[A 32-year-old woman with half-body paresthesia and expansive cerebral lesion].
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Selective spinal nerve infiltration blocks are used diagnostically in patients with chronic low back pain radiating into the leg. Generally, a segmental nerve block is considered successful if the pain is reduced substantially. Hypesthesia and elicited paresthesias coinciding with the presumed segmental level are used as controls. The interpretation depends on a standard dermatomal map. However, it is not clear if this interpretation is reliable enough, because standard dermatomal maps do not show the overlap of neighboring dermatomes. The goal of the present study is to establish if dissimilarities exist between areas of hypesthesia, spontaneous pain reported by the patient, pain reduction by local anesthetics, and paresthesias elicited by sensory electrostimulation. A secondary goal is to determine to what extent the interpretation is improved when the overlaps of neighboring dermatomes are taken into account. METHODS: Patients suffering from chronic low back pain with pain radiating into the leg underwent lumbosacral segmental nerve root blocks at subsequent levels on separate days. Lidocaine (2%, 0.5 mL) mixed with radiopaque fluid (0.25 mL) was injected after verifying the target location using sensory and motor electrostimulation. Sensory changes (pinprick method), paresthesias (reported by the patient), and pain reduction (Numeric Rating Scale) were reported. Hypesthesia and paresthesias were registered in a standard dermatomal map and in an adapted map which included overlap of neighboring dermatomes. The relationships between spinal level of injection, extent of hypesthesia, location of paresthesias, and corresponding dermatome were assessed quantitatively. Comparison of the results between both dermatomal maps was done by paired t-tests. RESULTS: After inclusion, data were processed for 40 segmental nerve blocks (L2-S1) performed in 29 patients. Pain reduction was achieved in 43%. Hypesthetic areas showed a large variability in size and location, and also in comparison to paresthesias. Mean hypesthetic area amounted 2.7 +/- 1.4 (+/- SD: range, 0 to 6; standard map) and 3.6 +/- 1.8 (0 to 6; adapted map; P <.001) dermatomes. In these cases, hypesthesia in the corresponding dermatome was found in 80% (standard map) and 88% of the cases (adapted map, not significant). Paresthesias occurring in the corresponding dermatome were found in 80% (standard map) compared with 98% (adapted map, P <.001). In 85% (standard map) and 88% (adapted map), spontaneous pain was present in the dermatome corresponding to the level of local anesthetic injection. In 55% (standard map) versus 75% (adapted map, P <.005), a combination of spontaneous pain, hypesthesia, and paresthesias was found in the corresponding dermatome. CONCLUSIONS: Hypesthetic areas determined after lumbosacral segmental nerve blocks show a large variability in size and location compared with elicited paresthesias. Confirmation of an adequately performed segmental nerve block, determined by coexistence of hypesthesia, elicited paresthesias and pain in the presumed dermatome, is more reliable when the overlap of neighboring dermatomes is taken into account.
Tricyclic antidepressants have been reported to relieve the paresthesiae associated with peripheral neuropathies of many etiologies. We designed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial to establish the efficacy of nortriptyline in the treatment of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (CDDP)-induced paresthesiae. The study included 51 evaluable patients with CDDP-induced peripheral neuropathy and painful paresthesiae. The study consisted of two 4 week phases, separated by a 1 week 'wash-out' period, in which patients received escalating dosages of either placebo or nortriptyline. The target maximum dose of nortriptyline was 100 mg/day. Each patient filled out pre-randomization and then weekly questionnaires assessing paresthesiae severity, hours of sleep, quality of life, and adverse effects over the 9 week study. No significant differences in paresthesia were observed in the first treatment period between nortriptyline and placebo (means of 49 and 55 respectively on a 0-100 point scale, P=0.78). Although some evidence of a modest effect in favor of nortriptyline was observed during the second treatment period (about one patient in five got a 10-point reduction in pain from drug above placebo effect), this occurred in the presence of a strong carryover effect. Linear models analysis and Bayes methods confirmed that the effect of nortriptyline on paresthesia was modest at best. Hours of sleep increased in the nortriptyline phase (P=0.02). There was no significant difference in measures of quality of life and the effect of paresthesiae on patients' daily activities between nortriptyline and placebo. There was no major toxicity associated with nortriptyline, but dry mouth, dizziness, and constipation were more common with nortriptyline. In summary, nortriptyline failed to demonstrate strong evidence of any effect on paresthesia or pain. The presence of a potential effect which appeared in the second period of the crossover design is questionable due to the observed carryover effect. Cross-validation sensitivity analysis of results support the conclusion that nortriptyline provides modest improvement at best over placebo in terms of chemotherapy-related neuropathy.
OBJECTIVE: A major drawback of currently available spinal cord stimulation (SCS) systems for the management of chronic intractable pain, especially of widespread pain patterns as in reflex sympathetic dystrophy, is the generally limited paresthesia coverage. The aim of this study is to analyze the origin of this problem and to provide solutions. METHODS: Results from theoretical studies, in which a computer model was used to mimic the effects of SCS on spinal nerve fibers, were used to analyze which factors may limit paresthesia coverage. Model predictions were verified by empirical data from clinical literature. RESULTS: When using common SCS electrodes, both perception threshold and motor/discomfort threshold are generally related to dorsal root stimulation. Because these thresholds have a small ratio (approximately 1:1.4), stimulation of dorsal column fibers and paresthesia coverage is limited by this small range of stimulation. When the distance between the epidural electrode and spinal cord is large (midthoracically), the threshold for dorsal column stimulation exceeds discomfort threshold, resulting only in segmental paresthesia. The range of dorsal column stimulation and paresthesia coverage can be improved when using either an optimally dimensioned rostrocaudal bi-/tripole or a transverse tripole ("guarded cathode"). When applying the latter in combination with a dual channel pulse generator providing simultaneous pulses, paresthesias can simply be changed to optimally cover the painful area. CONCLUSION: Paresthesia coverage and pain management by SCS can be improved when using electrodes as proposed.
PURPOSE: In this prospective study, we sought to determine the incidence of inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) paresthesia in patients with an exposed IAN bundle seen intraoperatively. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We included consecutive patients undergoing third molar surgery in whom an exposed IAN bundle was seen in the third molar socket intraoperatively. Data recorded from patients included radiographic findings, variations in surgical method, intraoperative findings, complications, and postoperative sequelae. Patients were reviewed 1 week after surgery and evaluated subjectively and objectively to determine the incidence of paresthesia when the IAN bundle was exposed. Patients with paresthesia were followed for 2 years or until it resolved. RESULTS: An exposed IAN bundle was seen in 192 operation sites in 170 patients over a 5-year period, of which 166 patients with 187 operation sites were included in this study. Thirty-eight operation sites (20.3%) showed paresthesia at 1 week after surgery (95% confidence interval, 14.5% to 26.1%); 20 sites (15.0%) showed abnormal objective assessment results. By 3 months from surgery, 57.9% of nerves had recovered to normal sensation, 65.8% of nerves recovered by 6 months, and 71.1% of nerves recovered by 1 year. Eight patients were lost to follow-up. Logistic regression showed that the operator, male gender, older age, and root curvature were significant risk factors for paresthesia. CONCLUSIONS: Sighting an exposed intact IAN bundle during third molar surgery indicates its intimate relationship with the third molar and carries a 20% risk of paresthesia, with a 70% chance of recovery by 1 year from surgery.
BACKGROUND: Chronic inguinal neuralgia is one of the most significant complications following inguinal hernia repair. Routine ilioinguinal nerve excision has been proposed as a means to avoid this complication. The purpose of this report is to evaluate the long-term outcomes of neuralgia and paresthesia following routine ilioinguinal nerve excision compared to nerve preservation. METHODS: Retrospective chart review identified 90 patients who underwent Lichtenstein inguinal hernia repairs with either routine nerve excision (n = 66) or nerve preservation (n = 24). All patients were contacted and data was collected on incidence and duration of postoperative neuralgia and paresthesia. Comparison was made by chi(2) analysis. RESULTS: The patients with routine neurectomy were similar to the group without neurectomy based on gender (male/female 51/15 vs. 19/5) and mean age (68 +/- 14 vs. 58 +/- 18 years). In the early postoperative period (6 months), the incidence of neuralgia was significantly lower in the neurectomy group versus the nerve preservation group (3% vs. 26%, P <0.001). The incidence of paresthesia in the distribution of the ilioinguinal nerve was not significantly higher in the neurectomy group (18% vs. 4%, P = 0.10). At 1 year postoperatively, the neurectomy patients continued to have a significantly lower incidence of neuralgia (3% vs. 25%, P = 0.003). The incidence of paresthesia was again not significantly higher in the neurectomy group (13% vs. 5%, P = 0.32). In patients with postoperative neuralgia, mean severity scores on a visual analog scale (0-10) were similar in neurectomy and nerve preservation patients at all end points in time (2.0 +/- 0.0 to 2.5 +/- 0.7 vs. 1.0 +/- 0.0 to 2.2 +/- 1.5). In patients with postoperative paresthesia, mean severity scores on a visual analog scale (0-10) were similar in the neurectomy and nerve preservation patients at 1 year (2.5 +/- 2.2 vs. 4.0 +/- 0.0) and 3 years (3.5 +/- 2.9 vs. 4.0 +/- 0.0). CONCLUSIONS: Routine ilioinguinal neurectomy is associated with a significantly lower incidence of postoperative neuralgia compared to routine nerve preservation with similar severity scores in each group. There is a trend towards increased incidence of subjective paresthesia in patients undergoing routine neurectomy at 1 month, but there is no significant increase at any other end point in time. When performing Lichtenstein inguinal hernia repair, routine ilioinguinal neurectomy is a reasonable option.