Measurement of Motor Nerve Conduction Velocity of the Sciatic Nerve in Patients With Piriformis Syndrome: A Magnetic Stimulation Study

• Published in: Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation Vol. 87; no. 10; pp. 1371 - 1375
• Main Authors: Chang, Chein-Wei, Shieh, Shie-Fu, Li, Chih-Ming, Wu, Wei-Ting, Chang, Kai-Fong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.10.2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Buttocks - innervation; Diagnostic Techniques, Neurological; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Electrodiagnosis. Electric activity recording; Female; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Magnetics; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Nerve conduction; Nervous system; Neural Conduction; Prospective Studies; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Rehabilitation; Sciatic nerve; Sciatic Nerve - physiopathology; Sciatic Neuropathy - diagnosis; Sciatic Neuropathy - physiopathology; Syndrome; Nerve conduction; Rehabilitation; Magnetics; Sciatic nerve; Human; Prognosis; Stimulation; Duration; Mean value; Conduction velocity; Latency; Tooth root; Electrodiagnosis; Regulation(control); Sensitivity; Reeducation; Needle; Electromyography; Motor nerve; Diagnosis; Recording; Hospital
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2006.07.258
• ISSN: 0003-9993

Chang C-W, Shieh S-F, Li C-M, Wu W-T, Chang K-F. Measurement of motor nerve conduction velocity of the sciatic nerve in patients with piriformis syndrome: a magnetic stimulation study. To assess the motor nerve conduction of the sciatic nerve by a magnetic stimulation method in patients with piriformis syndrome. Prospective study. An electrodiagnostic laboratory in a university hospital. Twenty-three patients with piriformis syndrome and 15 healthy persons for control. Not applicable. Motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) of the sciatic nerve was measured at the gluteal segment by magnetic stimulation proximally at L5 and S1 roots and distally at sciatic nerve at gluteal fold and recording at the corresponding muscles. Diagnostic sensitivities were measured in the magnetic stimulation method and the conventional nerve conduction, long latency reflex, and needle electromyography studies. The mean MNCV of the sciatic nerve ± standard deviation at the gluteal segment in L5 component was 55.4±7.8m/s in patients with piriformis syndrome, which was slower than the mean value of 68.1±10.3m/s obtained in healthy controls ( P=.014). The MNCV of the sciatic nerve in S1 component showed no significant difference between the patients and controls ( P=.062). A negative relation was found between the disease duration and the MNCV values of sciatic nerves in patients with piriformis syndrome ( r=−.68, P<.01). The diagnostic sensitivity by magnetic stimulation is .467. Magnetic nerve stimulation provides a painless, noninvasive, and objective method for evaluation of sciatic nerve function in patients with piriformis syndrome.