A unique case of pure lateral spinal cord herniation

BackgroundSpinal cord herniation (SCH) remains a challenging diagnosis for neuroradiologists and may require treatment challenging for neurosurgeons. Most cord herniations are usually found at anterior thoracic levels.Clinical presentationA 28-year-old woman presented at our department with a 7-year history of progressive myelopathy. MR analysis showed a displacement of the spinal cord in a lateral thoracic dural defect. The herniated cord was released using a microscope and the patient significantly recovered 6 months after surgery.ConclusionWe present a unique case of pure lateral SCH. In the light of reviewed literature and operative findings, the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms are discussed.     

Extensor hallucis longus muscle contracture after distal tibial physeal injury: A report of two cases

Few studies have reported about isolated contracture in the extensor hallucis longus (EHL) muscle, but none of the EHL muscle contracture after distal tibial physeal injury. Two such cases in 16- and 14-year-old boys who underwent surgeries for distal physeal injury of the tibia at a previous hospital are presented. Extension contracture of the hallux appeared 1–2 months post-surgery. Physical examinations revealed that the extension contracture of the first metatarsophalangeal joint was aggravated in plantar flexion of the ankle due to a tenodesis effect, and magnetic resonance imaging showed atrophy and signal changes in the anterior compartment muscles. This was diagnosed as EHL muscle contracture due to anterior compartment syndrome (ACS) after distal tibial physeal injury. The EHL tendon transfers were performed in both cases, with favorable short-term results. Therefore, the EHL tendon transfer might be preferable in case of the EHL muscle contracture due to partial ACS.     

Early life Adversity,functional connectivity and cognitive performance in Schizophrenia: The mediating role of IL-6

ObjectiveExposure to childhood trauma (CT) is associated with cognitive impairment in schizophrenia, and deficits in social cognition in particular. Here, we sought to test whether IL-6 mediated the association between CT and social cognition both directly, and sequentially via altered default mode network (DMN) connectivity.MethodsThree-hundred-and-eleven participants (104 patients and 207 healthy participants) were included, with MRI data acquired in a subset of n = 147. CT was measured using the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ). IL-6 was measured in both plasma and in toll like receptor (TLR) stimulated whole blood. The CANTAB emotion recognition task (ERT) was administered to assess social cognition, and cortical connectivity was assessed based on resting DMN connectivity.ResultsHigher IL-6 levels, measured both in plasma and in toll-like receptor (TLR-2) stimulated blood, were significantly correlated with higher CTQ scores and lower cognitive and social cognitive function. Plasma IL-6 was further observed to partly mediate the association between higher CT scores and lower emotion recognition performance (CTQ total: β_indirect −0.0234, 95% CI: −0.0573 to −0.0074; CTQ physical neglect: β_indirect = −0.0316, 95% CI: −0.0741 to −0.0049). Finally, sequential mediation was observed between plasma IL-6 levels and DMN connectivity in mediating the effects of higher CTQ on lower social cognitive function (β_indirect = −0.0618, 95% CI: −0.1523 to −0.285).ConclusionThis work suggests that previous associations between CT and social cognition may be partly mediated via an increased inflammatory response. IL-6′s association with changes in DMN activity further suggest at least one cortical network via which CT related effects on cognition may be transmitted.     

侧裂区病变周围水肿对术中脑膨出的影响

目的 探讨侧裂区病变周围水肿对术中急性脑膨出的影响。方法 回顾性分析2016年3月至2020年9月手术治疗的68例侧裂区病变的临床资料。结果 68例中，无-轻度周围水肿25例，中-重度周围水肿43例。中-重度周围水肿术中脑膨出发生率（60.5%，26/43）明显高于无-轻度周围水肿（24.0%，6/25；P<0.05）。多因素logistic回归分析表明，中-重度水肿是侧裂区病变发生术中脑膨出的独立危险因素（OR=3.07; 95% CI 1.06~14.52；P=0.040）。结论 周围周水肿是引起侧裂区病变术中急性脑膨出的重要原因，临床应充分重视，采取有效措施缓解周围水肿，可以有效避免或减少术中脑膨出。     

侧卧位无牵引床髓内钉固定在股骨粗隆下骨折治疗中的应用

目的 探讨侧卧位无牵引床髓内钉固定在股骨粗隆下骨折治疗中应用的效果。方法 回顾性研究。纳入2015年11月-2018年7月五河县人民医院骨科收治的34例股骨粗隆下骨折患者的临床资料。其中男20例、女14例,年龄23~83(61.7±12.7)岁;SeinsheimerⅡA型5例、ⅡB型4例、ⅡC型7例、ⅢA型3例、ⅢB型5例、Ⅳ型6例、Ⅴ型4例;受伤至手术时间1~12(7.0±1.9)d。患者均在C臂X线机透视下,采用侧卧位无牵引床闭合复位髓内钉固定治疗。记录患者术前体位摆放时间、手术操作时间、术中失血量、术中X线透视次数、骨折复位质量、术后并发症及骨折愈合时间;术后定期随访,记录并比较术后1、6个月及末次随访时髋关节疼痛视觉模拟评分(VAS)、髋关节功能Harris评分,末次随访根据Harris评分评价关节功能。结果 患者体位摆放时间5~11(7.7±1.6)min,手术时间为29~82(60.3±10.9)min,术中失血量为45~350(212.3±57.8)mL,术中透视次数为18~53(33.8±7.3)次。术后即刻摄片,骨折复位质量获解剖复位13例,可接受的复位21例。术后患者切口均一期愈合,未发生感染、深静脉血栓形成、内固定失败。34例患者均获随访,随访时间12~48(22.4±7.7)个月。骨折愈合时间为4~12(5.8±1.7)个月。1例Seinsheimer Ⅳ型患者术后7个月仍未骨愈合,取自体髂骨植骨处理,二次术后3个月愈合。术后1、6个月及末次随访时患者髋关节疼痛VAS评分依次为(4.76±0.96)、(1.91±0.79)和(0.97±0.63)分,Harris评分依次为(74.35±5.83)、(78.79±6.31)和(85.76±6.53)分,差异均有统计学意义(P值均＜0.05)。末次随访髋关节功能优11例、良20例、可2例、差1例,优良率达91.2%。结论 侧卧位无牵引床髓内钉固定治疗股骨粗隆下骨折,方法简便、微创,能够取得满意的手术效果,适合在基层医院应用推广。     

Influence of using knee sleeve and lateral wedge insole on knee loading among healthy individuals during stair negotiation

BackgroundFor individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA), stair negotiation is a challenging task and the first task during which they report pain due to the high knee loading required. The use of lateral wedge insole (LWI) has been found to reduce loading in patients with OA but not to reduce pain, whereas the use of knee sleeve has been shown to result in good pain reduction. Understanding the effect of combining LWI and knee sleeve use on healthy individuals before testing on individuals with knee OA is an important step.Research questionThe current study aimed to evaluate the effect of combining the use of LWI and knee sleeve and compare the results with the application of each treatment separately and with the control condition.MethodsThis randomised cross-over study included 17 healthy participants who underwent 3D gait analysis. Participants performed ascending and descending stair activities with the following four treatment conditions: five-degree LWI, off-the-shelf knee sleeve, both LWI and knee sleeve and control condition. External knee adduction moment (EKAM) and knee frontal plane range of motion (ROM) were evaluated as primary outcomes. Repeated measure ANOVA or the Friedman test was selected based on meeting the assumption followed by multiple pairwise comparisons with Bonferroni correction.ResultsIn general, the use of LWI reduced the first peak EKAM significantly (p < 0.001) compared to the control condition in stir ascending (12% reduction) but not in stair descending (p > 0.05). Interestingly, knee sleeve use did not result in any reduction in the first peak EKAM compared to the control or any other condition. However, knee sleeve use led to a significant reduction in the knee frontal plane ROM during stair descending. The combined treatment was not superior to the LWI use when compared to control in the EKAM reduction.SignificanceCombined knee sleeve and LWI use was not superior to LWI use alone in reducing the knee loading, but it may be beneficial for individuals with knee OA since it helped in reduction of the knee frontal plane ROM during stair descending. Importantly, the effect of LWI use or any other treatment must be investigated for each different activity, and the results found in one activity must not be generalised across other activities.     

Predictive value of intraoperative blink reflex monitoring for surgical outcome during microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm

ObjectiveTo investigate the prognostic and predictive value of intraoperative blink reflex (BR) monitoring during microvascular decompression (MVD) for hemifacial spasm (HFS).MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed 41 patients with HFS undergoing MVD with intraoperative BR and lateral spread response (LSR) monitoring. Facial spasm was evaluated for six months postoperatively.ResultsThe BR resolved in 38 patients and persisted in three after MVD. For patients who exhibited BR resolution, 1-day, 1-month, and 6-month follow-ups revealed that 35 (92.1%), 35 (92.1%), and 38 (100%) patients had spasm resolution, respectively. However, of the three patients with persistent BR, one (33.3%), one (33.3%), and zero (0%) patients exhibited spasm resolution at the three corresponding follow-ups. We found a statistically significant difference in spasm resolution between the persistent and resolved BR groups at six months postoperatively. A comparison between intraoperative BR and LSR monitoring revealed that BR was a better predictor of clinical outcomes.ConclusionsIntraoperative BR monitoring is a potentially useful tool to help facilitate an adequate decompression and is a reliable prognostic predictor of surgical outcome.SignificanceThis study is the first to document the relationship between intraoperative BR monitoring and surgical outcome in patients with HFS.