Femoral Neuropathy

Question 1

What can cause femoral neuropathy?

Answer 1

• hip or pelvic fractures

- masses within the iliacus (such as hematoma)

Question 2

Femoral neuropathy is a recognized complication of what?

Answer 2

• childbirth
• hip replacement
• abdominal and pelvic surgery - laparoscopy
• inguinal lymph node biopsy
• femoral nerve block
• femoral artery puncture

Question 3

What type of patients occasionally develop spontaneous femoral neuropathies?

Answer 3

diabetes mellitus

Question 4

Patients with significant femoral neuropathies develop weakness in what muscle groups?

Answer 4

quadriceps (except for the adduction portions which are innervated by the obturator nerve)

Question 5

Other than quadriceps muscle weakness what is another common symptom?

Answer 5

sensory loss over the anterior thigh and most of the medial thigh, extending down to the medial shin and sometimes to the arch

Question 6

Sensory loss occurs along the distribution of which nerve?

Answer 6

saphenous

Question 7

What reflex generally decreases or becomes unobtainable?

Answer 7

knee jerk

Question 8

What produces symptoms of the syndrome gonyalgia paresthetica?

Answer 8

Damage to the infrapatellar branch of the saphenous nerve due to mild trauma or knee operations

Question 9

Describe the symptoms of gonyalgia paresthetica

Answer 9

sensory loss in a several centimeter diameter patch below the knee with intermittent lancinating pains

Question 10

A reduced or absent ______ sensory response will also help confirm the presence of a femoral neuropathy

Answer 10

saphenous

Question 11

What is the prognosis for incomplete femoral nerve injuries?

Answer 11

good

Question 12

What factor is associated with prognosis?

Answer 12

estimate of axonal loss