scholarly journals Characterization of Pelvic Floor Activity in Healthy Subjects and with Chronic Pelvic Pain: Diagnostic Potential of Surface Electromyography

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 2225
Author(s):  
Monica Albaladejo-Belmonte ◽  
Marta Tarazona-Motes ◽  
Francisco J. Nohales-Alfonso ◽  
Maria De-Arriba ◽  
Jose Alberola-Rubio ◽  
...  

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a highly disabling disorder in women usually associated with hypertonic dysfunction of the pelvic floor musculature (PFM). The literature on the subject is not conclusive about the diagnostic potential of surface electromyography (sEMG), which could be due to poor signal characterization. In this study, we characterized the PFM activity of three groups of 24 subjects each: CPP patients with deep dyspareunia associated with a myofascial syndrome (CPP group), healthy women over 35 and/or parous (>35/P group, i.e., CPP counterparts) and under 35 and nulliparous (<35&NP). sEMG signals of the right and left PFM were recorded during contractions and relaxations. The signals were characterized by their root mean square (RMS), median frequency (MDF), Dimitrov index (DI), sample entropy (SampEn), and cross-correlation (CC). The PFM activity showed a higher power (>RMS), a predominance of low-frequency components (<MDF, >DI), greater complexity (>SampEn) and lower synchronization on the same side (<CC) in CPP patients, with more significant differences in the >35/P group. The same trend in differences was found between healthy women (<35&NP vs. >35/P) associated with aging and parity. These results show that sEMG can reveal alterations in PFM electrophysiology and provide clinicians with objective information for CPP diagnosis.

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (14) ◽  
pp. 4668
Author(s):  
Monica Albaladejo-Belmonte ◽  
Francisco J. Nohales-Alfonso ◽  
Marta Tarazona-Motes ◽  
Maria De-Arriba ◽  
Jose Alberola-Rubio ◽  
...  

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a complex condition with a high economic and social burden. Although it is usually treated with botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT/A) injected into the pelvic floor muscles (PFM), its effect on their electrophysiological condition is unknown. In this study, 24 CPP patients were treated with BoNT/A. Surface electromyographic signals (sEMG) were recorded at Weeks 0 (infiltration), 8, 12 and 24 from the infiltrated, non-infiltrated, upper and lower PFM. The sEMG of 24 healthy women was also recorded for comparison. Four parameters were computed: root mean square (RMS), median frequency (MDF), Dimitrov’s index (DI) and sample entropy (SampEn). An index of pelvic electrophysiological impairment (IPEI) was also defined with respect to the healthy condition. Before treatment, the CPP and healthy parameters of almost all PFM sides were significantly different. Post-treatment, there was a significant reduction in power (<RMS), a shift towards higher frequencies (>MDF), lower fatigue index (<DI) and increased information complexity (>SampEn) in all sites in patients, mainly during PFM contractions, which brought their electrophysiological condition closer to that of healthy women (<IPEI). sEMG can be used to assess the PFM electrophysiological condition of CPP patients and the effects of therapies such as BoNT/A infiltration.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hung-Yen Chin ◽  
Chih-Wei Peng ◽  
Ming-Ping Wu ◽  
Chih-Hwa Chen ◽  
Yu-Ting Feng ◽  
...  

AbstractMyofascial pelvic pain (MFPP) of pelvic floor muscles is a common cause of chronic pelvic pain (CPP). The pathological mechanisms and treatments of MFPP are complex and still unclear until now. The levator ani muscle (LAM) is the major pelvic floor muscle. The purpose of this study was to examine the fascia and attachment of LAM through the electromyogram (EMG) and cadaver dissection. Electrophysiological stimulation of the obturator fascia above the arcus tendinous levator ani (ATLA) could trigger contraction and electrophysiological changes in LAM insertion. The LAM of embalmed adult cadavers was examined especially in the area above the ATLA. Some skeletal muscle fibers were found above the ATLA within the obturator fascia and were confirmed by Masson’s trichrome section staining. Our electromyography (EMG) and anatomical data implied that the attachment of LAM aponeurosis extended beyond ATLA to the inferior border of the superior ramus of the pubic bone. The new discovered attachment of LAM could provide a reference position for clinical diagnosis and treatment of MFPP or CPP.


2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 132-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramy Goueli ◽  
Dominique Thomas ◽  
Aparna Suresh ◽  
Alexis Te ◽  
Jaclyn Bonder ◽  
...  

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