Surgical correction of proximal femoral nerve entrapment.

BACKGROUND: Femoral nerve palsy is usually a result of trauma. Isolated femoral nerve palsy without external trauma is restricted to occasional case reports in various circumstances.

CASE DESCRIPTION: Three cases of nontraumatic femoral nerve palsy are reported who presented with pain and weakness. Symptoms were relieved by transection of the iliopectineal arch. This is believed to be a newly described syndrome. An additional case of femoral nerve entrapment following vaginal hysterectomy is described. This case presented only as a pain syndrome.

CONCLUSIONS: There is a syndrome of femoral nerve entrapment at the iliopectineal arch that can be easily relieved by sectioning of this arch, analogous to carpal tunnel syndrome. Several cases of femoral nerve palsy previously reported may be examples of this syndrome.