Hereditary Neuropathy with Liability to Pressure Palsy Presenting as an Acute Brachial Plexopathy: A Lover's Palsy

Abstract

It is generally regarded that patients with hereditary neuropathy to pressure palsies, due to a deletion in the PMP22 gene, show recurrent pressure palsy and generalised peripheral neuropathy (pes cavus and hammer toes sometimes develop). Brachial plexopathy is rarely identified as a first presentation of hereditary neuropathy to pressure palsies. We describe a young man who developed a painless flail upper limb with a clinical diagnosis of a brachial plexopathy after his partner slept on his arm - a PMP22 deletion was found. His father, who had a symmetrical polyneuropathy without recurrent mononeuropathies, shared the PMP22 deletion.

Keywords

• Loverߣs palsy
• Hereditary neuropathy
• Pressure palsy
• Brachial plexopathy