A computer and video display based system for training eccentric viewing in macular degeneration with an absolute central scotoma

A new approach designed to establish the most suitable area for eccentric viewing and to teach and train patients with severe age-related macular degeneration (AMD) to use the eccentric viewing technique is described. Using a computer and video display based system, as well as software written specifically for this purpose, we investigated and trained ten consecutive patients with AMD. The patients were 80.1 ± 5.6 years old, on average. All of them had an absolute central scotoma. Mean visual acuity was 0.035 ± 0.016. After 30 min of testing, instruction and reading on the screen, followed by 2.6 ± 0.69 one-hour training sessions, on average, with the low vision therapist, reading newspaper and book texts with the aid of hyperoculars or aplanatic systems and a very short reading distance, the patients achieved a reading speed of 58.9 ± 19.7 words/min, significantly (p<0.001) higher than the initial speed when reading on the screen, 11.5 ± 4.5 words/min.     

Added value of OCT in evaluating the presence of leakage in patients with age-related macular degeneration treated with PDT

Background Evaluating the presence of leakage on fluorescein angiography (FA) in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) retreated with photodynamic therapy (PDT) can be difficult. New diagnostic tools such as optical coherence tomography (OCT) might help to optimize PDT management.Methods Thirty AMD patients scheduled for regular follow-up FA in conjunction with PDT treatment were also scanned with OCT. Follow-up data at 9 months were retrieved from the patients’ medical records. Inter-observer agreement [kappa (κ) coefficient] for the presence of leakage on FA, for OCT parameters for leakage, and agreement between FA and OCT evaluations were calculated. The indication for retreatment was evaluated using the leakage analysis based on FA alone, OCT alone, and both examinations combined, and compared to the actual follow-up of the patients at 9 months.Results Agreement between the two observers for the presence of leakage on FA was moderate (κ=0.51). OCT agreement between the two observers for the presence of leakage was good (κ=0.85). Agreement between FA and OCT for the presence of leakage was poor (κ=0.16). Follow-up data at 9 months on all patients were analyzed. Seven out of 30 patients were not retreated at the time of examination, and four of these patients (57%) remained stable without further treatment. Twenty-three patients did receive a PDT treatment at the time of examination; and eight of these patients did not show leakage on OCT, and five of these patients (62%) remained stable without additional treatment. In contrast, only three out of 15 patients (20%) with leakage on both FA and OCT remained stable during this 9 month follow-up period.Conclusions Inter-observer agreement for the presence of leakage was moderate for FA and good for OCT. There was considerable disagreement between leakage as judged by OCT and by FA. OCT could be of help in the decision regarding PDT retreatment. Assuming that 57% of the patients without leakage either on FA or OCT would remain stable without retreatment, the rate of probable ineffective retreatment could be reduced from 35% to 20%.There was no financial support for this study. The authors have full access to the data and will allow Graefe’s Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology to review the data if requeste.d     

Movement disorders after intervertebral disc surgery: Coincidence or causal relationship?

It is well known that brain injury or central traumatic lesions may result in the subsequent appearance of movement disorders such as dystonia or tremor. The concept that peripheral lesions to neural structures may be involved in the pathogenesis of movement disorders has been discussed controversely but has gained more widespread acceptance only recently. Here, we report on 6 patients who developed movement disorders after spinal disc surgery. The movement disorders became manifest with a delay of 1 day to 12 months after surgery. Of the six patients, 4 underwent cervical disc surgery, and 2 patients were operated on for lumbar disc herniation; 2 patients presented with paroxysmal kinesigenic segmental dystonia, 1 patient with focal dystonia, 2 with unilateral tremor, and 1 with bilateral tremor. The appearance of the movement disorder was associated with persistent dermatomal or segmental pain. In all patients, the anatomic distribution of the movement disorder was related to the nerve root or spinal segment of the corresponding disc level and the manifestation was in close temporal relation to the surgery. We conclude that spinal disc surgery may be another, thus far neglected, cause for movement disorders. The postoperative pain syndrome in all patients should be considered as an important factor of pathogenesis. Overall, movement disorders associated with disc surgery appear to be rare, yet they may cause significant discomfort to the affected individual.     

颈椎间盘突出症的髓核突出类型及其临床意义

目的对颈椎间盘突出症进行分型,并探讨其临床意义。方法手术治疗颈椎间盘突出症110例,根据MRI特点分为Ⅰ型,Ⅱ型和Ⅲ型,并就分型和临床的关系,选择手术方式。结果两节段以下的各型突出,含有Ⅱ型或Ⅲ型突出的多节段颈椎间盘突出,伴动力性颈椎不稳的各型突出,均应首选前路手术;三节段以上的Ⅰ型突出,发育性颈椎管狭窄合并Ⅱ型或Ⅲ型突出,应选择后路手术。结论颈椎间盘突出症的分型对手术入路选择有指导意义。     

经皮穿刺腰椎间盘切吸术治疗腰椎间盘突出症的远期疗效

目的 观察X线电视引导下经皮穿刺腰椎间盘切吸术治疗腰椎间盘突出症的远期疗效。方法 32例经CT扫描证实的腰椎间盘突出症患者，其中，膨出型29例，游离型2例，以及突出型1例，均经X线电视引导下经皮穿刺腰椎间盘切吸术治疗，术后均经随访0.5～11.0a。结果 术后1周～3个月，32例中的24例临床症状与体征得到有效控制或明显减轻，随访5～11a观察表明，症状完全消失和明显减轻者分别见于23例和6例，总有效率90.6%，预后极好和较好者均见于膨出型腰椎间盘突出症患者。结论 游离型和突出型腰椎间盘突出症的疗效均不理想，因此，术前认真选择适应证是获得理想疗效的关键性因素。     

退变腰椎间盘髓核细胞立体培养与单层培养的生物活性比较

目的：比较体外单层培养和旋转微载体立体培养人退变腰椎间盘髓核细胞的生物学活性指标,探讨更加有效的椎间盘髓核细胞体外培养方法.方法：对获取的腰椎间盘突出症患者的24个椎间盘按年龄分为A组（20～25 岁）、B组（26～30 岁）、C组（36～45 岁）及D组（＞45岁）,分别利用酶消化法进行单层细胞培养和旋转微载体立体培养系统进行立体培养,观察细胞生长形态,检测细胞生长曲线及速度、细胞生长活性、细胞分裂指数及胶原含量.结果：单层培养的髓核细胞贴壁后为多角形或梭形,伸出伪足;立体培养的细胞在微载体上呈梭形或不规则形,呈立体状生长.立体培养的细胞生长速度较快,1周内两种培养方法各时间点及各组间比较均具有统计学意义（P＜0.05）.立体培养的髓核细胞活性提高,随年龄增加细胞活性下降;指数生长期细胞分裂指数与单层培养相比有统计学意义（P＜0.05）;Ⅰ、Ⅱ型胶原含量与单层培养相比有统计学意义（P＜0.05）,A组分别与B组、C组及D组比较均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）.结论：旋转立体培养人退变椎间盘髓核细胞的活性保持良好,较单层培养能够大量、优质收集种子细胞,可用于椎间盘组织工程中种子细胞的研究.     

SOLIS在颈椎前路融合术中的应用

目的 探讨新型颈椎前路融合器(SOLIS)在颈椎前路融合术中的应用效果.方法 对18例脊髓型颈椎病、12例颈椎间盘突出症采用颈椎前路减压融合术,小切口入路(3～4 cm),椎间盘及部分椎体后缘切除后保留椎体终板,植人带自体松质骨的SOLIS.以手术前后X线片及JOA评分评价疗效.结果 30例随访6～18个月,平均12.5个月.置人的SOLIS位置良好,无移动及脱出迹象;病变椎间隙高度恢复正常,未见椎间高度丢失;所有节段均于术后3～8个月骨性融合.术前JOA评分平均10.4分,术后平均14.9分,两者有统计学意义(P＜0.01).结论 颈椎前路融合器SOLIS具有良好的生物相容性,手术创伤小,能有效地恢复颈椎高度,融合率高,融合后稳定性好,神经功能改善优良率高.     

Holmes-like tremor of the lower extremity following brainstem hemorrhage.

Holmes tremor is an arrhythmic, 2- to 5-Hz resting, postural, and kinetic upper extremity movement disorder that occurs weeks to months after acute mesencephalic pathology. We present a patient who developed tremor in three body parts postbrainstem hemorrhage with subsequent hypertrophic olivary degeneration and discuss the relevant clinical evolution. Our case is unique because in addition to expected upper extremity and cervical dystonic head tremors, the patient also developed a severe lower extremity movement disorder, which we believe to be a form of Holmes tremor. Tremor involving the lower extremity in this setting has not been previously reported.     

Sub‐retinal neovascular membrane in exudative macular degeneration

Age‐related macular degeneration is a major cause of serious vision loss. The earliest stages of age‐related maculopathy may be defined by the size of the drusen present in the macula and the effects on vision. Further manifestations may include soft drusen, choroidal neovascularisation, macular haemorrhage and cicatricial or disciform degeneration of the macula. This report describes a patient with a macular haemorrhage, a choroidal neovascular membrane and serious loss of vision. In addition, the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treat‐ment options of macular degeneration are reviewed.     

螺旋CT扫描与多模式三维重建诊断腰椎间盘突出症

目的 探讨螺旋CT扫描容积数据与三维重建诊断腰椎间盘突出症(LDH)的价值。资料与方法 94例行连续容积扫描：准直3～5mm，螺距1．5～3．0，以1．3～2．7mm间距后重建；源影像输入AW4．0工作站，应用多平面重建(MPR)、表面遮盖显示(SSD)和仿真内镜(VE)等软件显示病变，并与椎间盘镜(MED)诊治对照。结果 8例正常；LDH86例：中央型、侧旁、椎间管、椎管外、侧方及混合型分别为19、39、5、2、3、18例。三维重建显示LDH的立体结构为堤坡形、扁丘形、尖丘形、双(多)丘形及游离形分别为34、26、9、5、2例。VE诊断LDH的准确度、灵敏度、特异度分别为95％、100％、80％。VE能模拟MED效果。结论 容积数据与多模式三维重建能提供诊断LDH更全面的信息，并模拟微创手术治疗。