title: Suction cup ground and reference electrodes in electrodiagnosis.
abstract: An alternative to the taped-disc surface electrodes typically used during monopolar and concentric needle electromyographic studies has been investigated. The use of suction cup surface electrodes in place of the taped metal disc surface electrodes increases patient and operator safety and enhances patient comfort and operator efficiency. A two-channel EMG, with a single active needle and two reference electrodes, was done on patients routinely referred for electromyographic studies. The motor units were stored and compared. Similarly, baseline noise was stored and compared. This study shows that no distortion of motor unit potentials in typically measured parameters, nor alteration in baseline "noise" occurs when using the suction cup electrode in place of the taped metal discs. The safer, more comfortable suction cup surface electrodes do not distort the motor unit potentials that electromyographers are accustomed to interpreting.
authors.affiliation: Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Downey
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Belandres
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Benedetto
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D004566:Electrodes; D004576:Electromyography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D013396:Suction