Subperineurial space of the sural nerve in various peripheral nerve diseases.

The size of the subperineurial space of the sural nerve has been evaluated quantitatively in 69 cases of various peripheral nerve diseases and in controls. A significant increase was found in beriberi neuropathy (6 cases) and idiopathic polyradiculoneuropathy (9 cases) as compared with the control (8 cases). On electron microscopy a few macrophages, fibroblast processes, collagen fibrils with a diameter of 50 nm, microfibrils with a diameter of 8 nm, and amorphous material were observed in both the enlarged subperineural space and the endoneurial intercellular space. They were less frequently observed in controls. No significant correlation was found between the size of subperineurial space and the density of myelinated fibers.