Using the implantable electrical stimulator for peripheral nerve rehabilitation: A study in an animal model

The present study presents a peripheral nerve injury animal model for evaluation of an implantable electrical stimulator we designed. The evaluation was confirmed by ethological, electrophysiological and histologic study. Twenty New Zealand rabbits were used. The left sciatic nerve was crushed with a micro-vessel clamp in all rabbits, and the stimulators were implanted in ten rabbits. The other ten rabbits were in a control group. As compared with the implantation group, 3 and 6 weeks after operation, the histology showed the typical pathologic atrophy by hematoxylin-eosin (HE), the motor nerve conduction velocity (MCV) was found significantly slowed and the axon of crushed nerve at distal portion exhibited breakdown in the control group. These results reveal that the implantable electrical stimulator was effective and was suitable for implantation in an animal model.