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Meralgia paraesthetica: Ultrasound-guided injection at multiple levels with 12-month follow-up

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  • Published:
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Abstract

Objectives

To evaluate the efficacy of ultrasound (US)-guided injections around the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN) at different levels in meralgia paraesthetica (MP) patients.

Methods

The study was approved by the university ethics committee and informed oral and written consent were obtained from all patients. Between June 2008 and August 2013, 20 patients with symptoms of MP, including nine men (mean age, 61.33 years) and 11 women (mean age 61.18 years), were treated with US-guided injection of steroids along the LFCN at three different levels in a mean of 2.25 sessions. A visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to measure symptoms before, immediately after and 12 months after treatment.

Results

Complete resolution of symptoms was documented in 15/20 patients (mean VAS decreased from 82 to 0), and partial resolution in the remaining five (mean VAS decreased from 92 to 42), which was confirmed at 12-month follow-up. By using the different levels of injection approach overall significantly better symptom relief was obtained (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The outcome of US-guided injection along the LFCN can be further improved by injections at different levels (p < 0.05), which was confirmed at 12-month long-term follow-up.

Key Points

• Meralgia paraesthetica is an entrapment neuropathy of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve.

• Ultrasound proved effective in diagnosis and in guiding injection therapy.

• Injection at the anterior superior iliac spine has been used previously.

• Multiple injections along the nerve course were used in this study.

• Long-term follow-up (12 months) confirmed the results.

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Abbreviations

ASIS:

Anterior superior iliac spine

LFCN:

Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve

MP:

Meralgia paraesthetica

US:

Ultrasound

VAS:

Visual analogue scale

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Acknowledgments

The scientific guarantor of this publication is Prof. Andrea Klauser. The authors of this manuscript declare no relationships with any companies whose products or services may be related to the subject matter of the article. The authors state that this work has not received any funding. No specific complicated statistical procedures were needed for this work. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained. Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects (patients) in this study. Methodology: prospective, performed at one institution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Diagnostic Radiology Department, Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    Andrea S. Klauser, Mohamed M. H. Abd Ellah, Isabella Sporer & Werner R. Jaschke

  2. Diagnostic Radiology Department, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt

    Mohamed M. H. Abd Ellah

  3. Departments of Radiology and Urology, Jefferson Prostate Diagnostic Center and Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Ethan J. Halpern

  4. Cattedra “R” di Radiologia-DIMI, Università di Genova, Largo Rosanna Benzi 8, 16132, Genoa, Italy

    Carlo Martinoli

  5. Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale (DIMES), Università degli Studi di Genova, Genoa, Italy

    Alberto Tagliafico

  6. Neurology Department, Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    Martin Sojer

  7. Department of Radiology, The University of Arizona Health Network, 1501 N. Campbell Ave., Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA

    Mihra S. Taljanovic

Authors
  1. Andrea S. Klauser
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  2. Mohamed M. H. Abd Ellah
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  3. Ethan J. Halpern
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  4. Isabella Sporer
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  5. Carlo Martinoli
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  6. Alberto Tagliafico
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  7. Martin Sojer
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  8. Mihra S. Taljanovic
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  9. Werner R. Jaschke
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohamed M. H. Abd Ellah.

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Klauser, A.S., Abd Ellah, M.M.H., Halpern, E.J. et al. Meralgia paraesthetica: Ultrasound-guided injection at multiple levels with 12-month follow-up. Eur Radiol 26, 764–770 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-015-3874-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-015-3874-1

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