United Brachial Plexus Network

Hi, My son Chase (7yr old) is scheduled to have an EMG on 3/31. I've read and been told the test can be very painful (if nerve function is present), but is not very effective except to determine avulsions which are apparent. Is it worth having him go thru this? He was injured on 3/6 and is paralyzed from left shoulder down with horners. Just looking for some feedback from your experiences. Thanks!

Some doctors won't make any recommendations or do surgery without doing an EMG first. Maybe your son can be sedated for the EMG? Some places do and some places don't. Maybe you can locate a place that will if your current doctor won't?
If you end up choosing to do it, I hope it goes well.

I'm sorry I don't have any personal experience with an EMG. We never got offerred one and never really considered one either. I wish you the best with your decision and healing thoughts sent your way.

Tanya in NY

Hi,
I had AN EMG not too long ago and I didn't think the pain was that bad (even when I was young it didn't hurt). It felt like prickling sensation. I have ROBPI and have some neuron firing. Just my 2 sense

emg are very inconclusive in determining avulsions.. ive regained bicep movement and deltoid movment and my last emg still suggested a c 5 c6 avulsion.. if they think your son has avulions.. they prolly will schedule a myleogram soon .. Where they injecct a contrast dye into the spine and take x rays and fallowed that bye a ct scan.. a ct scan with the dye shows the nerve roots much better than a ct scan alone.. but thi test can't be done untill 10 -12 weeks post accident.. emg are a little uncomfortable but not to bad.. he can ask 4 some pain meds good luck

our baby cried the whole time at 7 mo. But when we did it again at 10 mo., she didn't care at all. Not even a flinch.

Good luck to you!

Myleograms are very invasive for a child. There are risk factors involved that the parents should look into before even thinking about taking this step. I would never put my child through this test unless it was imperative. EMGs are something else I wouldn't go for unless the doctor thought my child would benefit from having one.

Hiya

I can only speak from the point of view of an adult with multiple avulsions, and from studying this injury for years. My research of many studies, presentations and talking to various surgeons who treat these traumatic injuries, point to a common set of diagnostic procedures that almost every BPI surgeon uses to try and determine the extent of the injury.

Most surgeons will include using MRI these days rather than the myelogram, which is a very invasive procedure, and probably shouldn't be done on a small child in my opinion. All of them will want to do a nerve conduction study of some form, but both these procedures will only indicate what the damage is, including avulsions.

The only way to truly assess the extent of injury to the BPI is by going in to take a look, with maybe using an EMG directly on the nerves as they are exposed. EMG is not actually too painful, more uncomfortable. Would it be possible for you to see what they will be doing before your son goes for this test? It might put your mind at rest. The equipment might look a little scary to a 7 year old, unless he is into gadgets and stuff!

Good luck and please tell us how you all get on

All the best

Lizzy B

If your child has a tbpi then they should see a bpi doctor as soon as possible. Avulsions and total bpi injuries are much more common in tbpi and the doctor may elect to do exploratory surgery and an intraoperative emg at the time if avulsions are suspected. Then repairs can be done there and then if need be. Don't wait around for an emg, an experienced tbpi doctor will make decisions based on what he can see and the mechanism of injury.

Here's a web page with some advice about preparing a school age child for an EMg. It might help you make up your mind.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/prin ... 002058.htm

All the best

Lizzy B