[Wartenberg's disseminated sensory neuropathy].

We studied ten cases of disseminated sensory neuropathy. Both sexes were similarly involved. Except in one case, the first symptoms appeared between ages 20 and 50. The clinical disorders, their evolution and similar cases previously reported suggest and autonomous benign disease. The deficits resulted from a selective involvement of superficial cutaneous nervous fibers and appeared in different cutaneous areas. Some territories were more frequently affected (nervus peroneus, sural, radialis, cutaneous femoralis lateralis). Tinel's sign was often present. Patients sometimes described a sensation of electric discharge when elongating nerve trunks. In half of the cases the attacks of dysesthesia or of sensory loss followed one another within less than one year. The deficits were fully reversible in a third of the cases after a mean total evolution of 4 to 8 years. Blood and cerebrospinal fluid were always normal. Electromyography and motor conduction velocities were normal. Sensory conduction velocities were uncommonly decreased. On the other hand, the aspect of somesthetic potentials which were evoked from cutaneous areas involved by the disease were modified in most cases. Pathological examination of nerve biopsies which were performed in 5 cases showed non specific axo-myelinic degeneration in 3 cases and a severe sclerosis of the perineurium in one case. The etiopathogenesis of the disease is discussed.