# Disposable PeriPulse stimulator tested in 10 patients with a severed finger nerve in a pilot study

- Published: 2026-11-11 16:48 UTC
- Section: Life & Health › Medicine
- Tags: PeriPulse, single-use neurostimulator, digital nerve transection, perioperative electrical stimulation, axonal regeneration, nerve repair, DASH score, Bioelectronic Medicine, pilot clinical study
- URL: https://realtech.media/news/rt-d55ade71366632133aecbe97_disposable_peripulse_stimulator/

**In a pilot study of 10 patients, a prototype single-use stimulator gave one hour of post-surgery stimulation with no device-related adverse events and improved sensation.**

![Disposable PeriPulse stimulator tested in 10 patients with a severed finger nerve in a pilot study](https://realtech.media/media/2026/11/b22e4a177289520a.jpg)
*J PANA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0*

A pilot clinical study published in Bioelectronic Medicine reports that a prototype single-use stimulator, PeriPulse, delivered one hour of electrical stimulation after surgical repair of a severed hand nerve. Ten patients with a complete transection of a proper digital nerve were enrolled at two sites in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; eight completed the trial. The authors report no adverse events related to the device [1].

In preclinical and early clinical work, electrical stimulation applied for one hour after nerve surgery enhanced axonal regeneration. Wide use has been limited by the lack of suitably designed stimulators. The PeriPulse kit contains a signal generator with pre-programmed frequency and duration, a shapeable multi-contact electrode lead, a surface return electrode and an introducer tool [1].

## Procedure and tolerability

Patients were operated on within 14 days of injury, and the nerve was repaired with nylon epineurial sutures. The lead was passed through a catheter introducer and placed proximal to the repair, secured with Steri-Strips. The generator was attached to the forearm with a hydrogel surface electrode. Stimulation was a continuous 20 Hz signal for one hour after surgery, at a mean intensity of 2.6 mA. Where local anesthesia was used, stimulation began only after it had worn off [1].

Electrode placement took less than 5 minutes and did not lengthen operating room time. Participants described the stimulation as tolerable, with no reports of pain. At the first postoperative visit the mean visual-analogue pain score was 0.6 (range 0–1.9) [1].

## Sensory recovery and function

Sensation was assessed at baseline, 3 months and 6 months with monofilament and 2-point discrimination tests. Pressure threshold detection improved significantly over this period; the mean monofilament score at 6 months was 4.05 versus 5.91 at baseline. Among patients treated with stimulation, 87.5% had improved pressure thresholds at 6 months, a larger share than in a historical comparator group [1].

The DASH questionnaire score fell from 43.15 at baseline to 5.73 at 3 months and 5.04 at 6 months. Participants experienced minimal postoperative functional disability [1].

The study had a small sample and no sham or control group, so the improvements cannot be attributed to stimulation alone. The comparison with historical data was limited by differences in study design. The authors conclude that the prototype was safe, well tolerated and usable, and that a larger randomized trial is feasible. The trial is registered as NCT04732936 [1].

## Sources

1. [Bioelectronic Medicine](https://doi.org/10.1186/s42234-025-00171-y)
2. [bioengineer.org](https://bioengineer.org/disposable-neurostimulator-aids-nerve-recovery-in-hand-injuries)

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Source: RealTech, realtech.media — https://realtech.media/news/rt-d55ade71366632133aecbe97_disposable_peripulse_stimulator/