Kian Boon Wong , Chan S.A.

Neurosurgical Department, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZN, UK
Author    Correspondence author
International Journal of Clinical Case Reports, 2014, Vol. 4, No. 1   doi: 10.5376/ijccr.2014.04.0001
Received: 18 Dec., 2013    Accepted: 02 Jan., 2014    Published: 08 Feb., 2014

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Wong and Chan, 2014, A Case Report of Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumour (Mpnst) Which Present as an Acute Traumatic Sciatic Neuropathy, International Journal of Clinical Case Reports, Vol.4, No.1 1-4 (doi: 10.5376/ijccr.2014.04.0001)

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour (MPNST) is a very rare sarcoma and it accounts for around 5% of all sarcoma. We are reporting an interesting case of sporadic MPNST at the proximal sciatic nerve which concealed as a traumatic cause of sciatic neuropathy and foot drop. A 59 year old Caucasian lady presented with a constant paraesthesia and pain at her left hip after she had a fall. On examination, there was marked neurological impairment along the L4, L5 and S1 distribution. A MRI of the pelvis was performed. It revealed a large soft tissue mass at the centre of the left buttock arising from the proximal sciatica nerve. The biopsy result revealed the diagnosis of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour (MPNST). She underwent a complete resection of tumour with clear margins of the tumour. A vigilance MRI examination was performed 5 months post-operatively and no evidence suggesting of local recurrences. However, 10 months after the operation a surveillance CT scan was performed and it revealed presence of pulmonary metastases. MPNST is a heterogenous group of tumour arising from the Schwann cells or the perineural cells. The presentation is usually subtle and invariably leads to a late diagnosis of the disease. The prognosis is often poor. The mainstay of treatment is surgical resection. However, despite complete resection, the tumour can recur and metastasis. A continuous paraesthesia and pain along nerve root must raise the suspicion among clinicians about the possibility of extraspinal causes of sciatica.

 

MPNST; Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour; Sciatica; Foot drop