title: Nerve enlargement after cold exposure: a pilot study with ultrasound imaging.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Changes of electrophysiogical parameters with regard to cold have been studied intensively but not the morphology of nerves. We explored the effects of cold exposure on median nerve morphology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional area (CSA) and depth of the right median nerve were assessed at the carpal tunnel and mid-forearm levels before and after 15 min ice-pack application in 34 healthy volunteers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After cooling, mean CSA measurements increased at the carpal tunnel and mid-forearm levels (from 8.00 to 8.85 and 6.64 to 7.55, respectively, P < 0.05); however, the depth values were similar.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These preliminary results revealed that cold exposure may cause acute nerve swelling. Further studies with larger samples will be necessary to confirm our findings, to correlate them with electrophysiological data, and to explore when/how the nerve edema resolves.
authors.affiliation: Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi Hastanesi Fiziksel Tıp ve Rehabilitasyon Bölümü, 03200, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey.
authors.forename: Alper Murat
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ulaşli
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tok
authors.forename: Aylin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karaman
authors.forename: Fatima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yaman
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dikici
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oruç
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ozçakar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003080:Cold Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: cold; cross-sectional area; median nerve; morphology; ultrasound