Encefalopatía perdedora de sal: presentación de 4 casos clínicos / Salt losing encephalopathy: presentation of 4 clinical cases

Salt-losing encefalopathy is a controversial clinical manifestation initially described by Peters in 1950 and reconsidered by Nelson in 1981. It is characterized by an excessive renal loss of sodium and water during an intracraneal disease, secondary to proximal tubular reabsorption dysfunction. Clínical manifestations include severe polyuria, hyponatremia, hypouricemia and hypovolemia. It is important to differentiate this disease from other polyric manifestations, specially with the Syndrome of Inappropriate ADH Secretion (SIADH), since its treatment is the complete contrary and consists of replacing large quantities of salt, and isotomic solutions. The inability to recognize this manifestation may lead to incorrect treatment, to serious deterioration of the neurological condition (associated to cerebral aneurisms), and to an increase in mortality. We present 4 neurosurgical cases (operated cerebral aneurisms) that accorded with this syndrome and were treated as such. The complete clinical history, differential diagnosis and physiopathology are discussed in detail, and literature is revised

Tetraparesia fláccida / Flaccid tetraparesis

In this paper we review a clinical case of a man of 66 years old admitted to the medicine service of the Clinical Hospital of the University of Chile, with a clinical setting of flaccid tetraparesis associated with myalgias, dysphagia, dysphonia, reddish-violaceous eruption on the upper eyelids, periungual erythema and erythema distributed over the anterior neck and chest. We take this case to review the cases of flaccid tetraparesis that can be due to systemic, neuromuscular or psychiatric diseases. The clinical approach begins with the anamnesis: drugs consumption, or systemic diseases; continues with the physical examination orientated to stablish compromise of first or second motoneuron. Finally laboratory test as muscle enzymes, endocronologic test, and others like electromyography and muscle biopsy. We also review the actual tratments and the outcome and prognosis with each of them

Comparación de la eficacia clínica de una inyección intraarticular o intralesional de dos preparados de betametasona en pacientes con artrosis o epicondilitis / Comparative effects of intra articular injections of two betametasone preparations in patients with osteoarthritis or epicondilytis

Background: Local infiltration with corticoids is a simple therapy for rheumatic disorders devoid of systemic adverse reactions. Aim: To compare the efficacy of two betametasone preparations from two different pharmaceutical laboratories in the treatment of patients with osteoarthritis or epicondilytis. Patients and methods: Fourty patients with knee osteoarthritis and 12 patients with epicondilytis were studied. Using a double blind protocol, one of the two betametasone preparations was used for local infiltration of the lesions. The change in a global score of clinical variables including pain and disability was assessed after 30 days of the infiltration. Results: In patients with osteoarthritis, the global score decreased significantly with both preparations, but no differences were observed between preparations (7.3ñ1.8 to 3.9ñ2.3 with preparation A and 7.8ñ1.9 to 3.6ñ2.3 with preparation B). In patients with epicondilytis, pain was also significantly reduced but no differences between preparations was observed (7ñ2.1 to 1.4ñ2.5 for preparation A and 4.6ñ2.8 to 1.2ñ1.6 for preparation B). Conclusions: Local infiltration with both betametasone preparations was equally effective in the treatment of patients with knee osteoarthritis or epicondilytis

Oxigenación extracorpórea de membrana en síndrome de distrés respiratorio del adulto: experiencia en 2 pacientes / Extracorporeal oxygenation of membrane in adult distress respiratory syndrome: experience in 2 patients

We report 2 female patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome and severe respiratory failure in whom extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was used. Its indication was due to a bad response to conventional tretament with mechanical ventilation and high levels of positive end expiratory pressure. A 2.0 or 2.2 m2 membrane oxygenator in a veno-venous circuit with systemic anticoagulation was used, maintaining mechanical ventilation. In the first patient, the procedure was done early and was succesful, increasing hemoglobin saturation from 39 to 87 percent. The patient was withdrawn from the procedure 48 hours later and died one week later due to a septic shock. The second patient was connected to the procedure after three weeks of respiratory distress syndrome and no increase in arterial oxygenation was achieved. The patient died due to an intracraneal hemorrhage, probably hastened by systemic anticoagulation. The real benefits of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation are not defined yet