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Updated: Aug 9, 2026
Functional and Morphological Assessment of Diaphragm Innervation by Phrenic Motor Neurons
Published on: May 25, 2015
Diaphragm and accessory respiratory muscle stimulation using intramuscular electrodes
R B Dunn1, J S Walter, J Walsh
1Rehabilitation Research and Development Center, VA Hines Hospital, IL 60141, USA.
Abstract:
We tested the hypothesis that electrical stimulation of respiratory muscles can be obtained from intramuscular electrodes. In acute anesthetized dogs, suture-type intramuscular electrodes were placed in each hemidiaphragm and needle electrodes were placed in various intercostal regions of the thorax. During a hyperventilation induced period of apnea a 2-second stimulation was applied to the diaphragm or to the thoracic electrodes, followed by a combined thoracic-diaphragm stimulation period. Thoracic expansion and tidal volumes were measured as indices of inspiratory effort. We found that diaphragm stimulation produced tidal volumes between 104% and 180% of spontaneous breathing. Electrodes in the upper thorax produced chest expansion and when combined with diaphragm stimulation increased tidal volumes (p < .05). We conclude that intramuscular electrodes represent a feasible method for long-term electrogenic ventilation. Also, thoracic support for diaphragm pacing in quadriplegics could produce a more effective long-term system that is less prone to fatigue and failure.
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