Advanced Hirayama disease with successful improvement of activities of daily living by operative reconstruction

Intern Med. 2004 Jan;43(1):79-81. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.43.79.

Abstract

Juvenile muscular atrophy of the distal upper extremity (Hirayama disease) is a benign and non-progressive motor neuron disease. Application of a cervical collar is believed to prevent progression of symptoms in the early stages, but there is no effective therapy for the advanced disease. We found that tendon transfer improved the activities of daily living (ADL) of a patient with advanced Hirayama disease. An operative reconstruction can be valuable, even in patients with Hirayama disease who have developed impaired ADL due to extensive intrinsic hand muscle atrophy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Activities of Daily Living*
  • Adult
  • Hand Deformities, Congenital / diagnosis
  • Hand Deformities, Congenital / surgery*
  • Hand Strength
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Plastic Surgery Procedures / methods
  • Prognosis
  • Range of Motion, Articular / physiology
  • Recovery of Function
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood / diagnosis*
  • Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood / surgery*
  • Tendon Transfer / methods*
  • Treatment Outcome