Decreasing the blood flow of non-compressible intra-abdominal organs with non-invasive transcutaneous electrical stimulation

• Published in: Scientific reports 2024-05, Vol.14 (1), p.10122-10122, Article 10122
• Main Authors: Cakmak, Yusuf O., Khwaounjoo, Prashanna, Pangilinan, Joseph, Wise, Innes K., Burrows, Chris, Kolakshyapati, Pranish, Williams, Zoe, Bannon, Paul
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 631/378/2607; 692/308/2778; Abdomen; Abdomen - blood supply; Aerospace medicine; Angiography; Animal models; Animals; Blood flow; Blood Flow Velocity; Blood-shift; Coronary artery; Electrical stimuli; Electrodes; Flow velocity; Hepatic artery; Hepatic Artery - physiology; Humanities and Social Sciences; Liver; multidisciplinary; Neuromodulation; Non-compressible; Non-invasive; Organs; Regional Blood Flow; Renal artery; Renal Artery - physiology; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Swine; TENS; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation - methods; Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation-TENS; Veins & arteries
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55165-8

Non-invasive neuromodulation of non-compressible internal organs has significant potential for internal organ bleeding and blood-shift in aero/space medicine. The present study aims to investigate the potential influences of the non-invasive transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on multiple non-compressible internal organs’ blood flow. Porcine animal model (n = 8) was randomized for a total of 48 neuromodulation sessions with two different TENS stimulation frequencies (80 Hz, 10 Hz) and a placebo stimulation. A combination of two different electrode configurations (Abdominal-only or Abdominal and hind limb) were also performed. Intraarterial blood flow measurements were taken during pre and post-stimulation periods at the left renal artery, common hepatic artery, and left coronary artery. Intracranial, and extracranial arterial blood flows were also assessed with digital subtraction angiography. TENS with abdominal-only electrode configurations at 10 Hz demonstrated significant reductions in average peak blood flow velocity (APV) of the common hepatic artery (p = 0.0233) and renal arteries (p = 0.0493). Arterial pressures (p = 0.0221) were also significantly lower when renal APV was reduced. The outcome of the present study emphasises the potential use of TENS in decreasing the blood flow of non-compressible internal organs when the correct combination of electrodes configuration and frequency is used.