Investigating the Electrophysiological Response of Brachial Plexus Nerves When Subjected to Stretch
Monday, June 8, 2020
11:00 AM-1:00 PM
BIOMED Master's Thesis Defense
Title:
Investigating the Electrophysiological Response of Brachial Plexus Nerves When Subjected to Stretch
Speaker:
Radhika Gangakhedkar, Master's Candidate
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Drexel University
Advisor:
Sriram Balasubramanian, PhD
Associate Professor
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Drexel University
Details:
Neonatal brachial plexus palsy (NBPP) has been a prominent challenge in obstetrics with reported incidence of 1 to 4 per 1,000 childbirths in the United States. NBPP occurs due to overstretching of the brachial plexus (BP) during complicated birthing scenarios resulting in functional disability of the upper limb. No data exists on functional responses of BP nerves acutely post-stretch.
The goal of this study is to investigate the electrophysiological responses of BP nerves (Musculocutaneous, Radial, Median, and Ulnar) when subjected to varying degrees of stretch. Neonatal piglets (3-5 days old, n=10) were anesthetized and intubated to perform surgical exposure of bilateral BP. All of the animal procedures were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Baseline nerve conduction data were collected prior to subjecting varying degrees of pre-determined BP strains. Immediately post-stretch, electrophysiological recordings were performed to investigate the effects of strain on BP function. Data analysis included calculating the latency, amplitude, and conduction velocity (CV) before stretch and after stretch and calculating percentage change in these parameters in response to subjected strain.
Higher strains resulted in an increase in latency and reduction in amplitude and CV in the stretched nerves. Furthermore, strains higher than 20% reported a conduction block (CB). These study findings will help in better understanding the functional responses associated with NBPP in human neonates and can aid in better prognosis and treatment options.
Contact Information
Natalia Broz
njb33@drexel.edu