Efficacy of electrical Russian current stimulation after end-to-side neurorrhaphy of the common fibular nerve: electroneuromyography and muscle strength analysis

ABSTRACT Peripheral nerve injury leads to a high functional loss of muscle tissue. Thus, many studies have investigated surgical techniques, such as neurorraphies, and therapeutic resources, such as electrical stimulation, to improve the functionality of reinnervated muscle after peripheral injury. This study aims to investigate the effects of electrical stimulation with Russian Current (2,500Hz, 4ms, 10:20 sec contraction/relaxation, modulated at 10Hz and 100Hz) in the functional recovery after section and end-to-side neurorrhaphy of the peroneal nerve distal stump common to the lateral face of the tibial nerve in rats. In this study, 25 male Wistar rats with 80 days of life were used, provided by the Universidade Sagrado Coração (USC), Bauru, SP, Brazil. The animals were randomly divided into five groups: Initial Control Group (ICG), Final Control Group (FCG), Untreated Experimental Group (UEG), End-to-Side Neurorrhaphy with Russian Stimulation Group (ENRSG), and Denervated Control Group (DCG). The Russian Current was started 5 days after neurorrhaphy and applied to the cranial tibial muscle of the ENRSG, 3 times a week, totaling 36 sessions. We observed that the electrical stimulation with Russian Current (ENRSG) was effective to increase amplitude (mV) and to decrease the latency (ms) of the reinnervated muscle, besides increasing the muscle strength when compared with the denervated control group. Therefore, we concluded that the average frequency electrical stimulation (Russian current) was efficient in the functional recovery of the cranial tibial muscle after the end-lateral neurorrhaphy of the common fibular nerve.