Compression Neuropathy DSA Flashcards
What is compression neuropathy?
nerve becomes entrapped as it passes through a narrow tunnel or passage
Where does neuropathy happen?
Any point along a nerve, but there are common sites
What are biomechanical causes of compression neuropathy?
-
Space occupying lesions
- herniated discs & cysts
-
Degenerative causes
- foraminal stenosis
-
Post-traumatic causes
- Fracture
- Hematoma
- Compression from equipment
-
Mechanical
- Muscle spasm
- Pinching from external or positional forces
What are systemic causes of compression neuropathy?
- Pregnancy
- Hypothyroidism
- DB
What is the anatomy of the nerve?
- Epineurium coveres all fasicles, BV and CT
- Perineurium covers fasicles, which contains groups of nerves.
- Endoneurium covers axon + myelin sheath
What pathological changes occur that cause neuropathy?
- Microvascular compression => ischemia
- Thick epineurium
- Thinning of myelin
- Microtubles closure
- Axon degeneration
Sunderland’s classification describes the degree of nerve injury.
What are they?
-
1st degree (neuropraxia)
- Focal damage of myelin fibers around axon, but CT stays intact
-
2nd degree (axonetmesis)
- Injury to the axon, but the myelin sheath is intact
-
3rd degree (neuromesis)
- Damage to axon + endoneurium
-
4th degree (neuromesis)
- Damage to axon + endoneuium + perineurium
- Large amount of scarring at injury, axon does not work distal to injury
- Damage to axon + endoneuium + perineurium
-
5th degree (neuroemesis)
- Damage to axon + endoneuium + perineurium + epineurium
- Hemorrhage and scarring.
- Damage to axon + endoneuium + perineurium + epineurium
What is the recovery seen in all 5 degrees of nerve injury?
- 1st degree: least severe; days- weeks
- 2nd degree: regeneration is possible, but takes months
- 3rd degree: When intraneural fibrosis occurs, regeneration is not possible
- 4th degree: Surgery if no imrpovement to restore neural continuity
- 5th degree: Surgery is NEEDED to restore continuity
Where are 3 places radial nerve can get entrapped?
- High on the humerus, often due to fracture or compression near spiral groove
- Radial tunnel, due to manual labor (rowing, discus, raquet sports) which cuases repetitive rotatory movements
- Wrist
Radial nerve entrapment high on the humerus causes what symptoms
- 1. Wrist drop
- 2. Elbow flexion is weak (brachioradialis m)
- Involve tricep: +/- tricep reflex goes away and pain/numbess
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- Involve tricep: +/- tricep reflex goes away and pain/numbess
Radial nerve entrapment @radial tunnel causes what symptoms
- Pain and tenderness 5cm distal to lateral epicondyle (elbow)
- Wrist drop
- Pain when supinating
Radial nerve entrapment @wrist causes what symptoms
- Superficial branch (sensory) is pinched in between [brachioradialis and ECRL] when pronating forearm
1. Sensation changes over posterolateral hand when pronating forearm
______ nerve entrapment causes pronator syndrome (pain with resisted forearm pronation & cramping of fingers)
Radial nerve
__________ nerve cause Anterior Interosseous Syndrome.
Median n.
Sx of Anterior Interosseous Syndrome
No sensory symptoms
Testing of Anterior Interosseous Syndrome
•”OK” sign: patient cannot hold and resist tip to tip of the thumb to index pinch
- Index finger’s DIP and the thumb’s IP has a problem flexing
Treatment for Anterior Interosseous Syndrome
Splint elbow in 90 degrees of flexion for up to 12 weeks.
Ulnar Nerve Entrapment is called ____________
Cubital tunnel syndrome
Sx of Ulnar Nerve Entrapment (Cubital Tunnel Syndrome)
- Medial elbow pain that radiates to the hand, causing decreased intrinsic muscle strength => “cant turn a key in a door”
- Paresthesia of 4th/5th finger
How do we diagnose Ulnar Nerve Entrapment (cubital tunnel syndrome)?
- + Tinels sign at elbow
- Symptom reproduce when flex elbow & extend wrist
Ulnar Nerve Entrapment treatment
padded elbow sleeve to limit terminal elbow flexion and provide cushioning
Patient with Cubital Tunnel Syndrome (ulner nerve) will show what sign?
Froment’s sign:
- Task: Pt has to flex thumb to pinch paper between 1st and 2nd fingers
- +: Pt will contract FPL (supplied by median N) bc weak 1st dorsal interosseous and ADP muscles