Introduction: Reference electrode position affects nerve conduction study results. This study was undertaken to determine the optimal reference electrode position for ulnar motor recording from the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle and to develop normative data.
Methods: Fifty-one subjects were tested using reference electrode positions on the thumb, index, and little fingers.
Objective: Proximal peripheral nerve conduction studies can provide useful information to the clinician. The difficulty of measuring the length of the proximal nerve as well as a frequent inability to stimulate at 2 points along the nerve adds a challenge to the use of electrodiagnosis for this purpose. The purpose of this article is to present normal values for the suprascapular, axillary, and musculocutaneous nerves using surface electrodes while accounting for side-to-side variability.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Long Term Eff Med Implants
November 2015
There are multiple reports of peripheral nerve injury following the implantation or removal of surgical hardware. Electrodiagnostic testing can be useful in assessing the chronicity, severity, and recovery of such a nerve injury. The purpose of this study is to establish a normative data set to allow for comparison of median and ulnar antidromic sensory peak-to-peak amplitude values.
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November 2015
The median and ulnar nerves are often studied during the same electrodiagnostic examination. The sensory and motor latencies of these nerves have been compared to detect a common electrodiagnostic entity: median neuropathy at the wrist. However, this comparison could also be used to diagnose less common ulnar pathology.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Long Term Eff Med Implants
November 2015
There are multiple reports of neurological injury from both the implantation and the removal of devices utilized in orthopedics. Nerve conduction studies can be a valuable tool in evaluating the acuity, severity, and prognosis of these injuries, as well as in tracking their course. This study was undertaken in an effort to create a large normative database for examining median and radial sensory nerve conduction studies to the first digit.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Long Term Eff Med Implants
November 2015
The literature documents multiple reports of neurological injury resulting from both the implantation and the removal of orthopedic devices. These injuries can be easily and objectively evaluated with nerve conduction studies. This study was undertaken to derive a normative database for median and ulnar sensory conduction studies to the fourth digit.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFElectrodiagnostic study of the medial antebrachial cutaneous (MAC) and lateral antebrachial cutaneous (LAC) nerves is not routinely undertaken. Pathology of either nerve or of the brachial plexus may occur from a variety of causes. Iatrogenic injury of these nerves has been rarely reported, but potential exists for nerve damage with a number of medical procedures, implants, or surgeries in the flexor forearm.
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November 2015
Objective: The importance of normative peripheral nerve data is increasing due to the advances in medical implantation, microsurgical suturing, and tubulization repair techniques. Because the median and ulnar nerves are often affected, their normal values must be reliable. The objective of this study was to create a larger database of normative values for the first and second lumbrical responses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPeripheral nerves injuries are unfortunately common. Neuropathy may result from trauma, entrapment, metabolic or hereditary disturbances, inflammatory processes, iatrogenic injury from medical implants, and several other causes. We set out to create a large normative database for radial and dorsal ulnar cutaneous (DUC) sensory studies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Long Term Eff Med Implants
November 2015
The importance of normative peripheral nerve data is increasing due to advances in medical implantation, microsurgical suturing, and tubulization repair techniques. Because the median nerve is often affected, its normal values must be reliable. Although the distal portion of the median nerve has been well studied using electrodiagnostic methods, the proximal forearm segment has not.
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November 2015
The ulnar motor study to the abductor digiti minimi (ADM) is commonly performed, but does not test the terminal deep palmar branch of the ulnar nerve. Although damage to the ulnar nerve most often occurs at the elbow, the damage may occur elsewhere along the course of the nerve, including damage to the deep palmar branch. Ulnar conduction studies of the deep branch have been performed with recording from the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle.
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November 2015
Nerve conduction studies are commonly performed to diagnose injuries of the peripheral nerves. In the past, normal ranges have been derived on relatively small samples of normal subjects. These ranges were often suboptimal for clinical use.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Phys Med Rehabil
December 2006
The sacroiliac joint is an underappreciated cause of low back and buttock pain. It is thought to cause at least 15% of low back pain. It is more common in the presence of trauma, pregnancy, or in certain athletes.
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April 2006
It is the purpose of this collective review to provide a detailed outline of a revolutionary medical waste disposal system that should be used in all medical centers in the world to prevent pollution of our planet from medical waste. The Sanitec medical waste disposal system consists of the following seven components: (1) an all-weather steel enclosure of the waste management system, allowing it to be used inside or outside of the hospital center; (2) an automatic mechanical lift-and-load system that protects the workers from devastating back injuries; (3) a sophisticated shredding system designed for medical waste; (4) a series of air filters including the High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter; (5) microwave disinfection of the medical waste material; (6) a waste compactor or dumpster; and (7) an onboard microprocessor. It must be emphasized that this waste management system can be used either inside or outside the hospital.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArch Phys Med Rehabil
January 2006
Objective: To derive a normative database for nerve conduction values of the median nerve to the pronator quadratus using a large and varied subject population.
Design: Descriptive study.
Setting: Private office or university-based clinic.
The purpose of this report is to describe a crisis in healthcare, disabling back injuries in US healthcare workers. In addition, outlined is the proven solution of safe, mechanized, patient lifting, which has been shown to prevent these injuries. A "Safe Patient Handling--No Manual Lift" policy must be immediately instituted throughout this country.
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March 2005
The prevalence of childhood obesity is rising rapidly, as are the associated medical complications, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and coronary heart disease. This has significant medical and socioeconomic implications. The definition of obesity in adults is based on body mass index (BMI), which has been correlated with morbidity and mortality.
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March 2005
A major factor governing independence for the elderly and persons with disabilities is the ability to stand from a chair. Factors such as pain, reduced joint range of motion, stiffness, and muscle weakness frequently limit the ability to stand. Sit-to-stand position is even further reduced in patients whose hands and shoulders are afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis.
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March 2005
Approximately 400,000 Americans have multiple sclerosis. Worldwide, multiple sclerosis affects 2.5 million individuals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe purpose of this collective review is to outline the predisposing factors in the development of pressure ulcers and to identify a pressure ulcer prevention program. The most frequent sites for pressure ulcers are areas of skin overlying bony prominences. There are four critical factors contributing to the development of pressure ulcers: pressure, shearing forces, friction, and moisture.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDuring the last 40 years, there have been revolutionary advances in power wheelchairs. These unique wheelchair systems, designed for the physically immobile patient, have become extremely diversified, allowing the user to achieve different positions, including tilt, recline, and, more recently, passive standing. Because of this wide diversity of powered wheelchair products, there is a growing realization of the need for certification of wheeled mobility suppliers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To evaluate the amplitude and latency for 3-cm versus 4-cm distance between the active and reference electrodes (electrode separation) used to obtain normative sensory and mixed compound nerve action potential data.
Design: Prospective, unblinded clinical test evaluating 3 nerves: mixed median and ulnar across wrist (8 cm), and radial antidromic sensory (10 cm).
Setting: University and private practice electrodiagnostic laboratories.
Electromyography is a complex diagnostic test that is useful in diagnosing many neuromuscular and musculoskeletal conditions. Physiatrists and neurologists become familiar with this test during their training, while other physicians have minimal or no exposure, outside of perhaps some basic physiology lectures. A review of the anatomy, physiology, and physics upon which electrodiagnostic testing is based and of the various techniques used during a study provides the necessary foundation for understanding and using study results.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Phys Med Rehabil
June 2003
Objective: To create a large database of normal values for the sural and saphenous nerve conduction studies and to compare the results for the two nerves.
Design: Using a 14-cm antidromic technique, data were collected for onset latency, peak latency, onset-to-peak amplitude, peak-to-peak amplitude, area, duration, side-to-side variability, and between-nerve variability. A total of 230 subjects were included in the study.