title: A Case of Hemiabdominal Myoclonus.
abstract: Myoclonus consists of sudden, brief, involuntary jerky muscular contractions. Central and peripheral nervous system lesions are involved in the pathogenesis of this movement disorder. Symptomatic or secondary spinal myoclonus is the most common form. A 68-year-old woman was diagnosed with hemiabdominal spinal myoclonus. Occasional and very mild involuntary repetitive movements of the hemiabdomen began immediately after surgery for uterine cancer. After surgery for laparocele, secondary to the uterine cancer surgery, performed under spinal anesthesia, there was severe worsening of movements. Neuroradiological investigations failed to demonstrate spinal injury, while neurophysiological studies showed impairment of the right central somatosensory pathway. Considering the low resolution of magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of thoracic level, we suggest an extensive neurophysiological evaluation in patients with spinal myoclonus.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, Department of Geriatrics, Neurosciences and Orthopedics, Catholic University, Rome, Italy Fondazione Don C. Gnocchi Onlus, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nociti
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, Department of Geriatrics, Neurosciences and Orthopedics, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Serenella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Servidei
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, Department of Geriatrics, Neurosciences and Orthopedics, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luigetti
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, Department of Geriatrics, Neurosciences and Orthopedics, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iorio
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, Department of Geriatrics, Neurosciences and Orthopedics, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lo Monaco
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, Department of Geriatrics, Neurosciences and Orthopedics, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mirabella
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, Department of Geriatrics, Neurosciences and Orthopedics, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Frisullo
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, Department of Geriatrics, Neurosciences and Orthopedics, Catholic University, Rome, Italy dellamarca@rm.unicatt.it.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Della Marca
mesh_terms: D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D052160:Benzothiazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002998:Clonazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009207:Myoclonus / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000077487:Pramipexole
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D002998:Clonazepam; D000077487:Pramipexole
keywords: electromyography; hemiabdominal myoclonus; spinal myoclonus; video-EEG