Our son Eric had a third set of EMG's done last week, six weeks after the second and 11 weeks since his accident. They showed no change and the doc said that their was no signal in several muscles, including the bicep. He said that any apparent activity was from surrounding smaller muscles mainly in the elbow, but it might feel like bicep.
Yet Eric feels something, his physio agrees that there is some activity, and if you watch him try to raise his forarm you can see some movement in the bicep.
Anyone know what is really happening?
Do EMG's lie?
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Christopher
- Posts: 845
- Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2003 10:09 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: Date of Injury: 12/15/02
Level of Injury:
-dominant side C5, C6, & C7 avulsed. C8 & T1 stretched & crushed
BPI Related Surgeries:
-2 Intercostal nerves grafted to Biceps muscle,
-Free-Gracilis muscle transfer to Biceps Region innervated with 2 Intercostal nerves grafts.
-2 Sural nerves harvested from both Calves for nerve grafting.
-Partial Ulnar nerve grafted to Long Triceps.
-Uninjured C7 Hemi-Contralateral cross-over to Deltoid muscle.
-Wrist flexor tendon transfer to middle, ring, & pinky finger extensors.
Surgical medical facility:
Brachial Plexus Clinic at The Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN
(all surgeries successful)
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
~Theodore Roosevelt - Location: Los Angeles, California USA
Re: Do EMG's lie?
There are few muscle in the biceps area that could be creating movement (smaller ones, Brachialis Muscle, right near the elbow). The technician or Dr. that performs the EMG is very important to getting clear results, but even the best can't pick up everything all the time. I had a number of different results from different Drs. and technicians performing EMGs on me.
Knowing what I know now, I would always opt for the exploratory surgery to check an see for avulsed nerves, with a talented surgeon, if there was any question. You can heal from a surgery, you can't if there is damage done and not discovered until it's too late.
My physical therapist was absolutely great (she became a professor at one the West Coast's best schools for PT). But she could swear I had some Latissumus Dorsi (muscle at side of ribs) working. Now three and a half years later I've still got nothing happening there.
There are always anomalies when it comes to peripheral nerves, so it's important that the EMG Dr. be curious and thorough. Best of Luck to you and your son Hope!
Chris
Knowing what I know now, I would always opt for the exploratory surgery to check an see for avulsed nerves, with a talented surgeon, if there was any question. You can heal from a surgery, you can't if there is damage done and not discovered until it's too late.
My physical therapist was absolutely great (she became a professor at one the West Coast's best schools for PT). But she could swear I had some Latissumus Dorsi (muscle at side of ribs) working. Now three and a half years later I've still got nothing happening there.
There are always anomalies when it comes to peripheral nerves, so it's important that the EMG Dr. be curious and thorough. Best of Luck to you and your son Hope!
Chris
Re: Do EMG's lie?
I don't think that they "lie". But, what was explained to us is that unless the needles are placed exactly right you can get a false reading. That is why they also did an EMG when the opened him up to check for avulsions. When they have it opened it is much easier to get an accurate reading. I know when Dustin's bicept started to fire we knew we were feeling it. However the inhouse therapist would keep saying "no" I won't give it a rating. She didn't feel sure it was the bicept. When we finally had a drs appt he did verify that it was the bicept but just a flicker. I think he rated it at less than 1. Now it is getting stronger. So, no the EMG is not the last word. Keep working and if he is feeling it hopefully it will begin to strengthen.
Sue
Sue