OBJECTIVE: Electrical stimulation for treatment of denervated muscles should be implemented by selective treatment. This study evaluated the effect of selective electrical stimulation on the structure and function of denervated muscle. METHODS: Fifty Wistar mice were allocated to control, stimulated denervated and non-stimulated denervated groups. Following an electrodiagnostic evaluation, the animals underwent complete unilateral denervation of the proximal anterior tibialis muscle. Weekly re-assessment was carried out in order to adjust the parameters of the selective treatment, applied three times a week. The animals were sacrificed at 7, 14, 28 and 56 days after undergoing the surgical procedures. Histochemical procedures and morphologic and morphometric studies were carried out. RESULTS: The denervated stimulated animals did not present contracture of the ankle joint and self-mutilation was not found on the feet. Significant alterations around the type IIB (denervated stimulated at 7 days), type IIA and hybrid (denervated stimulated at 28 and 56 days) fibers showed less atrophy. The transition of muscle fibers types was significant, indicating the preservation of the functional pattern of the anterior tibialis muscle at 7 and 14 days. CONCLUSION: We found that the selective electrical stimulation was able to temporarily maintain the structure and function of the denervated anterior tibialis muscle.
Electrical stimulation; Denervation; Muscle, skeletal; Atrophy; Electrodiagnosis; Rehabilitation
