EMG Flashcards
EMG provides
___ info about muscle
____ info about nerve
- Direct info about muscle
- Indirect info about nerve
name 5 clinical indications for EMG/NCS
Muscle weakness
Muscle atrophy
Numbness
Reduced reflexes
Neuropathic pain?
These only apply as indications if there is a specific question to be answered.. Don’t just order to verify what you already know
Extension of physical exam
Good for any objective neurological finding, less useful for subjective complaints
Pain not picked up on this exam (unless other neuro deficits) b/c needle EMG doesn’t test the small unmyelinated nerves
6 benefits from EMG
Establish correct diagnosis
Localize the lesion
Establish severity of lesion
Approximate timeline
Prognostic value
Assess therapeutic benefit of treatment`
3 precautions/contraindications for EMG/NCS
2 safety/risk considerations
Precautions/Contraindications
Anticoagulation (INR > 3.0*)
Bleeding disorders
Active infection
Safety/Risks
AICD is safe for needle portion of exam
Risk of pneumothorax/hematoma/nerve damage
in ____% of individuals, lung apex rises above the clavicle where it may be puncured laterally
20
which muscle places the patient at highest risk of PTX
SS
The supraspinatus muscle lies in the supraspinous fossa. Needle electromyographic examination of this muscle may be complicated by pneumothorax if sampling is near the midpoint where the supraspinous fossa is narrowest ( A). If the needle is placed deep above point A (area marked by *), there is a risk of pleural puncture. The muscle can be more safely sampled medially in the supraspinous fossa ( B).
What is the peripheral nervous system components hat make up that which is tested on EMG (5)
1.AH cell
2. DR ganglia
3. NMJ
4. muscle fiber
5. axon
Define a motor unit
Motor unit:
- one axon
- anterior horn cell
- all connected muscle fibers and neuromuscular junctions.
Motor neuron, neuromuscular junction, and muscle fiber
A nerve fiber action potential normally always results in depolarization of all the muscle fibers of the motor unit creating an electrical potential known as the motor unit action potential (MUAP)
what is wallerian degeneration:
degeneration of the nerve distal to the site of injury
Axon and myelin death = muscle atrophy and muscle membrane irritability (so spontaneous depolarizations can occur) and voluntary contractions can become uncoordinated
spontaneous recordings:
What location?
Fasciculation
Myokymia
Tetany
Cramp
Neuromyotonia
Motor neuron/axon
spontaneous recordings:
What location?
end plate sike
terminal axon
spontaneous recordings:
What location?
complex repetitive discharge
multiple muscle fibers
spontaneous recordings:
What location?
fibrillation
PSW
myotonia
single muscle fiber
spontaneous recordings:
What location?
end-plate noise
NMJ
Which needle?
less interference
more painful
concentric
which needle?
larger amplitude
more polyphasia
monopolar
which needle?
active electrode runs as a small wire through the needle center and the shaft serves as the reference electrode
concentric
which needle?
needle is Teflon coated (less painful). Additional electrode is needed as the reference electrode (G2). Insulated shaft, so less artifact.
monopolar
To Remember: ‘Mono’ = one so still need a second electrode to serve as the reference
which needle?
reference electrode (G2), whereas the active electrode (G1) runs as a very small wire through the center of the needle and is exposed at the needle tip, which is beveled.
recording field?
concentric
“teardrop” configuration
- monopolar has much larger recording area
The more muscles you test, the more ____ the results are (more likely to find pathology).
sensitive
5 components to pay attention to during the EMG exam
Insertional activity
Muscle at rest
Muscle during gentle contraction
Recruitment
Interference pattern
- Establish consistent sequence for EACH muscle so nothing is forgotten
EMG screen
_____ = vertical boxes
_____ = horizontal boxes
Gain = vertical boxes (200uV)
Sweep = horizontal boxes (10ms)