ABSTRACT
Gastrointestinal (GI) abnormalities resulting from spinal cord injury (SCI) are challenging disorders that have not been examined experimentally using clinically relevant models. In this study, female Sprague-Dawley rats (n=5/groupx4: T10-T11 contusion, laminectomy, or naïve) were fasted for 24 h before being submitted to dye recovery assays (Phenol Red solution, 1.5 ml/rat; per oral) on GI emptying/transiting at 48 h or 4 weeks postinjury (p.i.). Compared with controls, SCI significantly increased dye recovery rate (DRR, determined by spectrophotometry) in the duodenum (+84.6%) and stomach (+32.6%), but decreased it in the jejunum (-64.1% and -49.5%) and ileum (-73.6% and -70.1%) at 48 h and 4 weeks p.i., respectively (PSubject(s)
Gastrointestinal Diseases/etiology
, Gastrointestinal Diseases/pathology
, Gastrointestinal Diseases/physiopathology
, Spinal Cord Injuries/complications
, Animals
, Female
, Gastrointestinal Tract/innervation
, Gastrointestinal Tract/pathology
, Gastrointestinal Tract/physiopathology
, Gastrointestinal Transit/physiology
, Immunohistochemistry
, Membrane Potentials/physiology
, Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I/biosynthesis
, Rats
, Rats, Sprague-Dawley
, Spinal Cord Injuries/physiopathology
, Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide/biosynthesis
ABSTRACT
Split notochord syndrome is a spectrum of congenital spinal malformations that develops due to an adhesion between endoderm and ectoderm causing the "splitting" of notochord. Neurenteric cyst is one of the components of split notochord syndrome. We report CT and MRI findings of an unusual case with thoracal spinal cord herniation into a mediastinal neurenteric cyst.
Subject(s)
Mediastinal Cyst/diagnosis , Spinal Cord Diseases/diagnosis , Child , Hernia/complications , Hernia/diagnosis , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Male , Mediastinal Cyst/complications , Spinal Cord Diseases/complications , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
Two adult patients with tethered cords whose symptoms mimicked those of lumbosacral intervertebral disc herniation are reported. Neither one of the patients had cutaneous stigmata, and one had normal plain x-ray examination of the spine. Magnetic resonance imaging in both patients demonstrated tethering of the cord. Untethering of the cord resulted in disappearance of the symptoms in both patients. These unusual cases suggest that tethering of the cord must be included in the differential diagnosis of the herniated lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome.
Subject(s)
Intervertebral Disc Displacement/diagnosis , Lumbar Vertebrae , Spina Bifida Occulta/diagnosis , Adult , Diagnosis, Differential , Female , Humans , Intervertebral Disc Displacement/diagnostic imaging , Lumbar Vertebrae/diagnostic imaging , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Radiography , Spina Bifida Occulta/diagnostic imagingABSTRACT
An extracranial carotid artery aneurysm in a child misdiagnosed as a parapharyngeal abscess is presented. Diagnosis modalities of cervical masses and features of aneurysms are discussed. It is stressed that, regardless of age, in the presence of a pulsating and tender cervical or parapharyngeal mass, an aneurysm is probable. Prior to any intervention, at least non-invasive screening tests must be performed. Failure may lead to disastrous results.
Subject(s)
Abscess/diagnosis , Aneurysm/diagnosis , Carotid Artery Diseases/diagnosis , Pharyngeal Diseases/diagnosis , Aneurysm/diagnostic imaging , Aneurysm/surgery , Carotid Arteries/diagnostic imaging , Carotid Artery Diseases/surgery , Cerebral Angiography , Child, Preschool , Diagnostic Errors , Hemorrhage/etiology , Humans , Ligation , Male , Punctures/adverse effects , Shock/etiology , Shock/therapy , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
Experiments using peripheral nerve lesions (crush or transection) in rats to study repair processes are hampered by the tendency for the animals to attack the limb in which the peripheral nerves are damaged (autotomy). In this paper we describe a simple method which significantly reduces the incidence of autotomy after peripheral nerve lesions. The method consists of painting the hind paws of operated rats with a commercially available non-toxic lotion, which is used to discourage nail-biting and thumb-sucking in humans. Although the method is not absolute, it was extremely beneficial in our experiments, since the number of animals that had to be taken out of the experiment due to severe autotomy was greatly reduced. We believe that this method may prove to be as beneficial to other investigators who are using experimental peripheral nerve lesions to study the regenerative aspects of the nervous system.
