Vestibular Function Measurement Devices

Vestibular function laboratories utilize a multitude of diagnostic instruments to evaluate a dizzy patient. Caloric irrigators, oculomotor stimuli, and rotational chairs produce a stimulus whose accuracy is required for the patient response to be accurate. Careful attention to everything from cleanliness of equipment to threshold adjustments determine on a daily basis if patient data are going to be correct and useful. Instrumentation specifications that change with time such as speed and temperature must periodically be checked using calibrated instruments.     

Outcome of isolated posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction at mean 6.3-year follow up: a consecutive case series

Objectives: There is a paucity of reporting on surgical outcomes of isolated posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (PCLR). We hypothesize that isolated PCL injuries failing nonoperative treatment achieve good outcomes and are able to return to sport following PCLR.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed to identify patients with isolated PCL injuries that underwent reconstruction between 2001 and 2014. Patients with multi-ligamentous injury or another concomitant knee pathology were excluded. Medical records were reviewed for demographic, clinical and operative data. Patients were contacted for administration of a telephone-based questionnaire which included the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) Subjective Knee Evaluation form, Lysholm-Tegner scales, Marx activity scale (MAS), return to sport status, and patient satisfaction instruments.

Results: A total of 15 isolated PCL reconstructions in 14 patients with a mean age of 27.5 years (range 17–43) met the study inclusion criteria; mean follow up was 6.3 years (range 1.4–15.2). Pre-operatively, the primary complaint was knee instability in all patients; on physical examination, lack of a firm end point during posterior drawer testing was found in 93% (14/15) of the knees. In total, 12 of 15 knees underwent transtibial, single-bundle PCLR and three of 15 underwent tibial inlay, double bundle PCLR. Graft types included: quadriceps autograft (7/15), Achilles allograft (6/15), and hamstring autograft (2/15). There were no graft failures in our patient cohort. At most recent follow up the mean scores respectively on the IKDC form, Lysholm-Tegner scales and MAS were (standard deviation): 77.3 (16.5), 83.1 (17.9), 6.13 (2.6), and 7.1 (6.0). All fourteen patients were athletes prior to their injury and 79% (11/14) returned to sport and overall patient satisfaction was 9.2/10.

Conclusions: Isolated PCLR provides good outcomes at mean medium-term follow up with restoration of function, high rate of return to sport and overall patient satisfaction.     

Malignant schwannoma in the posterior tibial nerve

Our group have studied a patient affected by a malignant schwannoma in the posterior tibial nerve. Schwannomas are uncommon neoplasms that originate from the Schwann cells of the peripheral nerves: the most common forms are benign. Malignant transformation is rarer. The therapy is surgical and the operation undertaken, if possible, should be the amputation. Alternatively, where amputation is not possible due to the specific localisation or due to patient refusal, the alternative must be the largest and most radical excision possible.     

Dopaminergic transmission in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus to produce acupuncture analgesia in correlation with the pituitary gland

Acupuncture analgesia (AA) caused by low frequency stimulation of the acupuncture point (AP) was abolished by hypophysectomy and adrenalectomy. Termination of the AA producing pathway from the AP to the pituitary gland was in the medial hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (M-HARN). The origin of the descending pain inhibitory system associated with AA was in the posterior HARN (P-HARN). AA in the hypophysectomized rats, and enhanced neuronal activity in the P-HARN that were abolished during acupuncture stimulation, were both restored by intraperitoneal microinjection of 0.5 mg/kg morphine or 0.1 micrograms beta-endorphin into the P-HARN during acupuncture stimulation. Of the analgesia produced by dopamine or beta-endorphin injected into the P-HARN, that caused by beta-endorphin disappeared after denervation of the M-HARN. The P-HARN neurons that responded to acupuncture stimulation also responded to iontophoretic dopamine, but not to iontophoretic morphine nor ultramicroinjected beta-endorphin. The transmission between the M-HARN and P-HARN may be dopaminergic, and beta-endorphin might presynaptically modulate this transmission. Reduction of sodium ions may have been the reason for abolition of AA after adrenalectomy.     

腰椎节段形态对峡部、小关节应力及小关节接触力影响的有限元分析

目的:探讨腰椎形态结构变化对峡部裂性滑脱及小关节退变的作用和意义。方法:采用改良的“非种子区域分割方法”及非平行“最佳切割平面”等一系列新型计算机辅助设计(CAD)方法精确建立包括椎间盘高度、腰椎小关节角、椎间盘前凸角改变的L4~L5活动节段有限元模型;在2700N轴向压缩载荷条件下,分别对各有限元模型的峡部、小关节应力、小关节接触力以及椎间盘负载进行测试。结果:压缩载荷下,腰椎活动节段峡部、小关节等效应力及小关节接触力随椎间盘高度的减小而减小,随小关节角的增大而增加,随椎间盘前凸角的增加而减小。结论:椎间盘高度、腰椎小关节角、椎间盘前凸角等形态结构变化对腰椎节段有限元模型的峡部、小关节应力及小关节接触力有明显的影响。提示腰椎峡部应力性骨折及小关节退变的发生与椎间盘高度、腰椎小关节角、椎间盘前凸角等解剖形态因素有关。     

后纵隔巨大甲状腺乳头状癌一例

患者女,48岁。两年前无明显诱因出现轻微进食梗噎感,抬头时加重,未予治疗。近半年,梗噎感加重,并出现胸闷、咳嗽,痰中带血,遂来我院就诊。胸部CT显示:左后纵隔食管后方见一长条形低密度影,密度不均,其上方见环形斑     

上胸椎骨折手术治疗方法的探讨

目的 探讨上胸椎骨折的特点及治疗。方法 15例病人按AO分型，A型2例、B型10例、C型3例。均经后路切开复位、脊髓减压、长节段内固定、取髂骨植骨融合术治疗。结果 随访18-24个月，后路长节段固定随访时无一例失败，完全瘫的患者9例中有1例神经功能改善I级．不完全瘫的5例均有Ⅲ级改善，1例无神经损伤。结论 上胸椎骨折损伤严重，后路长节段固定技术是一种合理的有效治疗方法。     

平板运动试验阴性患者最大ST/HR斜率对冠心病的诊断价值

目的探讨平板运动试验阴性患者最大ST/HR斜率对冠心病的诊断价值.方法选择122例平板运动试验阴性而临床有明显冠心病指征的患者进行冠状动脉造影,测定其最大ST/HR斜率.结果平板运动试验阴性患者最大ST/HR斜率诊断冠心病的敏感性为68.2%,特异性为80.8%,准确性为76.2%;运动峰值心率＜预计最大心率之85%组最大ST/HR斜率诊断冠心病的敏感性为92.8%,特异性为86.7%,准确性为89.7%,高于运动峰值心率≥预计最大心率之85%组.结论平板运动试验阴性患者最大ST/HR斜率对冠心病的临床诊断有较高的敏感性、特异性和准确性,尤其是对低运动水平的患者,对减少运动试验诊断的漏诊率具有重要意义.     

大龄腭裂患者的手术治疗方法与语音治疗效果的对比研究

目的 对单纯行裂隙关闭术和同期行咽后壁咽成形术的大龄腭裂患者,术前、术后发音效果进行检测分析和对比研究,评定手术的治疗效果.方法 对24例同期行腭裂关闭术及咽后壁组织瓣咽成形术治疗和12例单纯行裂隙关闭术的大龄腭裂患者,术前、术后用鼻咽纤维镜检测其腭咽闭合情况,应用通用音频谱分析系统,对本组术后患者腭裂语音进行声学分析.结果 所有腭裂修复术后,创口均达到临床Ⅰ期愈合,语音也有不同程度改善.大龄腭裂患者采用腭裂关闭及同期咽成形术的修复组,术后发音明显优于单纯行裂隙关闭组.结论 大龄腭裂患者,采用腭裂关闭及同期咽成形术,是提高腭咽闭合和改善发音较好的手术方法.