Nerve Conduction Block Using Transcutaneous Electrical Currents

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Nerve Block; Electric Stimulation
• Interventions: Device: High-Frequency Stimulation; Device: sham Stimulation

• Registration Number: NCT03169049
• Lead Sponsor: University of Castilla-La Mancha

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the transcutaneous application of unmodulated high frequency alternating currents could produce a quickly conduction block of peripheral nerve.

Detailed Description

In the last years several animal experimental studies have evidenced that high frequency unmodulated currents about 5 KHz can cause a peripheral nerve block. However electric currents with these high frequencies that are usually used for the treatment of pain in humans are interrupted or modulated (i.e. interferential currents).

It has show that the diameter of the nerve it is related with the frequency to produce the conduction block. For this reason the investigators decided to applied 20KHz to observe the effects on maximal manual force and to compare versus sham stimulation.

Only one study has applied 5KHz on experimental pain and they have demonstrated changes in somatosensory thresholds.

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2017-05
• Study First Submitted: 2017-05-25
• Study First Submitted QC: 2017-05-25
• Last Update Submitted: 2017-05-26
• Study First Posted: 2017-05-30
• Last Update Posted: 2017-05-30
• Study Start: 2017-07
• Primary Completion: 2017-08
• Study Completion: 2017-09

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: UNKNOWN
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 10

Inclusion Criteria

• Healthy volunteers

Exclusion Criteria

• Neuromuscular disease.
• Epilepsy.
• Trauma, surgery or pain affecting the upper limb, shoulder girdle or cervical area.
• Osteosynthesis material in the upper limb.
• Diabetes.
• Cancer.
• Cardiovascular disease.
• Pacemaker or other implanted electrical device.
• Take any drug (NSAIDs, corticosteroids, antidepressants, analgesics, antiepileptics, ...) during the study and in the previous 7 days.
• Presence of tattoos or other external agent introduced into the treatment or assessment area.
• Pregnancy

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
High-Frequency	High-Frequency Stimulation	Transcutaneous application of high frequency electrical current over the arm for a 20 minutes session. The intensity of the current will increase until participants report a "strong but comfortable" sensation, just below motor threshold.
Sham stimulation	sham Stimulation	Electrodes are placed over the arm for a 20 minutes in the same manner as experimental group but will be applied a sham electrical stimulation increasing the current intensity of an unconnected channel

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Hand muscle strength after treatment 20 min	After treatment 20 min	The hand muscle strength will be measured with a dynamometer and will be expressed in Newton
Baseline Hand Muscle Strength	Baseline at 0 min	The hand muscle strength will be measured with a dynamometer and will be expressed in Newton

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change from baseline in Muscle strength	baseline at 0 min, immediately after treatment at 20 min	The hand muscle strength will be measured with a dynamometer and will be expressed in Newton