Objective monitoring of muscle spasticity treatment in children using frequency-domain near infrared spectroscopy

Abstract

The objective monitoring of blood flow and oxygenation in the lower-limb muscles is an important task in pediatric practice, particularly for children with neuromuscular disorders (NMD), including cerebral palsy (CP). Muscle spasticity in such conditions leads to reduced blood flow and oxygenation, impaired function, and tissue atrophy. Current clinical methods for assessing spasticity do not allow for an objective evaluation of treatment effectiveness. One of the informative and promising approaches to solve the problem is the frequency-domain near infrared spectroscopy (FD-NIRS).
The aim of the study is to formulate medical-technical requirements for implementing the FD-NIRS to objectively monitor blood flow and oxygenation in the lower-limb muscles of children with NMD.
Preliminary experimental studies were conducted using a commercial FD tissue-oximeter. The study focuses on the development of design requirements for the optical probe to ensure individually reproducible positioning in consideration of patients' anatomical characteristics. Requirements regarding the optical properties of test objects used for measurement calibration were determined with the optical properties of the children's lower-limb muscles.
The obtained data is the basis for the technical implementation of the FD-NIRS method and the correct interpretation of monitoring results during treatment of muscle spasticity. The study demonstrates the necessity of accounting for the local tissue blood flow physiological characteristics of children with NMD, as well as the dynamics of its changes during the reduction of spasticity.

Speaker

Mikhail Naumov
Bauman Moscow State Technical University
Russia

Discussion

Ask question