Design your approach to the electrophysiologic examination based on the existing data. The physical examination has given multifocal neuropathy more credence and made compression neuropathy less likely. In addition to examining the symptomatic limb, the electrodiagnostic examination should explore areas that are asymptomatic to determine if unsuspected focal lesions exist. The more multifocal this condition, the less likely it is that it is due to compression. Conduction studies should attempt to clarify whether the pathophysiology is primarily axonal or demyelinating, or both.
Lesions caused by acute compression tend to involve both.