title: Evoked potentials elicited by stimulation of the lateral and anterior femoral cutaneous nerves in meralgia paresthetica.
abstract: Seventy-five consecutive patients with clinical symptoms and signs of meralgia paresthetica underwent bilateral somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) studies involving stimulation of skin areas innervated by the lateral and anterior femoral cutaneous nerves of the thighs. The most common abnormality was an absolute lateral femoral cutaneous SEP latency > 40 ms in 35 patients (47%), followed by an absent response in 14 patients (19%), an absolute latency < 40 ms but amplitude reduction > 50% compared with the contralateral response in 8 patients (11%), and an absolute latency < 40 ms but > 5 ms interside latency difference in 5 patients (7%). Anterior femoral cutaneous SEPs were of value in distinguishing meralgia paresthetica from a proximal lumbar radiculopathy in an additional 4 patients and confirming bilateral meralgia paresthetica in 10 patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Concord Repatriation Hospital, Hospital Rd, Concord, New South Wales 2139, Australia.
authors.forename: Dennis J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Cordato
authors.forename: Con
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yiannikas
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stroud
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Halpern
authors.forename: Raymond S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akbunar
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cook
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005267:Femoral Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008160:Lumbosacral Plexus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010292:Paresthesia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D013127:Spinal Nerves / Q000502:physiology; D013848:Thigh / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology