title: Intercostal nerve mononeuropathy: study of 14 cases.
abstract: This retrospective study describes 14 cases of intercostal nerve mononeuropathy (INM) found in 5,560 electromyography (EMG) exams performed between January 1991 and June 2004 in our University Hospital. Medical charts of all patients with history of thoracic pain and EMG diagnosis of intercostal mononeuropathy were reviewed. INM was detected in 14 patients; etiology was thoracic surgery in 6 (43%), post-herpetic neuropathy in 4 (28%), probable intercostal neuritis in 2 (14%), lung neoplasia in 1 (7%), and radiculopathy in 1 (7%). From this study, trauma and infection were the main etiologies in intercostal neuropathic pain development. Tricyclic antidepressants and anticonvulsants were the most common therapeutic drugs used.
authors.affiliation: Service of Anesthesiology, Botucatu School of Medicine, Unesp, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Sergio S dos
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Luiz Antonio Lima
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Resende
authors.forename: Ronaldo G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lemônica
authors.forename: Raul Lopes
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.forename: Antonio José M
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Catâneo
mesh_terms: D004576:Electromyography; D006801:Humans; D007367:Intercostal Nerves / Q000503:physiopathology; D020422:Mononeuropathies / Q000209:etiology*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000150:complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000009:adverse effects