Night Palsy Case Studies

The patient is a 70-year-old female who presents to the emergency room complaining of wrist drop on the left side. Her medical history is significant for COPD, dyslipidemia, hypertension and probably diabetes mellitus. CT done in the ED was negative. Her neurologic exam was negative. She was admitted inpatient to rule out a CVA. She was also seen in consultation by orthopedics who felt that the left wrist drop was most likely secondary to mononeuropathy, calling it a Saturday night palsy. She was put in the left upper extremity splint with a cockup wrist splint. MRI did show some cervical stenosis from C7-T1. Further history was elicited by the neurologist that the patient had fallen asleep on the couch the day prior to presentation