Loading...
Wilbourn referred to the ulnar nerve as "the electromyographer's nightmare," because of the many challenges it presents in electrodiagnosis. For example, controversy has surrounded the optimal length of the across-elbow segment to test for ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (UNE). Traditionally, across-elbow electrodiagnostic studies of the ulnar nerve are done over a distance of at least 10 cm. Studying longer segments decreases experimental error and false positives but concomitantly decreases sensitivity. Experimental error is higher when studying very short (1-cm to 2-cm) segments, but such "inching" techniques are sensitive for detecting focal demyelination.
To determine the accuracy of "inching" to detect UNE, Azrieli and colleagues studied…