim of the present study was, with the help of finite element and image analysis, to evaluate the osteogenic response of the patella of paraplegic patients undergoing Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES). For this purpose, a patient that began a daily home based FES treatment 5 years after paralysation was monitored. Bone mechanical parameters were compared at the beginning of FES and after 3 years of treatment. According to our results, it is possible to conclude that application of long term FES treatment on denervated, degenerated muscles can be beneficial for bone growth in bones attached to the stimulated muscles.
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