Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29026822›Full record

ArticlePlastic surgery (Oakville, Ont.)2017

Intraoperative Nerve Stimulation During Brachial Plexus Surgery: Comparison Between a Totally Disposable Nerve Stimulator and Nerve Stimulator Normally Used for Nerve Blocks.

Ahmed Thallaj, Wadha M Alotaibi, Tariq AlZahrani, Abdulaziz S Abaalkhail, Amel A F El-Sayed, Mohammad M Al-Qattan

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Plastic surgery (Oakville, Ont.), 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact, top 70% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Three Useful Tips and Tricks for Intraoperative Nerve Stimulation.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2024
    Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Ahmed ThallajDepartment of Anesthesia, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Wadha M AlotaibiDepartment of Anesthesia, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Tariq AlZahraniDepartment of Anesthesia, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Abdulaziz S AbaalkhailDepartment of Surgery, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Amel A F El-SayedDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammad M Al-QattanDepartment of Surgery, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
King Saud University · SA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIntraoperative nerve stimulation is done routinely in brachial plexus and peripheral nerve surgery as well as in selective neurectomy in spastic patients.

objectiveThe current study compares the use of 2 different devices for nerve stimulation: a totally disposable nerve stimulator and a nerve stimulator used for nerve blocks by anesthetists.

methodsA retrospective study of 60 patients who underwent brachial plexus surgery: In 30 patients, we used the totally disposable nerve stimulator (group 1) and in another 30 patients, we used the anesthesia device (group 2). The cost of disposable materials used for nerve stimulation was calculated in each group. The same surgeon performed all operations, and he was asked to give his subjective opinion regarding the convenience and ease of use of the device in each group.

resultsThe main advantages of the totally disposable device are its placement totally within the sterile field, and it is operated by the surgeon without the need to communicate with the anesthetist. However, the totally disposable device had several major disadvantages when compared to the anesthesia device. Firstly, the disposable stimulator can only deliver 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mA stimuli, while the anesthesia device can deliver stimuli of 0.1 to 5 mA (in 0.1 mA increments). Secondly, the disposable stimulator frequently fails to operate during surgery, and this is not experienced with the anesthesia device. Finally, the cost of disposables is less using the anesthesia device.

conclusionOur center has stopped using the disposable nerve stimulator in favour for the anesthesia device.

Indexed as

brachial plexusnerve stimulationsurgery

Identifiers

PMID29026822
PMCPMC5626205
OpenAlexW2792269685

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.