One month maximal electrostimulation for genuine stress incontinence in women

While awaiting surgery for genuine urinary stress incontinence, 51 women with were treated at home for 1 month with vaginal maximal electrostimulation. They were evaluated subjectively, urodynamically, and with two different pad tests. Six patients (12%) were cured and 17 (33%) were much improved, subjectively and objectively. Statistically significant improvement was observed for both pad tests. Successful treatment was significantly more likely in women with milder degrees of incontinence but was unrelated to age or urethral pressure. Patient acceptance was excellent and apart from some vaginal soreness no complications were seen. Sixteen patients (31%) elected not to be operated on. These 16 patients were reevaluated after 1 year and 13 (81%) had maintained their improvement. Three had disimproved but were still better than before treatment; 2 again refused surgery and 1 opted for surgery. Therefore, 15 of 51 (29%) operations were saved after 1 year. This conservative treatment for stress incontinence is safe, simple, inexpensive, and reasonably successful. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Usefulness of preoperative low dose cisplatin treatment for advanced esophageal cancer

In order to decrease the perioperative complications by preoperative cisplatin chemotherapy, the preoperative single administration of cisplatin (30 mg/m²) was performed weekly from one to six times in 36 consecutive patients with esophageal cancer classified as higher than Stage II. The survival curve of 17 patients in Stage III was significantly better (P<0.05) than that of patients who had been treated without preoperative cisplatin treatment. In 3 of the 12 patients who had locally invasive cancer, either the main tumors or the metastatic lymph nodes, which had invaded the trachea or the left main bronchus, sufficiently receded, so that a curative esophagectomy became possible; 2 of them have survived over 33 months while 1 died of pneumonia 33 months after surgery. The number of perioperative complications was minimal, and thus, we consider that the postoperative use of cisplatin and fluorouracil is indicated in patients in whom a histological response is noted in the resected specimens.This work was partially supported by Grant No. 02454315 from the Japanese Ministry of Education     

Cavernous angiomas of the spinal district: surgical treatment of 11 patients

Cavernous angiomas, also called cavernous malformations or cavernomas, are vascular hamartomas accounting for 3–16% of all angiomatous lesions of the spinal district. Although histologically identical, these vascular anomalies may exhibit different clinical behavior and radiological features, depending on their location, hinting at different managements and therapeutic approaches. The authors report 11 cases of symptomatic spinal cavernous angiomas diagnosed and surgically treated over the past 18 years. Age of patients ranged from 15–75 years; males outnumbered females. Three patients had vertebral cavernous malformations, secondarily invading the epidural space; two had pure epidural lesions; two patients had intradural extramedullary lesions, and four intramedullary lesions. Surgical removal was completely achieved in four patients with intramedullary lesions, in two with subdural extramedullary lesions, and in one with a pure epidural lesion. Subtotal excision of another one epidural and three vertebral cavernous angiomas was followed by radiotherapy. There was no morbidity related to surgery; the mean follow-up was 2 years. The outcome was excellent in two cases, good in six, and unchanged in the other three. The authors discuss the different modalities of treatment of these vascular lesions variously placed along the spine.     

Efficacy of short‐term oral cobalamin therapy for the treatment of cobalamin deficiencies related to food‐cobalamin malabsorption: A study of 30 patients

Background: It has been suggested that oral cobalamin (vitamin B₁₂) therapy may be an effective therapy for treating cobalamin deficiencies related to food‐cobalamin malabsorption. However, the duration of this treatment was not determined. Patients and method: In an open‐label, nonplacebo study, we studied 30 patients with established cobalamin deficiency related to food‐cobalamin malabsorption, who received between 250 and 1000 μg of oral crystalline cyanocobalamin per day for at least 1 month. Endpoints: Blood counts, serum cobalamin and homocysteine levels were determined at baseline and during the first month of treatment. Results: During the first month of treatment, 87% of the patients normalized their serum cobalamin levels; 100% increased their serum cobalamin levels (mean increase, +167 pg/dl; P < 0.001 compared with baseline); 100% had evidence of medullary regeneration; 100% corrected their initial macrocytosis; and 54% corrected their anemia. All patients had increased hemoglobin levels (mean increase, +0.6 g/dl) and reticulocyte counts (mean increase, +35 × 10⁶/l) and decreased erythrocyte cell volume (mean decrease, 3 fl; all P < 0.05). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that crystalline cyanocobalamin, 250–1000 μg /day, given orally for 1 month, may be an effective treatment for cobalamin deficiencies not related to pernicious anemia.     

Bright dawn simulation compared with bright morning light in the treatment of winter depression.

In a randomized cross-over design, 7 patients with winter depression were treated with a week of a bright (1700 lx) dawn simulation (0400 to 0600) and a week of standard bright (1700 lx) morning (0600 to 0800) light therapy. The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression scores decreased significantly for the standard light therapy (18.9 to 6.6) but not for the bright dawn therapy (18.0 to 11.3). Early morning awakening was a frequent side effect with the bright dawn simulation. Although dawn simulation at a lower illuminance may be an effective treatment, the bright dawn used in this study showed only a nonsignificant trend to lower depression ratings. The illuminance of dawn simulation should be adjusted to minimize side effects.     

Antisocial personality disorder, HIV risk behavior and retention in methadone maintenance therapy

In a sample of 55 consecutive methadone maintenance admissions to our clinic, 42% were diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) using the National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule NIMH DIS. Individuals with ASPD exhibited greater risk for HIV infection as defined by more sexual contacts, needle use and equipment sharing. Data at 1 year follow-up were obtained on this group of patients. The objective was to compare the ASPD and non-ASPD groups with regards to demographics, drug abuse history, outcome and retention in treatment. There were no significant differences between the groups on any demographic or treatment outcome variables. Survival analysis indicated that there were no group differences in treatment retention. In conclusion, although there were no differences in treatment outcome between ASPD and non-ASPD groups it is possible that ASPD patients who drop out of treatment will be at higher risk for contracting and spreading HIV within the IV drug using population. These data also suggest that in this population the diagnosis of ASPD using primarily behavioral traits as measured in the NIMH-DIS-III, has little utility in predicting treatment outcome.     

异位妊娠诊断治疗进展

异位妊娠是是妇产科常见的急腹症之一，随着高敏感度的血β-HCG测定、阴道超声及腹腔镜临床应用，使异位妊娠得以早期诊断。以往异位妊娠的治疗原则以手术治疗为主．异位妊娠的早期诊断使药物治疗和保守性手术治疗成为可能。     

Opioid binding in DYT1 primary torsion dystonia: an 11C-diprenorphine PET study.

The opioid transmitters enkephalin and dynorphin are known to regulate pallidal output and consequently cortical excitability. Indeed, abnormal basal ganglia opioid transmission has been reported in several involuntary movement disorders, including levodopa-induced dyskinesias in Parkinson's disease (PD), tardive dyskinesias/dystonia, Huntington's disease, and Tourette's syndrome. Moreover, a previous 11C-diprenorphine PET study investigating levodopa-induced dyskinesias found reduced opioid receptor availability in PD with but not without dyskinesias. We wished to investigate if a similar alteration in basal ganglia opioid binding was present in DYT1 primary torsion dystonia (PTD). Regional cerebral 11C-diprenorphine binding was investigated in 7 manifesting carriers of the DYT1 gene and 15 age-matched normal controls using a region-of-interest (ROI) approach and statistical parametric mapping (SPM). No difference in regional mean 11C-diprenorphine binding was found between DYT1-PTD and controls, and no correlation between the severity of dystonia and opioid binding was seen. We conclude that aberrant opioid transmission is unlikely to be present in DYT1-PTD and altered opioid transmission is not a common mechanism underlying all disorders of involuntary movement.     

顽固性癫痫的组合手术治疗

目的对部分顽固性癫痫病人，在严格充分的术前评价之后．依据结果将几种手术方式适当的组合使用，并对其临床效果进行评价。方法对同济大学东方医院神经外科收治的116例顽固性癫痫中的25例病人施行联合手术的治疗方法。发作形式为全身强直一阵挛性发作、复杂部分性发作及失神发作等，其中有14例存在两种发作形式。术前均服过多种抗癫痫药．病程后期同时服用2～3种抗癫痫药。25例病人术前均行24h脑电监测及头颅MRI检查．有19例术前行硬膜下皮层电极和深部电极检测，其中1例行头颅PET检查。手术在皮层脑电及深部电极监测下进行。13例行额颢开颅，颞前叶及海马、杏仁核切除＋额部部分区域的软膜下横切术（MST），其中7例附加胼胝体前部切开术；11例行额部开颅，额部软化灶切除＋运动区MST，其中2例附加胼胝体前部切开术；1例行双侧枕顶部开颅，左枕叶萎缩皮层切除＋胼胝体后部切开＋右侧顶枕的MST。结果术后无死亡及严重并发症。术后抗癫痫药物使用减少，术后23例服用一种抗癫痫药，2例服用两种抗癫痫药。术后随访6～12个月，17例手术效果为Engel 1级，4例为Engel2级，4例为Engel3级。40岁以下的患者手术后癫痫控制的可能性显著大于40岁以上者（P〈0．05）；病程在10年以下的患者术后癫痫无发作的可能性显著大于10年以上者（P〈0．05）。头颅MRI上有无明显的结构异常对病人的预后没有影响（P〉0．05）。结论在严格术前评价的前提下，尤其是在有精通神经电生理知识的神经外科医生综合分析下，采用多种手术方式组合治疗顽固性癫痫效果显著。