Lumbo-sacral plexus neuropathy induced by irradiation

We report the case of a 60 year-old woman who developed a slowly progressive retrograde diplegia of the lumbo-sacral plexus with mixed sensomotor losses. This occurred with a delay of 6 years after telecobalt irradiation of a pelvic squamous cell carcinoma. Extensive investigations regarding the possibility of tumour recurrence were negative. This case report is compared with the few cases irradition damage to peripheral nerves or nerve roots of the lumbo-sacral area published until now. (author)