Ischaemic monomelic neuropathy of the lower limb

Abstract

Background: Ischaemic mononeuropathy (IMN) is a rarely reported type of peripheral neuropathy secondary to an ischaemic injury, due to a complication of haemodialysis access. Although underreported, this phenomenon typically occurs in diabetic patients and may reflect the predisposition to neuropathic injury on a background of chronic deleterious changes in the microvasculature in diabetes. It is characterised by mononeuropathic features such as paraesthesia, pain and motor weakness and usually is reported as a rare complication of brachiocephalic fistula. We report a case of IMN which occurred in a patient with end-stage diabetic nephropathy following polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) graft placement in the groin as vascular access for haemodialysis.