title: Persistent postoperative complaints after whole sural nerve biopsies in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects.
abstract: The postoperative effects of a whole sural nerve biopsy in diabetic (11) and non-diabetic (10 healthy controls, 10 patients with impaired glucose tolerance and 2 patients with polyneuropathy) subjects were investigated by a mailed questionnaire 20-44 months after the surgical procedure (10/11 vs 21/22 answers received). Pain in the biopsy area at follow-up was reported in 4/10 of the diabetic patients (p = 0.01) but in none of the non-diabetic subjects (0/21). An increased number (p = 0.01) of diabetic patients (5/10 vs 1/21) had cold intolerance in their foot or leg whereas 11/31 of all patients had dysaesthesia in the affected skin. Overall 6/31 patients described serious problems at the time of the questionnaire, and 4 of this 6 having diabetes. Loss of sensation was reported in almost all subjects irrespective of diabetes or not; however, a decrease in the area of loss of sensation was reported most often in diabetic patients (8/10 vs 8/21, p = 0.02). It is concluded that whole surval nerve biopsies give rise to persistent problems both in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects. The reason for a sural nerve biopsy has always to be carefully considered before being conducted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hand Surgery, University Hospital, Malmo, Sweden.
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Dahlin
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sundkvist
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors