Determine the Main Muscle Participant in the Deformation of the Elbow in Hemiplegic Patients

To assess the impact of selective motor block nerves (successively brachialis motor branch, radialis motor nerve and musculocutaneous motor branch) on passive and active ranges of motion of the elbow in stroke patients with spastic flexion pattern.

Procedure: Following the morphological landmarks already described, the brachialis motor nerve of 30 patients was blocked with 4cc of lidocaïne® 1% (electro stimulation 0.8 to 1mA) (ref). Twenty minutes after the injection, the measurement of the degree of the spasticity, the passive angle in extension and the active range of motion in flexion of the elbow were performed. Then the radialis motor nerve block was performed (at the union of the median third and lower third of the arm, medial view, 3 finger widths above the medial epicondyle) using the same procedure, in order to block the brachioradialis and the brachialis in case of double innervation. Twenty minutes after the injection, the measurement of the passive and active ranges of motion of the elbow was performed. At the end the musculocutaneous motor block nerve was performed (proximal quarter of the arm, medial view, at the base of the inferior limit of the pectoralis major and along the biceps brachii tendon) in order to make the final difference with muscle contracture if it existed a doubt.

Inclusion criteria

• written consent
• Hemiplegic patient with spasticity and deformation of elbow

Exclusion criteria

• pregnant woman