Subject(s)
Beauty Culture , Cerebrovascular Disorders/etiology , Hair , Aged , Female , Humans , PostureABSTRACT
A simple technique is described for measuring the F-wave conduction time of the proximal segment of peripheral nerves. This should prove helpful in the diagnosis of a proximal neuropathy or myelopathy. The F wave (Fw) and M response at the wrist (Mw) and the M response at the axilla (Ma) can be used to calculate the conduction time, defined as Axillary F Central Latency (AFCL), between the spinal cord and the axilla, covering a horizontal distance of 25cm twice. The calculated AFCL (AFCL = (Mw + Fw) - 2Ma) in our control group of 30 normal subjects was 11.2 +/- 0.8 msec (mean and 1 standard deviation) for the ulnar or median nerve. An AFCL of more than 13.6 msec (mean plus 3SD), or a discrepancy of the AFCL greater than 2.1 msec in the same nerves between the 2 sides or between the median and ulnar nerves on the same side suggests an abnormality involving the proximal nerve segment. The prolonged AFCL has been found in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), brachial plexus lesions, syringomyelia and, in a few cases, with thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS).
Subject(s)
Axilla/innervation , Electromyography/methods , Neural Conduction , Peripheral Nervous System Diseases/diagnosis , Adult , Aged , Brachial Plexus/physiopathology , Humans , Male , Median Nerve/physiopathology , Middle Aged , Peripheral Nervous System Diseases/physiopathology , Reaction Time , Spinal Cord/physiopathology , Ulnar Nerve/physiopathologySubject(s)
Amputation, Surgical/rehabilitation , Artificial Limbs , Bandages , Humans , Leg , Methods , Polyvinyl ChlorideABSTRACT
The below-the-knee removable rigid dressing is a below-the-knee plaster cast held by a suspension stockinette to a supracondylar plastic cuff. It has proved to be an effective method for postoperative, pre-prosthetic, and prosthetic care of below-the-knee amputees. Being removable, it permits frequent observation and progressive shrinkage of the stump (by adding socks), and eliminates the need of elastic stump bandaging. In addition, it still maintains the advantages of immobilization of soft tissue (to reduce pain and facilitate wound healing) and prevention of trauma to the stump as does the conventional rigid dressing. It has significantly reduced the incidence of pre-tibial skin breakdown and distal edema, produced fast stump shrinkage, and shortened time to ambulatory discharge with a temporary prosthesis by ninety days.
