Awake evoked electromyography recording from the chronically implanted rat

Investigation of the effects of various factors on nerve regeneration has been compromised by the lack of an accurate and objective technique which can monitor dynamic changes in the status of nerve-muscle innervation over the entire course of regeneration. The approach of evoked electromyography (EEMG) was adopted to obtain temporal and quantitative data during nerve regeneration. Initially, transcutaneous nerve stimulation and percutaneous muscle recording was performed, but the approach was abandoned because of the high intertest variability (20% average deviation) and requirement for anesthesis during testing. A new approach using chronically implanted stimulation and recording electrodes was adopted in an attempt to circumvent these problems