Flail leg syndrome: a case report and literature review / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To review the clinical characteristics,diagnosis and treatment of flail leg syndrome and to promote awareness among clinicians of this disease.Methods We presented the clinical data,neural electrophysiological examination results,and cervical/lumbar MRI and follow-up results of an inpatient vith flail leg syndrome at China-Japan Union Hospital and then reviewed relevant cases reported in literature.Results The patient with flail leg syndrome had a slow and asymmetric onset of atrophy of the distal muscles and weakness in the lower limbs,gradually progressing to the proximal lower limbs while the brain stem was moderately involved.Electrophysiology displayed not only motor nerve conduction amplitudes falling more than 48％ or even disappearing in both lower limbs,but also extensive neurogenic damage in the brain stem,cervical,thoracic and lumbosacral areas.Laboratory tests showed abnormally high creatinc kinase levels.Conclusions Flail leg syndrome has been inadequately studied so far and can be easily misdiagnosed.Reviewing its characteristics should be helpful for clinicians to make the right diagnosis and prognosis.