Anomalies de l’équilibre hydrosodé

Water balance control is aimed at normalizing cellular hydration, and sodium balance control at normalizing extracellular volume. Water balance control is based on the regulation of body fluid tonicity, while the control of sodium balance is based on the regulation of effective arterial volume. Disorders of water balance act on cellular hydration: primary disorders induce a proportional change in tonicity; secondary disorders are induced by a change in tonicity or effective arterial volume. Disorders of sodium balance act on extracellular volume: primary disorders of sodium balance induce a change in effective arterial volume; secondary disorders are induced by a change in effective arterial volume. Physical examination of the patient allows assessing the extracellular volume and the severity of the sodium balance disorder. Natremia – that generally reflects tonicity – allows to assess cellular hydration and to determine the type of water balance disorder. In the case of natremia disturbance, the assessment of both the tonicity and the extracellular volume allows the determination of the type of water and/or sodium balance disorder that is necessary for prescribing the adequate therapy.     

Main de l’hémiplégique

The hemiplegic hand is a spastic and paralytic hand due to central neurological lesions. Two completely different types must be distinguished: the hand of the child with cerebral palsy which is the subject of almost all the studies on surgery of the hemiplegic hand, and the hand of the brain damaged adult (after vascular hemiplegia or brain traumatism). In this second type, the indications in a functional aim are very rare, due to the associated cerebral disorders. However, the indications in a hygienic or aesthetic aim are common and make this surgery, which is not very well known and which can greatly improve the global functions of these patients, a winning surgery. The surgical indications are based on a specific clinical study of the hand completed by the use of anaesthetic blocks, electromyographic studies and use of botox. Apart from this lesional study, they must take into consideration general and cognitive conditions. It is thus possible to distinguish two types of hands: the “Potentially Functional Hand” which can recover after treatment its functional possibilities which will never be total but will be useful, and the “Potentially Non Functional Hand” which will remain functionally unusable. The aim of this surgery is to correct muscular disorders between agonist and antagonist and the osteo-articular deformations that they bring about. For this, the nerve can be treated (hyponeurotisation, neurectomy, neuro-surgery) or on the muscle by relaxing the agonist muscles (muscular disinsertion, tendon lengthening…) or by strengthening the action of the antagonist muscles by tendon transfers. The articular stabilisation of the wrist, of the digital chains and of the thumb in a good position can be performed by arthrodesis or tenodesis.     

Une lésion pigmentée du pied

Bowen’s disease (BD) is a precancerous condition of skin and/or mucosa with a predilection towards sunexposed areas. Here we present a case of pigmented Bowen’s disease on the sun-protected site of the body mimicking malignant melanoma.     

Fracture ostéoporotique de l’apophyse odontoïde révélée par une manipulation cervicale

Osteoporotic vertebral fractures selectively affect the thoracolumbar junction, usually sparing the cervical spine. A 65-years-old woman with documented osteoporotic fractures and chronic alcohol abuse presented with neck pain and occipital neuralgia that started after she suddenly flexed then extended her neck. Following several sessions of cervical manipulation, her pain became more severe, and she was admitted. Imaging studies showed multiple fractures in the dens, C6, and C7. These apparently spontaneous fractures suggested a bone tumor, for which investigations were negative. Osteoporosis was the only identifiable cause. The spinal manipulations probably worsened the lesions; they were performed by a chiropractor who was not a physician and did not obtain cervical spine radiographs before treating the patient. Osteoporosis contra-indicates spinal manipulation at any level, including the cervical spine.