Nerve Stimulation Flashcards
Length of a nerve stimulus
0.2 msec (200 usec)
How does a nerve stimulator work?
- Stimulator is connected to electrodes that are placed on the ulnar or facial nerve
- The nerve is electrically stimulated for 0.2 msec
- Ach is released from the presynaptic nerve
- Ach binds to nictonic Ach receptors
- After Ach is released, it is eventually degraded
- Prejunctional receptors allow acetic acid and choline to enter the nerve
- Once inside the nerve, acetic acid and choline form acetylcholine
True/false: if we could directly stimulate a muscle, it would underestimate how paralyzed a patient is
True
Factors that could cause direct muscle stimulation
- Placing electrodes directly over a muscle instead of over a nerve
- Longer pulse durations (>500usec) when stimulating a nerve
- Using a higher current when stimulating a nerve (over 80mA)
- Using needle electrodes
Describe a “weaker” muscle contraction
Some receptors are blocked, so the muscle can still contract, just not as forcefully
Describe no muscle contraction
All receptors are blocked, so no muscle contraction can occur
Types of nerve stimulation patterins
- Single twitch (1Hz)
- Train of Four (2Hz)
- Tetanus (50Hz)
- Post tetanic count (1Hz after Tetanus)
- Double burst stimulation (20ms)
2 types of single twitch stimulation
1 Hz (1 stimulation per second) and 0.1 Hz (1 stimulation per 10 seconds)
Duration of Train of Four (TOF) stimulation
4 stimuli (0.2 msec each) over a 2 second (2Hz) period with 500 msec between each stimulus
Duration/frequency of Tetanus
- continuous nerve stimulation at 50-100 Hz, mainly 50
- Very painful, so limit to under 5 seconds
Duration of Post Tetanic Count
50 Hz of tetanus applied for 5 seconds, followed by a 3 second pause, then a single twitch stimulation at 1 Hz
Duration of Double Burst Stimulation
2 short tetanic stimulations followed by a 750 msec pause
-the first tetanic stimulation is 3 impulses at 50Hz
-750 msec pause
-the second can be: 1. Two impulses at 50 Hz (3,2)
or 2. Three impulses at 50 Hz (3,3)
Lowest stimulation frequency, longest duration
Single twitch
Faster stimulation frequency, shorter duration
Train of Four and Tetanus
Occurs when a nerve is stimulated multiple times in a row and a patient has a partial neuromuscular block
(Twitch gets weaker)
Fade
What does fade mean?
Something is causing less Ach to be released from the presynaptic nerve during each subsequent twitch
What can cause fade?
Partial nondepolarizing blocks
What does it mean when twitches are all at the same strengh?
The same amount of Ach is released from the presynaptic nerve each time
Blocks presynpatic and postsynaptic receptors
Nondepolarizing muscle relaxants
Description of partial nondepolarizing block
When presynaptic receptors are blocked, acetic acid and choline have a harder time entering the nerve
-With repeated, back to back stimuli, stockpiles of Ach will diminish and less Ach will be available
Mechanism of depolarizing muscle relaxants
Only block postsynaptic Ach receptors
Factors necessary for fade to occur
- There must be a partial NONDEPOLARIZING block
2. The nerve must be stimulated at a fairly high frequency
Gold standard in assessment of recovery of neuromuscular blockade
fade
What does it mean if fade is present?
The patient is still paralyzed
When does fade occur clinically?
During recovery of a partial nondepolarizing neuromuscular block
With TOF, Tetanus, PTC and DBS
True/false: Fade is observed with single twitch stimulation and succinylcholine
False; fade is not seen with either one
Why is single twitch not used to observe fade?
You cannot differentiate between depolarizing and nondepolarizing blocks
What is the significance of quantitative nerve stimulators?
Quantitative nerve stimulators can tell you how strong the twitches are as well as how many
Negatively charged electrode
Black
Depolarizing membrane
Positively charged electrode
Red
Hyperpolarizes membrane