Diagnosis of acute nerve compression in the cat with high frequency nerve trains evoked responses.

High frequency nerve trains were evaluated from above and below the site of compression before, during, and after acute compression of the sciatic nerves of six adult cats. Acute nerve compression reduced the ability of axons to conduct high frequency impulse trains: the longer the compression, the lower the frequency of impulses that could be conducted through the region of compression without a decrement in latency and amplitude. Possible mechanisms for alterations of nerve trains and the possible clinical and experimental use of nerve trains analysis are discussed.