Postoperative Meralgia Paresthetica After Posterior Spine Surgery
- 1 September 2005
- journal article
- Published by Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) in Spine
- Vol. 30 (18), E547-E550
- https://doi.org/10.1097/01.brs.0000178821.14102.9d
Abstract
A prospective study on postoperative meralgia paresthetica after posterior thoracolumbar spine surgery on the Relton-Hall frame. To assess the incidence of postoperative lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN) neuralgia and to investigate its risk factors and clinical outcomes. Postoperative meralgia paresthetica is a common complication of posterior thoracolumbar spine surgery. The injury mechanism is external compression to the LFCN near the anterior superior iliac spine in the prone position. A total of 252 patients were examined for signs of meralgia paresthetica before and after surgery. Patients with a LFCN injury were followed regularly until sensory impairment resolved. Several possible contributing factors were assessed to evaluate the correlations. Postoperative meralgia paresthetica was experienced by 60 patients (23.8%). Patients with an LFCN injury had a significantly greater body mass index (23.6 vs. 22.4 kg/m2) and a longer surgical time (3.7 vs. 3.2 hours). Overweight/obese patients had a significantly greater incidence (odds ratio, 1.83; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-3.29). Patients operated for degenerative spinal disorders also had a significantly higher incidence of LFCN injury (odds ratio, 2.81; 95% confidence interval, 1.53-5.13). Recovery took 10.5 days on average (range, 2 days to 2 months). Thirty-two patients (53%) recovered completely within the first week and every patient recovered within 2 months. Postoperative meralgia paresthetica is a common but benign complication of posterior thoracolumbar spine surgery. Degenerative spinal disorders, overweight/obesity, and longer surgical time are factors related to a higher incidence of LFCN injury. The clinical outcome is always excellent, and complete recovery can be expected within 2 months.This publication has 13 references indexed in Scilit:
- Prevalence of overweight and obesity and its associated factors: findings from National Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan, 1993–1996Preventive Medicine, 2003
- Lateral femoral cutaneous neuralgia: An anatomical insightClinical Anatomy, 2003
- Injury to the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve during harvest of iliac bone graft, with reference to the size of the graftThe Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. British volume, 2002
- Establishing a standard definition for child overweight and obesity worldwide: international surveyBMJ, 2000
- Injuries to the Lateral Femoral Cutaneous Nerve During Spine SurgerySpine, 2000
- The Anatomy of the Lateral Femoral Cutaneous Nerve, with Special Reference to the Harvesting of Iliac Bone Graft*Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 2000
- Iliac Crest Bone Graft Harvest Donor Site MorbiditySpine, 1995
- Peripheral Nerve Injuries in AthletesSports Medicine, 1993
- Management of meralgia parestheticaJournal of Neurosurgery, 1991
- Positioning Techniques in Spinal SurgeryClinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 1981