Preprint Case Report Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

The Role of Early Rehabilitation and Functional Electrical Stimu-Lation in Partial Traumatic Brachial Plexus Injury Cats: A Pilot Study

Débora Gouveia
,
Ana Cardoso
,
Carla Carvalho
,
Inês Rijo
,
António Almeida
,
Óscar Gamboa
,
Bruna Lopes
ORCID logo ,
Patrícia Sousa
ORCID logo ,
André Coelho
,
Maria Manuel Balça
,
António J. Salgado
ORCID logo ,
Rui Alvites
ORCID logo ,
Artur Severo P. Varejão
ORCID logo ,
Ana Colette Maurício
* ORCID logo ,
António Ferreira
,
Ângela Martins
ORCID logo
Version 1 : Received: 16 December 2023 / Approved: 20 December 2023 / Online: 20 December 2023 (12:05:02 CET)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Gouveia, D.; Cardoso, A.; Carvalho, C.; Rijo, I.; Almeida, A.; Gamboa, Ó.; Lopes, B.; Sousa, P.; Coelho, A.; Balça, M.M.; Salgado, A.J.; Alvites, R.; Varejão, A.S.P.; Maurício, A.C.; Ferreira, A.; Martins, Â. The Role of Early Rehabilitation and Functional Electrical Stimulation in Rehabilitation for Cats with Partial Traumatic Brachial Plexus Injury: A Pilot Study on Domestic Cats in Portugal. Animals 2024, 14, 323. Gouveia, D.; Cardoso, A.; Carvalho, C.; Rijo, I.; Almeida, A.; Gamboa, Ó.; Lopes, B.; Sousa, P.; Coelho, A.; Balça, M.M.; Salgado, A.J.; Alvites, R.; Varejão, A.S.P.; Maurício, A.C.; Ferreira, A.; Martins, Â. The Role of Early Rehabilitation and Functional Electrical Stimulation in Rehabilitation for Cats with Partial Traumatic Brachial Plexus Injury: A Pilot Study on Domestic Cats in Portugal. Animals 2024, 14, 323.

Abstract

This prospective observational cohort pilot study included 22 cats diagnosed with partial traumatic brachial plexus injury (PTBPI), aiming to explore the response of an early intensive neurorehabilitation protocol in a clinical setting. This protocol included functional electrical stimulation (FES), locomotor treadmill training and kinesiotherapy exercises, starting at the time with highest probability of nerve repair. The synergetic benefits of this multimodal ap-proach were based on the potential structural and protective role of proteins and release of neurotrophic factors. Furthermore, parametrization of FES was according to the presence or absence of deep pain. Results have shown that 72.6% (16/22) cats achieved ambulation, with 9 cats within 15 days, 2 cats until 30 days and 5 cats until 60 days. During the 4 years follow-up, there was evidence of improvement on both muscle mass and muscle weakness, in addition to the disappearance of neuropathic pain. Notably, after the 60 days of neurorehabilitation, 3 cats improved ambulation after arthrodesis of the carpus. Thus, early rehabilitation, with FES ap-plied at the first weeks after injury and accurate parametrization according to the deep pain perception, is suggestive to help in functional recovery and ambulation, reducing probability of amputation.

Keywords

brachial plexus injury; cats; electrical stimulation; locomotor training; rehabilitation.

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Neuroscience and Neurology

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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