A Fast Recovery of Muscle Weakness after Zoster-Induced Brachial Plexitis

Joon Yub Kim; Seong Hun Song; Seong Hun Kim; Kyoung-Hwan Koh; Jeong Hyun Yoo

doi:10.4055/jkoa.2017.52.4.350

Journal List > J Korean Orthop Assoc > v.52(4) > 1013537

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Kim, Song, Kim, Koh, and Yoo: A Fast Recovery of Muscle Weakness after Zoster-Induced Brachial Plexitis

Original Article

J Korean Orthop Assoc 2017;52(4):350-353.

Published online: 1 December 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4055/jkoa.2017.52.4.350

A Fast Recovery of Muscle Weakness after Zoster-Induced Brachial Plexitis

Joon Yub Kim, M.D., Ph.D., Seong Hun Song, M.D., Seong Hun Kim, M.D., Ph.D.^*, Kyoung-Hwan Koh, M.D., Ph.D.^†, Jeong Hyun Yoo, M.D., Ph.D.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Myongji Hospital, Seonam University College of Medicine, Korea

^*Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Korea

^†Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Inje University Seoul Paik Hospital, Goyang, Korea

Correspondence to: Seong Hun Song, M.D. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Myongji Hospital, Seonam University College of Medicine, 55 Hwasu-ro 14beon-gil, Deogyang-gu, Goyang 10475, Korea TEL: +82-31-810-5114 FAX: +82-31-969-0500 E-mail: mmcos437@naver.com

Received 27 September 2016 Revised 30 October 2016 Accepted 19 December 2016

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Varicella zoster virus (VZV)-induced brachioplexitis is a rare disease, characterized by exacerbating ipsilateral upper extremity pain, muscular weakness, and delay in recovery. We report a 54-year-old female patient who made an early recovery from VZV-induced brachioplexitis via the treatment with stellate ganglion blocks, which may have prevented pain sensation, vasoconstriction, and nerve scarring during the early treatment period.

Keywords: varicella zoster virus, brachioplexitis, muscle weakness, stellate ganglion block

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Figure 1

Multiple grouped vesicular lesions in C4, 5, 6 dermatomes of left upper limb.

Figure 2

A coronal view of the neck magnetic resonance imaging of the patient showing high signal change on left brachial plexus (arrow).

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