Measurement of block thresholds in kiloHertz frequency alternating current peripheral nerve block

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering
• Electrical Engineering

Background:

• Kilohertz frequency alternating currents (KHFAC) offer potential for peripheral nerve hyperactivity treatment.
• Accurate measurement of block threshold (BT) is crucial for KHFAC nerve block research.
• Existing literature lacks consistent BT measurement methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of four different block threshold determination methods for KHFAC nerve block.
• To identify the most efficient and reliable method for experimental settings.

Main Methods:

• A literature review identified common BT measurement techniques.
• Four methods (High-Low, High-Low-High, Binary, Random) were experimentally compared in vivo using rodent sciatic nerves.
• Experiments were conducted at 10, 20, and 30 kHz.

Main Results:

• Over 50% of reviewed publications omitted BT measurement.
• No statistically significant difference in BT values was found between the four tested methods.
• The High-Low method demonstrated the shortest determination time.

Conclusions:

• Consistent BT measurement is recommended for all electrical nerve block research, including KHFAC.
• The High-Low method is recommended for most experimental applications.
• The Binary search method is a viable alternative, particularly when minimizing onset responses is critical.