Bowel dysfunction in patients with cauda equina lesions

Despite their serious sequels on bowel function, lesions of the cauda equina have not been previously systematically studied in larger patient populations. This was the aim of the present report. From the registrars of a diagnostic and rehabilitation centres 67 patients with clinical, electrodiagnostic and radiological findings supportive of the cauda equina lesions were recruited. The Slovene versions of the standard questionnaires for anal incontinence and constipation were used. The responses were scored, impairments categorized and previous treatments noted. Neurological examination, electromyography (EMG) of lumbo-sacral myotomes, quantitative anal sphincter EMG and electromyographic evaluation of the sacral reflex were performed. Severe anal incontinence/constipation was reported by 18%/0%, moderate by 36%/33%, and slight by 28%/43% of our patients. Twenty-one per cent of patients wore pads continuously and 14% occasionally. More than half of the patients (60%) reported changes in their lifestyle due to anal incontinence. No patient had completely normal findings on neurological examination. Perianal sensory loss correlated ( P  < 0.05) with anal incontinence and gender with constipation (women >men). Only two patients had received medical attention for bowel dysfunction. Study thus demonstrated significant bowel impairment in patients with lesions of the cauda equina, which has received insufficient medical attention.     

The use of coaxially aligned freeze-thawed skeletal muscle autografts in the repair of the cauda equina — in the sheep

Summary The aim was to develop a model for study of nerve regeneration in nerve roots above the level of the dorsal root ganglion and to investigate the use of freeze-thawed muscle autografts for repair of nerve roots at this level.Four adult sheep were used for the experiment. A laminectomy was performed at the lumbosacral junction and the S2 root identified. Both the dorsal and ventral S2 roots were divided unilaterally within the dura and a freeze-thawed muscle graft was inserted into the nerve gap.When assessed at 6 months an action potential was recordable from the ventral root in one sheep. Histological examination of the nerve roots showed evidence of regeneration across the graft in the ventral roots of all the sheep and the dorsal roots of some.This preliminary work indicates a capacity for regeneration of the cauda equina and that freeze-thawed muscle can support this. It provides a useful model for further study of nerve root repair.     

腰椎疾患对男性性功能影响的临床观察

目的:探讨腰椎疾患对男性性功能的影响和心理干预治疗的效果.方法:157例伴有性功能障碍的男性腰椎疾患患者分为单纯腰椎疾患组(82例,A组)和继发马尾神经综合征组(75例,B组),治疗前填写国际勃起功能指数评分表(IIEF-5)、艾森克个性问卷(EPQ),同时行球海绵体肌反射(BCR)、坐骨海绵体肌反射(ICR)、阴茎背神经体感诱发电位(SSEP)潜伏期、波幅的检测.A组患者分为对照组和心理干预组;B组患者经临床分为早、中、晚期后再分为对照组和心理干预组.对照组均给予手术治疗.心理干预组除了手术治疗外,同时给予心理干预治疗.治疗后再次采用IIEF-5和BCR、ICR、SSEP检测,并与治疗前进行统计比较.结果:A组患者性功能障碍主要为轻度勃起功能障碍(ED),而B组患者主要为重度ED.A组患者BCR、ICR、SSEP检测结果同正常值相比无显著性差异(P>0.05):心理干预组IIEF-5评分较对照组显著提高(P<0.05).B组患者中,轻度ED患者潜伏期较正常值和A组延长(P<0.05),中度ED和重度ED患者潜伏期延长更加明显(P<0.05);处于临床早期的患者心理干预治疗组性功能的改善情况好于对照组(P<0.05),但是处于临床中、晚期的患者治疗组与对照组的差异不明显(P>0.05).结论:单纯腰椎疾患及临床早期马尾神经综合征患者性功能障碍的发生主要受心理因素的影响,而中晚期马尾神经综合征患者以神经功能损伤为主.心理治疗能够改善单纯腰椎疾患及临床早期马尾综合征患者的性功能,对处于临床中、晚期的马尾神经综合征患者效果不明显.     

Conus medullaris injury following both tetracaine and lidocaine spinal anesthesia

Multiple reports of cauda equina syndrome and transient radicular nerve root irritation have suggested that lidocaine spinal anesthesia may be responsible. In this case report, a patient with a preexisting diabetic neuropathy received a partial block following a tetracaine spinal, which was followed by a lidocaine spinal. Following block resolution, a new conus medullaris syndrome was diagnosed. Because of the close proximity of the cauda equina and the conus medullaris, differentiation between these syndromes can be difficult. The preexisting diabetic neuropathy may have predisposed this patient to neurologic injury. The choice of a different local anesthetic drug with less neurotoxic potential such as bupivacaine may have prevented this injury.     

Immunohistochemical Localization of Neuropeptide Y in Nerves of the Male Genital Tract of the Photoperiodically Responsive Djungarian Hamster, Phodopus Sungoras/Immunhistochemische Lokalisation von Neuropeptid Y in Nerven der männlichen Genitalorgane des photoperiodisch sensiblen Djungarischen Zwerghamsters, Phodopus sungorus

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry in nerves of the male genital tract of Phodopus sungorus at long (LD 16:8) und short (LD 8:16) photoperiods. No immunoreactive nerve fibres could be demonstrated in the testis, caput and corpus epididymidis and the ventral prostate gland. Dense networks of NPY-containing nerve fibers were demonstrated in the smooth muscle layer of the sperm-transporting duct, beginning in the cauda epididymidis with increasing density towards the distal part of the ductus deferens, and in the smooth muscle layer of the seminal vesicles. At short photoperiods, the density of the NPY-containing nerve plexus decreased only in the smooth muscle layer of the ductus deferens. A "trophic" influence of the large smooth muscle cells of the ductus deferens on their nerves not only in regard to their noradrenaline, but also on their NPY content is discussed.     

马尾神经根松弛症诊断及治疗研究

目的 :探讨马尾神经根松弛症的诊断及治疗。方法 :对我院开展椎管造影以来 ,发现马尾神经根松弛症9例患者的临床表现、椎管造影及治疗结果进行分析。结果 :9例患者除具有腰椎管狭窄症的一般临床表现之外 ,椎管造影结果显示狭窄节段上方马尾神经根呈波浪状蛇形卷曲 ,甚至“环状”改变 ,9例患者均行手术治疗。经随访 ,除1例患者症状无明显改善外 ,均完全恢复。结论 :椎管造影是诊断马尾神经根松弛症的有效手段 ,手术外围减压及神经根粘连松解是治疗的有效方法     

The normal vascularization of the intradural filum terminale in man

Summary The arterial and venous blood-supply of the intradural filum terminale was studied microscopically in 18 fresh cadavers after removing the dorsolumbar spinal cord in one piece, with the roots and the filum in their dural sheath. The arteries were examined after manual injection of the artery of the lumbar enlargement, while study of the veins was made without injection since their bluish-black color made them easily identifiable. After gross examination, each specimen was fixed and then sectioned at 12 different levels from the medullary conus to the bottom of the dural sac for histologic study. The distribution of the vascularization the filum terminale appeared constant. A single artery, the artery of the filum, arises from the termination of the anterior spinal axis, either by trifurcation or from the proximal part of one of the 2 branches of the anastomotic ansa of the conus. The artery travels in front of the filum, with rapidly diminishing caliber; rarely, it can be followed into the sacral canal. The vein of the filum travels in front of that structure but behind the artery, as in the cord; its caliber is uniform but varies from subject to subject. It traverses the dura below and continuous with the anterior spinal vein above. No vessels were found on the dorsal aspect of the filum. While the artery of the filum is of a caliber proportional to that of the filum and appears to be a nutrient vessel, the vein has a caliber unrelated to that of the filum and appears rather as an intradural drainage route continuous with the anterior spinal vein. Several cases of disease of the filum terminale confirm this anatomic appearance and also show that, because of the existing hyperpressure in the vein of the filum, the posterior spinal vein also shares in the drainage of the latter and that entire system may function in both ascending and descending directions.

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La vascularisation normale du filum terminale intradural chez l'homme

Résumé La vascularisation artérielle et veineuse du filum terminale intradural a été étudiée sur 18 cadavres frais, sous microscope, après prélèvement en monobloc de la moelle épinière dorso-lombaire, des racines et du filum dans leur étui dural. L'examen des artères a été fait après injection manuelle de l'artère du renflement lombaire, tandis que l'étude des veines s'est faite sans injection compte tenu d'une coloration bleu-noir spontanée qui les rendent aisément identifiables. Après étude macroscopique, chaque pièce a été fixée, puis coupée à 12 niveaux différents depuis le cône médullaire jusqu'au fond du cul-de-sac dure-mérien, pour étude histologique. La distribution de la vascularisation du FT apparaît constante. Une artère unique, l'artère du FT, naît de la terminaison de l'axe spinal antérieur, soit par trifurcation, soit de la partie proximale d'une des 2 branches de l'anse anastomotique du cône. L'artère chemine devant le FT; son calibre diminue rapidement; rarement, elle a pu être suivie jusque dans le canal sacré. Une veine, la veine du FT, chemine en avant du FT mais en arrière de l'artère, comme au niveau médullaire. Son calibre est uniforme mais variable d'un sujet à l'autre. Elle traverse la dure-mère en bas; elle se continue avec la veine spinale antérieure en haut. Aucun vaisseau n'a été retrouvé à la face dorsale du FT. Si l'artère du FT a un calibre qui est proportionnel à celui du filum et apparaît comme un vaisseau nourricier, la veine a un calibre sans aucun rapport avec le volume de celui-ci et apparaît davantage comme une voie de drainage intradural en continuité avec la veine spinale antérieure. Quelques cas de pathologie du FT confirment cet aspect anatomique et montrent aussi qu'en raison de l'hyperpression veineuse régnant dans la veine du FT, la veine spinale postérieure participe également au drainage de celle-ci et que l'ensemble peut fonctionner dans les 2 sens ascendant ou descendant.

     

腰椎间盘突出症继发马尾神经综合征手术治疗的疗效

目的：研究腰椎间盘突出症继发马尾神经综合征手术治疗的疗效。方法：对６７例腰椎间盘突出症并发马尾神经综合征的患者发病因素、病程、影像学的表现特征、手术时机的选择同其治疗的随访结果进行综合分析。随访时间３个月至３．５年,平均１年４个月。结果：急性发病的患者其手术时机的选择同患者功能恢复的优良率有关,发病１周、２周、１个月、１个月以上疗效优良率分别为７２．２２％,６３．６４％,５０．００％,３３．３３％     

Cavernous angioma of the cauda equina: Report of two cases and review of the literature

Two cases of intradural cavernous angioma of the cauda equina are reported, one of which presented with symptoms of subarachnoid hemorrhage. The clinical and therapeutic aspects of intradural angiomas, in particular those of the cauda equina, are discussed.     

Paraganglioma of the Cauda Equina Region – Report of two Cases and Review of the Literature

Summary  A paraganglioma of cauda equina region is extremely rare and except for secreting tumour, the pre-operative diagnosis of paraganglioma is very difficult. Two cases of non-functional paragangliomas of the cauda equina region are reported, one was attached to the filum terminale and the other to a rootlet looking very much like a vascular neurinoma. Both were successfully removed by surgery. An extensive review of the literature permits one to find 77 other cases. The clinical, radiological, pathological (ultrastructural and immunohistochemical) features and surgical findings of all theses cases are discussed. Surgery remains the treatment of choice. No effect of radiotherapy on recurrence prevention has ever been demonstrated.