title: Ultrasonographic evaluation of sural nerve for nerve conduction study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand various morphologic types and locations of the sural nerve (SN) that are important for nerve conduction studies or nerve grafting procedures. The aim of this study was to describe the course and variations of the SN based on ultrasonographic findings for an adequate nerve conduction study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 112 SNs in 56 volunteers with no history of trauma or surgery were examined by ultrasonography. The location and formation of the SNs in relation to the medial and lateral sural cutaneous nerve were investigated. We measured the horizontal distance between the SNs and the midline of the calf at the level of 14 cm from the lateral malleolus, and the distance between the SNs and the most prominent part of the lateral malleolus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SN variants was classified into four types according to the medial and lateral sural cutaneous nerve; type 1 (73.2%), type 2 (17.9%), type 3 (8.0%), and type 4 (0.9%). The mean distance between the SN and the midline of the calf was 1.02±0.63 cm, the SN and the most prominent part of the lateral malleolus was 2.14±0.15 cm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Variations in the location and formation of the SN was examined by ultrasonography, and the results of this study would increase the accuracy of the SN conduction study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Veterans Health Service Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ki-Hoon
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Veterans Health Service Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Yoon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Veterans Health Service Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Byung-Chun
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: You
keywords: Nerve conduction study; Sural nerve; Ultrasonography