Sciatic Neuropathies in Childhood: A Report of Ten Cases and Review of the Literature

Primary lesions affecting the sciatic nerve are uncommon, especially in children. Isolated sciatic nerve involvement was found in ten patients during an 8 1/2-year period at a metropolitan children's hospital. Etiologic mechanisms included three with compression and one each with stretch injury after operation using the lithotomy position, stretch injury after closed reduction of hip dislocation, puncture wound, lymphoma, hypersensitivity vasculitis associated with hypereosinophilia, indeterminate lesion associated with transverse myelitis, and idiopathic progressive lesion with negative findings on exploration. Neonatal injuries associated with breech delivery or intragluteal injections were not causative factors in this series. Children with sciatic neuropathies have a variable prognosis depending on the etiology. Compression was the only potentially preventable pathophysiologic mechanism.