Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis in quadriplegia: a case report

Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis is an uncommon clinical entity with nonspecific symptomatology of the gastrointestinal system. Its diagnosis is made by radiologic demonstration of multiple gas-filled cysts in the submucosa or subserosa of the intestinal tract. There are two major clinical types--idiopathic and secondary. A case report of a spinal cord injured patient with this condition is presented. Since gastrointestinal disturbances are common in spinal cord injured patients, health care professionals should be aware of this condition. Identification of pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis is important since it represents a benign condition and usually requires no treatment.     

Candida pyelonephritis complicating traumatic C5 quadriplegia: diagnosis and management

We present the first reported case of Candida pyelonephritis in a spinal cord injured patient. In addition to multiple courses of empiric antibiotics, the neurogenic bladder and alteration in cell-mediated immunity found in spinal cord injured patients may have increased this patient's susceptibility to fungal disease. A 50-year-old patient with C5 motor functional quadriplegia developed Candid albicans pyelonephritis while undergoing rehabilitation. The patient had several surgical procedures and multiple courses of antibiotic therapy during acute hospitalization. He continued to have a hectic fever curve, leukocytosis with increased band forms, lethargy, and progressive uremia during rehabilitation. Successful investigation of the patient's condition included assessment of serologic tests for Candida precipitin antigen; multiple blood and urine cultures; exclusion of other causes of hectic fever; abdominal computerized tomogram, which revealed a left kidney hypodensity with irregular margins; and a retrograde pyelogram, which demonstrated multiple renal pelvic-filling defects. Cystoscopically placed ureteral stents, which relieved the genitourinary obstruction, drained gross pus from which Candida albicans was cultured; the patient was treated with amphotericin B and showed clinical improvement. Pathogenesis, presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of Candida pyelonephritis are reviewed.     

Special needs of the young spinal cord injured patient in a nursing home

Discharge plans for some spinal cord individuals may include nursing home placement. Since many spinal cord injured patients are young males, what special needs are expressed by this patient population? To determine specific concerns from a patient's perspective, structured interviews were conducted with 15 spinal cord injured patients under 35 years of age. Special needs were organized into six major categories: physical locations, staff interactions, nutrition, physical therapy, social activities, and sexuality. The purpose of this article is to describe the special needs identified by spinal cord injured patients in each of these areas. Although nursing home placement is rarely the first choice in discharge plans for a young spinal cord injured patient, staff need to be aware of criteria for helping patients make the best possible choice.     

Management of a pregnant paraplegic patient in a rehabilitation center

As the population of paraplegic women of child-bearing age increases, the psychiatrist may be more frequently called on to care for pregnant women. Pregnancy in a paraplegic patient can be accompanied by many serious medical problems including autonomic dysreflexia, anemia, decubitus ulcers, urinary tract infections, and premature labor. This is a case report of a successful pregnancy in a spinal cord injured woman who was managed at a rehabilitation center throughout her entire pregnancy, despite developing the multiple complications described above.     

Brain abscess: a rare complication of halo usage.

The halo traction device for cervical spine immobilization has few complications and is routinely used for spinal cord injured patients. The following case report describes a patient with lower cervical and upper thoracic fractures stabilized with a halo. She completed a two-month rehabilitation program without complications, but developed frontal headaches and vomiting within one or two days of discharge. A head CT revealed a right frontal isodense mass consistent with a brain abscess. The abscess was resected surgically, and she was placed on antibiotics. Mortality rates from brain abscesses are as high as 24%, making a prompt diagnosis critical. This case report describes an unusual etiology for a brain abscess, and it discusses the appropriate work-up in a neurologically impaired patient.     

Spinal cord injury syndrome with motor sparing in the absence of all sensation

This paper describes the anatomic basis for the unusual presentation in a spinal cord injured subject of preservation of motor power in the absence of all sensation. The patient was examined at four hours, and daily thereafter, after a motorcycle accident in which he was thrown over the handle bars. He had trace ankle dorsi and plantar flexors, but light touch, pin, position, and vibratory sensation were absent below the level of C4 bilaterally. There was no physical evidence to differentiate whether he suffered a flexion or extension injury. Cervical spine films showed no evidence of fracture or dislocation, but anterior and posterior osteophytes involving C3 to C4, C4 to C5, and C5 to C6 were present. Magnetic resonance imaging showed evidence of cervical cord edema at C3 to C4 with possible hemorrhage and severe spinal stenosis at C3 to C4 and C4 to C5. This patient received a compression injury with resulting classic anterior spinal artery syndrome. Because of his spinal stenosis with a decreased anterior-posterior (AP) diameter of the canal, the posterior circulation was also compromised. The extensive pial anastomotic network provided relative sparing of the most peripheral components of the lateral corticospinal tracts. This case report demonstrates a unique clinical picture that cannot be anatomically classified by current American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) standards as central cord syndrome. It can be explained by the lamination of the ascending and descending tracts in relation to the vascular supply of the cervical cord in conjunction with the narrowing of the AP diameter of the canal due to spinal stenosis.     

Nutrition in acute spinal cord injury

Nutrition in acute spinal cord injury is complicated. Not every aspect of nutrition as it relates to the acutely injured spinal cord patient is known. The stress response to injury, fever, infection, sepsis, and surgery alter nutritional needs, as does the spinal cord injury itself. The sequelae of spinal cord injury, including denervation atrophy and paralysis, glucose intolerance, skin and wound breakdown, poikilothermy, anemia, respiratory paralysis, pneumonia, paralytic ileus, gastrointestinal ulcers and hemorrhage, neurogenic bowel and bladder, and depression, all affect the nutritional needs of the patient. Orthopedic appliances, pharmacologic agents, and other injuries can also alter nutritional requirements. Nutritional assessment in acute spinal cord injury is also complex. It should include medical and diet history, physical examination, intake and output measurements, prediction of energy expenditure and protein requirements, or--even better--measurements of energy expenditure with indirect methodology, using the metabolic cart or pulmonary artery catheter. Application of computerized tomography and radioisotope studies may prove valuable in the future. Finally, the direct relationship between nutrition and physiologic alterations of acute spinal cord injury necessitates that the critical care nurse incorporate nutrition-focused thinking into many aspects of the acute spinal cord--injured patient's care.     

Solitary colonic ulcer in a spinal cord injured patient

Bleeding from the lower gastrointestinal tract is rarely reported in spinal cord injured patients. A case is reported of such bleeding in a quadriplegic man with a solitary colonic ulcer diagnosed by flexible sigmoidoscopy and biopsy. The diagnosis of solitary colonic ulcers is difficult to make in spinal cord injured persons because presenting features may be masked by the neurologic deficits caused by the injury or may be falsely attributed to problems associated with the injury or to iatrogenic trauma. Solitary colonic ulcer should be included in the differential diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding in persons with spinal cord injury. Flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy is recommended for visualization and biopsy of the bleeding lesion.     

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation and volitional exercise for individuals with rheumatoid arthritis: a multiple-patient case report

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Muscle atrophy is common in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Although neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is a viable treatment for muscle atrophy, there is no evidence about the use of NMES in patients with RA. The purposes of this multiple-patient case report are: (1) to describe the use of NMES applied to the quadriceps femoris muscles in conjunction with an exercise program in patients with RA; (2) to report on patient tolerance and changes in lean muscle mass, quadriceps femoris muscle strength (force-producing capacity), and physical function; and (3) to explore how changes in muscle mass relate to changes in quadriceps femoris muscle strength, measures of physical function, and patient adherence. CASE DESCRIPTION: Seven patients with RA (median age=61 years, range=39-80 years) underwent 16 weeks of NMES and volitional exercises. Lean muscle mass and strength of the quadriceps femoris muscle and physical function were measured before and after treatment. OUTCOMES: One patient did not tolerate the NMES treatment, and 2 patients did not complete at least half of the proposed treatment. Patients who completed the NMES and volitional exercise program increased their lean muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical function. DISCUSSION: Because of the small sample, whether NMES combined with exercises is better than exercise alone or NMES alone could not be determined. However, the outcomes from this multiple-patient case report indicate that NMES is a viable treatment option to address muscle atrophy and weakness in patients with RA. Strategies to increase tolerance and adherence to NMES are warranted.     

Signs of temporomandibular joint dysfunction in spinal cord injured patients wearing halo braces: a clinical report

This clinical report was completed in response to the observations of physical therapists at the spinal cord injury (SCI) center of Jackson Memorial Hospital (Miami, Fla) and at other SCI centers that halo-braced spinal cord injured patients may develop symptoms of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction. This report describes the assessment of TMJ mobility and the occurrence of symptoms of TMJ dysfunction in four halo-braced subjects with SCI. The results of these assessments indicate that patients with SCI may have some limitations in mandibular mobility early on and may complain of some symptoms associated with TMJ dysfunction. Reasons for the possibility of TMJ dysfunction occurring in this population and the importance of this occurrence to physical therapists are discussed. The author proposes that physical therapists treating halo-braced spinal cord injured patients should be aware of symptoms indicating TMJ dysfunction and that assessment may be indicated. Additionally, ideas for further clinical research are suggested.     

Long-term prevention of pressure ulcers in high-risk patients: a single case study of the use of gluteal neuromuscular electric stimulation

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of gluteal neuromuscular electric stimulation (NMES) using implanted percutaneous electrodes to improve regional tissue health and decrease the risk of pressure ulcer development. DESIGN: Case study of long-term use of gluteal NMES. SETTING: Community. PARTICIPANT: A patient with a C4-level American Spinal Injury Association grade A spinal cord injury, 22 years postinjury at study enrollment, and a clinical history of regular grade II and occasional IV ischial pressure ulcers. INTERVENTION: Gluteal NMES using an electric stimulation system comprising a combination of implanted percutaneous electrodes and an external stimulator (controller). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Objective measurements of tissue health comprising evaluation of gluteal muscle thickness, interface pressures, and regional blood flow. Subjective self-reported sitting tolerance. RESULTS: Increased gluteal muscle thickness and blood flow together with reduced regional interface pressures occurred. Weight-shifting because of alternating left and right gluteal NMES became more effective over time as the muscles strengthened. Sitting tolerance more than doubled. CONCLUSIONS: A gluteal NMES system has been developed that provides both improved regional tissue health and dynamic weight shifting while seated in the wheelchair. In the current case, regular daily use had a positive impact on multiple indirect indicators of tissue health. Continued use was indicated as the positive effects were lost when stimulation was discontinued.     

Marjolin's ulcer complicating a pressure ulcer: case report and literature review

Fifteen years after spinal cord injury and 14 years after development of a sacral pressure ulcer in a paraplegic man, a squamous cell carcinoma was found on biopsy during surgical reconstruction of the pressure ulcer. The patient refused the extensive surgery necessary to remove the infiltrating tumor, and the wound was closed with a latissimus dorsi flap. Pressure ulcers remain a problem in spinal cord injured and other disabled patients. Malignant degeneration (Marjolin's ulcer) in chronic pressure ulcers and other chronic skin ulcerations may become more widespread as the life span of spinal cord injured patients increases.     

Electroencephalographic evoked pain response is suppressed by spinal cord stimulation in complex regional pain syndrome: a case report

Pain is a subjective response that limits assessment. The purpose of this case report was to explore how the objectivity of the electroencephalographic response to thermal stimuli would be affected by concurrent spinal cord stimulation. A patient had been implanted with a spinal cord stimulator for the management of complex regional pain syndrome of both hands for 8 years. Following ethical approval and written informed consent we induced thermal stimuli using the Medoc PATHWAY Pain & Sensory Evaluation System on the right hand of the patient with the spinal cord stimulator switched off and with the spinal cord stimulator switched on. The patient reported a clinically significant reduction in thermal induced pain using the numerical rating scale (71.4 % reduction) with spinal cord stimulator switched on. Analysis of electroencephalogram recordings indicated the occurrence of contact heat evoked potentials (N2–P2) with spinal cord stimulator off, but not with spinal cord stimulator on. This case report suggests that thermal pain can be reduced in complex regional pain syndrome patients with the use of spinal cord stimulation and offers objective validation of the reported outcomes with this treatment.     

Galactorrhea: a complication of spinal cord injury.

Galactorrhea, a secretion of milk or milk-like products from the breast in the absence of parturition, has been reported to occur in women with spinal cord injuries in association with amenorrhea and hyperprolactinemia. Four cases of galactorrhea in association with spinal cord injury are reported. Galactorrhea developed in four spinal cord injured women who had thoracic paraplegia. The onset of galactorrhea was from one month to five months after injury. Although the onset of galactorrhea may have been related to prescribed medications in all four cases, insufficient data exist to draw conclusions. The three women whose galactorrhea persisted declined treatment and galactorrhea continuing for more than two years in one instance. We conclude that galactorrhea with or without amenorrhea may develop after a spinal cord injury and that spinal cord injured women may have an enhanced sensitivity to medication-induced galactorrhea.     

Insulin pump treatment of type I diabetes mellitus in a patient with C6 quadriplegia

A 40-year-old patient with insulin-dependent (Type I) diabetes mellitus since childhood suffered a C6 spinal transection. Recurrent episodes of hypoglycemia resolved after the patient was placed on an insulin pump. The patient is able to set the insulin delivery rate and maintain the pump without assistance. Spinal cord injured patients may lack both the clinical symptoms of, and the ability to respond to, hypoglycemia. The mixing of NPH insulin and regular insulin requires fine motor skills; even with prefilled syringes, the quadriplegic person may have difficulty with subcutaneous injection. The use of an "open loop" insulin pump averts these problems and may provide better glucose control for selected spinal cord injury patients with Type I diabetes.     

Percutaneous, intramuscular neuromuscular electrical stimulation for the treatment of shoulder subluxation and pain in chronic hemiplegia: a case report

This case report describes the first survivor with chronic stroke who was treated with percutaneous, intramuscular neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for shoulder subluxation and pain. The patient developed shoulder subluxation and pain within 2 mo of his stroke. After discharge from acute inpatient rehabilitation, he developed shoulder and hand pain, which was treated with subacromial bursa steroid injection and ibuprofen with eventual resolution. The patient remained clinically stable until approximately 15 mo after his stroke-when he developed severe shoulder pain associated with shoulder abduction, external rotation, and downward traction. The patient could not tolerate transcutaneous NMES because of the pain of stimulation. At approximately 17 mo post-stroke, the patient's posterior deltoid, middle deltoid, and supraspinatus muscles were percutaneously implanted with intramuscular electrodes. After 6 wk of percutaneous, intramuscular NMES treatment, marked improvements in shoulder subluxation and pain, and modest improvements in activities of daily living and motor function were noted. One year after the onset of treatment, the patient remained pain free, but subluxation had recurred. However, the patient was able to volitionally reduce the subluxation by abducting his shoulder. The patient remained pain free for up to 40 mo after the initiation of percutaneous, intramuscular NMES treatment. This case report demonstrates the feasibility of using percutaneous, intramuscular NMES for treating shoulder subluxation and pain in hemiplegia.     

Clinical evaluation of computerized functional electrical stimulation after spinal cord injury: a multicenter pilot study

This study investigated the safety and effects of computerized functional electrical stimulation (FES) on spinal cord injured individuals. Nineteen subjects two to ten years postinjury, with clinically complete motor and sensory lesions between C4 and T10, participated. All subjects met the specific selection criteria. None had received lower extremity electrical stimulation before. In phase I, subjects received surface electrical stimulation to the quadriceps muscle bilaterally for resistive knee extension 3 times a week for four weeks. The resistance and number of completed lifts was recorded daily. In phase II, 36 sessions provided sequential surface electrical stimulation to the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteus muscles bilaterally in order for subjects to pedal a lower extremity ergometer with resistance varied depending on completed run time. For each session, heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, and work performance were recorded. Tests done before and after the training program included fasting blood chemistries, 24-hour urinalysis, arm-crank ergometer stress testing, and midthigh girth measurement. Results indicate that this form of FES is safe, that quadriceps strength and endurance is increased, that endurance for ergometer pedaling is increased, and that there may be a training effect as more work is done at a similar heart rate and systolic blood pressure and as muscle bulk is increased. The FES effect on cardiovascular conditioning and general health requires further research to precisely determine its benefits.     

Effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation on cough capacity and pulmonary function in patients with acute cervical cord injury.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on cough capacity and prevention of pulmonary complication in patients with acute cervical cord injury. DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial. SUBJECTS: Twenty-six tetraplegic patients with cervical spinal cord injury, 13 in the NMES therapy group and 13 in the control group. METHODS: NMES was applied to the clavicular portion of the pectoralis major and abdominal muscle. Pulmonary function tests were performed before and after therapy, and at 3 months and 6 months follow-up. The pulmonary complications in this 6-month follow-up period were also recorded. RESULTS: After the 4-week therapy, and at 3 months and 6 months follow-up testing, patients in the NMES therapy group displayed significant improvement in their peak expiratory flow, forced expiratory volume in 1 second, forced vital capacity, maximal expiratory pressure and maximal inspiratory pressure, compared with those in the control group (p<0.05). Patients in the NMES therapy group also had fewer pulmonary complications in the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: NMES over the pectoralis and abdominal muscles might improve cough capacity and pulmonary function in cervical spinal cord injury with tetraplegia. This improvement might last for 6 months. With this improvement, pulmonary complications were reduced.     

Different underlying pain mechanisms despite identical pain characteristics: a case report of a patient with spinal cord injury

Pain following spinal cord injury has been classified as nociceptive (musculoskeletal, visceral) or neuropathic (above, at, below level). There is no clear relation between the etiology and reported symptoms. Thus, due to different underlying mechanisms, the treatment is often ineffective. We report on a patient with spinal cord injury with neurological level of injury at T8 suffering from bilateral burning and prickling pain in the T9-11 dermatomes bilaterally (at-level pain), as well as diffusely in both legs from below the torso (below-level pain), accompanied by musculoskeletal low back pain. Bilateral comparison of quantitative sensory testing (QST) and skin biopsy revealed completely different findings in the dermatome T9 despite identical at-level pain characteristics. On the right side, QST revealed a normal sensory profile; the intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD) was reduced, but not as severe as the contralateral side. On the left side there was a severe sensory loss with a stronger reduction of the IENDF, similar to the areas below the neurological level. These findings were significantly related to the treatment results. Pregabalin induced unilateral pain relief only in the area with remaining sensory function, whereas the left-sided at-level pain was unchanged. Thus, 2 different underlying mechanisms leading to bilaterally neuropathic pain with identical symptoms and with different treatment success were demonstrated in a single patient. The at-level pain in areas with remaining sensory function despite IENFD reduction could be relieved by pregabalin. Thus, in an individual case, QST may be helpful to better understand pain-generating mechanisms and to initiate successful treatment.