Microsensor for Intramuscular Pressure Measurement

描述（由申请人提供）：目前，不存在直接测量个体肌肉产生的力的实用方法。手动肌肉测试不能准确估计肌肉力量。关节扭矩的测量是不够的，因为几个肌肉往往有助于扭矩的发展。在肌腱上植入屈曲传感器是高度侵入性的，并且对于常规使用是不切实际的。肌电图是用于测量从休息和收缩肌肉产生的电活动的模式和量的临床标准。然而，问题仍然是肌电活动不能提供肌肉张力的定量测量。相比之下，我们以前的研究表明，肌内压力准确地测量了正常肌肉的主动和被动张力。本项目的总体目标是提供一个有用的临床工具，在体内定量的肌肉力量。我们计划进一步发展肌内压力作为一种强有力的临床工具的科学基础。本研究的具体目的是（a）继续开发用于测量肌内压力的光纤微传感器，（B）进行体内人体实验以评估肌内压力与运动单位的募集、活动运动单位的数量和复合肌肉动作电位的大小的关系，c）在动物模式中确定病理性机电耦合条件下肌内压力和肌肉张力之间的关系，以及（d）使用基于连续介质力学的骨骼肌三维有限元模型指导肌内压力的临床应用。这种传感器的成功开发将成为一种强大的新临床工具。最终目标是使用这种微传感器进行临床决策和治疗神经源性疾病（例如运动神经元疾病、周围神经病）、神经肌肉传递疾病（例如重症肌无力、Lambert-Eaton综合征）和肌病（例如肌营养不良、多发性肌炎、代谢性肌病）患者。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Currently, no practical method exists for direct measurement of force production from individual muscles. Manual muscle tests do not give an accurate estimate of muscle strength. Measurements of joint torque are inadequate because several muscles often contribute to torque development. Implantation of a buckle transducer on a tendon is highly invasive and impractical for regular use. The electromyogram is the clinical standard used to measure the patterns and amount of electrical activity generated from resting and contracting muscle. However, the problem remains that electromyographic activity does not provide a quantitative measure of muscle tension. In contrast, our previous research has demonstrated that intramuscular pressure accurately measures both the active and passive tension of normal muscle. The overall objective of this project is to provide a useful clinical tool for in-vivo quantification of muscle force. We plan further development of the scientific foundation for use of intramuscular pressure as a powerful clinical tool. The specific aims of this study are to (a) continue development of a fiber optic microsensor to measure intramuscular pressure, (b) perform in-vivo human experiments to evaluate the relationship of intramuscular pressure to the recruitment of motor units, the number of active motor units, and the size of the compound muscle action potential, c) determine the relationship between intramuscular pressure and muscle tension for pathological electromechanical coupling conditions in an animal mode, and (d) guide clinical applications of intramuscular pressure using a continuum mechanics- based 3D finite element model of skeletal muscle. Successful development of this sensor will result in a powerful new clinical tool. The ultimate goal is to use this microsensor for clinical decision making and treatment of patients with neurogenic disorders (e.g. motor neuron disease, peripheral neuropathy), disorders of neuromuscular transmission (e.g. myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton syndrome) and myopathies (e.g. muscular dystrophies, polymyositis, metabolic myopathies).