MAGNETIC NERVE ROOT STIMULATION IN 2 TYPES OF BRACHIAL-PLEXUS INJURY - SEGMENTAL DEMYELINATION AND AXONAL DEGENERATION

Magnetic cervical nerve root stimulation was performed in 9 patients w ith plexopathies secondary to suspension (SP) and in 12 cases with neu rogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (NTOS). The findings were compared wi th those of the previously reported case groups: n-hexane polyneuropat hy (HPNP), inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (IDP), and motor neuron disease (MND). Muscle responses elicited by magnetic stimulatio n had very high rates of amplitude and area loss in the neck-axilla se gments of the 6 SP patients. This, along with the other electrophysiol ogical findings, suggested the presence of segmentally demyelinating p lexus lesions. In NTOS patients, magnetic stimulation findings were no t significantly different from those of the controls. Neck-axilla segm ent amplitude and area reduction rates in SP and IDP patients were sig nificantly higher than those found in NTOS, HPNP, and MND groups, impl ying that magnetic nerve root stimulation may have a role in the demon stration of segmentally demyelinating lesions involving proximal nerve segments. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.