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Tips, quips, and pearls| Volume 46, ISSUE 2, P139-142, March 2007

Technique of the Sural Nerve Biopsy

  • Author Footnotes
    1 Fellow, Center for Lower Extremity Ambulatory Research (CLEAR), Clinical Instructor; Department of Surgery, Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL.
    Nicholas J. Bevilacqua
    Footnotes
    1 Fellow, Center for Lower Extremity Ambulatory Research (CLEAR), Clinical Instructor; Department of Surgery, Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL.
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  • Author Footnotes
    2 Fellow, Center for Lower Extremity Ambulatory Research (CLEAR), Clinical Instructor; Department of Surgery, Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL.
    Lee C. Rogers
    Footnotes
    2 Fellow, Center for Lower Extremity Ambulatory Research (CLEAR), Clinical Instructor; Department of Surgery, Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL.
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  • Author Footnotes
    3 Senior Lecturer and Consultant Physician, Cardiovascular Research Group, Division of Cardiovascular and Endocrine Sciences, Manchester Royal Infirmary and University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
    Rayaz A. Malik
    Footnotes
    3 Senior Lecturer and Consultant Physician, Cardiovascular Research Group, Division of Cardiovascular and Endocrine Sciences, Manchester Royal Infirmary and University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
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  • Author Footnotes
    4 Director, Center for Lower Extremity Ambulatory Research (CLEAR), Professor of Surgery and Associate Dean, Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL.
    David G. Armstrong
    Correspondence
    Address correspondence to: David G. Armstrong, DPM, PhD, Director, Center for Lower Extremity Ambulatory Research (CLEAR), Professor of Surgery and Associate Dean, Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, 3333 Green Bay Rd, North Chicago, IL 60064.
    Footnotes
    4 Director, Center for Lower Extremity Ambulatory Research (CLEAR), Professor of Surgery and Associate Dean, Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL.
    Search for articles by this author
  • Author Footnotes
    1 Fellow, Center for Lower Extremity Ambulatory Research (CLEAR), Clinical Instructor; Department of Surgery, Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL.
    2 Fellow, Center for Lower Extremity Ambulatory Research (CLEAR), Clinical Instructor; Department of Surgery, Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL.
    3 Senior Lecturer and Consultant Physician, Cardiovascular Research Group, Division of Cardiovascular and Endocrine Sciences, Manchester Royal Infirmary and University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
    4 Director, Center for Lower Extremity Ambulatory Research (CLEAR), Professor of Surgery and Associate Dean, Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL.
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1053/j.jfas.2007.01.005
Technique of the Sural Nerve Biopsy
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      A sural nerve biopsy may be useful to enable the clinician to diagnose the etiology and underlying pathology of patients presenting with symptoms of a peripheral neuropathy, when no clear underlying cause has been determined with conventional assessment such as electrophysiology or quantitative sensory testing. Given the prevalence of lower extremity neurological pathology, it is surprising that few descriptions in the peer-reviewed medical literature exist on the rationale and technique for biopsy of the sural nerve. We review the usefulness of this procedure, describe the technique, and discuss the potential complications.

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      Identification

      DOI: https://doi.org/10.1053/j.jfas.2007.01.005

      Copyright

      © 2007 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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