Lumbosacral Plexus Neuropathy-Idiopathic Sciatic Neuropathy: A Case Report

Abstract

Although diabetic lumbosacral radiculoplexus neuropathy (LSRPN) is a well-known disease, clinical knowledge about non-diabetic idiopathic LSRPN is quite inadequate. LSRPN is rarely seen and does not require surgical treatment. If the accurate diagnosis is not considered, surgical treatment of radiculopathy or discopathy is inevitable, with sudden onset of low back and leg pain and loss of lower extremity muscle strength. Despite the common diagnosis of isolated femoral nerve neuropathy cases in LSRPN, rare cases of idiopathic sciatic nerve mononeuropathy were also observed. Especially, involvement of the isolated sciatic nerve or the lower trunk of the lumbosacral plexus may mostly interfere with the diagnosis of radiculopathy. In this article, a case of isolated idiopathic sciatic neuropathy is presented, and the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment modalities of LSRPN are discussed. © 2014 by Turkish Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.