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The effect of upper limb position on ultrasonographic arterial flow to the ulnar nerve
Author(s) -
Moore A. E.,
Muirhead J. C.,
Sharples K.,
Stringer M. D.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/anae.12543
Subject(s) - medicine , elbow , pulsatility index , ulnar nerve , artery , ulnar artery , anatomy , cardiology , anesthesia , radial artery , fetus , pregnancy , biology , genetics
Summary We measured the pulsatility indices in the inferior collateral and posterior recurrent ulnar arteries, which supply the ulnar nerve at the elbow, in 38 conscious adults. Compared with a straight 30° abducted arm, elbow flexion to 120° reduced the mean (SD) pulsatility index in the inferior artery and increased the pulsatility index in the posterior artery: from 3.36 (0.86) to 3.04 (0.94), p = 0.001, and from 3.14 (0.81) to 3.64 (1.05), p < 0.0005, respectively. The mean (95% CI) pulsatility index in the inferior artery was unaffected by shoulder abduction to 120°, but it was decreased in the posterior artery in men, from 3.06 (2.76–3.36) to 2.64 (2.34–2.95), but not women, from 3.22 (2.94–3.50) to 3.25 (2.97–3.53), p = 0.01 for men vs women. Researchers should measure arterial pulsatility indices under general anaesthesia and associate them with measures of nerve function.