Bioelectrical and structural properties of the healthy sural nerve as depicted in an ultrasonography and conventional nerve conduction study [Saǧli{dotless}kli{dotless} sural sinirin biyoelektrik ve yapi{dotless}sal özelliklerinin ultrasonografi ve standart sinir i̇leti çali{dotless}şmalari{dotless} ile gösterilmesi]

Purpose: to evaluate the electrophysiological and ultasonographic parameters of the sural nerve among 60 healthy volunteers in terms of the possible correlation between the electrophysiological and ultrasonographic findings and the variations related to age,height,weight and body mass index of the subjects. material and methods: electrophysiological measurements included sural nerve peak latency (pl),sensory nerve action potential (snap) amplitude and nerve conduction velocity (cv). the transverse diameter,antero-posterior diameter,cross-sectional area (csa) and depth of the sural nerve were the ultrasonographic data recorded at the same location as in nerve conduction studies of the sural nerve. results: significant positive correlation was found between all three electrophysiological parameters with gender (for pl: r=0.415,p=0.005; for snap amplitude: r=0.354,p=0.017; and for cv: r=0.388,p=0.008),while snap amplitude also showed significant correlation with age (r=-0.332,p=0.02) and height (r=0.311,p=0.003). among ultrasonographic parameters,the only sural nerve depth was significantly correlated with age (r=-0.332,p=0.026),gender (r=0.526,p<0.001) and weight (r=-0.374,p=0.01). on the other hand,the only significant correlation between electrophysiologic and ultrasonographic measurements was for sural nerve depth and snap amplitude (r=-0.298,p=0.04). conclusion: the electrophysiological and ultrasonographic parameters of the sural nerve were not correlated. therefore,although they provide unique information about the nerve,they should be utilized independently.