Respiratory dysfunction in whiplash associated disorders (WAD) with cervical plexus syndrome – A case report
Whiplash Associated Disorders (WAD) represents a chronic post-traumatic pain syndrome from indirect flexion-extension trauma to the neck. The condition exhibits significant variability among affected individuals and can involve numerous secondary symptoms, including but not limited to myalgia, centr...
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Elsevier
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Surgery in Practice and Science |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666262025000014 |
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| author | NA Nystrom SR Daulat A Zakaria M Petersen VM Moodley LP. Champagne |
| author_facet | NA Nystrom SR Daulat A Zakaria M Petersen VM Moodley LP. Champagne |
| author_sort | NA Nystrom |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Whiplash Associated Disorders (WAD) represents a chronic post-traumatic pain syndrome from indirect flexion-extension trauma to the neck. The condition exhibits significant variability among affected individuals and can involve numerous secondary symptoms, including but not limited to myalgia, central sensitization, migraines, photophobia, jaw pain, dysphagia, joint stiffness, and tinnitus, while significant breathing problems are not commonly associated with or prominently considered in WAD.Herein, we present the diagnosis and successful surgical treatment of severe respiratory dysfunction and staccato speech in a patient with WAD, who over a period of more than ten years underwent multiple spirometry evaluations for breathing difficulties that correlated with the severity of neck pain. In 2019, his condition deteriorated, with significantly increased pain and dyspnea leading to further evaluations that included laboratory studies and consultations with specialists in neurosurgery, neurology, pulmonology, neurophysiology, ENT, general internal medicine, cardiology, radiology, speech pathology, physical medicine, orthopedic surgery, and hand surgery at three separate academic centers in Norway.Eventually, the patient was diagnosed with a condition that is regularly observed among patients referred to our office for evaluation and surgical treatment of chronic, whiplash related pain, and that we propose to label Cervical Plexus Syndrome.One year following exploration and neurolysis of sensory nerves to the right and left superficial cervical plexus, the patient remains pain free, with unimpeded speech and breathing as demonstrated by postoperative spirometry and video recordings.Although the underlying pathophysiology remains unclear, we report what we believe to be the first successful surgical treatment of serious respiratory dysfunction from pain generators in tissue that historically is considered anatomically and functionally separate from the mechanics of breathing. Further investigation will be needed to determine prevalence of respiratory dysfunction in chronic neck pain. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-690ea47628d44842a40265d593a9e0e7 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-2620 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Surgery in Practice and Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-690ea47628d44842a40265d593a9e0e72025-02-04T04:10:36ZengElsevierSurgery in Practice and Science2666-26202025-03-0120100271Respiratory dysfunction in whiplash associated disorders (WAD) with cervical plexus syndrome – A case reportNA Nystrom0SR Daulat1A Zakaria2M Petersen3VM Moodley4LP. Champagne5University of Stavanger Medical Center, Department of Hand- and Plastic Surgery, Stavanger, Norway; Clinique Bellevue, Muségate 18, Stavanger, Norway; Corresponding author.University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Arizona Center for Hand to Shoulder Surgery, Phoenix, AZ, USAClinique Bellevue, Muségate 18, Stavanger, NorwayDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, University of Stavanger Medical Center, Stavanger, NorwayArizona Center for Hand to Shoulder Surgery, Phoenix, AZ, USAArizona Center for Hand to Shoulder Surgery, Phoenix, AZ, USA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USAWhiplash Associated Disorders (WAD) represents a chronic post-traumatic pain syndrome from indirect flexion-extension trauma to the neck. The condition exhibits significant variability among affected individuals and can involve numerous secondary symptoms, including but not limited to myalgia, central sensitization, migraines, photophobia, jaw pain, dysphagia, joint stiffness, and tinnitus, while significant breathing problems are not commonly associated with or prominently considered in WAD.Herein, we present the diagnosis and successful surgical treatment of severe respiratory dysfunction and staccato speech in a patient with WAD, who over a period of more than ten years underwent multiple spirometry evaluations for breathing difficulties that correlated with the severity of neck pain. In 2019, his condition deteriorated, with significantly increased pain and dyspnea leading to further evaluations that included laboratory studies and consultations with specialists in neurosurgery, neurology, pulmonology, neurophysiology, ENT, general internal medicine, cardiology, radiology, speech pathology, physical medicine, orthopedic surgery, and hand surgery at three separate academic centers in Norway.Eventually, the patient was diagnosed with a condition that is regularly observed among patients referred to our office for evaluation and surgical treatment of chronic, whiplash related pain, and that we propose to label Cervical Plexus Syndrome.One year following exploration and neurolysis of sensory nerves to the right and left superficial cervical plexus, the patient remains pain free, with unimpeded speech and breathing as demonstrated by postoperative spirometry and video recordings.Although the underlying pathophysiology remains unclear, we report what we believe to be the first successful surgical treatment of serious respiratory dysfunction from pain generators in tissue that historically is considered anatomically and functionally separate from the mechanics of breathing. Further investigation will be needed to determine prevalence of respiratory dysfunction in chronic neck pain.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666262025000014WhiplashCervical plexus syndromePainRespiratory dysfunctionStaccato speechFluency disorder |
| spellingShingle | NA Nystrom SR Daulat A Zakaria M Petersen VM Moodley LP. Champagne Respiratory dysfunction in whiplash associated disorders (WAD) with cervical plexus syndrome – A case report Surgery in Practice and Science Whiplash Cervical plexus syndrome Pain Respiratory dysfunction Staccato speech Fluency disorder |
| title | Respiratory dysfunction in whiplash associated disorders (WAD) with cervical plexus syndrome – A case report |
| title_full | Respiratory dysfunction in whiplash associated disorders (WAD) with cervical plexus syndrome – A case report |
| title_fullStr | Respiratory dysfunction in whiplash associated disorders (WAD) with cervical plexus syndrome – A case report |
| title_full_unstemmed | Respiratory dysfunction in whiplash associated disorders (WAD) with cervical plexus syndrome – A case report |
| title_short | Respiratory dysfunction in whiplash associated disorders (WAD) with cervical plexus syndrome – A case report |
| title_sort | respiratory dysfunction in whiplash associated disorders wad with cervical plexus syndrome a case report |
| topic | Whiplash Cervical plexus syndrome Pain Respiratory dysfunction Staccato speech Fluency disorder |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666262025000014 |
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