Background: Patients with brachial plexus avulsion (BPA) usually experience phantom sensations and phantom limb pain (PLP) in the deafferented limb. It has been suggested that evoking the sensation of touch in the deafferented limb by stimulating referred sensation areas (RSAs) on the cheek or shoulder might alleviate PLP. However, feasible rehabilitation techniques using this approach have not been reported.
Objective: The present study sought to examine the analgesic effects of simple electrical stimulation of RSAs in BPA patients with PLP.
Methods: Study 1: Electrical stimulation of RSAs for 60 minutes was conducted for six BPA patients suffering from PLP to examine short-term analgesic effects. Study 2: A single case design experiment was conducted with two BPA patients to investigate whether electrical stimulation of RSAs was more effective for alleviating PLP than control electrical stimulation (electrical stimulation of sites on side opposite to the RSAs), and to elucidate the long-term effects of electrical stimulation of RSAs.
Results: Study 1: Electrical stimulation of RSAs evoked phantom touch sensations in the deafferented limb, and significantly alleviated PLP (p < 0.05). Study 2: PLP was alleviated more after electrical stimulation on RSAs compared with control electrical stimulation (p < 0.05). However, the analgesic effects of electrical stimulation on RSAs were observed only in the short term, not in the long term (p > 0.05).
Conclusions: Electrical stimulation of RSAs not only evoked phantom touch sensation but also alleviated PLP in the short term. The results indicate that electrical stimulation of RSAs may provide a useful practical rehabilitation technique for PLP. Future studies will be required to clarify the mechanisms underlying immediate PLP alleviation via electrical stimulation of RSAs.
Keywords: Phantom limb pain; brachial plexus avulsion; electrical stimulation; referred sensation.