Conduction Block of Whole Nerve Without Onset Firing Using Combined High Frequency and Direct Current

Overview

Journal Med Biol Eng Comput

Publisher Springer

Specialties Biomedical Engineering
Medical Informatics

Date 2010 Oct 5

PMID 20890673

Citations 28

Authors

D Michael Ackermann Jr

Niloy Bhadra

Emily L Foldes

Kevin L Kilgore

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

This study investigates a novel technique for blocking a nerve using a combination of direct and high frequency alternating currents (HFAC). HFAC can produce a fast acting and reversible conduction block, but cause intense firing at the onset of current delivery. We hypothesized that a direct current (DC) block could be used for a very brief period in combination with HFAC to block the onset firing, and thus establish a nerve conduction block which does not transmit onset response firing to an end organ. Experiments were performed in rats to evaluate (1) nerve response to anodic and cathodic DC of various amplitudes, (2) degree of nerve activation to ramped DC, (3) a method of blocking onset firing generated by high frequency block with DC, and (4) prolonged non-electrical conduction failure caused by DC delivery. The results showed that cathodic currents produced complete block of the sciatic nerve with a mean block threshold amplitude of 1.73 mA. Ramped DC waveforms allowed for conduction block without nerve activation; however, down ramps were more reliable than up ramps. The degree of nerve activity was found to have a non-monotonic relationship with up ramp time. Block of the onset response resulting from 40 kHz current using DC was achieved in each of the six animals in which it was attempted; however, DC was found to produce a prolonged conduction failure that likely resulted from nerve damage.

Citing Articles

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

Vrabec T, Wainright J, Bhadra N, Kilgore K ECS Trans. 2024; 50(28):31-37.

PMID: 39301323 PMC: 11412306. DOI: 10.1149/05028.0031ecst.

A Novel Waveform for No-Onset Nerve Block Combining Direct Current and Kilohertz Frequency Alternating Current.

Vrabec T, Bhadra N, Wainright J, Bhadra N, Kilgore K Int IEEE EMBS Conf Neural Eng. 2024; 2013:283-286.

PMID: 39290569 PMC: 11407067. DOI: 10.1109/ner.2013.6695927.

Evaluation of Activated Carbon and Platinum Black as High-Capacitance Materials for Platinum Electrodes.

Goh A, Roberts D, Wainright J, Bhadra N, Kilgore K, Bhadra N Sensors (Basel). 2022; 22(11).

PMID: 35684899 PMC: 9185539. DOI: 10.3390/s22114278.

Scalable and reversible axonal neuromodulation of the sympathetic chain for cardiac control.

Hadaya J, Buckley U, Gurel N, Chan C, Swid M, Bhadra N Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2021; 322(1):H105-H115.

PMID: 34860595 PMC: 8714250. DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00568.2021.

A Reversible Low Frequency Alternating Current Nerve Conduction Block Applied to Mammalian Autonomic Nerves.

Muzquiz M, Mintch L, Horn M, Alhawwash A, Bashirullah R, Carr M Sensors (Basel). 2021; 21(13).

PMID: 34282758 PMC: 8271881. DOI: 10.3390/s21134521.

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