Subacute posttraumatic ascending myelopathy (SPAM): A potential complication of subarachnoid shunt for syringomyelia?

Context: Treatment of primary spinal syringomyelia is still controversial. Among others, shunting syrinx fluid to the subarachnoid, peritoneal or pleural space has been utilized with varying success. Shunt obstruction, migration, and infection represent the most common complications of these procedures.

Findings: The authors present the case of an 81-year-old woman who developed an unusual neurological deterioration resembling a subacute posttraumatic ascending myelopathy (SPAM) after the insertion of a syringosubarachnoid shunt for the treatment of slow-growing D10 syringomyelia.

Conclusion/Clinical Relevance: To date, no cases of SPAM secondary to the insertion of a syringosubarachnoid shunt for the treatment of syringomyelia have been reported. The potential pathogenesis related to this phenomenon is discussed.     

Arnold-ChiariI型畸形合并脊髓空洞的不同术式疗效分析

目的分析后颅窝骨性减压＋环枕筋膜松解术与后颅窝骨性减压术＋硬膜修补术两种术式在Arnold-Chiari I型畸形合并脊髓空洞患者的疗效。方法分析2008年3月至2013年3月在我院神经外科接受住院手术治疗的Amold—Chiari I型畸形患者的临床资料,根据手术方案分为A（后颅窝骨性减压＋环枕筋膜松解术）、B（后颅窝骨性减压术＋硬膜修补术）两组。结果本研究共入组患者100例,其中A组53例,B组47例。两种术式在最终手术治疗效果、术后并发症发生率、术后脊髓空洞变化方面均无显著性的差异（P均〉0．05）,术后1周A组患者的CRP（t=2．107,P=0．038）和IL-6（t=2．550,P=0．012）水平低于B组。结论在有着相同的疗效下,A组患者术后炎症指标下降速度快于B组,相对有着更好术后恢复状况。     

脊髓空洞的MRI诊断与鉴别诊断

目的分析18例各种原因所致脊髓空洞的MRI表现及鉴别诊断。方法18例脊髓空洞病例，全部病例经手术或治疗随访证实。MRI重点观察脊髓及其空洞的形态和信号特征。结果18例脊髓空洞中，脊髓肿瘤性空洞7例、Chiari畸形所致5例、创伤后空洞4例、自发性脊髓空洞2例；空洞累及颈或胸髓，空洞均位于脊髓中央管，范围从2～13个脊髓节段不等，空洞内信号变化同脑脊液。但不同原因的空洞又有各自不同的合并症或特点。结论脊髓空洞主要由于脊髓肿瘤、Chiari畸形、创伤、自发性脊髓空洞等引起，不同病因空洞的MRI表现各不相同，据此可进行鉴别诊断。     

小脑扁桃体下疝合并脊髓空洞症治疗分析

目的 探讨小脑扁桃体下疝合并脊髓空洞症的治疗.方法 回顾性分析1995年8月至2010年8月经治的29例小脑扁桃体下疝合并脊髓空洞症患者,均采用手术干预治疗,单纯行枕大孔减压术16例,行枕大孔减压加空洞-蛛网膜下腔分流术13例.术后随访6个月～3年观察治疗效果.结果 随访6个月～3年,单纯行后颅窝减压组中显效8例,有效6例,无效2例,恶化0例,总有效率为87.5％;后颅窝减压空洞-蛛网膜下腔分流组中显效6例,有效4例,无效2例,恶化1例,总有效率为76.9％,2组总有效率比较差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）.结论 手术是小脑扁桃体下疝合并脊髓空洞症的首选治疗,因下疝和空洞致脊髓受损轻者减压术后恢复较好,而脊髓受损明显者则手术效果差.     

Measuring Hand Intrinsic Muscle Strength: Normal Values and Interrater Reliability

Abstract

Background: The intrinsic musdes of the hand are of interest in spinal cord injury (SCI) and other myelopathies, because they are innervated by the most caudal cord segments innervating the upper limb. ln addition, abnormalities of the peripheral nervous system, such as peripheral nerve entrapments, often affect hand intrinsic musde strength of SCI patients. Therefore, measuring hand intrinsic strength may allow for early diagnosis of neurologic dedine.

Methods: A method was developed for measuring strength of hand intrinsic musdes with a handheld myometer. With the use of a handheld myometer, this study examined the distribution of strength measurements for second-digit abductors, fifth-digit abductors, and thumb opposers in able-bodied participants and in individuals with weakness. The quantitative measurements were compared with manual musde test scores and interrater reliability is described for these hand intrinsic strength measurements. Thirty-one able-bodied individuals participated (17 men, 14 women; mean age = 37.7 years) . ln addition, 24, patients with SCI participated (23 men, 1 woman; mean age = 53.5 years; 9 with paraplegia and 14 with tetraplegia as a primary diagnosis). The Bland-Altman method was used to test for interrater reliability.

Results: Mean strength of able-bodied participants was 5.0 kg for second-digit abduction, 3.1 kg for fifth-digit abduction, and 5.0 kg for thumb opposition, and the lower Iimits of normal were 3 .0, 1 .8, and 3.4 kg, respectively. The 95th percentile of interrater differences were 2 9.3% for second-digit abduction, 38.5% for fifth-digit abduction, and 43.7% for thumb opposition.

Condusion: Abnormal hand intrinsic strength should be suspected if values are lower than the 5th percentile values listed above or if strength change exceeds the 95th percentile for interrater differences shown above. These quantitative hand strength measurements may allow for earlier diagnosis of secondary neurologic complications and may aid in monitaring neurologic recovery in persons with SCI.     

Chiari畸形合并脊髓空洞症术中不同大小后颅窝减压窗近期疗效的比较

目的 探讨不同大小后颅窝骨性减压窗对Chiari畸形合并脊髓空洞症患者手术近期疗效的影响。方法 回顾性分析2007~2010年收治的117例Chiari畸形合并脊髓空洞症患者的临床资料,均采用环枕减压硬膜成形术,空洞横径>脊髓50%者行空洞穿刺减压术。根据后颅窝减压窗面积分为2组:Ⅰ组,87例,减压面积为12 cm2（3 cm×4 cm）;Ⅱ组,30例,减压面积<6 cm2。术后2周采用Tater评分评定疗效。结果 117例患者手术后症状均无加重,症状改善97例（82.9%）,无变化20例。Ⅰ组症状改善76例（87.4%）,Ⅱ组为21例（70%）;两组症状改善率差异显著（P<0.05）。>结论 Chiari畸形合并脊髓空洞症患者的后颅窝减压面积以不小于12 cm2的近期疗效较好。     

脊髓锐器伤患者中长期随访研究

目的:探讨脊髓锐器伤患者中长期神经功能恢复特点,为临床康复工作提供参考。方法:回顾性分析中国康复研究中心北京博爱医院2002年1月～2016年12月收治的脊髓锐器伤患者61例,其中男49例,女12例,受伤年龄28.9±11.7岁(8～53岁)。颈脊髓损伤15例,胸脊髓损伤39例,腰脊髓损伤7例,均进行了无差别的全面系统的康复治疗。平均随访时间8.6±5.4年(2～30年)。通过美国脊髓损伤协会(American Spinal CordInjury Association,ASIA)评分标准评估其伤后1个月内、2年以上神经功能恢复情况。按照运动与感觉损伤完全性与否评估伤后1个月和2年以上的损伤程度分级(ASIA impairment scale,AIS),统计各分级患者例数;并且评估伤后1个月、3个月、6个月、1年、2年以上的运动评分(ASIA motor score,AMS)、轻触觉(light touch,LT)、针刺觉(pin prick,PP),比较其与前一次随访数据的差异。同时收集患者随访期内脊髓MRI资料,观察其是否出现脊髓空洞。结果:各损伤程度AIS分级内脊髓锐器伤患者例数为,伤后1个月内A级21例、B级16例、C级7例、D级17例,受伤2年后A级16例、B级9例、C级11例、D级24例、E级1例。伤后1个月AMS、LT、PP评分分别为57.6±22.5、69.9±25.2、68.0±25.3;3个月AMS、LT、PP分数分别为60.8±23.1,71.5±25.3,70.0±25.1;6个月AMS、LT、PP分数分别为68.3±23.2、74.9±24.9、72.9±24.7;1年AMS、LT、PP分数分别为69.6±23.2、75.3±25.1、73.2±24.8;2年后分数AMS、LT、PP分别为67.9±23.4、73.7±26.1、71.7±26.2。患者受伤2年后与伤后1个月内AIS分级无统计学差异(P0.05);伤后前6个月AMS、LT、PP改变有统计学差异(P0.05),1年后与6个月时ASIA评分无统计学差异(P0.05),2年后与1年时ASIA评分无统计学差异(P0.05)。随访到完整MRI资料19例,其中6例出现脊髓空洞,脊髓空洞发生率为31.58%(6/19)。发现脊髓空洞的时间为2个月～10年。本组未发现死亡病例。结论:脊髓锐器伤患者神经功能提高多发生在伤后半年内,随时间延长神经功能各项指标改善趋于停滞,部分患者出现脊髓空洞改变。