Intractable hiccup caused by spinal cord lesions in demyelination disease

Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to summarize the clinical features of patients who presented intractable hiccup (IH) without brain and medulla oblongata (MO) lesions.

Method

This study included six patients who were diagnosed with inflammatory demyelinating myelitis, categorized as neuromyelitis optica (NMO), multiple sclerosis (MS), and myelitis. Patients who presented IH with cervical lesions but without MO lesions were also included. Clinical profiles, laboratory data, and magnetic resonance imaging findings were analyzed.

Results

Three out of six patients were diagnosed with NMO, whereas the remaining three were diagnosed with acute myelitis, recurrent myelities, and MS, respectively. The duration of hiccup was from 2 to 23 days (average = 9.33 ± 8.64 days). Five patients (83.33%, patients 1–5) had long segmental lesions and one had a patchy lesion. None of these patients had any MO lesions. Half of them were successfully treated with high-dose methylprednisolone combined with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) inhibitor.

Conclusion

IH occurred in patients without MO lesion. However, the mechanism remained unclear. Immune factors of demyelinating neuropathy stimulated the hiccup reflex arch. Cervical cord lesions may activate the hiccup center. In general, IH can be controlled by IVMP combined with GABA inhibitor. Unilateral phrenic nerve block may elicit no effect.     

Epidemiology of uncontrolled epilepsy in the Al-Kharga District,New Valley,Egypt

BackgroundDespite advances in treating epilepsy, uncontrolled epilepsy continues to be a major clinical problem. Therefore, this work aimed to study the epidemiology of uncontrolled epilepsy in Al-Kharga District, New Valley.MethodsThis study was carried out in 3 stages via door-to-door screening of the total population (62,583 persons). All suspected cases of epilepsy were subjected to case ascertainment, conventional ElectroEncephaloGraphy (EEG), and the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale. Patients who had been receiving suitable anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) over the previous 6 months and were having active seizures were considered uncontrolled, according to Ohtsuka et al.²³ The patients underwent serum AED level estimation, video EEG monitoring, and brain MRIs. Fifty age- and gender-matched patients with controlled epilepsy were chosen for statistical analysis and compared with true intractable patients.ResultsA total of 437 patients with epilepsy were identified, 30.7% of whom (n = 134/437) were uncontrolled, with a prevalence of 2.1/1000. A total of 52.2% of uncontrolled patients (n = 70/134) were inappropriately treated, while 47.8% (n = 64/134) were compliant with appropriate treatments. Video monitoring EEG of compliant uncontrolled patients demonstrated that 78.1% patients (n = 50/64) had definite epilepsy, while 21.9% (n = 14/64) had psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES). A logistic regression analysis revealed that status epilepticus, focal seizures, and mixed seizure types were risk factors for intractability.     

立体定向手术干预伏隔核治疗神经性厌食症

目的通过立体定向毁损术及脑深部电刺激能有效治疗神经性厌食症。方法共8例罹患神经性厌食症的患者通过立体定向手术干预伏隔核治疗神经性厌食症（其中6例患者接受双侧伏隔核毁损术,2例患者接受双侧伏隔核脑深部电刺激）。患者术前均接受正规的抗精神类药物及心理、营养治疗无效。患者术前及术后接受BMI指数、YBOCS,HAMA,HAMD量表的测定,评价疗效。结果 8例患者术后BMI指数均得到明显改善（P〈0.01）,除1名患者外,其余患者BMI指数均大于18.5kg/m^2。接受双侧伏隔核毁损术的患者术后YBOCS,HAMA,HAMD指数均得到立即改善,接受双侧伏隔核脑深部电刺激的患者术后经过程控,各项评定也均得到有效控制。结论伏隔核是治疗神经性厌食症的有效靶点,立体定向手术干预伏隔核可有效改善神经性厌食症患者的各项症状。     

甩针挂钩法联合麦粒灸治疗顽固性周围性面瘫的临床效果观察

目的：探讨甩针挂钩法联合麦粒灸治疗顽固性周围性面瘫的临床效果。方法选取本院2013年2月~2014年10月收治的60例顽固性周围性面瘫患者作为研究对象,随机分为治疗组与对照组,各30例。治疗组采用甩针挂钩法结合麦粒灸治疗,对照组采用传统针刺治疗。比较两组的临床效果及治疗后的H-B功能评分。结果治疗组的总有效率显著高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。治疗4疗程后,治疗组治疗后的H-B功能评分显著高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论甩针挂钩法结合麦粒灸治疗顽固性周围性面瘫效果显著,既改善了患者面容的美观度,提高了患者的生存质量,又降低了面部后遗症发生率,值得临床推广应用。     

Intractable diffuse pulmonary diseases: Manual for diagnosis and treatment

This manual has been compiled by a joint production committee with the Diffuse Lung Disease Assembly of the Japanese Respiratory Society (JRS) to provide a practical manual for the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of intractable diffuse pulmonary diseases. The contents are based upon the results of research into these diseases by the Diffuse Pulmonary Diseases Study Group (principal researcher: Sakae Homma) supported by the FY2014–FY2016 Health and Labor Sciences Research Grant on Intractable Diseases.This manual focuses on: 1) pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis, 2) bronchiolitis obliterans, and 3) Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome with interstitial pneumonia. As these are rare/intractable diffuse lung diseases (2 and 3 were first recognized as specified intractable diseases in 2015), there have not been sufficient epidemiological studies made, and there has been little progress in formulating diagnostic criteria and severity scales; however, the results of Japan's first surveys and research into such details are presented herein. In addition, the manual provides treatment guidance and actual cases for each disease, aiming to assist in the establishment of future modalities.The manual was produced with the goal of enabling clinicians specialized in respiratory apparatus to handle these diseases in clinical settings and of further advancing future research and treatment.     

可调式支撑喉镜辅助治疗难治性扁桃体术后出血

目的 用可调式支撑喉镜辅助治疗由常规开口器难以处理的扁桃体术后出血,为临床提供更便捷的治疗手段。 方法 对11例扁桃体切除术后出血患者,因出血点暴露不清,改以可调式支撑喉镜辅助查找出血点并进行止血。 结果 可调式支撑喉镜视野清晰,充分地暴露隐蔽而深在的出血点,可快速止血,明显缩短在院观察时间。 结论 可调式支撑喉镜用来辅助查找扁桃体术后出血点是可靠的方法,尤其适用于位置移深、出血点暴露不清的扁桃体创面出血,为治疗扁桃体术后出血提供可选方式。     

A Novel Obturator Device for Management of Dilated Trachea-esophageal Puncture Tract Fistulas

Voice rehabilitation in laryngectomized patients by tracheoesophageal puncture is a time tested technique. In some patients the tracheoesophageal puncture gets inordinately dilated leading to leakage around the prosthesis. Most of these fistulas are managed by a variety of conservative treatments like temporary removal of prosthesis, placement of silastic ring over the prosthesis, placement of nasogastric tube and airway protection by a cuffed tracheostomy tube. Intractable fistulas are tackled by surgical closure but are fraught with failures. We hereby suggest a novel temporary obturator that can be can be easily made at a very low cost in any hospital having prosthetic rehabilitation services and obviates the need for a tracheostomy tube, nasogastric tube and repeated hospital visits.     

吗啡特殊用法治疗晚期癌痛

硬膜外腔、蛛网膜下腔、脑室内注射吗啡可以集中其脊髓吗啡受体及中枢吗啡受体作用而对顽固性癌痛有效,并且因用量减少而副作用减少,本文介绍其用法及量的滴定理论公式以及药物代谢动力学特点。