Ultrasound of the nerves and clinical implications

Summary

Using modern sonographic scanners, the nerves adjacent to veins can be easily visualised during the examination. They play a particular role in the therapy of the small saphenous vein (SSV), where peroneal nerve injury can cause foot drop (1). In addition, closer inspection may reveal nerve pathology, such as sciatic nerve varices (2). The fe-moral nerve in the groin is of less relevance when planning varicosis therapy.

This paper aims to elucidate the sonomorphology of the nerves and, in the case of the peroneal nerve, takes an example of endoluminal therapy of the small saphenous vein treated conservatively with tumescence. The internal nerve structures can also be pathological, however, illustrated by nerve oedema as a concomitant symptom of popliteal vein thrombosis.

Keywords

Duplex ultrasonography - small saphenous vein - popliteal vein - peroneal/fibular nerve - endoluminal thermal procedures

• References

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• 2 Ricci S. Ultrasound observation of the sciatic nerve and its branches at the popliteal fossa: always visible, never seen. EJVES 2005; 30: 659-663.
• 3 Mendoza E. Duplexsonographie der oberflächlichen Beinvenen. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Verlag; 2013