Sciatalgia in a patient with a rare peripheral nerve sheath tumor: Differential diagnosis [Nadir gözlenen periferal sinir ki{dotless}li{dotless}f tümörlü hastada siyatalji]

Peripheral schwannomas may mimic lumbar discopathy, and may constitute an important cause of undefined radicular pain. A 64 year-old-woman complained of worsening intermittent, severe pain, and weakness in her feet. We have observed brightness around the sciatic nerve and a tumor was detected in the nerve sheath. Patient had severe neuropathic pain in her right leg in the postoperative period. After the failure of pharmacological treatment for neuropathic pain, nerve blocks were performed to lumbar sympathetic and dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Relief of pain lasted short after the DRG blockade, thus placement of a spinal cord stimulator (SCS) was planned. Eighty percent pain reduction was achieved with the application of SCS test electrode, therefore a SCS was implanted. The management of neuropathic pain was carried out with pain treatment according to the algorithm. In conclucion, interventional pain treatments should be kept in mind in similar cases. © 2011 by Türkiye Klinikleri.