Sciatic neuropathy secondary to a uterine fibroid: a case report

Lesions of the sciatic nerve outside the pelvis have been well described. Lesions within the pelvis, however, are far less common. We report the case of a 55-yr-old woman with a history of chronic low back pain who presented with progressive right buttock and posterolateral right lower limb pain associated with right foot numbness and tingling. She denied any associated low back or left lower limb pain. The patient was initially treated for a probable right lumbosacral radiculopathy, without improvement. A subsequent magnetic resonance image of the lumbosacral spine revealed multilevel disc degeneration at L3-4 through L5-S1, without disc herniation or canal stenosis. A magnetic resonance image of the pelvis revealed a markedly enlarged uterus, with a large pedunculated myoma impinging on the right sciatic foramen. The patient underwent a subtotal abdominal hysterectomy, with resolution of her right lower limb pain. This case illustrates the importance of considering intrapelvic causes of sciatic neuropathy. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of sciatic neuropathy secondary to a uterine fibroid.