Verification of intramuscular electromyography electrode placement for neuromuscular partitions of infraspinatus

Abstract

The infraspinatus muscle is composed of three neuromuscular partitions: superior, middle and inferior. Although methods for fine-wire EMG electrode insertion into these partitions have been developed and used, it has yet to be verified. The purpose of this cadaveric EMG needle placement study was to assess the accuracy and reproducibility of a protocol used to target the three partitions of infraspinatus. On seven shoulder specimens, two investigators inserted needles into each superior, middle and inferior partition according to a previously developed protocol. Each was blinded to the other’s insertion sites. The specimens were dissected and the location of each needle was digitized and modeled in 3D. Of the 42 needles that were inserted, 32 were placed in the targeted partition. The highest accuracy rate occurred for the middle partition (100%), followed by the inferior (71.4%) and then the superior (57.1%). When the needles were not placed in the targeted partition, they were located in the neighboring partition within infraspinatus or the teres minor muscle. The current study showed the middle partition could be targeted accurately, whereas the superior and inferior partitions were more challenging. Ultrasound guidance may be necessary to ensure accurate placement into all parts of infraspinatus.