Paper Title
Electrophysiologic and Sonographics Changes of Peripheral Nerve After Limb Lengthening: A Observational Case Series

Abstract
Changes in peripheral nerve structure and function after limb lengthening have rarely been investigated. We aimed to investigate the perioperative sonographic and electrodianostic changes of tibia, sural and superficial peroneal nerve after limb lengthening operation. Patients scheduled for ilizarov surgery to treat severe limb length discrepancy or short stature were enrolled. In 2015 and 2016, a total of 7 legs in 4 patients underwent ultrasonographic and electrodiagnostic examinations.In sural and superficial peroneal nerve, ultrasonographic evaluation showed decreased CSA in all patients. However, the other peripheral nerves had results of inconsistency.The results suggest that the sural and superficial sensory nerves are at greater risk of damage than the tibia motor nerve. It was likely that the sensory nerve was more vulnerable by the stretch force of the external fixator during lengthening period. Keywords: External Fixator, Ilizarov Surgery, Sonography, Electrodiagnostic Study, Peripheral Nerve Injury