18. Relationship Between EMG Findings and Changes in Extremity and Axial Pain in Patients Undergoing Surgical Decompression Procedures

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Decompressive surgery including discectomy, decompression and/or fusion is routinely performed to relieve symptoms in patients with degenerative spinal conditions. In such patients, pain may be axial or radiating into the extremities due to nerve root compression. Electrodiagnostics, specifically electromyography (EMG), is commonly used to investigate paraspinal and peripheral muscle activity and the condition/integrity of the neuronal connection in the assessment of extremity pain.