Subacute posttraumatic ascending myelopathy (SPAM): A potential complication of subarachnoid shunt for syringomyelia?

Context: Treatment of primary spinal syringomyelia is still controversial. Among others, shunting syrinx fluid to the subarachnoid, peritoneal or pleural space has been utilized with varying success. Shunt obstruction, migration, and infection represent the most common complications of these procedures.

Findings: The authors present the case of an 81-year-old woman who developed an unusual neurological deterioration resembling a subacute posttraumatic ascending myelopathy (SPAM) after the insertion of a syringosubarachnoid shunt for the treatment of slow-growing D10 syringomyelia.

Conclusion/Clinical Relevance: To date, no cases of SPAM secondary to the insertion of a syringosubarachnoid shunt for the treatment of syringomyelia have been reported. The potential pathogenesis related to this phenomenon is discussed.     

Myelopathy due to human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 from the donor after ABO-incompatible liver transplantation

We report the case of a 53-year-old-man who developed human T-cell leukemia virus type-1-associated myelopathy (HAM) after ABO-incompatible liver transplantation for alcoholic liver cirrhosis. The living donor was seropositive for human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1) and the recipient was seronegative for HTLV-1 before transplantation. After transplantation, the recipient developed steroid-resistant acute cellular rejection, which was successfully treated using anti-thymocyte globulin, and he was eventually discharged. He underwent spinal surgery twice after the transplantation for the treatment of cervical spondylosis that had been present for a period of 9 months before the transplantation. The surgery improved his gait impairment temporarily. However, his gait impairment progressed, and magnetic resonance imaging revealed multiple sites of myelopathy. He was diagnosed with HAM 16 months after the transplantation. Pulse steroid therapy (1000 mg) was administered over a period of 3 days, and his limb paresis improved. Presently, steroid therapy is being continued, with a plan to eventually taper the dose, and he is being carefully followed up at our institution. Our case suggests that liver transplantation involving an HTLV-1-positive living donor carries the risk of virus transmission and short-term development of HAM after transplantation.     

Treatment of HTLV-I-associated myelopathy with high-dose intravenous gammaglobulin

Summary Fourteen patients with HTLV-1-associated myelopathy were treated with high-dose intravenous gammaglobulin (IVGG). Ten received 10 g/day of IVGG and 4 received 400 mg/kg of body-weight/day of IVGG for 5 consecutive days. Improvement of spastic paraparesis was observed in 10 within 7 days of the commencement of IVGG. The therapeutic effects were sustained for more than 3 weeks in some patients. There were no side effects. Analysis of factors of relevance to the clinical improvement with IVGG showed that the beneficial response was preferentially found in patients having a high CSF titre of anti-HTLV-I antibodies, a high CSF IgG level and a marked brain MRI abnormality.     

Active production of anti-human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) IgM antibody in HTLV-I-associated myelopathy

We investigated the presence of anti-human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) IgM in sera and cerebrospinal fluid from patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (HAM) by Western blot analysis. Analyses of 36 serum samples revealed that most patients (31/36; 86.1%) had anti-HTLV-I IgM, whereas only four of 23 (17.4%) HTLV-I carriers had it. In studies of cerebrospinal fluid, anti-HTLV-I IgM was detected in 24 of 36 (66.7%) HAM patients, whereas none was detected in nine HTLV-I carriers. The differences were statistically significant (p less than 0.01). These results suggest that persistent active replication of HTLV-I occurs in the central nervous system as well as in the peripheral blood of HAM patients, and may contribute to the development of HAM.     

PLDD治疗拒绝开放手术的脊髓型颈椎病患者的疗效观察与思考

目的：探讨经皮激光椎间盘减压术（PLDD）治疗拒绝开放手术的脊髓型颈椎病患者的疗效。方法：2002年～2006年应用PLDD治疗16例拒绝开放手术的脊髓型颈椎病患者，手术前后采用日本骨科学会（JOA）17分法进行评价．计算改善率及优良率，随访观察治疗效果。结果：手术时间平均为15min，术中无明显出血，无血管、神经损伤及感染等并发症发生。术后1、3、6、12个月时JOA评分改善率分别为28．54％、34．82％、41．09％和47．57％．优良率分别为31．3％、37．5％、37．5％和56．0％。随访24个月者11例，改善率为46．56％，优良率为54．4％。结论：PLDD治疗脊髓型颈椎病患者有一定疗效，对拒绝开放手术的脊髓型颈椎病患者是一种可供选择的微创治疗手段。     

甲基强的松龙在脊髓型颈椎病围手术期不同用法的效果观察

目的:观察甲基强的松龙(MP)不同用法对脊髓型颈椎病患者术后神经功能的影响,探讨最佳用药方案。方法:选择2005年1月至2006年8月在我院脊柱外科手术治疗的脊髓型颈椎病患者83例,男48例、女35例;年龄35～65岁,平均52岁;前路减压手术65例,后路减压手术18例。将患者随机分为4组:A组,术中使用MP组(n=20),脊髓减压前30min静脉快速滴注MP1000mg;B组,术后使用MP组(n=23),即术中不使用,术后1h开始静脉滴注MP80mg,每日2次,连续使用5d;C组,术中、术后使用MP组(n=19),脊髓减压前30min静脉快速滴注MP1000mg;术后1h开始静脉滴注MP80mg,每日2次,连续使用5d;D组,空白对照组(n=21),术中、术后均不使用MP。术前和术后1d、2周、3个月分别用美国脊髓损伤协会(ASIA)评分标准对患者神经功能评分,记录应用MP的相关并发症发生情况。结果:术前各组患者ASIA评分无统计学差异(P>0.05);术后1d、2周和3个月时,A、C组ASIA评分较B、D组高,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);A组与C组、B组与D组的ASIA评分比较无显著性差异(P>0.05)。各组间并发症的发生率无显著性差异(P>0.05)。结论:颈脊髓减压前30min快速静脉滴注MP1000mg能够显著改善脊髓型颈椎病患者术后近期的神经功能,术后小剂量应用MP则无明显改善效果。     

Spinal MRI in vacuolar myelopathy, and correlation with histopathological findings

We correlated MRI features with histopathological findings in an HIV-positive patient with vacuolar myelopathy. On MRI symmetrical nonenhancing high-signal areas in the posterior columns on T2-weighted images result from extensive vacuolation visible on histological sections. Received: 18 November 1997 Accepted: 23 March 1997     

经后路钛网椎板成形侧块内固定术治疗脊髓型颈椎病的疗效观察

目的 观察后路钛网椎板成形侧块内固定加植骨术治疗脊髓型颈椎病的临床效果。方法 自1999年至今，共有16例脊髓型颈椎病患者经后路钛网椎板成形侧块内固定加植骨术治疗，对治疗结果进行临床及X线评定。结果 通过平均2年5个月的随访，所有病例都得到了改善，其中优6例、良8例、可2例，优良率为93．8％；术后椎管矢状径平均增加4．2mm，钛网无位置变化，并已被再生骨固定。结论 在进行后路减压的同时，钛网椎板成形及侧块内固定，尤其适用于有节段性不稳的脊髓型颈椎病并椎管狭窄、后纵韧带骨化症的治疗。     

颈椎病伴椎管狭窄患者再手术问题探讨

目的：探讨颈椎病伴椎管狭窄患者再手术的原因、手术方式及其相关问题。方法：我院2002年7月～2003年12月对40例颈椎病伴椎管狭窄术后疗效不佳或症状复发的患者进行了后路多节段（5个或以上）减压手术。根据其手术治疗方式及影像学资料分析再手术原因，并进行术后疗效评价。结果：经前路手术者再手术的主要原因为：（1）伴有多节段颈椎管狭窄因素时，只选择部分压迫重的节段行减压融合15例；（2）经前路多节段（≥3个节段）减压融合后，相邻节段继续退变，出现新的脊髓压迫表现及椎间不稳定9例；（3）伴有OPLL时，行部分节段前路减压融合后，病变呈进展表现，产生或加重对脊髓的压迫8例。经后路手术者再手术的原因为：（1）后路减压节段不够5例（包括1例前后路联合手术者）；（2）后路减压不充分3例。再手术后随访1．3～2．7年，平均2．1年，所有患者脊髓功能获得一定的提高，JOA评分改善率为51．3％。结论：颈椎病伴椎管狭窄病例再手术的主要原因为椎管狭窄因素仍然存在，经后路多节段（5个或以上）减压手术治疗可彻底去除颈椎管狭窄因素，有效解除脊髓前、后方所受的压迫，可获得较满意的临床疗效。     

Upper thoracic myelopathy caused by vertebral collapse and subluxation in rheumatoid arthritis: report of two cases

We report two cases of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with upper thoracic myelopathy and a review of the literature. Clinical data of a 47-year-old woman (case 1) and a 54-year-old woman (case 2) are described. Case 1 showed a transverse-type myelopathy at the T2 segment level of the spinal cord and case 2 had the same type of myelopathy at the T4 segment level. Case 1 had anterior vertebral subluxation of C7 due to marked vertebral collapse and Case 2 had subluxation of T2 with vertebral destruction. These two patients had the mutilating type of RA with multilevel spontaneous fusion in the cervical spine. The lesions in the thoracic spine might be caused by the severe destructive inflammation that is characteristic in mutilating disease. The vertebral collapse might lead to subluxation of the upper thoracic vertebra, resulting in spinal cord compression. Upper thoracic subluxation might be caused by vertebral collapse due to RA and the increased motion as a compensation for decreased mobility caused by spontaneous fusion in the cervical spine.