NCT02532556

Electrical Stimulation of the Muscle Pumps of the Leg

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 12 (actual)
• Sponsor: Imperial College London · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The most efficient way of electrically stimulating the calf muscles has not been identified. The investigators aim to investigate this using a matrix of electrical parameters, and measuring the outcome with vascular ultrasound of the leg.

Detailed description

Blood is aided on its journey to the heart by the action of the muscles of the legs. Muscle contraction squeezes the deep veins of the leg and pushes blood upwards, back towards the heart. In immobilised patients, or those with blood vessel problems, the pumping process can be helped by machines that either squeeze or shock the muscles of the calf (e.g. intermittent pneumatic compression, electrical stimulating devices). Many are licensed for medical use, and some are common place in hospitals and outpatient departments.

Conditions

• Haemodynamic Physiology

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Electrical stimulation (Digitimer)	Stimulation with Digitimer (DS7A HV, Digitimer Ltd, UK) over motor point of muscle in protocol. 1Hz, pulse duration 1ms, maximum compliance voltage 200V. Current set to twice motor threshold

Timeline

• Start date: 2015-05-01
• Primary completion: 2015-08-01
• Completion: 2015-08-01
• First posted: 2015-08-25
• Last updated: 2020-11-27
• Results posted: 2020-11-27