A novel technique for recording from the serratus anterior.

Arch Phys Med Rehabil

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43120, USA.

Published: January 2005

AI Article Synopsis

  • The study aimed to create a reliable method to record the compound muscle action potential (CMAP) of the serratus anterior muscle by stimulating the long thoracic nerve in healthy volunteers.
  • Participants underwent tests using specific electrode placements, measuring key outcomes like distal motor latency (DML) and CMAP amplitude.
  • Results indicated no significant difference in DML and CMAP amplitude between sides, with a notable correlation found between participants' height and DML, supporting the technique's validation against existing motor nerve conduction studies.

Article Abstract

Objective: To design an electrodiagnostic technique by which to accurately record the serratus anterior compound muscle action potential (CMAP).

Design: Observational study.

Setting: Academic electromyography laboratory.

Participants: Fifteen healthy volunteers.

Interventions: The long thoracic nerve was stimulated by using a standard bipolar surface electrode in the axilla, just anterior to the midaxillary line. The serratus anterior CMAP was recorded by using a self-adhesive, 8.0 x 0.5 cm, ring electrode as the E1 placed across the serratus anterior interdigitations starting at the nipple level. A self-adhesive, motor (1 x 1 cm) electrode was used as E2 and placed over the seventh rib. A standard self-adhesive ground electrode was placed over the inferior region of the latissimus dorsi.

Main Outcome Measures: Distal motor latency (DML), and CMAP amplitude and duration.

Results: After removing 2 outliers, the results are reported as the mean +/- 1.96 standard deviations. Right long thoracic DML was 2.2+/-1.0ms and the left was 2.3+/-0.9ms, with a side-to-side mean difference of 0.3+/-0.4ms. The right serratus CMAP amplitude was 3.8+/-3.9mV and the left was 3.9+/-3.7mV, with a side-to-side mean difference of 0.6+/-1.2mV. Statistical analysis did not reveal a significant side-to-side difference for DML or CMAP amplitude. Both sides were combined to form a single set of trials for DML and CMAP amplitude. The mean DML became 2.2+/-0.7ms, and the CMAP amplitude was 3.5+/-1.9mV. The CMAP duration was 14.5+/-4.3ms on the right and 14.5+/-4.1ms on the left. A significant, positive correlation existed between height and DML ( P <.02). The 95% confidence intervals for DML and CMAP amplitudes were 2.1 to 2.5ms and 1.5 to 3.1mV, respectively.

Conclusions: Our latency, side-to-side comparisons and amplitude data were consistent with other motor nerve conduction findings in the literature. Stimulating the long thoracic nerve in the axilla will provide a reliable technique to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of long thoracic neuropathy.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2004.04.050DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

cmap amplitude
20
serratus anterior
16
dml cmap
12
side-to-side difference
12
long thoracic
8
cmap
7
dml
6
serratus
5
anterior
5
amplitude
5

Similar Publications

Structural remodeling of the brain cortex and functional recovery following hypoglossal-facial neurorrhaphy in patients with facial paralysis.

Brain Res

December 2024

Beijing Key Laboratory of Central Nervous System Injury, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing 10070, China; Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 10070, China; U1195, Inserm et Universite Paris-Saclay, 94276 Le Kremlin-Bicetre, France. Electronic address:

Objective: Peripheral nerve injury results in functional alterations of the corresponding active brain areas, which are closely related to functional recovery. Whether such functional plasticity induces relative anatomical structural changes remains to be investigated.

Methods: In this study, we investigated the changes in brain cortical thickness in patients with facial paralysis following neurorrhaphy treatment at different follow-up times.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) is an autoimmune disorder of the presynaptic neuromuscular junction associated with antibody mediated dysfunction of voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs). LEMS can exist as a paraneoplastic syndrome, paraneoplastic-LEMS (P-LEMS), when associated with tumors, most commonly, small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) or as a non-paraneoplastic condition (NP-LEMS) when no malignancies are detected.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted in 3 tertiary hospitals in Saudi Arabia for patients diagnosed with LEMS between January 2010 and January 2020.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Botulinum toxin modulates the blink reflex via the trigeminal afferent system in hemifacial spasm: an early and late-term effect.

Neurol Sci

December 2024

Department of Neurology, Section of Clinical Neurophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey.

Background: There is growing evidence that botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) can mediate changes at the central level through peripheral mechanisms, leading to alterations in central sensorimotor integration. However, the effect of BoNT on brainstem excitability in patients with hemifacial spasm(HFS) is not yet fully understood, and its long-term effects remain unknown.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the impact of BoNT on the excitability of the facial nucleus in patients with idiopathic HFS.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Lonafarnib Protects Against Muscle Atrophy Induced by Dexamethasone.

J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle

February 2025

Department of Nanobiomedical Science & BK21 NBM Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan, Korea.

Background: Muscle atrophy, including glucocorticoid-induced muscle wasting from treatments such as dexamethasone (DEX), results in significant reductions in muscle mass, strength and function. This study investigates the potential of lonafarnib, a farnesyltransferase inhibitor, to counteract DEX-induced muscle atrophy by targeting key signalling pathways.

Methods: We utilized in vitro models with C2C12 myotubes treated with DEX and in vivo models with Caenorhabditis elegans and DEX-treated Sprague-Dawley rats.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Electrophysiological Monitoring of Asymptomatic Transthyretin Mutation Carriers.

Muscle Nerve

December 2024

Referral Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases and ALS, La Timone University Hospital, Aix-Marseille University, ERN Neuro-NMD, Marseille, France.

Introduction/aims: It is imperative to screen asymptomatic carriers of transthyretin (TTR) mutations to initiate treatment early. The protocol for repeated electrodiagnostic (EDX) assessments over time lacks standardization. Our aim was to report the electrophysiological evolution of a cohort of asymptomatic carriers and to determine which biomarkers were most sensitive to change.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!