Abdominal muscle atrophy remains a significant side effect of laparotomy. To date, diagnostic assessments of the structure and function of the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall have not been developed.

OBJECTIVE

We compared the electrical activity and quantitative sonographic parameters of the thickness and stiffness of the abdominal muscles in patients with abdominal wall pathology and healthy subjects.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We examined 23 volunteers and eight patients with abdominal wall pathology. The rectus muscles’ electric activity was recorded while lifting the head and shoulders in the supine position before shoulder blades were above the couch. The electric activity of the oblique muscles was recorded at the maximum voluntary tension of the abdominal muscles. The procedure was recorded twice for 2-3 seconds. In addition, the median power frequency (MPF) and root mean square of the EMG (RMS) were analyzed.

RESULTS

There was a statistically significant difference in the thickness of the transverse abdominal muscle on one side, MPF of the rectus muscles on both sides, oblique muscles on one side, and the MPF of the external oblique muscle between the two groups. In the control group, the rectus muscle echoicity was inversely proportional to its thickness (R= –0.67, p<0.05), contrary to patients with abdominal wall pathology. The rectus muscle relative stiffness did not correlate with its thickness and echoicity in any of the groups.

CONCLUSION

A comprehensive non-invasive assessment may allow select personalized hernioplasty type with the targeted layer-by-layer reconstruction of compromised muscles, taking into account muscles structure and function, or reject muscle-fascial reconstruction. Thus, EMG and ultrasound studies are promising methods for qualitative and quantitative assessment of abdominal muscles condition.