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Peripheral Neuropathy and the Role of Nerve Biopsy

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Biopsy Diagnosis of Peripheral Neuropathy

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Abstract

Diseases of the peripheral nerves represent a significant neurological problem, with the incidence of polyneuropathy in the USA estimated at 40 per 100,000, an incidence comparable to that of epilepsy or parkinsonism, and an overall prevalence of about 2.4 % in the general population. Because not all patients are investigated, data regarding the etiologic composition of polyneuropathies is difficult to obtain. For example, Dyck et al. estimated that only 10 % of affected patients in kinships with hypertrophic hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy (HMSN-1 or Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease (CMT) type 1) seek medical attention as a direct consequence of symptoms produced by this disease. Many individuals with mild or subclinical neuropathy, whether genetically determined or acquired, may not require investigation or treatment. The largest and best-documented peripheral neuropathy series originate from specialized centers or are part of selected biopsy series and thus are not representative of neuropathy in the general population.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sunnybrook and St Michael’s Hospitals, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Juan M. Bilbao MD, FRCP (C) (Professor Emeritus of Neuropathology)

  2. Division of Neuropathology Department of Pathology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA

    Robert E. Schmidt MD, PhD (Professor of Pathology and Immunology Director)

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  1. Juan M. Bilbao MD, FRCP (C)
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Bilbao, J.M., Schmidt, R.E. (2015). Peripheral Neuropathy and the Role of Nerve Biopsy. In: Biopsy Diagnosis of Peripheral Neuropathy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07311-8_1

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