@inproceedings{Volk19_LTH,
    type = {inproceedings},
    key = {Volk19_LTH},
    title = {Long-term home-based Surface Electrostimulation is useful to prevent atrophy in denervated Facial Muscles},
    author = {Gerd F. Volk and Martin Thümmel and Oliver Mothes and Dirk Arnold and Jovanna Thielker and Joachim Denzler and Valeria Mastryukova and Winfried Mayr and Orlando Guntinas-Lichius},
    booktitle = {Vienna Workshop on Functional Electrical Stimulation (FESWS)},
    year = {2019},
    abstract = {5 patients with facial paralysis received a home-based electrostimulation (ES) with charge-balanced biphasic triangular impulses 3x5min twice a day. Before the first ES, and every 4 weeks during the ES, all patients underwent regular needle electromyography (EMG), ultrasound and 3D-video measurements. Additionally, stimulation settings, patients? home-stimulation diaries and parameters were recorded. No patient reported relevant adverse events linked to ES. Training with optimized electrode positioning was associated with stable and specific zygomaticus muscle activation, accompanied by a reduction of the necessary minimum pulse duration from 250 to 70ms per phase within 16 weeks. Even before reinnervation, objective 3D-videos, sonography, MRI, and patient-related parameters (FDI, FaCE) improved significantly compared to the pre-stimulation situation. Preliminary results suggest that ES home-based training is beneficial for patients with denervated facial muscles in reducing muscle atrophy, maintaining muscle function and improving facial symmetry. A lack of relevant adverse events shows that such ES is safe. The patients showed excellent compliance with the protocol and rated the stimulation easy and effective.},
    groups = {facialpalsy,biomedical},
}