Isolated brachialis wasting: An unusual presentation of neuralgic amyotrophy

Although neuralgic amyotrophy can selectively affect discrete components of the brachial plexus including individual peripheral nerves, involvement of an individual nerve fascicle is rare. Discrete fascicular musculocutaneous neuropathy as a manifestation of neuralgic amyotrophy has not previously b een reported to our knowledge. We report two cases of otherwise typical neu ralgic amyotrophy with isolated brachialis muscle wasting. Abnormal spontan eous activity, motor unit remodeling, or both, was observed only in the bra chialis muscle. Lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve conduction studies wer e normal. These cases serve to broaden the spectrum of the clinical present ation of neuralgic amyotrophy. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.