Q:
What is lumbosacral plexopathy?
A:
Lumbosacral plexopathy is the injury of the nerves in the lumbar or sacral plexus (network of nerves).
The causes abound, including:
- Tumor or mass: malignant or benign.
- Infection: in the gastrointestinal tract, the urinary tract, the spine, etc.
- Trauma.
- Diabetes.
- Radiation.
- Hematoma: collection of blood outside of blood vessels.
- Vascular lesions.
- Others.
The symptom depends on the cause. Generally, it brings pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, and/or hypersensitivity.
Electromyogram (EMG), nerve conduction studies (NCS), and imaging tests (i.e. CT, MRI, ultrasound) help diagnose.
In addition, treatment is mainly up to the cause, although medications against pain and inflammation are involved as well.
Keywords: lumbosacral plexopathy; LSP.
