The illusive phantom: Does primary care meet patient need following limb loss?

Purpose: Anecdotal evidence suggests that General Practitioners (GPs) vary in their understanding of phantom pain and associated factors in amputees. This has implications in that the GP's conception of the problem will determine what treatment or referral is offered.

Method: The present study aimed to explore GP's knowledge and understanding of phantom limb pain using a postal questionnaire. A sample of 129 GPs responded resulting in a response rate of 38%.

Results: The results suggest that GPs underestimate the prevalence, intensity and duration of phantom and residual limb pain. Moreover, inconsistencies in the reasons given for referral to specialist services for the management of phantom pain were reported.

Conclusion: These findings have serious implications for the management of phantom limb pain, disability and psychological distress in amputees in that GPs not only provide first line treatment, but are also the gatekeepers for referral to other services. Given this, the role of other professionals within the primary health care team may prove an additional resource for providing both support and accurate information to amputees in the community.     

Inhibition of adenosine deaminase activity results in cytotoxicity to T lymphoblasts in vivo

We have treated a patient with refractory T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia with 2'-deoxycoformycin, a potent inhibitor of the enzyme adenosine deaminase. Inhibition of adenosine deaminase activity resulted in (1) an abrupt rise in plasma deoxyadenosine, but not adenosine, concentrations; (2) accumulation of deoxyadenosine triphosphate by lymphoblasts; (3) inhibition of the enzyme S- adenoylhomocysteine hydrolase; and (4) rapid lysis of the leukemic cells. The patient died suddenly 3 days after therapy was discontinued, and postmortem examination revealed a complete absence of leukemic cells in all organs. Pharmacologic inhibition of adenosine deaminase activity can result in the lysis of T lymphoblasts in vivo, and this effect appears to be mediated by deoxyadenosine.     

Osteoid osteoma: radionuclide diagnosis

The double-density sign, seen on radionuclide bone scans, is described for diagnosing osteoid osteomas and for localizing the nidus. Its use in differentiating the nidus of an osteoid osteoma from osteomyelitis is also described. The utility of computed tomography in localization of the nidus is also illustrated. The double-density sign was helpful in diagnosing seven cases of surgically confirmed osteoid osteoma.