[Femoral neuropathy after transversal suspubic laparotomies. Etiopathological explanation on the basis of an anatomical study].
OBJECTIVES: Based on a case of transient troncular femoral neuropathy after the surgical treatment of a genital prolapse in a 46-year-old woman, a study was designed to better understand the mechanism of this postoperative complication. METHODS: The consequences of different varieties of transversal laparotomies were investigated in human cadavers. RESULTS: On the basis of the data from the anatomical evaluation, the most probable etiopathogenic explanation for the complication we observed is the compression of the femoral nerve, inside the psoas muscle, by the retractor lower edge. CONCLUSION: In the reported case, the outcome was simple with full sensory and motor recovery in the lower limb. The different mechanisms potentially involved in this kind of postoperative femoral neuropathies are reviewed and discussed.