Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026

Breathing-controlled Electrical Stimulation BreEStim for Management of Neuropathic Pain and Spasticity
Published on: January 10, 2013
Iatrogenic Posttraumatic Neuralgia Following Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation: A Case Report
Royce Copeland1, Yacoub Khatab2, Erica Blanchard3
1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.
Background:
Posttraumatic neuralgia (PTN) is a complex and debilitating condition that can arise from physical injury to a peripheral nerve, resulting in chronic neuropathic pain that significantly affects the individual's quality of life.
Case Report:
A 52-year-old woman with a recent history of incomplete spinal cord injury developed a common peroneal nerve injury from neuromuscular electrical stimulation during her acute inpatient rehabilitation. The patient was initially managed with oral corticosteroids and neuropathic medications without resolving neuropathic pain symptoms. Ultimately, the patient continued to have chronic neuropathic pain symptoms along the common peroneal nerve pathway leading to the diagnosis of PTN.
Conclusions:
We hypothesize this unusual complication resulted from a prior neurological injury, making this patient more susceptible to nerve injury when intense electrical forces were transmitted to the common peroneal nerve, ultimately leading to PTN of the common peroneal nerve.
Related Concept Videos
Nociception
Blood and Nerve Supply to the Bones
Nutrient Artery
The nutrient artery is the main blood vessel that enters the diaphysis via the nutrient foramen. While most long bones have only one nutrient foramen, large bones, such as the femur, may have two. This...
Pain
Spinal Cord Injury ll: Pathophysiology
Secondary Spinal Cord Injury llI: Pathophysiology

