We carried out electroneuromyography of 78 patients with degenerative-dystrophic cervical and lumbar spine disorders, which were treated at the neurosurgical department of the Irkutsk Scientific Centre of Surgery and Traumatology. The results of the study of late ENMG phenomena such as H-reflex, F-waves and A-reflex were obtained at different stages of the disease using “Neuromyan” neuromyoanalyzer. The predictable changes in late answers at different stages of the process were determined. For example, in patients with radiculopathy, the degree of neurological deficiency was minimal, and in patients with a combination of nerve root syndrome and stenotic changes, the neurological deficiency had the character of a pronounced bilateral pathology. The severity of changes in neurophysiological indicators depends on the degree of spinal stenosis. Determination of N-reflex and F-wave parameters allows us to identify subclinical forms of loss both at the level of peripheral nerves and of spinal cord segments, and the appearance of axon reflex is an evidence of a demyelinizing pathology and chronic process.
We examined 38 patients (35 women and 3 men aged 30–40 years) with stage 2 and 3 hallux valgus in the department of traumatology and orthopedics of the Irkutsk Scientific Centre of Surgery and Traumatology to study the electroneuromyographic parameters during stimulation of the peripheral nerves of the lower extremities. All patients underwent electroneuromyographic study of peripheral nerves (n. tibialis and n. peroneus) to clarify the nature of their injuries. In 10 patients, the parameters of the monosynaptic H-reflex were additionally studied. Analysis of electroneuromyographic parameters in patients with hallux valgus demonstrated a deterioration in the peripheral nerves functioning, which was more pronounced for the tibial nerve (n. tibialis). At the same time, the parameters of the monosynaptic H-reflex obtained in patients with hallux valgus indicate the presence of a neurological deficit observed in the compression of the L5–S1 roots of the spinal cord in lumbar osteochondrosis. The results of the study suggest the presence of a single pathogenetic mechanism for the development of degenerative processes in the spinal joints (osteochondrosis) and limbs (deforming osteoarthrosis of large and small joints).
Thermography and electroneuromyography parameters were studied in 34 patients with vertebrogenic pain syndrome associated with lumbar spine stenosis. All patients were treated in the neurosurgical department of the Irkutsk Scientific Centre of Surgery and Traumatology. We determined the changes in temperature values in the lumbar spine and lower extremities under the condition of disorder in peripheral nerves functional state.Purpose of the study: to evaluate the parameters of thermography and electroneuromyography in patients with lumbar spine stenosis.Materials and methods. The article presents the results of thermography and electroneuromyography of 34 patients with severe pain syndrome associated with degenerative stenosis of the lumbar part of spinal canal in preoperative period. Thermal-imaging study was carried out using a thermovision camera SVIT-004, the study of the peripheral nerves function of the lower extremities was carried out using the Neuromian-1-04 neuromyoanalyzer. The skin temperature recording points corresponded to the projection of stimulating and pickup ENMG electrodes on the spinous processes of the LIV, LV, SI vertebrae and paravertebrally.Results. Thermography parameters in patients with degenerative lumbar spine stenosis on the pain side were higher than on the intact side at all measurement points by 1–2 °C. At the same time, electroneuromyographic parameters in these patients indicated a decrease in the activity of the peripheral and central motor apparatus.Conclusion. The change in thermography parameters in patients with lumbar spine stenosis in the lumbar part and the area of pain irradiation in the lower extremities occurs alongside with the disorder of the peripheral nerves functional state.
Radial fracture is the most common trauma to the musculoskeletal system and accounts for 50 % of traumatic injuries to the bones of the upper limb. Disability in patients with fractures of the forearm bones ranges from 6 to 8 months, so the choice of the most effective method of treatment is very relevant. Currently, an important point is the tendency of optimizing the transosseous method by eliminating the disadvantages and looking for new advantages of external fixation. Bone fracture and associated surgical intervention are always accompanied by varying degrees of changes in the links of the central nervous system, hemodynamics and metabolism. In order to study the bioelectrical activity of the brain in 47 patients with a fracture of the radial diaphysis treated in the Traumatology Department of the Irkutsk Scientific Centre of Surgery and Traumatology, in the pre- and postoperative period we compared EEG indicators of two variants of the layout of the external fixation apparatus (EF): wire and rod. Analysis of the rhythms of bioelectrical activity of the brain in both groups in the preoperative period revealed a normal zonal distribution with the dominance of the alpha rhythm on the EEG, which generally reflects a rather high degree of organization of neuroactivity and indicates the stability of cerebral homeostasis. At the same time, in the group of patients with a wire-mounted EF device in the postoperative period, EEG indices significantly differed from the values of the norm and ndicators in the group with a rod-shaped arrangement. A decrease in the amplitude of alpha and beta rhythms was noted, as well as a shift in the frequency of bioelectric activity towards slow waves, which is a sign characteristic of discirculatory encephalopathy. An EEG study using the method of transosseous osteosynthesis with EF devise of a rod assembly showed its greater efficiency compared to the use of an EF device of a wire assembly during treatment and rehabilitation. Thus, the study of the bioelectric activity of the brain is a reliable method for assessing its functional state after an injury, as well as the effectiveness of the treatment.
One of the main causes of pain in the cervical spine, which causes the development of neurological deficit, is the stenosing process of the spinal canal with compression of the neurovascular structures. To determine the tactics of treatment, to predict the consequences of the disease, timely diagnosis of the functional state of neural structures is of great importance.Materials and methods. An informative method for diagnosing stenosing processes of the cervical spine, along with radiography and MRI, is electroneuromyography (ENMG). The analysis was based on 35 patients with a stenosing process of the spinal canal at the cervical level (17 men, 18 women), the average age of patients was 47.7 ± 9.9 years.Results. In the study of changes in the functional state of the axillary, radial, ulnar and median nerves, with stenosing processes, a unidirectional deviation of the entire ENMG complex of indicators of the limb with pain syndrome and contralateral limb was noted. A decrease in the amplitude of the maximum M-responses is recorded due to damage to the peripheral motor neuron and axon degeneration. Selective damage to the slow-conducting anterior motoneurons does not cause a decrease in the speed of impulse conduction due to demyelination. Bilateral changes in late electroneuromyographic phenomena (F-wave) are possibly caused by a general reaction of the peripheral and central nervous systems.Conclusion. In patients with a stenosing process of the cervical spine with severe clinical manifestations, ENMG values can be used both to determine indications for surgical treatment and to assess the dynamics of changes in the postoperative period.
Introduction. Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a very common disease that causes a significant decrease in the quality of life of patients. In the case of pronounced changes in the cervical spine with osteochondrosis, there is a violation of blood circulation in the cerebral cortex, which leads to pronounced clinical symptoms.The aim of this study was to identify a correlation between bioelectrical activity and cerebral hemodynamics in patients with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.Materials and methods. The examination involved 25 patients of the neurosurgical department who received conservative treatment for exacerbation of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, and 25 volunteers without a history of diseases of the spine and joints. The cerebral bioelectrical activity and blood flow indicators were recorded in the pool of the common carotid and vertebral arteries.Results. In the main group and the clinical comparison group, the rheographic index and the peripheral vascular resistance index were studied, which characterize both the volume pulse blood filling of the vascular bed and the tone of small and medium caliber arteries. At the same time, the EEG rhythm indices were analyzed: а-, в-, S-, and в-waves. An analysis of the intersystem interaction of bloodflow indices and the biopotentials of the cortical rhythm of the brain in the main group showed a mismatch in the intra-system connections, which corresponds to the period of the general stress of the body. An analysis of the correlation between the indicators of electroencephalography and rheoencepha-lography in the control group revealed a stable system of correlation between the indicators, showing intersystem and intrasystem consistency and reflecting a high level of reserve capacity of the body and the state of steady adaptation to adverse factors.Conclusion. The use of simultaneous recording of cerebral hemodynamics and brain biopotentials in patients with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine will allow clinicians to correctly assess the functional state of the central nervous system and to prescribe adequate treatment in a timely manner.
The article presents the review of domestic and foreign literature on the use of neurophysiological diagnostic methods – electroneuromyography (ENMG) and electromyography (EMG) in degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the spine. The ENMG method is of great importance for theoretical neurology, obtaining new data on the structural and functional organization of the central and peripheral nervous system in the process of individual development. Electromyography as a diagnostic method studies the electrical activity of the peripheral apparatus of the nervous system. With these methods we directly evaluate both voluntary bioelectric activity of muscles at rest and during their activation (EMG), and caused by stimulation (ENMG). Most authors believe that modifications of stimulation electromyography are objective diagnostic methods that allow to assess the functional state of the peripheral nervous system. Interesting is the fact that changes in EMG and ENMG parameters for osteochondrosis of the spine are recorded even in the absence of external manifestations of the disease. At the same time, for patients with myofascial syndrome in lumbar osteochondrosis, a bilateral decrease in the direct and reflex excitability of motoneurons is characteristic, a slowing down of the pulse along the arc of the H-reflex on the side of the pain and a two-sided local acceleration of the pulse on the distal part of the efferent part of the H-reflex arc from the popliteal pits to soleus muscle. Noteworthy is the fact that the pathological process in the nervous tissue according to ENMG in patients with osteochondrosis of the spine with unilateral radicular syndromes is bilateral. The work of our clinic has shown that diagnostic electroneuromyography can be considered as a medical procedure – electropuncture, according to its results, tactics of both surgical and conservative treatment can be determined. Data of EMG and EMG, carried out after the end of any of the listed types of treatment, serve as an objective control of their effectiveness.
To evaluate the effectiveness of the developed method of acupuncture in the complex of conservative treatment of pain in patients with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in the neurosurgical Department of Irkutsk Scientific Centre of Surgery and Traumatology, 58 patients were under observation, 38 of whom were treated with acupuncture. The results of treatment were evaluated by the applying VAS testing and conducting stimulation electroneuromyography. The patients had 9–10 sessions of corporal and auricular acupuncture. Acupuncture was carried out according to 1st or 2nd variants of inhibitory action. When selecting points, the locally segmental principle was used, and the effect was carried out on symmetric points of general action (P7, GI4, GI 11 , E36 , RP6, VB34), on local pain ah shi points, in “near” and “far” points from the pain zone; on standard points of meridians of calming action: sympathetic, sedative and analgesic (points-cracks). Specific pain points were used: in pain in the area of the shoulder girdle – R5, E37, R4: in the rear surface of the chest and region of the scapula – T26, V43, V11; in neuralgia – V60, TR5, VB41. Corporal reflexology “enhance” auricular, we used impact on АТ 55, АТ 13, АТ 22, АТ 51, АТ 34. In cases of severe pain and musculotonic syndromes, treatment was initiated with effects on auricular points: АР 37 point of the cervical spine and АР 55 point Shen Men. When comparing the results of VAS testing before and after the treatment, in all patients we noted a decrease in the intensity of pain, and 16 of patients went into the category of “mild cases”. The positive dynamics is confirmed by the data of electroneuromyographic studies: an increase in the amplitude of the M-response and a decrease in latency, a change in the characteristics of the F-wave. The obtained data indicate the high efficiency of acupuncture in the treatment of pain and muscle-tonic syndromes in patients with spinal osteochondrosis.
Osteoporosis and osteochondrosis have common clinical manifestations: poor posture, reduced flexibility and mobility of the spine, joint pain, fatigue, weakness; both diseases appear most often in old age. Having a lot in common in symptoms, osteoporosis and osteochondrosis differ in etiology, treatment and prognosis.The development of osteoporosis is based on impaired bone remodeling, but it has been established that this process is also important in the pathogenesis of osteochondrosis. The results of previous studies indicate that there is a relationship between the functional state of the neuromotor apparatus and the violation of the structure of bone tissue in the spinal canal stenosis of the lumbar spine. There is data on the study of the nerve conduction and bone mineral density in patients with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in a small sample.To study the functional state of peripheral nerves and the presence of disorders of bone tissue structure in 2018, 25 patients of the neurosurgical department of Irkutsk Scientific Centre of Surgery and Traumatology were observed with the diagnosis "Dorsopathy, Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine" (М50.1) and 25 volunteers of the control group, representative of the main sex and age. As a result of the examination, all patients of the main group showed sufficiently deep afferent-efferent dysfunctions of the segment apparatus of the cervical spine, while in the control group changes in ENMG indicators showing initial changes in the function of the neuromotor apparatus were observed in 20 % of the examined. The change in bone density was observed in most of the main group examined (72 %), in the control group the decrease in bone density was less frequent (54 %, of which 29 % registered osteopenia). The results of the examination indicate the existence of a relationship between osteochondrosis and osteoporosis - the more symptoms of sensory-motor dysfunction of the root increase in osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the more often the change in bone density - osteoporosis or osteopenia - is diagnosed.
Spinal osteochondrosis takes one of the first places among all chronic diseases, and every second osteochondrosis patient has dystrophic and degenerative changes in the spine in the cervical region. Manifestations of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are diverse, which often interferes with the diagnosis and subsequent treatment. In osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, clinical symptoms may occur associated with insufficient blood supply to areas of the brain and that would require diagnostic methods that are not included in the standards for diagnosing the disease. In order to study the bioelectrical activity of the brain in 25 patients of the Department of Neurosurgery of Irkutsk Scientific Centre of Surgery and Traumatology with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine with cerebrovascular syndrome; a comparison was made of EEG indicators with a group of healthy volunteers that is representative by sex and age. Encephalogram indices were recorded using an EEG-21/26 Encephalan-131-03 encephalograph (Taganrog) with a standard installation of scalp EEG electrodes using the "10-20"system. An analysis of the rhythms of the bioelectrical activity of the brain in the clinical comparison group revealed a normal zonal distribution with an alpha rhythm dominating the EEG, which generally reflects a high degree of organization of neuroactivity and indicates the stability of cerebral homeostasis. At the same time, in the main group, EEG indicators significantly differed from the values of the norm and indicators of the control group. Analysis of the bioelectrical activity of the brain of patients with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine was characterized by disorganization of cortical rhythmics with a combination of moderate and diffuse disorders of varying severity. There was a shift in the frequency of bioelectric activity towards slow waves, which is a characteristic of dyscirculatory encephalopathy. Thus, the study of brain biopotentials (EEG) in patients with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine has diagnostic and prognostic significance, as well as a measure of the current clinical condition of the patient.
To evaluate the effectiveness of the developed method of acupuncture in the complex of conservative treatment of pain in patients with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in the neurosurgical Department of Irkutsk Scientific Centre of Surgery and Traumatology, 58 patients were under observation, 38 of whom were treated with acupuncture. The results of treatment were evaluated by the applying VAS testing and conducting stimulation electroneuromyography. The patients had 9–10 sessions of corporal and auricular acupuncture. Acupuncture was carried out according to 1st or 2nd variants of inhibitory action. When selecting points, the locally segmental principle was used, and the effect was carried out on symmetric points of general action (P7, GI4, GI 11 , E36 , RP6, VB34), on local pain ah shi points, in “near” and “far” points from the pain zone; on standard points of meridians of calming action: sympathetic, sedative and analgesic (points-cracks). Specific pain points were used: in pain in the area of the shoulder girdle – R5, E37, R4: in the rear surface of the chest and region of the scapula – T26, V43, V11; in neuralgia – V60, TR5, VB41. Corporal reflexology “enhance” auricular, we used impact on АТ55, АТ13, АТ22, АТ51, АТ34. In cases of severe pain and musculotonic syndromes, treatment was initiated with effects on auricular points: АР37 point of the cervical spine and АР55 point Shen Men. When comparing the results of VAS testing before and after the treatment, in all patients we noted a decrease in the intensity of pain, and 16 of patients went into the category of “mild cases”. The positive dynamics is confirmed by the data of electroneuromyographic studies: an increase in the amplitude of the M-response and a decrease in latency, a change in the characteristics of the F-wave. The obtained data indicate the high efficiency of acupuncture in the treatment of pain and muscle-tonic syndromes in patients with spinal osteochondrosis.
The article presents clinical profile of patients with cervical osteochondrosis and cervicobrachial syndrome, results of cliniconeurological examination including X-ray diagnostics (plain frontal and lateral radiography of cervical spine, functional tests, frontal and lateral X-ray imaging of large joints of upper limbs), MRI of cervical spine, stimulation electroneuromyography and osteodensimetry. Statistical processing with definition of nonparametric test and correlation coefficient was performed using SPSS 22.0.0 software. Pearson and Spearman nonparametric tests were used for correlation analysis. Examination of patients with cervicobrachial syndrome revealed that bone tissue condition of a limb with pain syndrome slightly differs from the bone tissue condition of a healthy limb and is within normal range. Neuromyography showed that abnormality of a functional condition of studied nerves of upper limbs was not pronounced and was registered on both limbs. As a result of our research we can suppose that asymmetric abnormal focus inhibits peripheral and central chains of locomotor system both on injured and healthy limbs. Differences in functional condition of peripheral nerves of upper limbs in patients with cervicobrachial syndrome and healthy people are statistically significant and allow us to consider them as a sign of decompensation which prevent healthy performance.
With osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine and L3, L4 lesions, local overloads of the spinal-motor segment lead to disruption of the functioning of the biokinematic chain "spine-lower limbs". Gonarthrosis is considered as an independent disease requiring surgical treatment. We have not found on the functional state of the peripheral neuromotor apparatus, with taking into account segmental radicular manifestations in patients with grade 3-4 gonarthrosis. We examined the tibial and peroneal nerves, and H-reflex in 51 patients undergoing treatment at the clinical department of traumatology and orthopedics of ISCST In all examined patients we revealed changes in the function of the peripheral nerves of the lower limbs (increase in the threshold values of the M-response to 24.8 mA (norm - 16 mA), a decrease in the direct muscle response amplitude to an average of 0.6 mV (norm - 2.0 mV), a decrease in the rate impulse up to 37-39 m/s (norm - 40 m/s), all changed were more pronounced on the affected limb. The revealed changes in ENMG indices could be due to both degenerative changes in periarticular tissues and radicular syndrome in lumbar osteochondrosis. Changes in reflex excitability were observed in combination with prolapse of the H-reflex in the majority of patients. The data obtained indicate damage to the roots and spinal motoneurons in L3-L4-L5 and a change in the functional state of the peripheral nerves of the lower limbs, indicating a single pathogenetic mechanism of degenerative processes in the knee and spine.
Manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis are largely predetermined by degenerative changes in the most mobile lower cervical spine (CV-CVI, CVI-CVII). Clinical picture of cervical osteochondrosis depends not so much on the presence of hernial protrusions as on the changes in bone structures with the formation of arthrosis with pain syndrome. In this regard, we found interesting to study relation of electroneuromyographic parameters and bone mineral density in patients with cervical osteochondrosis. A survey of 38 patients with cervical osteochondrosis localized predominantly in the segments CIII-CIV, CIV-CV, CV-CVI CVI-CVII there were 20 men and 18 women. Subjective and objective examinations showed pronounced muscular-tonic syndrome (with cervicalgia, cervicocranygia, cervicobrachialgia) in all patients. We studied threshold values, M-response amplitude, nerve conduction in motor fibers of the axillary, radial, medial and ulnar nerves, as well as amplitude and frequency indices characterizing the functional state of the deltoid and trapezius muscles. When studying the state of bone tissue, we measured the speed of sound velocity (SV, m/sec) in the radial bones, determined the T-index - the number of standard deviations from mean for healthy young people, and the Z-index - the number of standard deviationsfrom mean for the age group. Comparative analysis of the results of studies by electroneuromyography and osteodensitometry in patients with cervical osteochondrosis of I-II periods, in the presence of neurotrophic disorders have not revealed changes in bone density. At the same time, in patients with cervical osteochondrosis of the III period in the presence of both protrusions and hernias of CVI-CVII CVII-CVIII discs, a reduction in threshold values of direct muscle response, an increase in the amplitude of evoked potentials, and a shortening of the latent period were recorded in the ENMG. Mineral density in patients with this pathology differed from the norm, indicating the presence of osteopenia.
1n 2015-2016 in Scientific-Clinical Department of Neurosurgery of 1rkutsk Scientific Center of Surgery and Traumatology, 22 patients (11 men and 11 women) were examined for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and neck and upper extremity pain syndrome. Patients underwent clinical and neurological examination, radial methods of investigation (cervical survey radiography in the direct and lateral projections), functional tests (flexion and extension) and functional tests with weights, MSCT and MR1 of the cervical spine, radiographs of large joints of the upper extremities in two projections, stimulation electroneuromyography and osteodensitometry. The article presents the general clinical characteristics of the data of 22 patients with degenerative-dystrophic pathology of cervical spine and shoulder joint syndrome, and a moderate and severe neck and upper extremity pain syndrome. 1n the evaluation of clinical and neurological symptoms, unilateral cervicobrahialgia syndrome was detected in 19 (86 %) patients, cervicobrachialgia syndrome was noted on both sides in 3 patients, the syndrome of cervicocranialgia was noted in 4 patients. All radiographs showed deforming osteoarthritis of the clavicular-acromial joint (11 persons), shoulder (10 persons), elbow joint (4 persons). MR1 revealed a multilevel pathology of intervertebral discs. According to ENMG, there was a disturbance of the functional state of the peripheral nerves of the upper limbs, which manifested itself on both sides. The state of bone tissue of the limb with the pain syndrome was not significantly different from that of the healthy limb, and generally corresponded to the norm. Thus, the materials presented in the article represent the initial data of the examination of patients with the neck and upper extremity pain syndrome in the department of neurosurgery according to the algorithm developed in 1rkutsk Scientific Center of Surgery and Traumatology.
The aim of the research was to study electrophysiological values in patients with blade-humerus pain syndrome at cervical osteochondrosis and posttraumatic shoulder injuries. We managed 71 patients: 33 patients with cervical osteochondrosis and brachialgia getting conservative treatment in the neurosurgical unit of Irkutsk Scientific Center of Surgery and Traumatology (group 1) and 38 patients with injuries of shoulder joint capsules and ligaments getting treatment in the unit of traumatology and orthopedics (group 2). Comparison of electroneuromyographic values in patients of both groups showed unidirectional changes in the values and accentuated decrease in electroneuromyographic parameters on both affected and unaffected extremities. In both cases median nerve was affected most. We registered the decrease in conduction velocity of motor fibers of intact nerves in patients of both groups. Lack of clinical signs of lesion of these nerves can be indicative of functional changes in nerve conduction which reflect generalized reaction on the lesion of certain nerve stems.