Lumbar disc herniation mimicking meralgia paresthetica: case report.
BACKGROUND
Meralgia paresthetica, a syndrome of pain and/or dysesthesia in the anterolateral thigh, is normally caused by an entrapment of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN) at the anterior superior iliac spine. In a few cases compression of the nerve in the retroperitoneum has been reported to mimic meralgia paresthetica.


METHODS
A 67-year-old woman presented with a 5-year history of permanent paresthesia in the anterolateral thigh. Motor weakness was not detected. Electromyography showed a neurogenic lesion at the level of L3. Lumbar spine MRI detected a foraminal-extraforaminal disc herniation at L2/L3, which was extirpated via a lateral transmuscular approach. The patient was free of symptoms on the first postoperative day.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with meralgia paresthetica we emphasize a complete radiological investigation of the lumbar spine, including MRI, to exclude radicular compression by a disc herniation or a tumour at the level of L2 or L3.
Trummer
M
M
Department of Neurosurgery, Karl-Franzens University, Graz, Austria.
Flaschka
G
G
Unger
F
F
Eustacchio
S
S
D000368:Aged; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D020428:Femoral Neuropathy / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D010292:Paresthesia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology