Conus infarction after non-guided transcoccygeal ganglion impar block using particulate steroid for chronic coccydynia.

Introduction: Ganglion impar block (GIB) is a well-recognised treatment for chronic coccydynia. Several side effects have previously been described with this procedure, including transient motor dysfunction, bowel, bladder, and sexual dysfunction, neuritis, rectal perforation, impingement of the sciatic nerve, cauda equina syndrome, and infection. Case presentation: We describe the first report of imaging-documented conus infarction after an unguided-GIB performed in theatre using particulate steroids for a 17-year-old patient with coccydynia. Immediately post-GIB, patient developed transient neurological deficits in her lower limbs of inability to mobilise her legs that lasted for 24 h. These include back and leg pain, decreased power and movement, increased tone, brisk reflexes, reduced light touch sensation and proprioception of legs up to the T10 level. Urgent MRI spine showed intramedullary hyperintense signal within the conus and mild restricted diffusion on the distal cord and conus, suggestive of an acute conus infarction. On follow-up, the GIB did not result in symptom improvement of coccydynia and there was persistent altered sensation of her legs. Discussion: Various approaches of ganglion impar block have been described and performed in the past with different imaging techniques and injectants. A few cases of unusual neurological complications have been reported with the use of epidural steroid injections and ganglion impar block. Clinicians should be aware of the possible neurological complications following ganglion impar blocks and the risk of inadvertent intravascular injection of particulate steroids can potentially to be minimised by using imaging guidance.

Anatomy of pelvic arteries adjacent to the sacrospinous ligament: importance of the coccygeal branch of the inferior gluteal artery.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the arterial vascular anatomy in the area of the sacrospinous ligament. METHODS: Cadaver pelvises were dissected to reveal the anatomy of the sacrospinous ligament with emphasis on vascular and neuroanatomy. Flexible rulers were used to measure the coccygeal branch in five hemipelvises. RESULTS: The pudendal vessels and nerve pass immediately medial and inferior to the ischial spine (within 0.5 cm of the spine) and behind the sacrospinous ligament. The pudendal artery lies anterior to the sacrotuberous ligament, which passes behind the ischial spine to its attachment at the posterior ischial tuberosity. The inferior gluteal artery originates from the posterior or the anterior branch of the internal iliac artery to pass behind the sciatic nerve and the sacrospinous ligament. There is a 3- to 5-mm window in which the inferior gluteal vessel is left uncovered above the top of the sacrospinous ligament and below the lower edge of the main body of the sciatic nerve plexus. The coccygeal branch of the inferior gluteal artery passes immediately behind the midportion of the sacrospinous ligament and pierces the sacrotuberous ligament in multiple sites. The main body of the inferior gluteal artery leaves the pelvis by passing posterior to the upper edge of the sacrospinous ligament and following the inferior portion of the sciatic nerve out of the greater sciatic foramen. CONCLUSION: Sutures placed through the sacrospinous ligament at least 2.5 cm from the ischial spine along the superior border of the sacrospinous ligament and without transgressing the entire thickness are in an area generally free of arterial vessels.

Glomus coccygeum in surgical pathology specimens: small troublemaker.

BACKGROUND: Rarely encountered nonpathologic structures may pose diagnostic problems and cause unnecessary special investigations. More importantly, however, they may be falsely accused as culprits in unrelated pathologic processes. Glomus coccygeum is one such structure. Glomus bodies (including coccygeal glomus) consist of modified smooth muscle cells arranged in layers around small vascular channels. When found in distal extremities, they generally do not represent a diagnostic problem; however, large glomus bodies present in a pericoccygeal location (glomus coccygeum) may cause significant problems for a surgical pathologist unfamiliar with this structure. DESIGN: We reviewed 37 coccygeal bones removed during rectal resection for carcinoma (rectal and uterine) and for various other reasons, among which was a single case of coccygodynia. Immunohistochemical and ultrastructural examinations were performed in selected cases. RESULTS: Sharply circumscribed glomus bodies composed of various proportions of glomus cells without atypia or pleomorphism and without expansile growth or infiltration of surrounding soft tissue or bone were identified in 50% of cases. Size varied significantly (maximum 4 mm), but paradoxically the smallest glomus body (less than 1 mm) was found in the case of coccygodynia. Glomus coccygeum posed a significant diagnostic challenge to the pathologists involved in these cases, as the retrospective review found that it was diagnosed correctly in only 3 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Glomus coccygeum is a nonpathologic structure that exhibits significant variation in size and proportion of the constitutive elements. Immunohistochemical demonstration of smooth muscle actin and neuron-specific enolase in glomus cells may be beneficial for accurate identification of this organelle.

Repair of a mandibular defect with a free vascularized coccygeal vertebra transfer in a dog.

Bilateral mandibular defects in a male mongrel dog were repaired. On the left side, a free vascularized coccygeal bone graft that included the median caudal artery and caudal vein was used to correct the defect. On the right side, the defect was bridged with a bone plate and screws. For further immobilization, the muzzle was temporarily taped for 3 weeks and a pharyngostomy tube was used for nutritional support. The dog was able to eat dry commercial food satisfactorily within 2 months of surgery despite mild malocclusion. Radiographs taken 2 months and 18 months postoperatively showed bony union with graft hypertrophy in the left mandible, whereas the right mandibular defect showed protracted nonunion. The results indicate that vascularized coccygeal vertebra transfer provides an alternative for the management of canine mandibular defects.

Vascularized autogenous canine coccygeal bone transfer.

Based on cadaver studies in dogs, the 8th, 9th, or 10th canine coccygeal vertebra with overlying skin was designed for free vascularized bone transfer. In six dogs the coccygeal osteocutaneous flap was transferred to fill a defect of the tibia, anastomosing the median caudal artery and one of the two caudal veins to the tibial vessels. The overlying skin provided a reliable monitoring system for the transferred tissue. The behavior of the vascularized coccygeal vertebrae was then evaluated with radiographic and histologic examination and compared with control vertebrae transferred without reconnection of the blood vessels. The results revealed that the canine coccygeal bone graft is a reliable vascularized osteocutaneous flap, which can be applied either in clinical veterinary surgery or in orthopedic microsurgical research.

The release of endogenous norepinephrine from the coccygeal artery of spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar-Kyoto rats.

The potassium (K+)-induced release of endogenous norepinephrine from the coccygeal artery of spontaneously hypertensive rats has been studied as a function of the development of hypertension. The absolute amount of norepinephrine released by potassium was greater in spontaneously hypertensive rat than the normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rat, regardless of age or blood pressure. However, the %-fractional release was elevated only in the rats with chronic hypertension. Preincubation of tissues with the alpha 2-antagonist, yohimbine, significantly enhanced norepinephrine overflow in all tissues studied. Young hypertensive animals demonstrated an enhancement equal to the Wistar-Kyoto rat controls. In the adult spontaneously hypertensive rat, however, there was a significantly lesser enhancement produced by yohimbine. Levels of norepinephrine in the nerves supplying the artery were greater in the prehypertensive spontaneously hypertensive rat than the age-matched Wistar-Kyoto rat. The norepinephrine content in arteries from adult animals was equivalent. The explanation for the attenuation of the yohimbine effect of chronic hypertensive animals is unclear. Although several explanations are possible, the data are consistent with the hypothesis that spontaneously hypertensive rats with chronic hypertension have subsensitive prejunctional alpha 2-receptors as evidenced by an increased %-fractional release of norepinephrine and a decreased enhancement of overflow in the presence of yohimbine. Clearly, further studies are needed to answer this provocative question and to understand the complex interactions of adrenergic neurotransmission in hypertensive animals.

Multiple cannulation of the primate superficial lateral coccygeal vein.

The superficial lateral coccygeal veins of Macaca fascicularis were exposed surgically and cannulated with polyethylene tubing. The cannula was used for administering continuous infusions or obtaining multiple blood samples, and it was removed 12--18 hours after insertion.