title: Diagnostic value of electrical stimulation of lumbosacral roots in lumbar spinal stenosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper compares the diagnostic sensitivity of two tests in lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS): lumbosacral root stimulation with needle electrodes and needle electromyograph (EMG).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients with LSS were assigned to two groups: Patients with 'neurogenic intermittent claudication' (NIC) only (n=11), and patients with 'neurological signs' (n=9). Ten normal subjects were also examined. The effects of direct stimulation of the lumbosacral roots and conventional EMG recorded from important muscles [rectus femoris (RF): L4, tibialis anterior (TA): L5, soleus muscle (SOL): S1], were compared with each other and correlated with their respective clinical findings and radiological images.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Needle EMG and nerve conduction study revealed pathology in 15/20 patients, and electrical stimulation of the roots in 17/20 patients. Agreement in radiological findings with electrical stimulation of the roots and EMG was found in 12 patients. The other patients were harmonic with radiological findings either in EMG or in electrical stimulation of the roots.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Electrical root stimulation revealed more abnormalities in patients with LSS in comparison with needle EMG. However, both methods seemed to complement each other to show additional pathology in a given patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey. bzileli@med.ege.edu.tr
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zileli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ertekin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zileli
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yünten
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008160:Lumbosacral Plexus / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D009339:Needles; D009431:Neural Conduction; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis*