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ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Electrical myostimulation effects on neuromuscular conduction and functional state of muscles after component separation
Muscular dysfunction of the anterior abdominal wall persists in many patients post component separation due to postoperative ventral hernia. Electrical myostimulation can contribute to better recovery, but its efficacy after such surgical procedures is poorly understood. The study aimed to assess the effect of the postoperative electrical myostimulation on the neuromuscular conduction and functional activity of the rectus abdominis muscles. A total of 128 patients (average age 47.9 ± 8.6 years) post component separation were included in a prospective controlled non-randomized study. The index group (n = 64) received electrical myostimulation starting from day 10 (12 sessions, 5–10 min each, 3 times a week, COMPEX SP-2.0® muscle stimulator, Switzerland), and the control one (n = 64) received no electrical myostimulation. Electroneuromyography of the rectus abdominis muscles was performed before and after the course using the Synapsis system (Neurotech, Russia). In the index group, the latency period reduced from 10.1 to 7.9 ms (by 21.8%; p < 0.001), and in the control group it reduced from 9.7 to 9.2 ms (by 5.2%; p < 0.001); the intergroup difference p = 0.002. The M-response amplitude improved in both groups (index group: from 8.4 to 8.9 mV, +5.6%, p < 0.001; control group: from 8.2 to 8.8 mV, +6.8%, p < 0.001), without any intergroup differences (p = 0.295). The induced muscle contraction velocity changed minimally in the index group (from 45.0 to 45.4 m/s, p = 0.049) and did not change in the control group (p = 0.316); in 89.1% of patients, the values were still below normal. Conclusions: postoperative electrical myostimulation significantly accelerates the neuromuscular conduction restoration, but does not affect the muscular response amplitude. It is reasonable to include electrical myostimulation in rehabilitation programmes.
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