Precision of a needle localization technic in the lumbosacral multifidus muscles for segmental specific needle electromyographic study: a cadaveric study

The authors studied 14 cadavers to evaluate the claimed precision of needle placement into segment specific multifidus fascicles when using the "paraspinal mapping" electromyographic technic. Injection of acrylic dye was made according to landmarks proposed by Haig. The dissection showed 86.6 per cent of the injected dye in the correct fascicles. Only 1.4 per cent of the dye was lost. Spinous process level misidentification was the cause of the other 11.8 per cent incorrect injection. The authors expected that in living humans, in which the spinous processes are move identificable than embalmed cadavers, the precisions may be as high as 98.5 per cent. This remains to be studied in a further "in vivo" study.