Electrical stimulation of lumbar spinal nerve roots in dogs

Abstract

The aim of this study was to test the applicability of electrical stimulation of lumbar spinal nerve roots and obtain normative electrical root stimulation (ERS) data for L7 nerve root and sciatic nerve in dogs. For that purpose ERS and sciatic nerve stimulations were performed consecutively, in totally 40 healthy dogs. ERS was applied in the L7/S1 intervertebral space via monopolar needle electrodes. Muscle responses were recorded from the gastrocnemius muscles on the left and right hind limbs. Sciatic nerve stimulation was performed at the greater trochanter level on the left hind limb, with records obtained from the left gastrocnemius muscle. Mean root latencies of the left and right side were 5.22 ± 0.49 ms and 5.29 ± 0.53 ms, respectively. There was no significant difference in root latency between the right and left sides. The mean terminal latency was 3.82 ± 0.46 ms. The proximal motor nerve conduction velocity of the sciatic nerve was 63.15 ± 3.43 m/s. The results of this study show that ERS provides objective data about the integrity of lumbar spinal nerve roots by evaluating the entire population of motor fibres and total length of the motor axon in dogs. ERS can be considered a useful diagnostic method for confirmation of diagnoses of lumbosacral diseases.

Evaluation of proximal and distal motor nerve conduction using the electrical root stimulation technique in the femoral and obturator nerves

“…Electrical root stimulation can overcome these limitations as it examines the entire length of the motor nerve, the proximal portions of the nerve, and the entire population of the motor fibres (18). Other authors have speculated that the amplitude and latency values obtained using electrical root stimulation might be valuable for examination of the ventral nerve root in dogs (22).…”

“…In veterinary medicine, the applicability of electrical root stimulation and the normative data obtained were described for the L7 spinal nerve root in dogs. It was speculated that the integrity of the lumbar spinal nerve roots may be evaluated using electrical root stimulation in dogs (22).…”

“…Electroneuromyography studies were carried out using a four-channel Nicolet Viking Quest device e . The electrical root stimulation method described previously was used in this study (22). Two stimulations and recordings were performed for both the obturator and femoral nerves.…”

Comparison of the Two Types of Stimulating Electrodes in the Study of Motor Nerve Conduction in Dogs

“…The authors found very few reports on the use of this type of electrodes in veterinary medicine (Kawasaki et al 2004, Turan and Bolukbasi 2004, Turan et al 2014. Given the correct preparation of the body parts to be studied, it is possible to record CMAPs from the surface of the skin (Kawasaki et al 2004).…”

“…Since then, there have been many attempts to develop detailed techniques of examination and interpretation of the results (Lee andBowen 1970, Walker et al 1979). To date, the electrodes most widely used for the induction and recording of complex muscle action potentials (CMAPs, M waves) were needle electrodes borrowed directly from human medicine Correspondence to: T. Monowid, e-mail: monowid1@gmail.com (Walker et al 1979, Cozzi et al 1998, Freeman et al 2009, Turan et al 2014). Due to the high price of electrodes for NCV study, individual pieces are used to stimulate more than one body site.…”