PapersFlow Research Brief
Peripheral Nerve Disorders
Research Guide
What is Peripheral Nerve Disorders?
Peripheral nerve disorders are conditions involving damage or dysfunction of peripheral nerves, primarily diagnosed and managed through electrodiagnostic studies, neurophysiological grading scales, ultrasound and MRI measurements, nerve conduction studies, and peripheral nerve imaging, with a focus on carpal tunnel syndrome and related neuropathies such as thoracic outlet syndrome, pudendal neuralgia, and ulnar neuropathy.
This field encompasses 53,702 works on the diagnosis and management of peripheral nerve disorders, particularly carpal tunnel syndrome. Key methods include electrodiagnostic studies, nerve conduction studies, and imaging techniques like ultrasound and MRI neurography. Growth rate over the past five years is not available in the provided data.
Topic Hierarchy
Research Sub-Topics
Electrodiagnostic Studies in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
This sub-topic evaluates nerve conduction studies (NCS), electromyography (EMG), and sensory/motor latency measurements for CTS diagnosis and severity grading. Researchers develop standardized protocols, compare diagnostic sensitivity, and correlate findings with clinical outcomes.
Ultrasound Imaging of Median Nerve in CTS
This sub-topic uses high-resolution ultrasound to measure median nerve cross-sectional area, swelling ratios, and fascicular abnormalities in CTS. Researchers validate sonographic criteria against NCS and assess dynamic imaging during provocative maneuvers.
MRI Neurography for Peripheral Nerve Disorders
This sub-topic employs MR neurography with fat-suppression and diffusion tensor imaging to visualize peripheral nerve pathology in entrapments. Researchers quantify nerve signal intensity, caliber changes, and fascicular signal alterations in CTS and ulnar neuropathy.
Ulnar Neuropathy at Elbow Diagnosis and Management
This sub-topic covers clinical grading, NCS across elbow (INCAT scales), and imaging for cubital tunnel syndrome. Researchers study surgical decompression outcomes, motor branch involvement, and prognostic electrophysiologic markers.
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Neurogenic Diagnosis
This sub-topic focuses on provocative maneuvers, NCS/EMG of lower trunk brachial plexopathy, and vascular-ultrasound hybrids for neurogenic TOS. Researchers differentiate true TOS from mimics and evaluate postoperative nerve recovery.
Why It Matters
Peripheral nerve disorders affect daily function in patients through symptoms like pain, numbness, and weakness, with carpal tunnel syndrome prevalent in one in five symptomatic individuals based on clinical and electrophysiologic testing (Atroshi, 1999). Tools such as the DASH outcome measure enable clinicians to assess upper extremity disabilities in musculoskeletal conditions including carpal tunnel syndrome (Hudak et al., 1996), while the QuickDASH provides a shortened version retaining similar scoring properties for efficient evaluation (Beaton et al., 2005). Self-administered questionnaires quantify symptom severity and functional status, demonstrating reproducibility, validity, and responsiveness to surgical change in carpal tunnel syndrome patients (Levine et al., 1993). These standardized assessments support management in clinical practice, as seen in Phalen's report of 654 diagnosed hands over 17 years at the Cleveland Clinic, typically in middle-aged housewives with nocturnal symptoms (Phalen, 1966).
Reading Guide
Where to Start
"Interrater Reliability of a Modified Ashworth Scale of Muscle Spasticity" by Bohannon and Smith (1987), as it provides foundational reliability data on grading spasticity relevant to peripheral nerve assessment with 86.7% interrater agreement, accessible for understanding clinical evaluation basics.
Key Papers Explained
Hudak et al. (1996) introduced the DASH for upper extremity outcomes, which Beaton et al. (2005) shortened into the QuickDASH while preserving properties; Levine et al. (1993) complemented this with a carpal tunnel-specific questionnaire validated for symptom severity. Atroshi (1999) established CTS prevalence at 1 in 5 symptomatic cases, building on Phalen (1966)'s clinical descriptions from 654 cases. Bohannon and Smith (1987) added interrater reliability for spasticity grading at 86.7%, linking to nerve disorder assessments.
Paper Timeline
Most-cited paper highlighted in red. Papers ordered chronologically.
Advanced Directions
Current focus remains on electrodiagnostic studies and nerve conduction for carpal tunnel syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome, pudendal neuralgia, and ulnar neuropathy, with no recent preprints or news available. Emphasis persists on ultrasound measurements, MRI neurography, and validated scales like DASH and QuickDASH.
Papers at a Glance
| # | Paper | Year | Venue | Citations | Open Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Interrater Reliability of a Modified Ashworth Scale of Muscle ... | 1987 | Physical Therapy | 5.3K | ✕ |
| 2 | Development of an upper extremity outcome measure: The DASH (d... | 1996 | American Journal of In... | 4.9K | ✕ |
| 3 | Prevalence of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in a General Population | 1999 | JAMA | 2.0K | ✕ |
| 4 | A self-administered questionnaire for the assessment of severi... | 1993 | Journal of Bone and Jo... | 1.9K | ✕ |
| 5 | Report of a case and review of the literature | 1987 | — | 1.6K | ✕ |
| 6 | Training induces changes in white-matter architecture | 2009 | Nature Neuroscience | 1.5K | ✓ |
| 7 | Electrodiagnosis in Diseases of Nerve and Muscle: Principles a... | 1983 | — | 1.5K | ✕ |
| 8 | Development of the QuickDASH | 2005 | Journal of Bone and Jo... | 1.5K | ✕ |
| 9 | Measuring the whole or the parts? | 2001 | Journal of Hand Therapy | 1.3K | ✕ |
| 10 | The Carpal-Tunnel Syndrome | 1966 | Journal of Bone and Jo... | 1.2K | ✕ |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome in the general population?
Symptoms of pain, numbness, and tingling in the hands occur commonly, with 1 in 5 symptomatic subjects expected to have carpal tunnel syndrome based on clinical examination and electrophysiologic testing (Atroshi, 1999). This prevalence underscores the condition's frequency in routine medical evaluations.
How is symptom severity assessed in carpal tunnel syndrome?
A self-administered questionnaire measures severity of symptoms and functional status in carpal tunnel syndrome patients, showing reproducibility, internal consistency, validity, and responsiveness to clinical change (Levine et al., 1993). Scales within the questionnaire provide reliable quantification for clinical use.
What is the DASH outcome measure?
The DASH is a brief, self-administered measure of symptoms and functional status for upper extremity musculoskeletal conditions, focusing on physical function for daily clinical practice (Hudak et al., 1996). It evaluates disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand.
What defines typical carpal tunnel syndrome presentation?
Typical patients experience numbness and tingling in the thumb, index, long, and ring fingers, worsening at night, as observed in 654 hands of 439 patients over 17 years at the Cleveland Clinic (Phalen, 1966). Diagnosis relies on clinical history and examination.
What is the QuickDASH?
The QuickDASH is an 11-item version of the DASH that retains clinically important content and similar scores and properties to the full measure (Beaton et al., 2005). It supports efficient assessment in upper extremity disorders.
How reliable is the modified Ashworth scale for spasticity?
The modified Ashworth scale for elbow flexor muscle spasticity shows 86.7% interrater agreement when grading 30 patients with intracranial lesions (Bohannon and Smith, 1987). It provides a standardized manual test for reliability.
Open Research Questions
- ? How can electrodiagnostic criteria be refined for early detection of ulnar neuropathy and pudendal neuralgia?
- ? What improvements in ultrasound and MRI neurography measurements enhance diagnostic accuracy for thoracic outlet syndrome?
- ? Which neurophysiological grading scales best predict functional outcomes in diverse peripheral nerve disorders?
- ? How do white-matter architecture changes from training influence recovery in peripheral neuropathies?
- ? What standardized outcome measures most effectively track long-term management of carpal tunnel syndrome?
Recent Trends
The field maintains 53,702 works with no specified five-year growth rate; highly cited papers from 1966-2009, such as Phalen on 654 carpal tunnel cases and Hudak et al. (1996) DASH development, continue dominating citations without new preprints or news in the last 12 months.
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