Der Orthopäde
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Delayed lesions of the femoral or sciatic nerve are a rare complication after total hip arthroplasty. Several cases in association with cement edges, scar tissue, broken cerclages, deep hematoma, or reinforcement rings have been published. We report about a 62-year-old female who developed a pure motor paresis of the quadriceps muscle 2 weeks after total hip arthroplasty. ⋯ Electrophysiological evaluation revealed several nerve conduction blocks in physiological entrapments and the diagnosis of hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP) was established. Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP) is a rare disease with increased vulnerability of the peripheral nerve system with mostly reversible sensorimotor deficits. It should be taken into consideration in cases of atypical findings of compression syndromes of peripheral nerves or delayed neuropathy, e. g., after total hip arthroplasty.
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Regional anesthesia has its place in the perioperative pain management of orthopedic patients. A reduction in postoperative mortality and morbidity with regional anesthesia is acknowledged for subsets of patient populations. Single shot and continuous applications are techniques for providing regional analgesia. ⋯ The side effects of opioid therapy are thereby reduced. The inhibition of intraoperative stress reaction, especially with epidural anesthesia, helps to prevent or lower unwanted metabolic changes. Patient contentment with analgesic quality differs with the technique with which the regional anesthesia is applied (PDA, PCEA, IVRA, peripheral block, i.a. injection), and the medication (LA, opioid) used.
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Pharmacologic treatment options for complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) type I are discussed and drug effectiveness is graded according to the level of evidence available. Various drug strategies in the treatment of CRPS type I, i.e. NSAIDs, corticosteroids, free radical scavengers, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, local anesthetics, opioid analgesics, clonidine, capsaicin, NMDA receptor antagonists, calcitonin, bisphosphonates, GABA(B)-agonists, alpha-blockers, IVRA (bretylium/ketanserin), IVRA (clonidine), IVRSB, local anesthetics sympathetic blockade, GLOA and iloprost are discussed.