Clinical utility of sensory nerve conduction of medial femoral cutaneous nerve

Abstract

In this investigation we report on the clinical utility of sensory nerve conduction studies of the medial femoral cutaneous (MFC) nerve. Sensory nerve conduction of the MFC nerve was assessed in 22 patients for whom this test was considered clinically necessary. MFC nerve conduction was abnormal in 4 cases of MFC neuropathy. The most common cause was iatrogenic in 14 femoral neuropathy cases. MFC nerve conduction showed absent or low-amplitude sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) in 13 cases, with femoral motor nerve conduction abnormal in 5 cases. In 2 cases with acute lumbar plexopathy, the MFC SNAP was absent unilaterally. MFC nerve conduction was normal in 1 case with diabetic lumbar radiculopathy and in another case with postpolio syndrome. Assessment of MFC nerve conduction is extremely useful in the diagnosis of femoral neuropathy, medial femoral cutaneous neuropathy, and lumbar plexopathy.