Resting muscle sounds in anesthetized patients

It is known that contracting muscle makes low frequency sound vibrations. Small vibrations of uncertain origin are found over resting muscle. These could be shown to be of muscle origin if they significantly diminish in response to agents expected to decrease muscle activity. Thiopental, propofol, and neuromuscular-junction blocking muscle relaxants have such properties. Twenty-one subjects slated for elective surgery for which they would routinely be anesthetized and paralysed gave informed consent to having a small accelerometer taped upon their supine biceps (9 subjects), or volar forearm (12 subjects). Recordings were made in four stages while subjects: (i) lifted a 2-kg weight just off the sponge armrest on which their outstretched arm lay; (ii) relaxed their arm in the awake state prior to anesthesia; (iii) had anesthesia induced with intravenous thiopental (n = 11) or propofol (n = 10); and (iv) were paralysed. Recordings were digitised at 172-Hz and 6-s segments fast Fourier transformed (FFT). Total signal power, as determined by the area under the power spectrum, was significantly different (p < 0.05) in all stages for the biceps and in all but stages (iii) from (iv) in the forearm. It appears that resting muscle generates measurable vibrations.