Byung-Nam Yoon | 5 Articles |
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Clinical evaluations, nerve conduction studies, and electromyography play major complementary roles in electrophysiologic diagnoses. Electromyography can be used to assess pathologic changes and localize lesions occurring in locations ranging from motor units to anterior-horn cells. Successfully performing electromyography requires knowledge of the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the peripheral nervous system as well as sufficient skill and interpretation ability. Electromyography techniques include acquiring data from visual/auditory signals and performing needle positioning, semiquantitation, and interpretation. Here we introduce the basic concepts of electromyography to guide clinicians in performing electromyography appropriately.
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Sjögren’s syndrome (SS)-associated polyradiculopathy is rarely reported. A 51-year-old woman presented with a history of gradual weakness in all four extremities for several months. Based on electrophysiological studies, spinal magnetic resonance imaging and cerebrospinal fluid examination, inflammatory polyradiculopathy was confirmed. During a search for the aetiology, the patient was ultimately diagnosed with SS. This study introduces SS-associated polyradiculopathy that primarily presented with motor symptoms, thus mimicking motor neuron disease.
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Electrodiagnostic studies such as nerve conduction studies (NCS) and needle electromyography (EMG) provide important and complementary information for evaluating patients with suspected neuromuscular disorders. NCS and needle EMG are reasonably safe diagnostic investigations and are generally associated with only mild transient discomfort when performed by experienced physicians. However, there is the risk of complications in some patients, because NCS involve the administration of electric current and EMG involves inserting a needle percutaneously into muscle tissue. This article reviews the potential risks of NCS and needle EMG.
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Nerve conduction study (NCS) is an electrophysiological tool to assess the overall function of cranial and peripheral nervous system, therefore NCS has been diagnostically helpful in the identification and characterization of disorders involving nerve roots, peripheral nerves, muscle and neuromuscular junction, and are frequently accompanied by a needle Electromyography. Furthermore, NCS could provide valuable quantitative and qualitative results into neuromuscular function. Usually, motor, sensory, or mixed nerve studies can be performed with using NCS, stimulating the nerves with the recording electrodes placed over a distal muscle, a cutaneous sensory nerve, or the entire mixed nerve, respectively. And these findings of motor, sensory, and mixed nerve studies often show different and distinct patterns of specific abnormalities indicating the neuromuscular disorders. The purpose of this special article is to review the neurophysiologic usefulness of NCS, to outline the technical factors associated with the performance of NCS, and to demonstrate characteristic NCS changes in the setting of various neuromuscular conditions.
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Lumbosacral plexopathy is an uncommon disorder of the peripheral nervous system characterized by asymmetric, weakness, and numbness in lumbosacral nerve root distributions. A 53-year-old woman experienced left lower extremity weakness and numbness after high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) procedure to treat uterine myoma. Electrodiagnostic study revealed left lumbosacral plexopathy. Pelvic magnetic resonance imaging showed high signal intensity in the left lumbosacral plexus. After 6 months, the symptoms did not improve. This case report illustrates the potential danger of HIFU.
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