Diabetic amyotrophy and idiopathic lumbosacral radiculoplexus neuropathy
- Paul T Twydell, DO
Paul T Twydell, DO
- Associate Professor
- Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Lumbosacral plexopathies represent a distinct group of disorders of the peripheral nervous system due in part to their anatomic location, rarity, and wide array of etiologies (table 1). The most common causes of lumbosacral plexopathy are diabetic amyotrophy and the clinically similar condition of idiopathic (nondiabetic) lumbosacral radiculoplexus neuropathy.
This topic will review diabetic amyotrophy and idiopathic lumbosacral radiculoplexus neuropathy. Other conditions affecting the lumbosacral plexus are discussed separately. (See "Lumbosacral plexus syndromes".)
The types of neuropathy associated with diabetes are reviewed elsewhere. (See "Epidemiology and classification of diabetic neuropathy".)
Diabetic amyotrophy  is also known as Bruns-Garland syndrome [1-3], diabetic myelopathy , proximal diabetic neuropathy , diabetic polyradiculopathy , diabetic motor neuropathy , diabetic radiculoplexopathy , diabetic lumbosacral plexopathy , and diabetic lumbosacral radiculoplexus neuropathy .
Diabetic amyotrophy is not a pure lumbosacral plexopathy because it also affects the lumbosacral nerve roots and peripheral nerves [10,11]. The extensive list of monikers for this condition reflects the debate regarding its neuroanatomic localization .
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