Surface Electrostimulation decelerates Denervated Muscle Atrophy in Facial Paralysis: Ultrasound Quantification

Sparse evidence of the therapeutic potentialities of surface electrostimulation (ES) for the facial paralysis treatment has been published so far. Especially studies containing objective imaging methods for paralysis quantification are required. Facial muscles as principal target of ES can be directly quantified via ultrasound. Our study represents one of the few systematic evaluations of this approach. We used the established ultrasound protocol for facial muscles to predict therapeutical effects on patients with facial paralysis. ES-parameters were adjusted during the first visit and confirmed/adapted every month thereafter. At each visit patients additionally underwent needle-electromyography to verify if the paralysis was still present as well as ultrasound imaging of the facial muscles. Stimulation was carried out at home for 20 minutes twice a day on the paralytic side of the patients’ faces. In total, 15 patients with complete one-sided peripheral facial paralysis were recruited (medium 53 years, min. 25, max. 78; 8 female, 7 male). They performed surface ES for a maximum of one year. First results in the assessment of ultrasound imaging already indicate that paralytic electro-stimulated muscles such as Mm. depressores anguli oris and zygomatici do not experience further decreases in cross-sectional area compared to the contralateral side. On the contrary, denervated but electro-stimulated Mm. zygomatici show a significant area increase during early ES. Electrostimulation decelerates the denervation atrophy of facial muscles. Hence, the slowdown of muscle atrophy or cross-sectional areas in facial paralysis, proven by sonographic examinations, provides a clear first indication of the possible benefit of ES. Further data evaluation is currently in progress.

DFG GU-463/12-1, DEGUM, IZKF und MED-EL

Publication History

Article published online:
12 May 2023