Lateral Femoral Cutaneous Nerve Neuropathy

Question 1

Entrapment of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve as it traverses below the inguinal ligament produces what common syndrome?

Answer 1

meralgia paresthetica

Question 2

What are the chief complaints of patients with lateral femoral cutaneous neuropathy?

Answer 2

paresthesias and pain that radiates down the lateral aspect of the thigh toward the knee

Question 3

What occurs in advanced cases?

Answer 3

fixed sensory loss on the lateral thigh

Question 4

What type of people are predisposed to developing meralgia paresthetica?

Answer 4

• obesity
• diabetes mellitus
• advanced age
• pregnant women
• postpartum women

Question 5

Meralgia paresthetica is a self-limited, _____ disease in most patients

Answer 5

benign

Question 6

More than __% of patients respond to conservative measures such as weight loss and avoiding external pressure over the inguinal ligament.

Answer 6

90

Question 7

What drugs may be helpful in reducing neuropathic pain for patients with persistent symptoms despite conservative measures?

Answer 7

Anticonvulsants such as…

- carbamazepine
- phenytoin
- gabapentin

Question 8

Is surgical nerve decompression or sectioning used to treat lateral femoral cutaneous neuropathy?

Answer 8

rarely