Anatomical Considerations of the Lateral Femoral Cutaneous Nerve Related to Nerve Conduction Study

OBJECTIVE: Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN) conduction study is an objective measure for the diagnosis of meralgia paresthetica. Sensory nerve action potential of LFCN is not frequently evoked because of anatomical variations around inguinal area. The purpose of this study is to support the diagnosis of meralgia paresthetica by considering anatomical variations of LFCN in Korean adult cadavers. METHOD: Eighteen lower limbs of total nine adult cadavers were studied. Men were five and women were four. The points that LFCN or the main branch of LFCN met the imaginary line from anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS) to pubic tubercle and to lateral border of patella were recorded, respectively and distances from ASIS to those points were measured. RESULTS: The distance from ASIS to the point that LFCN or the main branch of LFCN met the imaginary line from ASIS to pubic tubercle and to lateral border of patella was respectivlely 1.36+/-0.68 cm (minimal 0.2, maximal 3.0) and 10.74+/-5.68 (minimal 3.3, maximal 20.1) cm. There was no significant distance difference between men and women. CONCLUSION: This study showed anatomic variations of LFCN around ASIS and femoral part. This knowledge may help LFCN conduction study for the diagnosis of meralgia paresthetica.

Reliability and Validity of Korean Version of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale: Multi-center study

OBJECTIVE: To assess the inter-tester and test-retest reliability and validity after developing of Korean version of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). METHOD: This research was conducted on 27 patents with stroke with less than 12 months since the onset of disease. Five physiatrists translated NIHSS into Korean. Video taping were used for objective scorings. Four physiatrists conducted scorings in order to seek for inter-tester reliability and one conducted scorings three weeks interval for test-retest reliability. Six physiatrists conducted scorings in order to seek for concurrent validity with the original NIHSS and four conducted scorings for validity with other impairment scale. Each score was analyzed based on Spear-man correlation coefficient. RESULTS: According to inter-tester reliability for Korean version of NIHSS, rho value reached over 0.70, with over 0.72 concerning test-retest reliability. The test on concurrent validity with the original NIHSS reached over 0.70 at rho value, with over 0.653 for MMSE, Motricity index, Brunnstrom stage. CONCLUSION: Newly developed Korean version of NIHSS showed high inter-tester and test-retest reliabilities, together with high concurrent validity with the original and other impairment scales, to be regarded to be used as primary impairment scale for patients with stroke.