Use of High Surface Area Electrodes for Safe Delivery of Direct Current for Nerve Conduction Block

Abstract

Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) has widely been used to elicit neural activity to activate muscle for functional outcomes. But there are many diseases which result from undesirable neural activity which are equally debilitating. A localized, reversible, electrical nerve conduction block is an attractive way of addressing these conditions. High frequency alternating current (HFAC) has also been shown to generate a complete conduction block. But HFAC generates an "onset response" consisting of a short, but intense burst of firing at the start of the HFAC. This onset response can be eliminated by applying direct current (DC) briefly during onset duration. However, DC has been shown to cause nerve damage when applied for long durations. High surface area electrodes show promise in delivering DC without nerve damage.