title: Cervical root stimulation at C5/6 excites C8/T1 roots and minimizes pneumothorax risk.
abstract: Needle electrical cervical root stimulation may be performed lateral to the C5/C6 or C7/T1 spinous process interspaces. Pneumothorax has been reported following C7/T1 root stimulation. We evaluated the efficacy of a modified C5/C6 stimulation technique in exciting C8/T1 roots in 15 normal subjects and 36 patients with motor neuron disease (204 procedures). No instances of a 50% or greater amplitude decline occurred. C5/C6 interspace stimulation, therefore, may be used to excite C8/T1 roots while minimizing pneumothorax risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center of New York, New York 10011, USA.
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Sander
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Menkes
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Triggs
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chokroverty
mesh_terms: D004558:Electric Stimulation; D006801:Humans; D016472:Motor Neuron Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D009333:Neck / Q000294:innervation*; D009339:Needles; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000502:physiology*