Quantitative Analysis of EMG Interference Pattern in Patients with Laryngeal Paresis

Abstract

Conventional (visual) analysis of EMG was compared to a computerized quantitative method (turns/amplitude). Ten patients with a clinical history of peripheral nerve lesion were examined in order to investigate whether quantitative analysis of EMG increased the diagnostic sensitivity of peripheral nerve lesions to the laryngeal muscles. Quantitative analysis either agreed with conventional analysis or resulted in false negative diagnosis compared to conventional analysis. Thus, conventional analysis turned out to be more sensitive to neurogenic damage than the quantitative method. EMG results were compared to clinical findings.

Key Words:

• quantitative EMG
• laryngeal muscles
• laryngeal paresis
• turns/amplitude analysis