Optimal placement for needle electromyography of the supinator muscle: Cadaveric studies

The existing methods for needle electromyography are confusing as to which is the safest and most effective. Our aim was to identify the optimal and safest needle electromyographic insertion site in the supinator muscle.

We performed a two-step cadaveric dissection of the supinator muscle and related neurovascular structures. The study was performed using 18 upper limbs of 9 fresh adult cadavers (step 1) and 14 upper limbs of 7 fresh adult cadavers (step 2). In step 1, an imaginary line connecting the radial head (RH) and midpoint of the dorsal wrist (RW line) was drawn, and the distance from the RH to the point where the RW line and posterior interosseous nerve (PIN) intersect (L_CROSS) was measured on the RW line. In step 2, the needle was inserted 30 mm distal to the RH according to the results of step 1. After injection with India ink, dissection was performed to measure the distance between the needle insertion site and PIN (L_CROSS_Inj) on the RW line.

The median L_CROSS was 51.4 (35.5-65.6) mm. Needle insertion spared the PIN in all cases during step 2, and the needle was inserted into the supinator muscle in all cases. The median L_CROSS_Inj was 27.4 (13.2-39.8) mm.

A safe and accurate needle insertion site for the supinator muscle is approximately 30 to 40 mm distal to the RH along the RW line.