Effects of Increased Tissue Pressure upon Nerve Conduction Velocity

Abstract

Studying changes of nerve conduction velocity may be useful in the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of the compartmental syndrome. An experimental model was made to keep the hind leg of the rabbit at the constant pressure of 80 mm Hg, 120 mm Hg and 160 mm Hg during 6 hours and 12 hours using volume expander. Experiments were performed in 6 groups (Group 1; 80 mm Hg-6 hours, Group 2; 120 mm Hg-6 hours, Group 3; 160 mm Hg-6 hours, Group 4; 80 mm Hg-12 hours, Group 5; 120 mm Hg-12 hours, Group 6; 160 mm Hg-12 hours) to study the early decrease of nerve conduction velocity and the late recovery for 16 weeks, and following results were obtained. 1. Nerve coduction velocity fell 95.8 per cent at 80 mm Hg in 4 hours, 93.4 per cent at 120 mm Hg in 2 hours and 95.5 per cent at 60 mm Hg in 1 hour. 2. Almost complete recovery was observed in Group 1 with the level of 95 per cent statistical significance. 3. Time and pressure were both important factors to the recovery of the nerve conduction velocity and the longer the pressurized time and the higher the applied pressure the less recovery was seen. 4. Reduction of nerve conduction velocity was observed early in the compartmental syndrome and this was considered significant in the diagnosis of compartmental syndrome.