title: Hand deformity and sensory loss due to Hansen's disease in American Samoa.
abstract: We report the prevalence of sensory loss and hand deformity in 63 patients with Hansen's disease in American Samoa. Open ulceration, the most common deformity, was present in 41% of patients; sensory abnormalities were present in 54% and were bilateral in 65%. The presence of abnormal sensibility correlated with a high percentage of other deformities. Hand abnormalities were most prevalent in lepromatous patients and were related to a prolonged duration of disease. Nerve thickening did not appear to be a helpful clinical finding to assess the degree of sensory loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco General Hospital 94110.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Brunel
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Schecter
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schecter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006227:Hand Deformities, Acquired / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D014905:Independent State of Samoa; D007918:Leprosy / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011826:Radial Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D012677:Sensation; D014459:Ulnar Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology