New quantitative method for evaluation of motor functions applicable to spinal muscular atrophy.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to develop and introduce new method to quantify motor functions of the upper extremity. METHODS: The movement was recorded using a three-dimensional motion capture system, and the movement trajectory was analyzed using newly developed two indices, which measure precise repeatability and directional smoothness. Our target task was shoulder flexion repeated ten times. We applied our method to a healthy adult without and with a weight, simulating muscle impairment. We also applied our method to assess the efficacy of a drug therapy for amelioration of motor functions in a non-ambulatory patient with spinal muscular atrophy. Movement trajectories before and after thyrotropin-releasing hormone therapy were analyzed. RESULTS: In the healthy adult, we found the values of both indices increased significantly when holding a weight so that the weight-induced deterioration in motor function was successfully detected. From the efficacy assessment of drug therapy in the patient, the directional smoothness index successfully detected improvements in motor function, which were also clinically observed by the patient's doctors. CONCLUSION: We have developed a new quantitative evaluation method of motor functions of the upper extremity. Clinical usability of this method is also greatly enhanced by reducing the required number of body-attached markers to only one. This simple but universal approach to quantify motor functions will provide additional insights into the clinical phenotypes of various neuromuscular diseases and developmental disorders.

Lumbar corsets can decrease lumbar motion in golf swing.

Swinging a golf club includes the rotation and extension of the lumbar spine. Golf-related low back pain has been associated with degeneration of the lumbar facet and intervertebral discs, and with spondylolysis. Reflective markers were placed directly onto the skin of 11young male amateur golfers without a previous history of back pain. Using a VICON system (Oxford Metrics, U.K.), full golf swings were monitored without a corset (WOC), with a soft corset (SC), and with a hard corset (HC), with each subject taking 3 swings. Changes in the angle between the pelvis and the thorax (maximum range of motion and angular velocity) in 3 dimensions (lumbar rotation, flexion-extension, and lateral tilt) were analyzed, as was rotation of the hip joint. Peak changes in lumbar extension and rotation occurred just after impact with the ball. The extension angle of the lumbar spine at finish was significantly lower under SC (38°) or HC (28°) than under WOC (44°) conditions (p < 0.05). The maximum angular velocity after impact was significantly smaller under HC (94°/sec) than under SC (177°/sec) and WOC (191° /sec) conditions, as were the lumbar rotation angles at top and finish. In contrast, right hip rotation angles at top showed a compensatory increase under HC conditions. Wearing a lumbar corset while swinging a golf club can effectively decrease lumbar extension and rotation angles from impact until the end of the swing. These effects were significantly enhanced while wearing an HC. Key pointsRotational and extension forces on the lumbar spine may cause golf-related low back painWearing lumbar corsets during a golf swing can effectively decrease lumbar extension and rotation angles and angular velocity.Wearing lumbar corsets increased the rotational motion of the hip joint while reducing the rotation of the lumbar spine.

Reconstruction of through-and-through oromandibular defects by the double-skin paddle fibula osteocutaneous flap: can the skin paddle always be divided?

Reconstruction of the through-and-through defects of the oral cavity, involving oral mucosa, bone, and external skin is a major challenge. A single fibula osteocutaneous flap providing two skin islands is an option for such composite reconstruction. The number, location, and size of skin perforators were studied in the distal two thirds of the lower legs in 22 cases of fibula osteocutaneous flap mandibular reconstruction, and whether the skin paddle of the fibula flap could always be divided completely based on two distal perforators was examined. In this study, only 50% of the flaps had two or more distal perforators; thus, it was concluded that the skin paddle of the fibula osteocutaneous flap could not always be divided based on two distal skin perforators.

A new model of end-to-side nerve graft for multiple branch reconstruction: end-to-side cross-face nerve graft in rats.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of end-to-side nerve graft for multiple branch reconstruction was confirmed using a new rat four-branch facial nerve reconstruction model with end-to-side cross-face nerve graft. METHODS: Forty Lewis rats were randomly divided into four groups with different reconstruction methods for four branches (bilateral buccal and marginal branches) of the bilateral facial nerves as follows: group I (n=12), single sciatic nerve graft with end-to-side neurorrhaphy; group II (n=12), four cable grafts using two sciatic and two ulnar nerves with end-to-end neurorrhaphy; group III (n=8), no repair; and group IV (n=8), sham operation. The four groups were compared with double retrograde tracing of the facial nucleus, electrophysiological and histomorphometrical assessment of the reconstructed facial nerve. RESULTS: Although there were no significant differences between groups I and II in the electrophysiological tests, group I showed more uniform and better reinnervation in the histomorphometrical assessment. Retrograde tracing of facial nucleus revealed significantly higher number of double-labeled neurons in group I although the total number of labeled neurons was not different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: End-to-side nerve graft shows a good functional recovery, requires less graft, and is easy to perform. With the availability of the side of the nerve graft itself as a nerve coaptation site, it can be an effective alternative in facial nerve reconstruction and be of great value in various kinds of peripheral nerve surgery.

Axonal supercharging technique using reverse end-to-side neurorrhaphy in peripheral nerve repair: an experimental study in the rat model.

OBJECT: In an attempt to improve peripheral nerve repair, the influence of the addition of reverse end-to-side neurorrhaphy for an injured peripheral nerve was investigated in the rat sciatic nerve transection model. METHODS: Twelve Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups (six rats in each group). In Group I, the right sciatic nerve was cut at a point distal to the gluteal notch and repaired using end-to-end neurorrhaphy with four 10-0 nylon epineurial sutures. In Group II, after performing the same procedure as in Group I, the left sciatic nerve was cut distally and passed through a subcutaneous tunnel to the right side. The proximal stump of the left sciatic nerve was coapted to the epineurial window of the right sciatic nerve distal to the injured point in an end-to-side fashion using 10-0 nylon epineurial sutures. The effects were evaluated using analgesimeter recordings for the hind paw, electrophysiological tests, measurement of the muscle contraction force, a double-labeling technique, weight measurement and histological examination of the gastrocnemius muscle, histological examination of the bilateral sciatic nerves, and immunofluorescent staining. RESULTS: Results from the many tests used to evaluate the reverse end-to-side neurorrhaphy technique indicated that functional recovery of the denervated target organs was promoted by axonal augmentation. CONCLUSIONS: The reverse end-to-side neurorrhaphy technique could be useful in peripheral nerve repair.

Effect of conduit repair on aberrant motor axon growth within the nerve graft in rats.

After peripheral nerve injury, minimizing axonal misdirection has been a matter of importance to obtain good functional outcomes. In general, it becomes more challenging as the nerve defect length is longer. As previous works suggested that a conduit repair leaving a short gap could induce some target-specific reinnervation, we expected that a distally placed conduit combined with nerve graft would enhance the specificity of reinnervation, especially in dealing with a long gap. To test this, a 14-mm-long gap was created in the rat sciatic nerves and repaired with either 1) whole nerve graft (WG), 2) interfascicular nerve grafts (FG), or 3) whole nerve graft combined with distally placed silicone tube leaving a 5-mm gap (TUBG). At the end of follow up, the extent of target specific reinnervation (measurement of the compound muscle action potentials evoked by stimulation of the sciatic nerve and its tibial and common peroneal fascicles) and the accuracy of motoneuronal projection (sequential retrograde labeling of the common peroneal motor pool) were assessed. Both assessments revealed that groups FG and TUBG had a similar selectivity, which was significantly higher than in group WG. Consistent with these results, the functional recovery as assessed by walking track analysis showed no significant difference between groups FG and TUBG, whereas those were significantly superior to group WG. In contrast, histomorphometric assessment of the regenerating axons and wet muscle weight showed no significant difference among the three groups. In conclusion, conduit repair would have some effects on reducing motor axonal misdirection, and it might be more effective when used in the management of a large defect in combination with nerve graft.

Polarization modulation of terahertz electromagnetic radiation by four-contact photoconductive antenna.

Generation and modulation of circularly polarized terahertz electromagnetic radiation have been demonstrated by using a four-contact photoconductive antenna and a total-reflection Si prism. The quality of the circularly polarized terahertz pulsed radiation has been evaluated by using a polarization sensitive terahertz time-domain spectroscopy system. The characteristic of the dynamic modulation between the left and right circularly polarized states of the THz radiation is also evaluated. The ellipticity of the modulated circularly polarized THz radiation without a polarizer is not as good as that of the non-modulated because of the non-uniform bias field distribution and the asymmetric pump laser intensity profile on the photoconductive gap.

Nevus lipomatosus cutaneous superficialis of the clitoris.

BACKGROUND: Nevus lipomatosus cutaneous superficialis (NLCS) is a relatively rare condition. Although NLCS can affect any region of the entire body, no case of NLCS in the clitoris has ever been reported. OBJECTIVE: To report a case of NLCS of the clitoris that presented manifestations that were similar to female pseudohermaphrodism. METHODS: This is a case report and review of the literature. RESULTS: A congenital, soft, skin-colored lesion of the clitoris in a 1-year-old girl resembled female pseudohermaphrodism. It was resected, and the histologic diagnosis was NLCS. Postoperatively, there was no subsequent change in the lesion during the 3-year follow-up period. CONCLUSION: We reported a case of congenital solitary NLCS of the clitoris. Although NLCS might be a relatively rare condition, we should consider it in the differential diagnosis of female pseudohermaphrodism.

Skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate reconstruction with a deep inferior epigastric perforator flap.

BACKGROUND: It is important for breast reconstruction after mastectomy to recreate immediately good breast symmetry with an adequate amount of soft tissue. METHODS: Eight patients with breast cancer underwent skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate reconstruction with a deep inferior epigastric perforator flap. This operative technique, and the results, advantages, and disadvantages of the technique were assessed. RESULTS: Seven patients had stage IIA disease, and one patient had stage I disease. An arc-shaped incision was made just at the lateral border of the breast in all patients. Three patients had a separate periareolar incision, and one had a circumferential nipple incision. There was 100% flap survival, and good breast symmetry was achieved in all patients. No major perioperative complications occurred in this series. A small amount of fat necrosis occurred in one flap. One patient had slight abdominal bulging. Minor wound-healing problems at the lateral breast skin envelope occurred in two patients. CONCLUSION: These data indicate that skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate reconstruction with a DIEP flap is a reliable and safe technique. This method is a potentially useful surgical technique, which has achieved very promising results.