Application of non-invasive electric stimulation of the spinal cord in motor rehabilitation of children with consequences of vertebral and cerebrospinal injury (preliminary report)

Introduction . Vertebral and cerebrospinal injury and its consequences constitute an important problem in modern medicine. In recent years, studies have shown that percutaneous electric stimulation in patients with these injuries can influence the neuronal networks of different parts of the spinal cord to activate afferent and efferent reflex connections with complete or partial disorders of supraspinal influences of various geneses. Aim . To investigate the effect of percutaneous electric stimulation of the spinal cord on the dynamics of recovery of neurological functions in children with vertebral and cerebrospinal injury. Materials and methods . Seven patients aged 4 to 18 years with lesions of the spinal cord from C5-C6 to Th12-L1 and who mainly had a marked neurological deficit were examined from 1 month to 9 years after surgical treatment. All patients underwent neurophysiological studies, including electroneuromyography, electromyography, and somatosensory-evoked potentials. The patients and their parents kept a diary of urination. Results . This clinical study showed that percutaneous electric stimulation of the spinal cord contributed to the rapid and complete restoration of the neurological functions in patients with vertebral and medullar conflict and depended directly on the early terms of surgical intervention. Conclusion . The positive results obtained in the complex rehabilitation of children with vertebral and cerebrospinal injuries by using non-invasive percutaneous electric stimulation of the spinal cord support the use of this method in the early stages after surgical intervention.