Changes in the forearm associated with median nerve compression at the wrist in the guinea-pig.

The spontaneous compression of the median nerve at the wrist which occurs in guinea-pigs provides a useful model for the study of problems connected with chronic nerve compression. Previous work (Fullerton and Gilliatt, 1967) has suggested that the condition is rare in young guinea-pigs but that it occurs in a substantial proportion of animals aged 2 years or more. Nerve conduction studies can be used to screen batches of animals so that those with suitable lesions at the wrist can be picked out for further investigation. The present paper is concerned with the retrograde changes which occur in the forearm when a severe compressive lesion is present at the wrist. It is hoped that the findings may throw some light on the changes which occur proximal to localized lesions of human peripheral nerves.