Meralgia paresthetica in children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Neurology
• Surgical Interventions

Background:

• Meralgia paresthetica is typically seen in adults, rarely reported in children.
• Delayed diagnosis in children leads to unnecessary investigations and prolonged symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the occurrence and outcomes of meralgia paresthetica in pediatric patients.
• To evaluate the efficacy of open decompression for lateral femoral cutaneous nerve in children.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of twenty children and adolescents diagnosed with meralgia paresthetica.
• Surgical decompression of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve performed on twenty-four lesions.
• Follow-up of twenty-one surgical outcomes for at least two years.

Main Results:

• The average age of symptom onset was ten years, with initial diagnosis missed in half the patients.
• Open decompression resulted in excellent outcomes (complete pain relief) in fourteen patients.
• Good or fair outcomes were achieved in seven patients, with minimal to moderate residual symptoms.

Conclusions:

• Meralgia paresthetica is likely underdiagnosed in the pediatric population.
• Open decompression of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve is an effective treatment for pediatric meralgia paresthetica.