Recovery of long-term denervated human muscles induced by electrical stimulation.

We investigated the restorative potential of intensive electrical stimulation in a patient with long-standing quadriceps denervation. Stimulation started 18 months after injury. After 26 months, the thighs were visibly less wasted. Muscle cross-sectional areas, measured by computerized tomography, increased from 36.0 cm(2) to 57.9 cm(2) (right) and from 36.1 cm(2) to 52.4 cm(2) (left). Knee torque had become sufficient to maintain standing without upper extremity support. Biopsies revealed evidence of both growth and regeneration of myofibers. The results suggest that electrical stimulation may offer a route to the future development of mobility aids in patients with lower motor neuron lesions.