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| Typical Number in Hospital: 10 | Cost Bands: 2,3 | References: 3 |
This is an electrical device, usually battery operated, often used by anaesthetists to test for the effect of muscle relaxants during surgery. In its simplest form two ball electrodes protruding from the hand-held stimulator unit are pressed on to the skin over a nerve at the elbow or wrist. The electrical pulses are short (e.g. 100 [u]s) and of high voltage (up to 200 V) so that the nerve is stimulated even when it is at some distance from the skin. There will be a 'twitch' response of the muscles served by the nerve unless a blocking agent is in use.
Similar electrical stimulators are also required during tests of nerve conduction velocity, where the response to a stimulus is detected at two points along a nerve, and the difference in the response time used to calculate velocity. These stimulators are usually mains operated and can be triggered remotely.
Lower levels of stimulation are used for the relief of pain, using transcutaneous electrical neural stimulation (TENS).
Content and Design Copyright 2000 Dr. Malcolm C Brown. See Title Page for more details