Related Experiment Videos
Lower extremity paralysis after operative laparoscopy from conversion disorder. A case report
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
The Journal of Reproductive Medicine
|October 20, 1998
Summary
This case report details a rare instance of paraplegia after gynecologic laparoscopy, ultimately diagnosed as conversion disorder. It highlights the importance of considering psychogenic causes for neurologic deficits post-surgery.
Area of Science:
- Gynecologic surgery
- Neurology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Neurologic complications are uncommon after laparoscopic procedures, typically manifesting as transient palsies.
- This report describes the first documented case of paraplegia following a gynecologic laparoscopy.
Observation:
- A 34-year-old woman developed bilateral lower extremity paralysis post-laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy.
- Neurologic examination revealed paradoxical and inconsistent sensorimotor deficits, with normal diagnostic studies.
- The patient's indifference to her symptoms suggested a non-organic etiology.
Findings:
- The diagnosis of conversion disorder was established in the absence of any identifiable organic cause for the paralysis.
- This represents a rare psychogenic neurological complication in the gynecologic surgical setting.
Implications:
- This case underscores the need to consider conversion disorder in patients presenting with unexplained neurologic deficits after gynecologic laparoscopy.
- It emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive diagnostic approach, including psychiatric evaluation, for unusual postoperative symptoms.