The effects of pharyngeal pressure feedback training on pharynx constriction caused by brainstem lesions / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective:To explore the effect of the pharyngeal pressure feedback training on pharyngeal constriction in persons with swallowing disorders caused by brainstem lesions.Methods:Twenty patients with disordered swallowing caused by a brainstem lesion were randomly divided into a control group and an intervention group, each of 10. Both groups received routine swallowing training including oral sensorimotor training, neuromuscular stimulation and balloon catheter dilation, while the intervention group was additionally provided with two weeks of pharyngeal pressure feedback training. Before and after the treatment, both groups were evaluated in terms of the peak pressure of superior and inferior pharyngeal constriction, endoscopically and also using the functional oral intake scale.Results:There was no significant difference between the two groups in any measure before the intervention. Afterward, both groups had improved significantly by all of the measurements, but the average peak upper pharyngeal pressure, the average intake scale score and the endoscopy results of the intervention group were all significantly better than the control group′s averages.Conclusions:Pharyngeal pressure feedback training can significantly relieve swallowing disorders caused by brainstem lesions.

Hombre joven con déficit motor y lesiones inflamatorias intracerebrales: reporte de un caso clínico de Neuro-Behcet / Young man with motor deficit and intracerebral inflammatory lesions: a Neuro-Behcet case report

La enfermedad de Behçet (EB) es una patología inflamatoria vascular, multisistémica y recurrente. El fenómeno subyacente es una perivasculitis que afecta el territorio arterial y venoso. La mayor prevalencia de la enfermedad se encuentra en el Oriente y cuenca del Mediterráneo, en la llamada “Ruta de la Seda”. La prevalencia en Chile es desconocida. Las manifestaciones clínicas más frecuentes son úlceras orales y genitales recurrentes, uveítis, artritis, compromiso de sistema nervioso y vascular. El compromiso de SNC (Neuro-Behçet) varía entre 5 por ciento y 13 por ciento, y se divide en dos tipos: Intra-axial o parenquimatoso, más frecuente, más grave, con lesiones inflamatorias en tronco del encéfalo, en unión meso-diencefálica y región pontobulbar. Puede extenderse hacia diencéfalo, bulbo y médula espinal. El compromiso hemisférico es menos frecuente. Extra-axial, que se presenta como trombosis de senos venosos, y aneurismas, estenosis y disección arterial. El tratamiento del Neuro-Behçet intra-axial se basa en esteroides en dosis altas asociados a inmunosupresores, entre ellos, y dependiendo de la severidad, Metotrexato, Azatioprina, Ciclofosfamida, Micofenolato, y Anti-TNFα en casos refractarios o severos.

The highest prevalence of the disease is found in the East and the Mediterranean basin, in the so called “Silk Road”. The prevalence in Chile is unknown. The most frequent clinical manifestations are recurrent oral and genital ulcers, uveitis, arthritis, and CNS involvement (Neuro-Behçet). Neurological disease varies between 5 percent and 13 percent, and it can be divided into two types: Intra-axial or parenchymatous: more frequent, more severe, with inflammatory lesions involving the brainstem, midbrain, diencephalon and pontobulbar regions. It may extend into the spinal cord. Involvement of the brain hemispheres is less common. Extra-axial: also called “Neurovasculo Behçet”, less common and with better prognosis. It can manifests as venous sinus thrombosis, and aneurysm, stenosis, or arterial dissection of intracerebral or extracranial arteries. Treatment of Intra-axial Neuro-Behçet is based on high-dose steroids associated with immunosuppressive agents like: Methotrexate, Azathioprine, Cyclophosphamide, Mycophenolate, and anti α-TNF in refractory or severe disease.

Normal Statistical Considerations of Latencies of I, III & V-waves, and I-V, I-III, & III-V IPL in Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials

Recently, brainstem auditory evoked potential is very important for the evaluation of functions of the 8th nerve & brainstem. Especially, it appears that waves I, III, and V primarily represent volume- conducted electrical activity from the acoustic nerve, pons and midbrain, respectively, and that latencies between these three potentials indirectly reflect neural conduction in the corresponding segments of the central auditory pathway. For example, wave I to wave III interpeak latency(I-III IPL) is a measure of conduction in the more caudal segment of the brainstem auditory pathway-acoustic nerve and potomedullary portion-while the III-V IPL is a measure of conduction in the more rostral pontine and midbrain portions of the pathway. This study was undertaken to identify the normal measurements of the waves I, III and V and I-III IPL, III-V IPL in order to for provide basic data for clinical use in diagnosis, monitering in operation and management of patients with brainstem lesions. The literature is reviewed and results compared to the current study.