Abstract
[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of belt electrode skeletal muscle stimulation (B-SES) as a physiotherapy intervention after surgical treatment for Fontaine class IV peripheral arterial disease patients (PAD). [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were 6 Fontaine class IV patients with PAD. Three subjects received B-SES (B-SES group), the other three subjects did not (non B-SES group). All subjects were assessed using the Barthel index, length of hospital stay, discharge destination and ankle blood pressure ratio at hospitalization and discharge. [Results] The B-SES group patients were discharged to home, and their hospitalization period was about one third the time of the non B-SES group. [Conclusion] The results suggest that combining B-SES with exercise therapy for PAD patients after surgical treatment is useful for early improvement of ADL and as a multidisciplinary treatment for rescuing limbs.
