A survey of 65 tumors within the spinal cord: surgical results and the importance of preoperative magnetic resonance imaging

Between January 1984 and December 1990, 65 intramedullary spinal cord tumors were diagnosed and operated on. In this series, all patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging investigations and were operated on with the Cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator whenever necessary. Major surgical difficulties have been found in patients previously treated by radiotherapy with or without biopsy. We found magnetic resonance imaging to be a highly sensitive imaging procedure and the method of choice for visualizing tumors within the spinal cord. Nevertheless, accurate diagnosis may only be suggested by magnetic resonance imaging, rather than made definitively. Surgery is necessary in every case in order to obtain a definite diagnosis. Radical surgery can be performed when a plane exists between the tumor and the normal spinal cord: biopsy or debulking with the Cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator should be performed when the tumor is infiltrative. We have performed 33 so-called total resections, 22 partial resections, and 10 biopsies, among which 5 were performed on lipomas. Surgical results were assessed at 3 months after surgery, showing 35 improvements (53%), 24 stabilizations (37%), and 6 deteriorations (10%).     

Experimental studies on factors causing acute serum sickness glomerulonephritis of immune complex origin

In acute serum sickness glomerulonephritis induced in rabbits by large doses of BSA, the relationship of the host's immunological status and the severity of renal histological changes was studied. It was found that good antibody producers developed more severe renal lesions. The higher avidity of antibodies enhances the inflammatory effect of immune complexes. Kidney is favoured for deposition of immune complexes especially in the case of chronic immune complex formation in the presence of antigen excess. Diminished phagocytic function of leukocytes (probably decreased immune complex saturating capacity) may also contribute to the severity of renal histological alterations.     

Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity in Graves disease

The antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity of peripheral lymphocytes from patients with Graves disease was tested using chicken erythrocytes coated with rabbit antichicken red blood cell antibody and labelled with 51Cr. An increased cytotoxic activity was found in untreated Graves disease without ophthalmopathy. The cytotoxic activity was less elevated in the groups of patients with severe ophthalmopathy or high level of anti-thyroglobulin antibody, and approximately normal after methimazole treatment.