Clinical significance of selective nerve fascicular degeneration on sural nerve biopsy specimen.

Eight cases of selective nerve fascicular degeneration (SNFD) on sural nerve were identified from 250 consecutive biopsy specimens. In six patients, SNFD was associated with angiopathic changes. This study suggests that SNFD is a distinctive finding seen in 3% of nerve biopsy specimens, and its presence alone may indicate an angiopathic disorder. Selective nerve fascicular degeneration is associated with a variety of clinical presentations, ranging from chronic distal symmetrical polyneuropathy to mononeuropathy multiplex.