Herpes zoster is primarily a disease of sensory portion of the nervous system and one of motor portion as well. Herpes zoster radiculopathy can be usually easily diagnosed in the presence of previous history of the characteristic cutaneous
eruptions.
Motor involvement dose not always coincide in location with the cutaneous lesions. Along with the radicular distribution of pain, motor neuron involvement can mimic other clinical conditions such as disc herniation, tumor infiltration, or
infection,
Even if the diagnosis of herpes zoster radiculopathy may be delayed, it must be put off until any other diseases or underlying causes are ruled out, especially in case motor symptoms and signs are major clinical features, or there is a
topographic
dissociation between dermatomes and myotomes involved. We report a patient with spinal cord tumor revealed in the evaluation and management of herpes zoster-related radiculopathy. (Korean J Anesthesiol 1996; 30:224~227)
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