Evaluation of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation as a New Method for Preventing VTE in Acute Stroke Patients

该项目将研究创造一种治疗急性中风的新方法的可能性。急性中风是大脑血液供应中断的一种情况，导致大脑受损和身体功能受损。它最常见的原因是向大脑供血的血管中的凝块。或者，它也可能是由破裂的血管引起的，导致泄漏到大脑中。中风可能导致永久性损伤，包括部分瘫痪和语言，理解力和记忆力的损害。全世界每年有1500万人中风，580万人死于中风。在英国大约100，急性中风患者经常卧床不起，这意味着他们有发生静脉血栓栓塞（VTE）的风险。这是一个血凝块，开始在血管在腿;这个凝块然后打破自由造成堵塞在身体的其他地方。为了防止这种间歇性气动压缩（IPC）是使用这充气袖口小腿移动血液周围，防止凝块形成。但是，由于病人可能患有其他疾病，IPC不能使用。这意味着大约30%的病人没有办法预防静脉血栓栓塞。申请人已经开发了一种专利的新方法-geko（TM）-用于预防静脉血栓栓塞。这是一个小的，电池供电的设备，粘在膝盖后面，在那里它轻轻地刺激神经，使小腿肌肉收缩，并泵血全身。该公司已经对1,000名患者进行了测试，结果表明geko（TM）与IPC一样有效或更好，并且比IPC更舒适。它也可以用于大多数IPC不能使用的患者。在1,000例患者中，463例接受IPC治疗，11例发生VTE; 203例接受geko（TM）治疗，无一例发生VTE。然而，为了毫无疑问地证明这一点，我们需要测试更多的患者，以便能够合理地声称geko（TM）与IPC一样好或更好，并且可以在IPC不能使用时使用。我们建议进一步研究1例，中部地区四家医院的865名患者，使我们能够做到这一点。

This project will look at the possibility of creating a new way to treat Acute strokes.Acute stroke is a condition where the blood supply to the brain is disrupted, resulting in damage to the brain and impairment of body function.It is most frequently caused by a clot in a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain. Or , it can also be caused by a burst blood vessel causing a leak into the brain.Stroke can cause permanent damage, including partial paralysis and impairment in speech, comprehension and memory.15 million people worldwide suffer a stroke each year and 5.8 million people die as a result of it. In the UK approximately 100,000 people a year will suffer a stroke.Acute stroke patients are often bed-bound meaning that they are at risk from Venous thromboembolism (VTE). This a blood clot that starts in a blood vessel in the leg; this clot then breaks free causing a blockage elsewhere in the body.Tor prevent this Intermittent Pneumatic Compression (IPC) is used this inflates cuffs on the lower leg moving blood around and preventing clots from forming. But, because of other conditions the patient may suffer IPC cannot be used.This means that about 30% of patients have no way of preventing VTE available to them.The applicants have developed a patented new method -- the geko(TM) - for preventing VTE. This is a small, battery-powered device that sticks to the back of the knee, where it gently stimulates a nerve causing the muscles in the lower leg to contract and pump blood around the body. It is very comfortable to wear and can be used when IPC cannot.The company has conducted tests on 1,000 patients that has shown that the geko(TM) is as effective or better than IPC and is far more comfortable than IPC. It can also be used in the majority of patients where IPC cannot. Of the 1,000 patients, 463 were treated with IPC and 11 suffered VTE; 203 were treated with geko(TM) and none suffered VTE.However, to prove this beyond doubt we need to test more patients to be able to legitimately make the claim that the geko(TM) is as good or better than IPC and can be used when IPC cannot.We propose to study a further 1,865 patients across four Midlands hospitals to enable us to do this.