Friday Lunch Seminar (English)
September 15, 2023　　
12:15 〜 13:00
On-line

Talk Title：Preliminary Results of Branch Level, Brachial Plexus Peripheral Nerve Stimulation on a Non-Human Primate

Benjamin Fortune
Invited Researcher
Department of Neurological Diagnosis and Restoration
Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University

Host PI :  Masayuki Hirata

Abstract:
Restoring functional hand control is a priority for those suffering from neurological impairments. Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is commonly applied to assist with rehabilitation. However, FES applied intramuscularly typically results in complex surgeries requiring many implants. This presentation presents the preliminary findings from our feasibility study focused on evaluating the potential of branch level, brachial plexus peripheral nerve stimulation. To improve the relevance to humans, Japanese macaque (macaca fuscata) monkeys are used in this study. The feasibility study involved accessing the peripheral nerves of the upper extremity through a single surgical approach (axillary approach), implanting multi-contact epineural electrodes on the peripheral nerves and applying electrical stimuli. Four of the five peripheral nerves which control the upper extremity were exposed: median, radial, ulnar and musculocutaneous. The axillary nerve was not accessible for epineural cuff placement with the current surgical approach used in this study. The applied electrical stimulation innovated movement contractions patterns of muscles relevant to the innervated peripheral nerves. In addition, to assist in quantifying the outcome, evoked potentials were simultaneously recorded from multiple upper limb muscles. This feasibility study demonstrated that the axillary approach enables electrode placement to four of the five peripheral nerves required for upper extremity control through a single skin incision, and highlights the potential of this new method.