Cervical spinal cord injuries in patients with cervical spondylosis

Eighty-eight patients over age 40 with traumatic cervical spinal cord injuries were clinically and radiographically evaluated, and comparison was made with 35 spinal cord injury patients under age 36. While most older patients sustained obvious bony and/or ligamentous damage commensurate with their neurologic findings, 25 (28%) of the 88 patients had no demonstrable bony abnormalities and 17 (20%) of the 88 patients had only minimal evidence of bony injury. Of particular interest are the patients with severe cord injuries, yet no bony abnormalities, who seem to form a distinct subgroup of the cervical spinal cord injury patient on the basis of radiographic and clinical features. Of these 25 patients, 24 (96%) had severe cervical spondylosis. Fourteen (56%) of the 25 patients were injured in falls, five (36%) of these 14 being of a seemingly trivial nature. Of the 42 patients with minimal or no demonstrable bony abnormalities, 33 (79%) were evaluated with plain tomography and no occult fractures or other significant pathology was demonstrated. Pantopaque myelography in 27 (64%) of the 42 cases revealed no extruded disk or other surgical lesion in any patient. In large measure, these injuries can be attributed to cervical spondylosis, which narrows the canal and makes the cord more susceptible to compression by the bulging ligamenta flava during hyperextension.     

Catheter-induced hyperreflexia in spinal cord injury patients: diagnosis by sonographic voiding cystourethrography

In part 1 of this study, 77 consecutive patients with spinal cord injuries and reflex bladders were examined by combined urodynamic studies and sonographic voiding cystourethrography. Of the 15 (19%) who had hyperreflexic bladders (reflex bladders that contracted when containing 125 ml or less), eight (53%) had catheter-induced hyperreflexia (proved by sonographic voiding cystourethrography without catheterization). The significant overdiagnosis influenced patient care because catheter-induced hyperreflexia did not require treatment, whereas primary hyperreflexia caused by lesions above T-5 always required anticholinergic therapy to prevent potentially life-threatening autonomic dysreflexia. In part 2 of this study, 116 additional spinal cord injury patients with reflex bladders were studied, although in these patients the catheter was introduced under sonographic control. Seven (6%) of these patients had hyperreflexia, but in none was the hyperreflexia catheter induced, showing that use of sonography while introducing the catheter can prevent catheter-induced hyperreflexia.     

组织工程脊髓修复脊髓损伤的研究进展

脊髓损伤可以导致损伤平面以下神经功能的破坏性丢失,严重地影响身体多个系统.脊髓损伤的效应随着损伤部位不同而不同,这是脊神经有序地按照脊髓排列的缘故.除了损伤平面以下运动功能受损,同时还伴有感觉异常.其造成的功能缺陷包括心血管系统功能、呼吸系统功能、胃肠道消化功能、排汗功能、性功能以及排尿功能,这些缺陷可继发泌尿系感染、褥疮、肌肉痉挛、慢性神经性疼痛和感觉异常等,更严重的可致命.因此,脊髓损伤成为人类急需解决的医学难题之一,至今仍困扰着无数医学工作者。     

Arterial injuries: a sonographic approach

Acute arterial emergencies can arise from direct traumatic injury to the artery or be spontaneous. This article emphasizes the various presentations of arterial emergencies. These include acute arterial occlusions; excessive bleeding; and hematoma formation caused by penetrating arterial wall injuries, pseudoaneurysms, and arteriovenous fistulas. The broad category of arterial occlusions includes traumatic lacerations, embolizations, and arterial dissections. Modern ultrasound equipment is a rapid and convenient imaging approach in many of these clinical scenarios. In combination with MR angiography and CT angiography, these noninvasive tests can diagnose the presence of most arterial injuries, and be used to measure their impact.     

Thermoregulation during exercise in individuals with spinal cord injuries

The increased participation in wheelchair sports in conjunction with environmental challenges posed by the most recent Paralympic venues has stimulated interest into the study of thermoregulation of wheelchair users. This area is particularly pertinent for the spinal cord injured as there is a loss of vasomotor and sudomotor effectors below the level of spinal lesion. Studies within this area have examined a range of environmental conditions, exercise modes and subject populations. During exercise in cool conditions (15-25 degrees C), trained paraplegic individuals (thoracic or lumbar spinal lesions) appear to be at no greater risk of thermal injury than trained able-bodied individuals, although greater heat storage for a given metabolic rate is evident. In warm conditions (25-40 degrees C), trained subjects again demonstrate similar core temperature responses to the able-bodied for a given relative exercise load but elicit increased heat storage within the lower body and reduced whole-body sweat rates, increasing the risk of heat injury. The few studies examining a wide range of lesion levels have noted that, for paraplegic individuals where heat production is matched by available sweating capacity, excessive heat strain may be offset. Studies relating to tetraplegic subjects (cervical spinal lesions) are fewer in number but have consistently shown this population to elicit much faster rates of core and skin temperature increase and thermal imbalance in both cool and warm conditions than paraplegic individuals. These responses are due to the complete absence or severely reduced sweating capacity in tetraplegic subjects. During continuous exercise protocols, the main thermal stressor for tetraplegic subjects appears to be environmental heat gain, whereas during an intermittent-type exercise protocol it appears to be metabolic heat production. Fluid losses during exercise and heat retention during passive recovery from exercise are related to lesion level. Future research is recommended to focus on the specific role of absolute and relative metabolic rates, sweating responses, training status and more sport- and vocation-specific exercise protocols.     

Cranial MR in spinal cord MS: diagnosing patients with isolated spinal cord symptoms

MR brain scans, spinal fluid electrophoresis, and evoked responses were obtained in 10 adult patients with isolated spinal cord symptoms diagnosed as possible multiple sclerosis (MS) according to the McAlpine criteria. Typical lesions of MS were found on T2-weighted MR images in six patients. Spinal fluid abnormalities were found in four. Visual-evoked responses or brainstem auditory-evoked responses were abnormal in three. MR in conjunction with spinal fluid analysis supported the diagnosis of MS in eight of 10 patients. Evoked responses appeared less sensitive than MR in identifying subclinical lesions in this population.     

The value of urethrocystography in the investigation of patients with spinal cord injury

In a review of 127 urethrocystograms carried out on 92 males with spinal cord injury the following conclusions were drawn. (1) In the presence of vesico-ureteric reflux or urethral reflux into the male adnexa, bladder outlet obstruction should be suspected. (2) Lesions of the anterior urethra develop easily as the result of indwelling catheterisation in patients lacking sensation. A retrograde urethrogram is necessary to demonstrate these lesions. (3) Severe trabeculation of the bladder wall can be a sign of high-pressure outlet obstruction. (4) Dilatation of the bladder neck in patients with detrusor sphincter dyssynergia may lead to total urinary incontinence after sphincterotomy. (5) Urethrocystography is not a valid investigation to detect bladder stones.     

Chronic injuries of the spinal cord: assessment with MR imaging

Seventy-six patients with persistent myelopathy secondary to chronic spinal cord injuries underwent examination with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, the results of which were correlated with neurologic findings. Twenty-one patients received follow-up study during and after the acute stage; 55 patients were examined only at a chronic stage. Spinal cord abnormalities were seen in 48 patients according to five patterns: (a) normal signal intensity on T1- and T2-weighted images (pattern N/N, n = 28), (b) normal signal intensity on T1-weighted and hyperintensity on T2-weighted images (pattern N/Hi, n = 18), (c) hypointensity on T1-weighted and hyperintensity on T2-weighted images (pattern Lo/Hi, n = 17), (d) cord atrophy (n = 5), and (e) longitudinal syrinx formation with hypointensity on T1- and hyperintensity or isointensity on T2-weighted images (n = 8). Patients with pattern N/N had only slight neurologic damage and an excellent prognosis. Patients with pattern N/Hi had mild neurologic impairment, frequently associated with cord compression. Patients with pattern Lo/Hi had the worst prognosis. Atrophy was observed in patients with a long history of myelopathy.     

多发伤合并脊柱脊髓损伤的特点分析

目的 探讨多发伤患者合并脊柱脊髓损伤的临床特点.方法 回顾性分析2004年3月-2009年3月收治的143例合并脊柱脊髓损伤的多发伤患者,统计致伤原因、脊柱损伤节段、合并伤、并发症、治疗方式和转归.结果 高处坠落伤和交通伤是主要致伤原因,分别为77例(53.8%)和55例(38.5%),损伤节段依次为腰椎101处(50.8%)、胸椎61处(30.7%)、颈椎29处(14.6%)及骶尾椎8处(4.0%);合并伤依次为胸部163处(38.6%)、腹部84处(19.9%)、头颈部77处(18.3%)、四肢65处(15.4%)、面部17处(4.0%)和体表16处(3.8%).早期并发症依次为电解质紊乱33例(16.8%)、呼吸系统感染30例(15.3%)和腹胀19例(9.7%);晚期并发症依次为营养不良26例(13.3%)、肌萎缩23例(11.7%)和深静脉血栓11例(5.6%).治疗方式依次为手术治疗106例(74.1%),保守治疗37例(25.9%).治疗前美国脊柱损伤协会(ASIA)评级E级20例(14.0%),治疗后E级53例(37.1%).死亡12例,病死率为8.4%,主要死亡原因为MOF、脑疝、营养衰竭等.随着ASIA残损分级的提高,各组并发症和病死率也显著增加(P＜0.05).结论 高能量损伤是多发伤合并脊柱脊髓损伤的主要致伤因素,患者病情重,合并伤复杂,并发症多,治疗棘手,病死率高.

Abstract：

Objective To analyze the clinical features of the multiple trauma patients combined with spine and spinal cord injuries.Methods A retrospective study was performed in 143 multiple trauma patients combined with spine and spinal cord injuries admitted to our department between March 2004 and March 2009.The parameters including injury cause,segment of injuries,associated injuries,complications,treatment methods and outcomes were analyzed.Results Falling and traffic accidents were the main causes for the injuries of spine and spinal cord,accounting for 53.8%(77 cases)and 38.5%(55 cases),respectively.The injured segments involved 101 lumbar vertebrae(50.8%),61 thoracic vertebrae(30.7%),29 cervical spines(14.6%)and 8 sacrococcygeal vertebrae(4.0%).The associated injuries were located at chest(163 regions,38.6%),abdomen(84 regions,19.9%),head and neck(77 regions,18.3%),extremity(65 regions,15.4%),face(17 regions,4.0%)and body surface(16 regions,3.8%).The early complications included electrolyte disturbances in 33 patients (16.8%),respiratory infection in 30(15.3%)and abdominal distention in 19(9.7%).The late complications were malnutrition in 26 patients(13.3%),amyotrophy in 23(11.7%)and deep vein thrombus in 11(5.6%).Treatment methods were operations and expectant treatments in 106 patients (74.1%)and 37(25.9%)respectively.According to American Spinal Injury Association(ASIA)scale,there were 20 patients(14.0%)at grade E before treatment and 53(37.1%)at grade E after treatment.Of all,12 patients were died of mainly multiple organ failure(MOF),cerebral hernia and malnutrition,with mortality rate of 8.39%.There showed an increase of complication and mortality rate with increase of ASIA grade(P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions The spine and spinal cord injuries in patients with multiple trauma are mainly caused by high energy injuries and characterized by high injury severity,complex associated injuries,multiple complications,difficult management and high mortality rate.     

Medullary cone movement in subjects with a normal spinal cord and in patients with a tethered spinal cord.

PURPOSE: To compare movement of the normal medullary cone when the patient has changed from a supine to prone position with that in patients with known or suspected tethered spinal cord syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-six individuals divided into three groups were examined with lumbar spine magnetic resonance (MR) imaging performed with the patient in the prone and supine positions. Group 1 consisted of 15 healthy volunteers and six patients with a herniated disk; group 2, 25 patients clinically suspected of having a tethered cord; and group 3, 10 patients who previously had undergone tethered cord surgery. RESULTS: All group 1 subjects showed distinct and statistically significant medullary cone movement (range, 21%--41%); no patient in group 3 showed movement (Wilcoxon rank sum test, P <.001). In group 2, the 20 patients in whom a definite diagnosis of tethered cord syndrome was made on the basis of initial supine MR image findings showed no movement, whereas two of five patients with normal supine MR images had abnormal and decreased cone movement at prone imaging. CONCLUSION: Prone MR imaging has no additional value when the supine MR image has clearly shown the cause of tethering or in patients who have undergone tethered cord surgery, but it can provide additional information in patients clinically suspected of having a tethered cord and in whom supine MR imaging depicted no abnormalities.     

Functional abnormalities of the gastrointestinal tract in patients with spinal cord injuries: evaluation with imaging procedures.

One quarter of patients with spinal cord injuries eventually have severe chronic gastrointestinal symptoms. Because there are about 1.5 million such patients in the United States, major chronic gastrointestinal symptoms will develop in approximately 400,000 patients, all of whom are likely to need the services of radiologists. These gastrointestinal abnormalities, however, are quite different from the gastrointestinal problems that occur in the general population. For this reason, the imaging methods used for diagnosis in these patients are also different from those used with persons who do not have spinal cord injuries. The purpose of this review is to describe the role of diagnostic imaging in patients with severe chronic gastrointestinal symptoms associated with spinal cord injury.     

Neurovascular injuries of the spinal cord

Neurovascular spinal cord injuries are very prevalent and in a busy trauma center radiology practice these injuries are commonly seen. Imaging neurovascular injuries has been greatly facilitated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). The histopathological changes that occur with spinal cord trauma have been found to correlate well with what is seen on MRI examinations. The MRI findings in spinal cord trauma have also been found to be useful in determining patient prognosis. Spinal cord infarcts due to arterial injury from trauma are relatively rare, but it has been shown by imaging that vertebral artery injuries are not an unusual occurrence. The specific findings associated with neurovascular injuries will be described with an emphasis on the findings on MRI and MRA examinations. MRI and MRA techniques have become the procedure of choice for evaluating neurovascular injuries because of their proven accuracy and because they are non-invasive. Conventional angiography, although, does remain quite useful for evaluating arterial injuries.     

Traumatic spinal cord injuries from snowboarding

BACKGROUND: Little information has yet been made available on the types and mechanisms of snowboard-related spinal cord injuries or their neurologic involvement. PURPOSE: To review the cause and types of spinal cord injuries seen in snowboarders. STUDY DESIGN: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: The subjects were 18 patients (mean age, 24.0 years) referred to the authors' institution for neurologic deficits associated with spinal injuries between November 1, 1995, and April 9, 2005. The clinical features of these patients were reviewed with respect to epidemiologic factors, mechanism of injury, fracture pattern, and neurologic status. RESULTS: The 18 snowboarders with spinal cord injuries constituted a very homogeneous group. First, almost all patients (94.4%) were young men. Second, most of the patients were intermediate or expert boarders. Third, the most common cause of injury was a failure of intentional jumping (83.3%). Fourth, the most commonly affected site was the thoracolumbar junction (66.7%), and the most common type of fracture was an anterior dislocation fracture (66.7%). Finally, in the thoracolumbar group, most patients (83.3%) were classed as Frankel grade A or B. CONCLUSION: It is fundamentally important that snowboarders, especially young men, be made aware of the spinal injury risk associated with jumping.     

Military gunshot wound-induced spinal cord injuries

Gunshot wounds are the second leading cause of spinal cord injuries in developed countries, whereas in undeveloped and developing countries, this likelihood is much more. However, the weapon and injury characteristics are very different between those two groups of countries. The aim of this study was to review our experience with gunshot wound-caused spinal cord injury during our struggle with terrorism, to examine surgical and medical complications, and to determine the difference between civilian and military gunshot wounds. One hundred five male patients (mean, 25 years of age) were examined according to completeness, spinal and nonspinal injuries, American Spinal Injury Association classification, motor and pinprick scores, surgical and nonsurgical interventions, surgical complications, and spinal cord injury-related medical complications. This study has shown that the likelihood of completeness was higher in gunshot wounds with high velocity weapons. Because of their higher wounding capacity, the difference between vertebral and neurological levels was not very different as it was on the other etiologies. Fortunately, spinal cord injury-related medical complications were less than expected.     

Gallbladder and bile duct abnormalities in AIDS: sonographic findings in eight patients

Gallbladder and biliary tract abnormalities were observed on sonography in eight patients with AIDS. The studies were obtained to evaluate right upper quadrant pain (two patients), tenderness (three patients), and abnormal liver function tests (eight patients). The two major sonographic findings were gallbladder wall thickening (eight patients), which often was marked, and bile duct dilatation (two patients). Gallbladder wall thickness varied from 4 to 15 mm and was greater than 1 cm in four patients. Follow-up sonograms in five patients showed increasing wall thickness in four and decreasing thickness in one, but these findings did not correlate well with the clinical status of the patient. Pericholecystic fluid was shown in three cases. None of the patients had gallstones. Common bile duct dilatation varied from 12 to 15 mm; no specific cause for dilatation was found by cholangiography. Mycobacterium avium intracellulare was recovered from the gallbladder in one patient, and Cryptosporidium was recovered from the duodenum in two patients. AIDS should be considered in the differential diagnosis of gallbladder wall thickening or bile duct dilatation in the appropriate clinical setting. These findings may indicate opportunistic infection of the biliary tract. A disparity may exist between the mild symptoms and signs (or lack of symptoms and signs) related to the gallbladder and bile ducts and the sometimes marked sonographic abnormalities.