Nerve injury detection by means of conducting velocity distribution

Abstract

One of the issues met in nerve block implemented with high frequency (HF) electrical stimulation is the safety problem. This study aimed to investigate the applicability of conducting velocity distribution (CVD) in detecting nerve injuries induced by HF electrical stimulation. Deconvolution algorithm was adopted for CVD calculation. Both a simulation study and an in vitro experiment were performed to verify the applicability of this method. The results showed that deconvolution algorithm successfully calculated the single fiber action potential (SFAP) and CVDs. And changes of the obtained CVDs provided intuitive information about nerve function injuries induced by HF electrical stimulation. Nerve injury rates, denoted by normalized number of fibers losing their original conducting function, was apparently observed following HF electrical stimulation. Using CVDs to detect nerve injuries would help to design more safe electrical nerve stimulation strategies.