My Skin Biopsy Results.....
 

Not too many numbers on this report.....more words....here goes...

"No clear pathologic evidence to support presence of smf sensory neuropathic process based on epidernal nerve fiber densities at the foot, distal leg and proximal thigh."

Gross Description:

All Three areas mentioned above: 3.0 mm punch biopsy. PLP fixation. H&E and PGP 9.5 immunostaining.

Microscopic Description:

All Three Areas:

On the H&E stain, the epidermis and dermis reveals no significant inflammatory infiltrate. Epidermal nerve fiber density is with normal limits. Sub-epidermal nerve fiber innervation density (PGP 9.5 immunostaining) within normal limits.

**Moderate numbers of axonal swillings are present in the sub-epidermis, but this finding is seen in healthy controls at the foot site.

I guess it's good, as the Dr. said........but.......

Should the word "Yet" be added to all of this?

My symptoms started May of 2009, would a bad report have showed up by now?

Also, the last **sentance alarmed me a bit, but it does say found at healthy controls also.

Any comments would be appreciated.
Thanks.

can you find out what percentiles your nerve fiber density falls in? You may not have enough damage yet to fall withint the percentiles considered to be proof of SFN but you may be close. A report just saying its normal is not much use in trying to figure out what is going on if you have symptoms.

also as far as the ankle being a control sample and having similiaraxonal swelling as the other two sites, are your feet or ankles exhibiting symptoms also?

Your report sound just like mine, from Therapath. It didn't show any percentile numbers.

I'm going to test again in one year. I'm sorry you didn't get your answer. But I guess its good to see no damage. But still hard to accept as we don't have a diagnosis. Hang in there!

Thanks.....I'm hanging........
 

At least my extra dose of Gabapentin kicked in, you are so right, when physical symptoms are reduced, it helps so much mentally.

Well, Rose we sound like 2 peas in a pod,, glad we can support one another.

i know you contacted the lab from another post that you made. Labs are paid a lot of money to do these type tests. I would call the lab again and go up the food chain to get those numbers. They must have those numbers recorded somewhere in order to make a conclusion. Otherwise they have produced an incomplete report which really doesnt help you in determining the direction you are headed in. you have to be your own advocate to find out what you need to find out.

So, Therapath Lab offered to also do a Sweat Gland Nerve Fiber Density report, using the same biopsy specimin I had already given them. They said it could provide more sensitive info for patients whose skin biopsy was negative. So of course I said YES, do it! 2 days later they send a report to my Dr. stating I have a "low normal" amount of sweat glands, which may indicate SFN. But My Dr. says still not SFN. I just don't know what to think now.

it may well be too soon in your PN for a sufficient amount of damage to have shown up to be considered positive for these tests. thats why knowing the percentages would be enlightening.

Isn't a sweat gland report........
 

only for autonomic neuopathy?

They didn't give me any kind of sweat gland test when I had my skin biopsy........don't tell me I have to go back.

I am not experiencing any sweating or autonomic symptoms are you Rose?

I don't sweat really at all. never have. that is sign of autonomic.