title: Normal needle electromyographic insertional activity morphology: a clinical and simulation study.
abstract: Needle electromyographic insertional activity waveform morphology, and mechanisms of generation, have received little attention. This study analyzes the individual component waveforms that contribute to the burst of electrical activity known as insertional activity. One hundred monopolar needle insertions were slowly performed and high speed recorded to allow better separation of the contributing individual component waveforms. Analysis of the many waveforms recorded demonstrates several classes of potentials. All of these could be reconstructed by the summation of two basic or elementary waveform patterns: a biphasic initially negative spike with or without a "prepotential" similar to an end-plate spike, and the biphasic initially positive spike with a slowly declining negative phase, similar to a positive sharp wave, though shorter in duration. The relationship between these elementary waveforms and their hypothesized generator sources is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio 78284-7798, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dumitru
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Stegeman
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009045:Motor Endplate / Q000502:physiology; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000166:cytology*; D009339:Needles