Vol 43, No 4 (2005)
Original paper
Published online: 2005-12-31
Ultrastructural features of supraspinal muscles in rabbits after long-term transcutaneous lateral electrical surface stimulation (LESS)
Folia Histochem Cytobiol 2005;43(4):243-247.
Abstract
Lateral electrical surface stimulation is one of methods used in the therapy of the progressive form of idiopathic
scoliosis (IS) in children and youth. However, there are data suggesting that this method may lead to serious adverse side
effects, when used for a too long period of time per day. To clarify this issue, the present study was aimed at disclosing possible
changes in the ultrastructural appearance of rabbit supraspinal muscles undergoing long-term stimulation (9 h per day, 3
months), an animal model successfully used to mimic the situation in humans. In comparison to the control animals, muscles
of "overstimulated" rabbits exhibited clear signs of microscopical lesions, including depletion and disintegration of myofilaments,
proliferation, dilatation and, sometimes, swelling of sarcoplasmic reticulum and/or mitochondria, as well as signs of
destruction of the Z line. The above-mentioned abnormalities, especially the signs of degenerative processes associated with
the Z line and the observed microlesions strongly suggest that the failure of the long-term LESS therapy of the IS may be
attributable to these ultrastructural lesions.
Keywords: Idiopathic scoliosisLateral electrical surface stimulation (LESS)MuscleUltrastructureRabbit
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