Prognostic factors in the prediction of chronic wound healing by electrical stimulation.

The aim of the study is to determine the effects of wound, patient and treatment attributes on the wound healing rate and to propose a system for wound healing rate prediction. Predicting the wound healing rate from the initial wound, patient and treatment data collected in a database of 300 chronic wounds is not possible. After considering weekly follow-ups, it was determined that the best prognostic factors are weekly follow-ups of the wound healing process, which alone were found to predict accurately the wound healing rate after a minimum follow-up period of four weeks (at least five measurements of wound area).

A reliable method of determining wound healing rate.

Several wound healing rate measures have been introduced with the main goal of enabling quantification of the effects of various therapeutic modalities on the healing of open wounds. Different definitions of wound healing rate render comparison of clinical results difficult. The goal of the present study was to propose a measure of wound healing rate that is independent of initial wound extent and to present a method of wound healing rate prediction.

Modelling of chronic wound healing dynamics.

Following chronic wound area over time can give a general overview of wound healing dynamics. Decrease or increase in wound area over time has been modelled using either exponential or linear models, which are two-parameter mathematical models. In many cases of chronic wound healing, a delay of healing process was noticed.

FES and spasticity.

A model of hemiplegic spasticity based on electromyographical and biomechanical parameters measured during passive muscle stretching is presented. Two components of spasticity can be distinguished--phasic and tonic. This classification depends on the pattern of stretch reflex activity which can be either phasic or tonic as well as on the muscle stretch/tension characteristic.

Rigidity in parkinsonism: characteristics and influences of passive exercise and electrical nerve stimulation.

Rigidity was measured during sinusoidal passive movements of the ankle joint in 7 patients with parkinsonism. Velocity-dependent changes were observed, less marked than in spasticity and expressed in a different way in flexor and extensor muscles: a mild decrease in resistive torques at faster stretching of dorsal flexors and an increase in resistance on stretching of plantar flexors. Dorsal flexors also frequently showed shortening reactions.