Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30903414›Full record

ReviewNeurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology2019

Neurosurgical treatment of leprosy neuropathy in a low-incidence, European country.

Alberto Balestrino, Pietro Fiaschi, Niccolò Riccardi, Marco Camera, Pasquale Anania, Carlo Martinoli, Sergio Gennaro

Abstract readReview
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In one paragraph

Review in Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Alberto BalestrinoDivision of Neurosurgery, Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), Ospedale Policlinico San Martino-IST, University of Genoa, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy. alberto.balestrino@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0233-1992
Pietro FiaschiDivision of Neurosurgery, Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), Ospedale Policlinico San Martino-IST, University of Genoa, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
Niccolò RiccardiInfectious Diseases Unit, Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), Ospedale Policlinico San Martino-IST, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
Marco CameraInfectious Diseases Unit, Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), Ospedale Policlinico San Martino-IST, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
Pasquale AnaniaDivision of Neurosurgery, Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), Ospedale Policlinico San Martino-IST, University of Genoa, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
Carlo MartinoliDepartment of Radiology, Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), Ospedale Policlinico San Martino-IST, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
Sergio GennaroDivision of Neurosurgery, Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), Ospedale Policlinico San Martino-IST, University of Genoa, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionLeprosy is nowaday increasingly encountered in non-endemic countries. Nerve involvement is common. Swelling of the nerves may lead to entrapment neuropathy causing pain and neurological deficits. Delay in diagnosis and treatment may lead to loss of chance of improvement. Surgical decompression in conjunction with medical therapy allows relief of symptoms.

methodsWe present a retrospective series of 21 patients surgically treated in our center for leprosy entrapment neuropathy. We report presentation, treatment, and outcome at follow-up including a brief literature review.

resultsTwenty-one patients were treated for nerve entrapments in four different anatomical districts. We reported good clinical outcomes mainly in motor deficits but also in improvement of sensitive deficits and pain symptoms. We did not experience surgical complications. DISCUSSION: Although there is a lack of high-quality prospective studies comparing medical and surgical treatment of leprosy neuropathy, benefits of surgery are widely reported in series and case reports from endemic countries. There is scant literature from low-incidence countries even if leprosy incidence is nowaday increasing in these countries and will likelihood further increase in the future. Our results are in line with the literature presenting good outcomes after surgery.

conclusionWe believe that a precise knowledge of the pathology and its management is crucial also for physicians who work in low-incidence countries to maximize healing chances with timely diagnosis and treatment.

Indexed as

Decompression, SurgicalFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansIncidenceItalyLeprosyMaleNerve Compression SyndromesRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeEntrapment neuropathyEpineurotomyLeprosyNeurolysis endoneural abscessSurgical decompression

Identifiers

PMID30903414

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.