Phantom radiculopathy: a rare postoperative phenomenon. Issue 5 (12th May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Archunan, Maheswaran; Srinivasan, Sriram
• Is Part Of: BMJ case reports. Volume 13:Issue 5(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-05-12
• Subjects: drug therapy related to surgery -- musculoskeletal and joint disorders -- pain (neurology) -- orthopaedics -- orthopaedic and trauma surgery; Medicine -- Case studies -- Periodicals; 610.5
• DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2020-234433
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1757-790X

Abstract

Abstract : Limb amputations are carried out for a number of reasons, which include trauma, vascular disorders, infection, oncology and congenital abnormalities. These patients can develop multiple complications postoperatively with phantom limb pain being a well-recognised issue. That being said, phantom radiculopathy is far less encountered and can therefore be easily overlooked. There are limited cases described in literature and as a result pathophysiology is poorly understood. In this report, we present a patient who had developed phantom radiculopathy decades after his left above knee amputation surgery, which was performed after a road traffic accident. However, we were successfully able to treat the patient with foraminal epidural corticosteroid injection.