Motor and Sensory Function as a Predictor of Respiratory Function Associated With Ventilator Weaning After High Cervical Cord Injury

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the respiratory function of high cervical cord injury according to ventilator dependence and to examine the correlations between diaphragm movement found on fluoroscopy and sensory and motor functions. METHODS: A total of 67 patients with high cervical spinal cord injury (SCI), admitted to our hospital were enrolled in the study. One rehabilitation physician performed sensory and motor examinations on all patients while each patient was in the supine position on the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) standard. In addition, fluoroscopic diaphragm movement studies and bedside spirometry were performed. RESULTS: Bedside spirometry and diaphragm fluoroscopic tests were analyzed according to ventilator dependence. Forced vital capacity and maximal inspiratory pressure were significantly higher in the ventilator weaned group. Natural breathing during the fluoroscopic diaphragm examinations and ventilator weaning showed statistical significance with the movement on the right, while deep breathing showed statistical significance with the movement on both sides. Deep breathing movement has correlation with the C5 key muscle. Diaphragm movement has correlation with right C3 and bilateral C4 sensory functions. CONCLUSION: The present expansion study showed that, through simple bedside physical examinations, rehabilitation physicians could relatively easily predict diaphragm movement and respiratory function recovery, which showed significance with ventilator weaning in patients with high cervical SCI.

Effect of Intra-articular Hyaluronic Acid Injection on Hemiplegic Shoulder Pain After Stroke

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of intra-articular hyaluronic acid (IAHA) injection for hemiplegic shoulder pain (HSP) after stroke. METHODS: Thirty-one patients with HSP and limited range of motion (ROM) without spasticity of upper extremity were recruited. All subjects were randomly allocated to group A (n=15) for three weekly IAHA injection or group B (n=16) for a single intra-articular steroid (IAS) injection. All injections were administered by an expert physician until the 8th week using a posterior ultrasonography-guided approach. Shoulder joint pain was measured using the Wong-Baker Scale (WBS), while passive ROM was measured in the supine position by an expert physician. RESULTS: There were no significant intergroup differences in WBS or ROM at the 8th week. Improvements in forward flexion and external rotation were observed from the 4th week in the IAHA group and the 8th week in the IAS group. Subjects experienced a statistically significant improvement in pain from the 1st week in the IAS and from the 8th week in IAHA group, respectively. CONCLUSION: IAHA seems to have a less potent ability to reduce movement pain compared to steroid in the early period. However, there was no statistically significant intergroup difference in WBS and ROM improvements at the 8th week. IAHA might be a good alternative to steroid for managing HSP when the use of steroid is limited.

A Comparative Analysis of Stereotactic Evacuation & Conservative Treatment in Hypertensive Putaminal Hemorrhage

We have analysed 144 patients with hypertensive putaminal hemorrhage, admitting from January 1992 to December 1993. Surgical treated group with Komai's stereotactic system was 71 patients and medical treated group was 73 patients. The results were as follows: 1) The patients with ventricular rupture were 36 cases(25%). According to the degree of ventricular rupture, the mortality was increased and the good outcome was decreased(P40ml), the outcome in both treated group was similar. 4) According to CT classification, in class II(extending to anterior limb of internal capsule), good outcome of surgical group was better than that of non-surgical group. In class V(extending th thalamus or subthalamus), the mortality in surgical group was lower than that of non-surgical group(P<0.05) .

A Case of Lateral Ventricle Choroid Plexus Papilloma in an Infant

Choroid plexus papillomas are uncommon neoplasms of the central nervous system, accounting for 0.4% to 0.1% of all intracranial tumors. We present a choroid plexus papilloma in the trigone of the lateral ventricle in an 8 months old infant with hydrocephalus. We successfully controlled hydrocephalus and subdural fluid collection after total removal of the mass.