Are there any Medical Doctors here???

Question

I was diagnosed and hospitalized with "viral encephalitis with motor nerve damage to bilateral lower extremities" in USA. I had numerous x-rays and MRI done to my knees, and all of the doctors accepted the diagnosis as it was.
I am immigrating to Australia. In the process I was required to see an orthopedic surgeon. The orthopedic surgeon laughed and said "that's unbelievable..." He also told me that there was no such diagnosis because encephalitis is a disease of the central nervous system.
My question is this: Is the diagnosis of "viral encephalitis with motor nerve damage" a valid one?

Answer 1

I am a physician and while the diagnosis is a valid one, your orthopaedic surgeon was not thinking too clearly. Viral encephalitis is indeed a disease of the central nervous system and during the course of the disease, the brain tissue in various locations maybe have been compromised...think of a cerebral vascular accident-a stroke-where blood flow has been interrupted to one area of the brain...the area of the body then becomes affected by something that happened in the brain. Fevers do the same thing as the foci of the infection has affected a specific area. The X-Rays and such were simply to estimate the extent of the damage and I am sure that they did other tests to determine the amount of function or even sensation over the lower extremities. In short your orthopaedic surgeon is badly mistaken.

Answer 2

The definition of encephalitis is "inflammation of the brain usually caused by a virus", and I don't quite see what part of that the orthopedic surgeon doesn't understand. The brain IS the central nervous system! Your CNS is responsible for innervating your muscles and sensory nerves. If any part of that is damaged, you could experience loss of sensation or (like you have) difficulties coordinating your muscle movements.

So yes, the diagnosis is certainly a valid one! It may be rare, but there is no real reason to believe why it would be impossible.

Answer 3

The word encephalitis does indeed refer to the central nervous system (CNS). The only circumstance in which it may affect areas outside the CNS is if there were permanent damage to an area of the brain which supplies nerve input to muscles. In 30 years I have never seen this happen but I suppose that anything is possible. Still - if you had a normal MRI it does not sound as if this is a possibility in your case. Enjoy your trip.

Answer 4

I am not a doctor. However, I am a Medical Laboratory Technician and I was required to do some studying on this topic.

Check out these websites:
http://www.kcom.edu/faculty/chamberlain/Website/tritzid/vrlencep.htm
http://www.reutershealth.com/wellconnected/doc96.html

I hope the information helps. Considering I am not a doctor, I am not comfortable giving a response as to how valid the diagnosis is. Sorry I couldn't provide a better answer. Best wishes and take care.

Answer 5

I'm not a dr, I am a nurse. Here is some info.
http://www.mercydesmoines.org/ADAM/WellConnected/articles/000096.asp

Answer 6

yeah i am
no i am not

sorry for distrubing u