Sleep Study Aids Diagnosis of Functional Neurologic Disorder
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A young patient had used a wheelchair for many years because of paraplegia. During a video-monitored sleep study, however, she spontaneously flexed her thigh and stretched out her legs. After she watched the recording, her symptoms slowly began to improve. Now she can walk on her own again.
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@barbien The 30-year-old patient worked as an auxiliary nurse in an intensive care unit. She reported exercising regularly. Because she had severe asthma, she was also taking corticosteroids. Because of urinary retention in conjunction with polyradicular neuropathic pain in the sacral region and discrete muscle weakness in both legs, she visited the hospital. There, an MRI scan of the spinal cord was performed, which revealed T2 hyperintensity extending from the T12 segment to the lower end of the spinal cord (medullary cone) and the nerve roots in the cauda equina, with contrast medium uptake in the T1-weighted scan.