A Clinical Review of Brachial Plexus “Neuralgic Amyotrophy”

A practical review for this typically painful upper extremity syndrome

In this practical review article, van Alfen provides expert opinion regarding diagnosis, evaluation, and management of patients with attacks of “neuralgic amyotrophy” (a.k.a., Parsonage-Turner syndrome, brachial plexus neuritis, or idiopathic brachial plexus neuropathy).

For making the diagnosis, the author emphasizes the importance of clinical features, which include severe pain followed by weakness and atrophy in the shoulder, over EMG or MRI findings. The review includes the frequencies of many clinical symptoms, signs, positive test results, and outcomes, extracted from the author’s recent study of 246 cases (see Journal Watch Neurology Jun 8 2006). For treatment of severe onset pain, van Alfen recommends slow-release diclofenac (100 mg …

Reviewing Authors

Christopher J. Klein, MD

P. James B. Dyck, MD