The influence of dynamic polyelectromyography in formulating a surgical plan in treatment of spastic elbow flexion deformity.

Objective: To determine the influence of motor-control analysis with dynamic electromyography on surgical planning in patients with spastic elbow flexion deformity.

Design: Prospective observational design.

Setting: A Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems-affiliated specialty referral center for the evaluation and treatment of mobility problems associated with neurologic injury and disease.

Participants: Twenty-one patients with spastic elbow flexion deformity.

Interventions: Two surgeons each formulated a detailed surgical plan for each individual muscle-tendon unit. Patients then underwent motor-control analysis in which kinetic and polyelectromyographic data were collected by using a standard protocol. Each surgeon formulated another surgical plan after independently reviewing the laboratory study.

Main Outcome Measures: The frequency of change and degree of agreement in the surgical plans after review of the laboratory data were used as measures of the effect of the laboratory studies.

Results: Fifty-seven percent of the surgical plans were changed after the motor-control study. The frequency of change did not differ by clinical experience. There was a trend toward higher agreement between surgeons after the study than before.

Conclusions: Detailed electromyographic motor-control analysis alters surgical planning for patients with spastic elbow flexion deformity. Clinical assessment alone does not accurately identify the muscles responsible for the deformity or dysfunction. More clinical experience does not result in greater accuracy. Motor-control analysis produces higher agreement between surgeons in planning surgery.