Neuro - Focal Weakness Flashcards

1
Q

What is Bell’s Palsy?

A

Bell’s Palsy:

Is an acute, unilateral, idiopathic, facial nerve (CN VII) paralysis i.e. affectin the LMNs (thus no forehead sparing)

  • Cause = unknown
  • More common in pregnant women
  • Facial nerve (CN VII) supplies - ‘face, ear, taste, tear’:
    • face: muscles of facial expression
    • ear: nerve to stapedius
    • taste: supplies anterior two-thirds of tongue
    • tear: parasympathetic fibres to lacrimal glands, also salivary glands
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2
Q

What are the features of Bell’s palsy?

A

Features of Bell’s palsy:

  • LMN facial nerve (CN VII) palsy - with forehead affected
  • Onset = hours/days (sudden onset is more likely stroke)
  • Pts may have:
    • post-auricular pain (can preceed paralysis)
    • altered taste
    • dry eyes
    • hyperacusis (↑ sensitivity to sound)
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3
Q

How is Bell’s palsy managed?

A
  • Prednisolone 1 mg/kg for 10 days, within 72hrs of onset (NIH randomised control trial recommended)
    • Adding aciclovir has no added benefit
  • Eye care - artificial tears / eye lubricant
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4
Q

Pt with Bell’s palsy wants to know the following - answer their questions:

  1. Will my face recover? - if so how long will it take?
  2. Is there any treatment?
  3. What caused it and will it happen again?
A
  1. Facial weakness can worsen over first few days –> majority recover completely in 4-6 months (duration depends on initial severity)
    • ~30% have some degree of permanent impaired facial nerve function
    • If no improve in tone / movement in 6 months consider another diagnosis
  2. Prednisolone + eye care to help manage the condition
  3. Cause is unknown, some research suggests virus’ can cause it but it’s not proven
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5
Q

What is Ramsay Hunt syndrome?

A

Ramsay Hunt syndrome = reactivation of the varicella zoster virus (herpes zoster) in the geniculate ganglion of the facial nerve (CN VII)

  • Ramsay Hunt syndrome is also called herpes zoster oticus

Features:

  • Facial nerve palsy
  • Ear pain
  • vesicular rash around ear (occasionally on the palate / tongue)
  • taste loss of anterior 2/3rds of tongue
  • dry eyes + mouth
  • vertigo
  • tinnitus
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6
Q

What are the possible causes of ‘Foot-drop’?

A

Each presents with a different picture. From distal to proximal:

  • Neuromuscular disease - rare + other symptoms
    • e.g. Charcot-Marie-Tooth, myopathy, muscular dystrophy
  • deep or superficial peroneal nerve lesion
    • Deep = weak dorsiflexion (tibialis anterior), weak toe extension (EDL + EHL), weak eversion (peroneal muscles), sensory loss 1st webspace
    • Superficial = weak eversion, sensory loss of antero-lateral lower leg + dorsum of foot (except 1st webspace)
  • common peroneal nerve lesion
    • e.g. knee dislocation, or extended periods of knee flexion (kneeling)
  • sciatic nerve lesion
    • e.g. hip dislocation / #
    • Differentiating features: pain in back of thigh + calf
  • L5 radiculopathy
    • e.g. L4-L5 disc hernation affecting the L5 nerve root
    • Differentiating features: weak hip abduction, back pain, sensory loss of thigh + lower leg, loss of ankle reflex
  • Cauda equina - rare + other symptoms
  • UMN pathology - rare + other symptoms
    • e.g. stroke, TIA, tumour
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7
Q

What is the most common cause of ‘Foot-drop’?

A

Common peroneal nerve lesion

Cause:

  • Commonest = secondary to compression at neck/head of fibula .e.g.
    • sitting cross-legged, squatting, kneeling
    • recent weight loss
    • Baker’s cyst
    • plaster casts
  • Trauma e.g. fibula head #
  • Diabetes
  • Vitamin B12 deficiency
  • Alcohol misuse
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8
Q

What are the features of common peroneal nerve lesion?

What is involved in management?

A

Features:

  • Foot-drop - described as foot ‘slapping’ on ground when walking and tripping over affected foot
  • Weakness of:
    • dorsiflexion (tibialis anterior)
    • eversion (peroneal muscles) - normal inversion as tibialis posterior innervated by tibial nerve
    • big toe extension
  • Sensory loss - over dorsum of foot + lateral calf
  • Wasting of anterior tibial + peroneal muscles
  • Normal reflexes
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9
Q

How is common peroneal neuropathy managed?

A

Conservative

  • Avoid: leg crossing, squatting and kneeling
  • Symptoms improve over 2-3 months
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10
Q

What are the features and common cause of radial nerve palsy?

A

Features:

  • Wrist drop
  • Sensory disturbance to dorsum of hand between 1st - 2nd metacarpals

Cause:

  • Commonly compression of radial nerve against mid-shaft of humerus e.g. sleeping in hard chair with arm drapped over the back, classically after alcohol or from partner sleeping on your arm overnight
  • Distal humerus #
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