Summary
Two cases of a rare peripheral neurological disease (neuralgic amyotrophy of the lower extremity) are presented, with clinical symptoms (severe sciatic pain with motor paresis) that pose differential diagnostic difficulties against a hernia of a lumbar disk. Because of a tendency to heal by itself, the disease has a good prognosis. The diagnosis is based on a process of exclusion of herniated disks, lesions of the lumbar plexus in tumors or after radiation therapy, hematoma of the psoas after coagulation disturbances, birth, or trauma, and nutritive disruptions of the nervous system as in diabetes mellitus. Knowledge of the symptoms of this-in orthopedics-mostly unknown disease and critical interpretation of the clinical and medical-technical data are important to avoid wrong indications for surgery.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Biemond A (1970) Femoral neuropathy. In: Vinken PJ, Bruyn GW (eds) Handbook of clinical neurology, vol 8. North-Holland, Amsterdam, pp 303–310
Calverley JR (1975) Lumbosacral plexus lesions. In: Dyck PJ, Thomas PK, Lambert EH (eds) Peripheral neuropathy, vol 1. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 682–687
Evans BA, Stevens JC, Dyck P (1981) Lumbosacral plexus neuropathy. Neurology 31:1327–1330
Gathier JC, Bruyn GW (1970) The serogenetic peripheral neuropathies. In: Vinken PJ, Bruyn GW (eds) Handbook of clinical neurology, vol 8. North-Holland, Amsterdam, pp 95–111
Gathier JC, Bruyn GW (1970) Neuralgic amyotrophy. In: Vinken PJ, Bruyn GW (eds) Handbook of clinical neurology, vol 8. North-Holland, Amsterdam, pp 77–85
Huffmann G (1973) Neuralgische Schulteramyotrophie. Klinik und Verlauf. Z Neurol 206:79
Jacob JC, Andermann F, Robb JP (1960) Heredofamilial neuritis with brachial predilection. Neurology 1:1025–1033
Mumenthaler M (1974) Cryptogenic brachial plexus neuropathy (neuralgic amyotrophy). In: Dyck PJ, Thomas PK, Lambert EH, Bunge R (eds) Peripheral neuropathy, vol 2. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 1392–1395
Parsonage MJ, Turner JWA (1948) Neuralgic amyotrophy: the shoulder-girdle syndrome. Lancet I:973–978
Sander JE, Sharp FR (1981) Lumbosacral plexus neuritis. Neurology 31:470–473
Seyfert (1984) Läsionen des Plexus lumbosacralis In: Hopf HCH, Poeck K, Schliack H (eds) Neurologie in Praxis und Klinik, vol 2. Thieme, Stuttgart New York, pp 110–120
Tsairis P, Dyck PJ, Mulder DW (1972) Natural history of brachial plexus neuropathy: report on 99 patients. Arch Neurol 27:109
Tsairis P (1975) Brachial plexus neuropathies. In: Dyck PJ, Thomas PK, Lambert EH (eds) Peripheral neuropathy. Saunders, Philadelphia, p 659
Turner JWA, Parsonage M (1957) Neuralgic amyotrophy (paralytic brachial neuritis). With special reference to prognosis. Lancet II:209
Wurmser P, Kaeser HE (1963) Zur neuralgischen Amyotrophie. Schweiz Med Wochenschr 93:1393–1403
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Refisch, A., van Laack, W. Neuralgic amyotrophy of the lumbar area. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 108, 329–332 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00932327
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00932327