Principal Investigator
Kilgore, Kevin, Ph.D.
"My primary research interest is in the application of functional electrical stimulation (FES) to provide disabled individuals with increased independence and improved quality of life. In particular, I have focused my work on FES as applied to cervical level spinal cord injury. These inidviduals have paralyzed muscles in both their hands and arms. FES can be used to produce grasp and release motions, allowing the individual to perform many tasks that they could not otherwise perform independently. I have four main areas of research that are ongoing at the present time:
-
We are currently developing a flexible implantable FES system
(Networked Neuroprosthesis)
that can be used in a variety of applications (upper and lower extremity motor function, bowel/bladder function,
spinal cord injury, stroke, etc.).
- We are exploring various methods of electrically blocking nerve conduction to reduce spasticity in stroke or block pain in peripheral nerve injury.
- We are exploring various means of restoring innervation due to peripheral nerve damange that limits the application of FES in some diseases.
- I am exploring the use of biomechanical principals to improve the grasp patterns developed by FES, and to evaluate and predict the hand function gained when using FES."
Professional Affiliations
- Associate Director, Cleveland FES Center
- Program Manager, Department of Orthopaedics, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio
- Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
- Biomedical Engineer, Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Cleveland Louis Stokes Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Publications (select):
- Bhadra N, Kilgore KL, High-frequency electrical conduction block of mammalian peripheral motor nerve, Muscle and Nerve, 32, 782-790, 2005.
- Bryden AM, Kilgore KL, Kirsch RF, Memberg WD, Peckham PH, Keith MW, An implanted neuroprosthesis for high tetraplegia, Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil, 10(3):38-52, 2005.
- Kilgore KL, Bhadra N, Nerve conduction block utilizing high-frequency alternating current, Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing, 42, 394-406, 2004.
- Bhadra N, Kilgore KL, Direct current electrical conduction block of peripheral nerve, IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 12, 313-324, 2004.
- Bryden AM, Kilgore KL, Yu D, Lind BB. Triceps denervation as a predictor of elbow flexion contractures in C5 and C6 tetraplegia, Arch Phys Med Rehabil, 85:1880-1885, 2004.
- Knutson JS, Hoyen HA, Kilgore KL, Peckham PH: Simulated neuroprosthesis state activation and hand position control using myoelectric signals from wrist muscles. J. Rehab Research and Development, 41(3B):461-472, 2004.
- Kilgore KL , Peckham PH, Keith MW, Montague FW, Hart RL, Gazdik MM, Bryden AM, Snyder SA, Stage TG. The durability of implanted electrodes and leads in upper extremity neuroprostheses. J. Rehab Research and Development 40(6):457-468, 2003.
- Chae J, Triolo RJ, Kilgore KL, Creasey GH, DiMarco A. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation in spinal cord injury, Spinal Cord Injury Medicine, Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins 360-388, 2002.
- Peckham PH, Kilgore KL, Keith MW, Bryden AM, Bhadra N, Montague FW. An advanced neuroprosthesis for restoration of hand and upper arm control using an implantable controller, J. Hand Surgery, 27A:265-276, March 2002.
- Murray WM, Bryden AM, Kilgore KL, Keith MW. The influence of elbow position on the range of motion of the wrist following transfer of the brachioradialis to the extensor carpi radialis brevis tendon, J. Bone Joint Surgery, 84A(12):2203-2210, 2002.
Co-Investigator Research Programs
Contact Information
Laura Polacek
216-778-3480
Emails:
lkp3@case.edu,
klk4@case.edu
