Root avulsion of brachial plexus in infants and children.

Twenty-one patients, under 6 years of age, with root avulsion of the brachial plexus were treated from 1975 to 1987. Among them, 9 had root avulsion of the upper trunk, 2 root avulsion of the lower trunk with middle trunk broken, and 10 root avulsion of the whole brachial plexus. Follow-up of 16 patients showed excellent results in 2 patients, good in 11, fair in 1 and poor in 2. It is suggested that good results can be obtained if multi-paired nerve transfer is adopted in treatment. We conclude that owing to anatomical and physiological characteristics of the respiratory system in children, it is harmful to perform phrenic nerve transfer concomitantly with intercostal nerve transfer. Advisably, two-stage operation is required, otherwise dyspnea and pneumonia are liable to occur. In addition, the time of the operation could be extended to 4-5 years after injury in children, but best results are obtained if the operation is performed within 1 year.

     

The pharmacokinetics of gamma-glutamyl-L-dopa in normal and anephric rats and rats with glycerol-induced acute renal failure.

1. The pharmacokinetics of gamma-glutamyl-L-dopa (gludopa) and its metabolite, L-dopa, have been studied in normal rats at three dose levels of gludopa: 2 mg kg-1, 5 mg kg-1 and 7.5 mg kg-1. The extent of metabolism in normal rats, and the pharmacokinetics in anephric rats and rats with glycerol-induced acute renal failure (ARF) were also studied at a gludopa dose of 2 mg kg-1. 2. Gludopa was extensively metabolised to L-dopa with only about 10% of an injected dose being excreted unchanged. Normal rats had a rapid gludopa clearance of 50.9 +/- 9.6 ml min-1 kg-1 and elimination rate constant of 2.99 +/- 0.27 h-1. The mean residence time and half-life were 20.9 +/- 1.4 and 14.4 +/- 1.0 min, respectively. The apparent volume of distribution at steady state was 1.05 +/- 0.18 l kg-1. 3. No statistically significant differences were found in the main pharmacokinetic parameters between ARF and controls for either gludopa or its metabolite L-dopa. 4. In anephric rats and controls the kidneys were found to contribute about 68.5% and 67.2% to the elimination of gludopa and the metabolite L-dopa, respectively. 5. These results confirm that gludopa is an efficient pro-drug for L-dopa, and that the kidneys are the major site of gludopa metabolism. It seems likely that the renal specificity of gludopa persists in ARF.     

Hypothalamic regulation of histidyl-proline diketopiperazine binding sites in the rat liver

The effects of hypothalamic hormones and electrolytic lesioning of the ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei (VMH) on histidyl-proline diketopiperazine (cyclo(His-Pro] binding in the rat liver were studied. VMH-lesioning markedly decreased cyclo(His-Pro) binding in the liver. Scatchard analysis revealed that the loss of cyclo(His-Pro) binding induced by VMH lesioning was due to a decrease in the number and affinity of binding sites. Somatostatin (SS) administration decreased cyclo(His-Pro) binding. The SS-induced changes in cyclo(His-Pro) binding were due to changes in the binding affinity. On the other hand, the administration of TRH or LH-RH did not affect cyclo(His-Pro) binding in the liver, although cyclo(His-Pro) has been proposed to be a metabolite of TRH. These findings suggest that the hypothalamus may regulate the cyclo(His-Pro) binding sites in the liver probably by controlling pancreatic SS secretion, since a VMH-lesion is reported to cause hypersecretion of pancreatic SS.     

Multiple neurinoma of the spinal cord: case report

The patient, a 72-year-old female, was admitted with an 11-year history of progressive dysesthesia in the left leg. Neurological findings on admission revealed weakness in the bilateral legs, hyperreflexia of left leg, hypalgesia and hypesthesia under the Th 8 level, and urinary incontinence. Plain lumber X-ray showed enlargement of the intervertebral foramen of L 1/2. Myelography disclosed block age at the level of Th 9 and filling defect at the level of Th 10/11 and L1/2. CT myelography revealed a cord swelling and partially exophytic tumor from Th 8 to Th 9, another tumor located posterior-laterally at the level of Th 11, and another tumor located extra and intradural at the level of L1/2. Laminectomy was performed from Th 8 to L 3. A tumor of the Th 9 was located intramedullary, another tumor of the Th 11 was located intradural extramedullary, and another tumor of the L1/2 was located in the epidural space (so-called dumb-bell type tumor). These tumors were removed completely except the extra-canal part of L1/2 tumor. Histopathological examination revealed typical Antoni type A schwannoma in all tumors. This case was considered multiple neurinomas of the spine in which tumors were located in three separate anatomical sites, intramedullary, intradural extramedullary, and epidural sites. This patient did not show café-au-lait spot, and neurofibroma in her body. The authors considered the patient might be a case of central neurofibromatosis. The authors stressed that multiple neurinomas of the spine is not rare, so careful study of the whole spine is necessary including its intramedullar space.