LAUSR

INTRODUCTION Neuromuscular electrical stimulator (NMES) devices increase blood flow to the lower limb by a process of intermittent muscular contraction initiated by a transdermal stimulus to the common peroneal nerve. However, its effects on localised microvascular blood supply to lower limb wounds is unknown. This study is a single centre open label study measuring the effect of neuromuscular stimulation of the common peroneal nerve on the microvascular blood flow within the wound bed of arterial leg ulcers. METHODS 8 patients with ischaemic lower limb wounds had a NMES (geko™) applied to the common peroneal nerve. Baseline and intervention analysis of blood flow to the wound bed and edge was performed using Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging. Mean flow (flux) and pulse amplitude (pulsatility) were measured. RESULTS Stimulation of the common peroneal nerve with the NMES resulted in a significantly increased flux and pulsatility in both the wound bed and the wound edge in all 8 patients. CONCLUSION Neuromuscular electrical stimulation immediately increases microcirculatory blood flow to the wound bed and edge in patients with ischaemic lower limb wounds. These data may provide mechanistic insight into the clinical efficacy of NMES in healing wounds. www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT03186560.