The Research Of Electrical Stimulation Therapy For Incontinence

Fecal incontinence(FI) is a common functional disorder clinic. The averageprevalence rate of population is up to2%and7%which over60years. Not only doesit bring patients the pain and inconvenience, seriously affected the normal life andwork in patients, but also caused huge losses to society. Rectal dysfunction, damageof anal sphincter or damage of associated nerve may result in the occurrence ofincontinence. The treatment of functional electrical stimulation(FES) for incontinenceis producing electrical stimulation on nerve or muscle to generate the purpose of theaction as one king of treatment for incontinence. Compared with drug treatment,dynamic graciloplasty and artificial anal sphincter, functional electrical stimulationhas many advantages in curing Incontinence, such as noninvasive cure, no infection,easily operating, easily repeating and high security. Depending on the role of objectsinto functional electrical stimulation, it Can be divided into two categories: the sacralnerve stimulation(SNS) and direct electrical stimulation of nerves and muscles. Directelectrical stimulation Which does not depend on the intact of nerve has great potentialfor development. because the control is simple and secure. On the other hand, there isno domestic intellectual property rights for the treatment of incontinence-relatedfunctional electrical stimulation medical devices in China until now. Therefore, a safeand effective method of electrical stimulation has important research and clinicalapplications. This issue is discussed about the feasibility of the treatment that thelow-frequency electrical stimulation acts directly on the anorectal angle tosuppressing incontinence.As the basis for research of this topic, firstly, this paper analyzes the role of theanorectal angle in human bowel control mechanism, the mechanisms modulatingneuromuscular excitability, the electric field distribution of human muscle tissueunder an applied electrical signal. Next, using the finite element method(FEM) to built physical modeling of anorectal angle. The distribution of the electric field of theanorectal angle within three different shapes or the structure of the electrodestimulation was analyzed, with COMSOL Multiphysics coupled multi-physicsanalysis software. Considering about the electric field distribution theory of theorganization, the evaluation criteria of electrical stimulation effects of rectal anglewas drawn. To investigate the optimal design of rectal electrical stimulation electrodesby using analysis of the role of the electric field distribution of the organization underthree electrodes. Compared with usual electrode and strip electrode, the simulationresults showed that the ring electrode generated the highest electric field intensity andstimulating effects. And the ring had high electric field intensity on specific direction.Strip electrodes had higher stimulation intensity in specific direction. The result ofstimulation shows that changing the shape and location of electrode helps to improvethe performance of stimulation on specific direction and it may strengthen the powerof anorectal angle to control defecation. Therefore, the FEM simulation lays afoundation for the design of electrical stimulation probe. In addition, an electricalstimulator was designed and which has passed the test verification.