Radiation-induced long thoracic nerve palsy.

The incidence of long thoracic nerve palsy after radical mastectomy has been documented to be approximately 10%. No cases have been reported after the more recent treatment for breast cancer, lumpectomy with axillary dissection. This more recent surgical procedure is customarily followed by aggressive radiation therapy to the remaining breast tissue. This is the first case report of a patient with radiation-induced long thoracic nerve palsy. The patient was a young woman who underwent left breast quadrantectomy and axillary dissection for breast cancer. After radiation therapy, she had isolated left long thoracic nerve palsy. The diagnosis was confirmed by electrodiagnostic studies. Almost full recovery occurred after 5 months.