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. 2020 Apr;277(4):1247-1253.
doi: 10.1007/s00405-020-05818-x. Epub 2020 Jan 24.

Tolerability of facial electrostimulation in healthy adults and patients with facial synkinesis

Gerd Fabian Volk  1   2 , Jovanna Thielker  1   2 , Martin Christian Möller  1 , Daniela Majcher  1 , Valeria Mastryukova  1   2 , Carolin Susann Altmann  1   3 , Christian Dobel  1   2 , Orlando Guntinas-Lichius  4   5
Affiliations

Tolerability of facial electrostimulation in healthy adults and patients with facial synkinesis

Gerd Fabian Volk et al. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2020 Apr.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate optimal stimulation parameters with regard to discomfort and tolerability for transcutaneous electrostimulation of facial muscles in healthy participants and patients with postparetic facial synkinesis.

Methods: Two prospective studies were performed. First, single pulse monophasic stimulation with rectangular pulses was compared to triangular pulses in 48 healthy controls. Second, 30 healthy controls were compared to 30 patients with postparetic facial synkinesis with rectangular pulse form. Motor twitch threshold, tolerability threshold, and discomfort were assessed using a numeric rating scale at both thresholds.

Results: Discomfort at motor threshold was significantly lower for rectangular than for triangular pulses. Average motor and tolerability thresholds were higher for patients than for healthy participants. Discomfort at motor threshold was significantly lower for healthy controls compared to patients. Major side effects were not seen.

Conclusions: Surface electrostimulation for selective functional and tolerable facial muscle contractions in patients with postparetic facial synkinesis is feasible.

Keywords: Electrostimulation; Facial movements; Facial palsy; Mimetic muscles; facial paralysis.

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Conflict of interest statement

None of the authors has any conflict of interest to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
First study: comparison of rectangular (blue) and triangular pulses (red) in healthy adults (N = 48) at the different pulse durations (x-axis) averaged for all three stimulation sites. a Motor threshold; b discomfort at motor threshold; c tolerability threshold; d discomfort at tolerability threshold. NRS numeric rating scale
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Second study: Comparison of healthy adults (N = 30; green) and patients with aberrant reinnervation after facial palsy (N = 30; orange) at the different pulse durations (x-axis) of rectangular pulses averaged for all three stimulation sites. At 100, 500 and 1000 ms, the tolerability threshold was directly reached at base values. Therefore, no values are shown for these three pulse durations. a Motor threshold; b discomfort at motor threshold; c tolerability threshold; d discomfort at tolerability threshold. NRS numeric rating scale
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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