Parsonage-Turner syndrome following COVID-19 infection: a report of three cases

Parsonage-Turner Syndrome (PTS), previously referred to as neuralgic amyotrophy or idiopathic brachial plexopathy, is a rare neurological syndrome characterized by an abrupt onset of shoulder pain followed by neurological deficits of motor weakness, numbness, and muscular atrophy. Although the pathophysiology and specific cause of PTS remain unclear, it has been reported following trauma, vaccination, surgical procedures and viral infection. Our practice has seen an increase in the incidence of PTS with the COVID-19 pandemic. We aim to describe three cases of patients found to have PTS shortly after proven infection with COVID-19 during the Omicron surge.Three patients developed symptoms of PTS within a few weeks of having COVID-19. All three cases had normal imaging and an EMG that diagnosed PTS. The first is a 23-year-old male who developed weakness and shoulder pain two weeks after his COVID-19 diagnosis. The second was a 58-year-old male who was intubated with COVID-19 pneumonia and woke up with extreme weakness and pain in his left arm. The final case was a 76-year-old male with a remote history of a left total shoulder arthroplasty who also developed acute pain and weakness soon after testing positive for COVID-19. All three patient's symptoms and clinical exam have been improving.In this report, we presented three patients who developed PTS soon after being diagnosed with COVID-19 during the omnicron surge. As we learn more about the COVID-19 virus and its effects on the musculoskeletal system, efficient diagnosis and multidisciplinary treatment of Parsonage-Turner Syndrome will become increasingly valuable to physicians and patients.