The usefulness of diaphragm electromyography recorded from an oesophageal electrode depends on a reliable signal which is free of artefact. The diaphragm EMG (electromyogram) recorded from chest wall surface electrodes may be unreliable because of signal contamination from muscle activity other than the diaphragm. Initially, the oesophageal electrode catheter for human studies had only one electrode pair, which could be difficult to position accurately and was influenced by a change in lung volume. Recently, a multipair oesophageal electrode has been developed which allows a high-quality EMG to be recorded. In the present review, the progress of oesophageal electrode design is outlined. The effects of signal contamination, electrode movement and particularly the effect of change in lung volume on the diaphragm EMG are discussed. The diaphragm EMG, recorded from a multipair oesophageal electrode, is useful to assess neural respiratory drive and diaphragm function in different groups of patients with respiratory disease, including patients with neuromuscular disease and sleep-disordered breathing, and those in the intensive care unit. When combined with cervical and cranial magnetic stimulation, an oesophageal electrode can be used to partition the central respiratory response time and phrenic nerve conduction time.
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October 2008
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Review Article|
September 12 2008
Diaphragm electromyography using an oesophageal catheter: current concepts
Yuan Ming Luo;
Yuan Ming Luo
*Guangzhou Medical College, National Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou 510210, People's Republic of China
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John Moxham;
†Department of Respiratory Medicine, King's College Hospital, London SE5 9PJ, U.K.
Correspondence: Professor Michael I. Polkey (email [email protected]).
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Michael I. Polkey
Michael I. Polkey
‡Respiratory Muscle Laboratory, Royal Brompton Hospital, London SW3 6NP, U.K.
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
October 02 2007
Revision Received:
January 10 2008
Accepted:
January 14 2008
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
© The Authors Journal compilation © 2008 Biochemical Society
2008
Clin Sci (Lond) (2008) 115 (8): 233–244.
Article history
Received:
October 02 2007
Revision Received:
January 10 2008
Accepted:
January 14 2008
Citation
Yuan Ming Luo, John Moxham, Michael I. Polkey; Diaphragm electromyography using an oesophageal catheter: current concepts. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 October 2008; 115 (8): 233–244. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20070348
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