Neuromuscular electrical stimulation of completely paralyzed abdominal muscles in spinal cord-injured patients: a pilot study.

Study Design: Prospective placebo-controlled.

Objective: The effect of abdominal neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in patients with spinal cord injury. The principal parameters observed in this study are lung capacity, colonic transit, patient satisfaction of used method and of aesthetics effect on abdominal wall.

Settings: Centre de Traumatologie et de Réadaptation, Brussels, Belgium.

Methods: A total of 10 volunteers participated in this study and were assigned to two groups-the effective electrical stimulation group (ESG) and the placebo-controlled group (PG). NMES of abdominal muscles was performed 25 min per day for 8 weeks.

Results: NMES significantly decreased forced vital capacity (FVC) in ESG but not in PG. In ESG, colonic transit was accelerated in ascending, transverse and descending colon but transit in rectosigmoideum was not affected. In PG, no variations in colonic transit were observed. Satisfaction scale shows a better influence on aesthetics effect in ESG than in PG.

Conclusion: This pilot study shows that NMES of paralyzed abdominal muscles positively affects colonic transit except in rectosigmoideum segment and negatively affects FVC. It could be a simple self-used method to regulate colonic transfer with considerably good cosmetic effect on abdominal wall. However, regular verification of FVC will probably be necessary.