Atypical presentation of C-7 radiculopathy.
OBJECTIVE
The authors retrospectively reviewed the presenting symptomatology and 6-month outcome in 241 consecutive patients who underwent C6-7 anterior cervical discectomy (ACD) from an overall series of 1008 patients in whom the senior author performed one-level procedures.


METHODS
In 28 (12%) of the 241 patients, the sole complaint was subscapular pain on the side ipsilateral to nerve root compression. In 11 patients (5%), the primary complaint was unilateral deep breast or chest pain. No patient experienced any of the traditional radicular signs involving C-7 such as numbness of the second or third digits, pain in the triceps, and/or atrophy or weakness of the triceps or pronator muscles. Of the 28 patients presenting with subscapular pain 238 (93%) of 241 experienced complete symptom relief within 6 months, and of the 11 who presented with chest pain complete relief or relief to the point of requiring nonnarcotic analgesic agents occurred in nine cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Approximately 15% of patients with a C-7 radiculopathy are likely to present with atypical symptoms that, if persisting after nonsurgical therapy, will often resolve after ACD and fusion.
Ozgur
Burak M
BM
Division of Neurosurgery, University of California, San Diego, California 92037, USA.
Marshall
Lawrence F
LF
D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D017586:Diskectomy; D005360:Fibula / Q000637:transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D013123:Spinal Fusion