Banner
Abstract
Radiation-induced plexopathy
published in July - August 2020 - in Il Fisioterapista - issue n.4
Fulvia Angela Gariboldi

One of the complications of radiotherapy is persistent peripheral neuropathy. Most neurological disorders appear late and seem to be related to the fact that irradiation modifies the endothelial cells and some neural stem cells, hindering repair mechanisms.
Post-actinal plexopathy is a form of mixed neuropathy, i.e. sensory-motor neuropathy, following radiation treatment, with symptoms appearing at a delay of 6 months to 20 years for brachial plexus plexopathy and 2-16 years later for lumbosacral plexopathy. They are due to direct histochemical and indirect histochemical direct toxic damage from neural and perineural fibrosis secondary to microvascular insufficiency. Pharmacological treatment is the first and indispensable therapy for the treatment of pain, but interventions in rehabilitation are equally important in order to contain the damage and facilitate the recovery of residual function.