Inappropriate surgeries resulting from misdiagnosis of early amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Initial symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may mimic radiculopathy, myelopathy, mononeuropathy, or arthropathy. A retrospective review of 260 consecutive patients with ALS evaluated between 1996 and 2004 revealed that 55 (21%) had had surgery within the 5 years prior to ALS diagnosis. Thirty-four of these 55 (61%) had surgery for symptoms and signs that retrospectively were attributable to early manifestations of ALS. Misdiagnosis of early ALS may lead to unnecessary surgeries with their attendant potential complications.
Srinivasan
Jayashri
J
Department of Neurology, Lahey Clinic, 41 Mall Road, Burlington, Massachusetts 01805, USA. jayashri_srinivasan@lahey.org
Scala
Stephanie
S
Jones
H Royden
HR
Saleh
Firas
F
Russell
James A
JA
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D001177:Arthropathy, Neurogenic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020422:Mononeuropathies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D019564:Unnecessary Procedures