A nerve biopsy is performed to diagnose various nerve-related conditions, including:
- Peripheral Neuropathy: To determine the cause of damage to the peripheral nerves, which can result from diabetes, infections, autoimmune diseases, or toxins.
- Inflammatory Neuropathies: Such as vasculitis, where the blood vessels that supply the nerves become inflamed.
- Hereditary Neuropathies: To identify genetic disorders that affect nerve function, such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.
- Amyloidosis: To detect abnormal protein deposits in the nerves.