Severe algodystrophy of the foot simulating ischemic arteriopathy. Spectacular cure by regional sympathetic block with guanethidine

The authors report a case of severe algodystrophy of the foot complicating a typical episode of algodystrophy of the knee, and which resulted in appearances of acute ischaemia of the foot. Paraclinical investigations seemed to support this aetiology but arteriography excluded this diagnosis, showing only regular distal arterial narrowing. This case illustrates the extremely variable clinical and paraclinical features of algodystrophy and the possibility of significant hypofixation from the onset and during the course of algodystrophy in young patients. It shows that there are no specific, constant clinical signs or paraclinical changes. From the therapeutic point of view, it confirms the often spectacular effects of prolonged regional sympathetic nerve block with Guanethidine which may give an immediate and definitive cure of severe algodystrophy when all else has failed.     

Risk factors for asthma in adolescents in a large urban region of Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Identify risk factors for asthma in adolescents from S?o Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: total of 528 adolescents (141 asthmatics, 387 control subjects) from the ISAAC study (phase III) were submitted to a complementary questionnaire to evaluate risk factors, through response to questions regarding personal history, environment, and diet and an agreement to undergo the skin prick test (SPT) for aeroallergens. RESULTS: Positive SPT to at least one allergen occurred in 49.4% adolescents. The risk factors for asthma were: prematurity (OR: 3.84, 95% CI: 1.54-9.64), rhinitis (OR: 3.18, 95% CI: 1.71-5.91), positivity in the SPT (OR: 2.81, 95% CI: 1.48-5.32), eczema in characteristic skin-folds (OR: 2.86, 95% CI: 1.13-7.26), and an allergic mother (OR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.02-3.93). The consumption of cooked vegetables was a protective factor for asthma (OR: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.18-0.79) CONCLUSIONS: Asthma is a multifatorial disease. An allergic mother, aeroallergen sensitization, rhinitis, eczema and prematurity were considered risk factors and the consumption of cooked vegetables was considered a protective factor for asthma in this population.     

Scolioses idiopathiques et congénitales

Résumé D'étiologie toujours inconnue, la scoliose idiopathique de l'adolescent ne peut être traitée efficacement que si le dépistage est très précoce, entre 8 et 10 ans. La preuve de l'évolutivité angulaire doit être faite avant d'entreprendre un traitement orthopédique, dont l'objectif sera de contrôler l'aggravation liée à la poussée de croissance pubertaire. De nouveaux protocoles à temps partiel sont actuellement à l'étude et s'adresseront à des courbures peu sévères et bien réductibles. Les indications opératoires sont posées en cas d'échec ou d'intolérance au traitement orthopédique. Les limites angulaires pour de telles interventions semblent diminuer progressivement, les techniques devenant plus fiables. On accorde par ailleurs de plus en plus d'importance au plan sagittal, compte tenu de la mauvaise tolérance à long terme des lordoses thoraciques. Malgré les progrès techniques, la réalisation d'une arthrodèse solide avec une greffe abondante reste le seul garant de la stabilité angulaire. L'évolution et l'histoire naturelle des courbures congénitales du rachis sont actuellement bien connues, ainsi que les malformations viscérales habituellement associées. La surveillance radiographique dès le plus jeune âge permet d'évaluer l'asymétrie de croissance vertébrale dans le plan frontal et sagittal. Ceci permet de proposer en cas d'évolutivité un traitement à visée étiologique précoce, sous forme d'une hémi arthrodèse et épiphysiodèse convexe, antérieure et postérieure pour freiner l'hypercroissance du côté de la malformation. Pour les formes dépistées plus tardivement, une greffe postérieure avec ou sans matériel est l'indication classique, en évitant absolument toute manoeuvre de distraction qui comporte un risque de complication neurologique, en particulier en cas de composante cyphotique associée.

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Idiopathic and congenital scoliosis

Summary The exact etiology of idiopathic scoliosis is still unknown and therefore the only way to improve the prognosis is to recommend an early screening program, between 8 and 10 years of age. Angular progression must be proven for every curve before any brace application. The goal of such a treatment is to control curve progression during the adolescent growth spur. Recent part-time bracing programs have been proposed for low angle and flexible curves. Surgery is indicated in case of failure or non compliance of the conservative treatment. Currently the angular limits for surgery seem to decrease, as a result of improved surgical techniques. Sagittal unbalance and loss of thoracic lordosis are of major importance for the treatment choice, since their poor outcome in the adult population. Despite technical improvements, the quality of a solid fusion is the most important factor for long lasting results. The natural history and evolution of congenital spine deformities have been precisely documented, as well as the frequently associated visceral problems. Repeated curve measurements in young children will evaluate the growth potential asymetry in the coronal and sagittal planes. In case of rapidly progressive curves, an early surgical treatment can be proposed, consisting in convex anterior and posterior hemiarthrodesis, producing an epiphysiodesis effect of the overgrowing convex side. For cases diagnosed in older ages, the classic indication is a posterior fusion, with or without instrumentation. It is important to avoid any excessive distraction, because of a high risk of neurological complications, especially in case of an associated kyphotic deformity.

Travail présenté aux Actualités. en Orthopédie Pédiatrique organisées par le Dr Cl. Karger, le 19 au 21 mars 1992 à Aubure     

Measurement of post-operative pain and narcotic administration in infants using a new clinical scoring system

We developed a clinical neurologic and behavioral scoring system composed of 10 items to measure the post-operative pain levels in infants: (1) sleep during preceeding hour, (2) facial expression of pain, (3) quality of cry, (4) spontaneous motor activity, (5) Spontaneous excitability, (6) flexion of fingers and toes, (7) sucking, (8) global evaluation of tone, (9) consolability and (10) sociability. Using this system, a group of infants ranging from one to seven months in age and undergoing minor surgical procedures was studied. The infants were randomly assigned to two groups: Group I received Fentanyl intravenously (3 g/kg) prior to surgery, and Group II received a placebo. The infants then were studied post-operatively in the recovery room at 30, 60, 90 and 120 min intervals. Over the entire post-operative observation period, 54% of the infants in Group I had satisfactory analgesia compared to 18% in Group II. There were no significant differences in Group I and Group II in oxygenation, carbon dioxide elimination, blood pressure, heart rate or temperature.     

Ocular counterrolling induced by centrifugation during orbital space flight

During the 1998 Neurolab mission (STS-90), four astronauts were exposed to interaural centripetal accelerations (Gy centrifugation) of 0.5g and 1g during rotation on a centrifuge, both on Earth and during orbital space flight. Subjects were oriented either left-ear out or right-ear out, facing or back to motion. Binocular eye movements were measured in three dimensions using a video technique. On Earth, tangential centrifugation that produces 1g of interaural linear acceleration combines with gravity to tilt the gravitoinertial acceleration (GIA) vector 45° in the roll plane relative to the head vertical, generating a summed vector of 1.4g. Before flight, this elicited mean ocular counterrolling (OCR) of 5.7°. Due to the relative absence of gravity during flight, there was no linear acceleration along the dorsoventral axis of the head. As a result, during in-flight centrifugation, gravitoinertial acceleration was strictly aligned with the centripetal acceleration along the interaural axis. There was a small but significant decrease (mean 10%) in the magnitude of OCR in space (5.1°). The magnitude of OCR during postflight 1g centrifugation was not significantly different from preflight OCR (5.9°). Findings were similar for 0.5g centrifugation, but the OCR magnitude was approximately 60% of that induced by centrifugation at 1g. OCR during pre- and postflight static tilt was not significantly different and was always less than OCR elicited by centrifugation on Earth for an equivalent interaural linear acceleration. In contrast, there was no difference between the OCR generated by in-flight centrifugation and by static tilt on Earth at equivalent interaural linear accelerations. These data support the following conclusions: (1) OCR is generated predominantly in response to interaural linear acceleration; (2) the increased OCR during centrifugation on Earth is a response to the head dorsoventral 1g linear acceleration component, which was absent in microgravity. The dorsoventral linear acceleration could have activated either the otoliths or body-tilt receptors that responded to the larger GIA magnitude (1.4g), to generate the increased OCR during centrifugation on Earth. A striking finding was that magnitude of OCR was maintained throughout and after flight. This is in contrast to most previous postflight OCR studies, which have generally registered decreases in OCR. We postulate that intermittent exposure to artificial gravity, in the form of the centripetal acceleration experienced during centrifugation, acted as a countermeasure to deconditioning of this otolith-ocular orienting reflex during the 16-day mission. Electronic Publication