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Biomedical subjects

D M Dooley

Publications and source records attributed to D M Dooley.

68 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1976

Modification of blood flow to the extremities by electrical stimulation of the nervous system.

Sixteen patients who had electrical stimulation applied to various portions of the nervous system were examined for increase in blood flow to the extremities. Clinical observations and a one-channel plethysmograph were used to measure arterial dilatation. Seven patients had transcutaneous stimulation applied over the cervical or thoracic spinal cord, peripheral nerves, or low lumbar region; eight had electrical stimulators implanted over the spinal cord in attempts to relieve intractable pain or some of the symptoms of multiple sclerosis; and one patient had electrical stimulators implanted over the C-6 dorsal roots for small artery disease of the upper extremities. Twelve of 13 patients who had electrical stimulation applied to the spinal cord or dorsal roots had significant arterial dilatation in one or more extremities. Electrical stimulation applied to the ulnar nerves did cause arterial dilatation. One patient did not show any change in the central arterial pressure curve during transcutaneous stimulation of the cervical spinal cord.

Blood Flow Velocity↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Demyelinating, degenerative, and vascular disease.

Fifty per cent of patients diagnosed as having multiple sclerosis, primary lateral sclerosis, or hereditary spinocerebellar disorders were observed to have enduring favorable changes in neurological function during the 15 to 27 months they have been followed. The patients who were the least severely disabled were benefitted the most by the stimulation and made the most rapid progress. For example, the patient having only an ataxic or a spastic gait typically was observed to improve faster than the patient having both an ataxic and a spastic gait. The long term effect of electrostimulation of the spinal cord on these patients is unknown. The purpose of the stimulation is to attempt to obtain an improvement in neurological function so that the patient may experience a better life style. It is not thought that the electrical current has any effect on the basic disease process. Electrostimulation over the posterior spinal roots and spinal cord, although not new, has not been used extensively for the treatment of patients with arterial disease. The patients who have responded the most dramatically to electrostimulation are those with vasospastic disorders. A larger percentage of patients showed a greater response to implanted stimulation than to transcutaneous stimulation. Electrostimulation of the nervous system is not designed to replace standard therapeutic measures of treatment of patients with vascular disease, but to supplement them.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Electrostimulation of the nervous system for patients with demyelinating and degenerative diseases of the nervous system and vascular diseases of the extremities.

The results of electrostimulation of the spinal cord for symptoms other than that of pain are recorded in this publication. 50% of patients with multiple sclerosis, primary lateral sclerosis and hereditary spino-cerebellar disorders were observed to have enduring favourable changes in neurological function during the 15 to 27 months they have been followed. The patients who were the least severely disabled had the greatest amount of increased function and were benefitted the most by the stimulation. Those who had the fewest neurological pathways affected make the most rapid progress. For example, the patient with only an ataxic or spastic gait was observed to improve faster than the patient with an ataxic and a spastic gait. The long-term effect of electrostimulation of the spinal cord on patients with these diseases is unknown at the present time. The purpose of the stimulation is to increase neurological function so that the patient can live a better life style. It is not thought that the electrical current is responsible for a 'cure' of the basic disease process. Electrostimulation of the posterior spinal roots and spinal cord, while not new, has not been used extensively for the treatment of patients with arterial disease. The patients who have responded the most dramatically to electrostimulation are those with vasospastic disorders. A larger percentage of patients showed a greater response to implanted stimulation than to transcutaneous stimulation. Electrostimulation of the nervous system is not designed to replace standard therapeutic measures of treatment of patients with vascular disease but to supplement them.

Ataxia↗