BACKGROUND: Herpes zoster affects essentially sensory fibres with segmental distribution. Abdominal wall paresis is a rare complication. AIMS OF THE STUDY: We present the case of a 72 year-old man with herpes zoster infection in T11-T12 left dermatomes and segmental abdominal wall protrusion. METHODS: Electromyography (EMG) and dermatomal somatosensory evoked potentials (DSEPs) were performed 27 days after symptoms onset. RESULTS: EMG confirmed acute axonal lesion in left external oblique muscle and left paraspinal muscles at T11-T12 level and DSEPs assessed topographic distribution: there was no response in the left side at T12 dermatome. Three months following the onset of shingles, the abdominal wall protrusion had completely resolved. CONCLUSIONS: Neurophysiological examination, including EMG and DSEPs, confirms motor and sensory loss in this unusual post-herpetic complication.
BACKGROUND: Herpes zoster affects essentially sensory fibres with segmental distribution. Abdominal wall paresis is a rare complication. AIMS OF THE STUDY: We present the case of a 72 year-old man with herpes zoster infection in T11-T12 left dermatomes and segmental abdominal wall protrusion. METHODS: Electromyography (EMG) and dermatomal somatosensory evoked potentials (DSEPs) were performed 27 days after symptoms onset. RESULTS: EMG confirmed acute axonal lesion in left external oblique muscle and left paraspinal muscles at T11-T12 level and DSEPs assessed topographic distribution: there was no response in the left side at T12 dermatome. Three months following the onset of shingles, the abdominal wall protrusion had completely resolved. CONCLUSIONS: Neurophysiological examination, including EMG and DSEPs, confirms motor and sensory loss in this unusual post-herpetic complication.