Cytogenetic study in juvenile myoclonic epileptic patients

The association of chromosomal imbalance and neurological abnormalities is well known. These chromosomal abnormalities may indicate that chromosomal sites where atypical neurological characteristics could be mapped. The purpose of our study was to search for cytogenetic abnormalities in patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. This work was carried out on fifteen patients presenting to Epilepsy Centerof Neurology Department of Alexandria Main University Hospital. The age of juvenile myoclonic patients ranged from 16 to 38 years. Ten patients have myoclonic and generalized Tonic-Clonic seizures, 3 patients have myoclonic, absences, and generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and 2 patients have myoclonic seizures only. All patients were cytogenetically normal as all of them had normal karyotypes

Peripheral aneurysms in Behcet's disease

Behcet's disease is a multisystem inflammatory disorder which may involve the vascular system. In this report, 14 patients with Behcet's disease with a total of 16 periphral aneurysms are presented. All patients were male, ranging in age from 23-50 years. The most common site of aneurysm formation was the femoral artery in 10 patients [71%]. Others include: 2 brachial, 1 popliteal, 1 external iliac, 1 peroneal, 1 posterior tibial. Only two patients with known previous history of venous thrombosis and under treatment of Behcet's disease In the other patients [86%] the first presentation was peripheral aneurysm and recurrent scrotal ulceration +/- oral ulceration. Synchronous multiple presentation in one patient and dis-synchronous presentation in other patient We performed interposition vein grafts for11 [8 femoral, 2 brachial and 1 popliteal] and 3 interposition PTFE graft [2 femoral and 1 external iliac]. Simple ligation as initial procedure was done for two [1 peroneal and 1 posterior tibial]. Anastomotic aneurysm developed in 2 patients [14%], secondary haemorrhage ended with A.k amputation in one patient [7%]. Relapse as new aneurysm formation in the aorta in 3 patients [21%] with mortality in two of them [14%]. Behcet's .disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of periphral arterial aneurysm in young person in our population. A combination of corticosteroids and immune-suppression should be considered to control relapses responsible for new aneurysm formation especially in patients presented with multiple aneurysms

Endoscopic transthoracic sympathectomy for hyperhidrosis

Thirty-two consecutive patients with palmar and/or axillary hyperhidrosis were submitted for endoscopic transthoracic sympathectomy. Twenty-eight patients underwent bilateral surgery. There were 24 females and 8 males with a mean age 24.2 years [range 17 - 32 years]. The hands alone were affected in 6 patients, the axillae alone in 4 patients [12.5%] and both areas in 16 patients [50%]. There were 4 patients with recurrent palmar hyperhidrosis [2 unilateral and 2 bilateral], and 2 patients with recurrent unilateral axillary hyperhidrosis. The procedure was successful in curing the symptoms of hyperhidrosis in all patients. The commonest side effects were compensatory sweating [43.75%] and gustatory sweating [31%], there was a high level of patient satisfaction

Platelet aggregation index and femoropopliteal graft patency

Platelet aggregation index [PAI], based on the aggregation pattern and platelet count, was determined in the 40 patients available for platelet analysis who underwent 53 femoropopliteal bypasses with 6-mm, externally-supported, knitted Dacron grafts from 1982 to1992 mean follow up 50 months]. This index was found to be stable both pre-and postoperatively. The PAI value, the patient's age, history of hypertension atherosclerotic heart disease, diabetes, and/or smoking, the site of the distal anastomosis, previous ipsilateral bypass and state of runoff determined by preoperative angiography were analyzed for predicting closure, using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. Of the studied risk factors, the PAI was the most highly predictive variable for graft closure [P < 0.0001]. An increase of 10 units was associated with an increased relative risk of 2.02. Throughout the follow up period, 15 of l6 grafts remained patent in patients with an PAI < 15, whereas only 2 grafts out of 17 remained patent in patients with a PAI > 30. These data suggest that the PAI is an accurate predictor of the Outcome of femoropopliteal bypass using externally-supported, knitted Dacron grafts