Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Associated with Cervical Rib

A true neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) associated with a cervical rib is considered extremely rare. The authors present their experience with 5 cases of true neurogenic TOS associated with a cervical rib. All patients were female and had a cervical rib confirmed radiographically pre-operatively. Average age was 34,8 years. Although all patients had been treated with several combinations of diverse drugs and a rehabilitation program before referral to surgery, all described their pain as intense and debilitating before surgical treatment. All patients had pre-operative electromyographic abnormalities. Patients were operated on via a supraclavicular approach and the cervical rib was resected. No intra-operative or postoperative complications were noted. Two years postoperatively, all patients mentioned improvement. However, only 2 were symptomless, and on no medication. In one patient there was significant improvement, and in the remaining 2 patients some residual pain persisted that had to be dealt with pharmacologically. All patients were able to resume their daily life activities. Recovery was poorer in the 2 patients that had been referred to surgery after a longer period of time since the beginning of symptoms.

Síndrome do desfiladeiro torácico - ressecção de costela cervical por videotoracoscopia

A base do tratamento cirúrgico da Síndrome do Desfiladeiro Torácico (SDT) é a ressecção da primeira costela, podendo associar-se à escalenectomia ou ainda à ressecção de costela cervical. Esta última é feita tradicionalmente por meio de um acesso supraclavicular ou mesmo axilar, o qual é tecnicamente mais trabalhoso. Pode ser realizada também por meio de acesso paraescapular. Embora tecnicamente atrativa e associada à menor invasividade e maior segurança, com ótimo resultado estético, a ressecção da primeira costela torácica, por intermédio de cirurgia videoassistida transaxilar ou pela técnica videotoracoscópica, é pouco relatada na literatura, e nenhuma referência foi encontrada sobre ressecção de costela cervical mediante essa técnica. Neste artigo, apresentamos essa inovação cirúrgica realizada com sucesso para ressecção de costela cervical em duas pacientes.

Cephalometric And Anthropometric Data Of Obstructive Apnea In Different Age Groups.

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome usually present with changes in upper airway morphology and/or body fat distribution, which may occur throughout life and increase the severity of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome with age. To correlate cephalometric and anthropometric measures with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome severity in different age groups. A retrospective study of cephalometric and anthropometric measures of 102 patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome was analyzed. Patients were divided into three age groups (≥20 and <40 years, ≥40 and <60 years, and ≥60 years). Pearson's correlation was performed for these measures with the apnea-hypopnea index in the full sample, and subsequently by age group. The cephalometric measures MP-H (distance between the mandibular plane and the hyoid bone) and PNS-P (distance between the posterior nasal spine and the tip of the soft palate) and the neck and waist circumferences showed a statistically significant correlation with apnea-hypopnea index in both the full sample and in the ≥40 and <60 years age group. These variables did not show any significant correlation with the other two age groups (<40 and ≥60 years). Cephalometric measurements MP-H and PNS-P and cervical and waist circumferences correlated with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome severity in patients in the ≥40 and <60 age group.

The cervico-thoracic outlet compression syndrome. Analysis of surgical treatment.

Surgical treatment of the thoracic outlet compression syndrome is being presently reconsidered. Until these last few years, there was the choice between two interventions only: scalenotomy, a simple operation entailing no complication, but with a 60% recurrence rate--or the resection of the first rib through an axillary approach, an efficacious intervention which caused, however, serious nervous complications in 14% of treated cases. The follow-up of 75 cases operated for a TOCS reveals to the authors that--all techniques taken into account--results are unsatisfactory in 33% of cases. These failures are due either to technical deficiencies, or to a complication arising in the course of the operation, or to an erroneous diagnosis. The authors resort to surgery only to treat serious vascular syndromes (absolute indication) or invalidating neurological compression syndromes, after failure of physical therapy (relative indication). They propose a cervical approach--the only one enabling a safe dissection of the brachial plexus--a partial scalenectomy, resection of all fibrous bands pressing on nervous trunks, or the resection of a cervical rib. Should the costo-clavicular space appear anatomically too narrow, the first rib, already partially freed by the cervical approach, will be resected through the axillary route.

Sildenafil as a therapeutic option for digital ischemic ulceration: case report.

We report the case of a 37-year-old woman who developed critical upper limb ischemia caused by a cervical rib. Because the malformation was initially undiagnosed, a vascular bypass was performed, and failure occurred. Following a 6-month therapy with sildenafil, revascularization of the arm was successful and amputation was avoided. A 6-year follow-up shows a rich collateral network at the compression site and normal values of digital plethysmography. Because hand surgeons often see patients with digital ulcerations and other manifestations of peripheral vascular pathology, therapy of ischemia with sildenafil could be an effective treatment option in patients not responding to classic drugs.

William Osler: Original Papers 1907-1919

Part 1: 1907-1908 The Royal Medical Society of Edinburg, 1907 On the Library of a Medical School, 1907 On Telangiectasis Circumscripta Universalis, 1907 A Clinical Lecture on Abdominal Tumours Associated with Disease of the Testicle, 1907 A Clinical Lecture on Erythraemia, 1908 Vienna after Thirty-Four Years, 1908 Endocardites Infectieuses Chroniques, 1908 Part 2: 1909 Chronic Infectious Endocarditis, 1909 What the Public Can Do in the Fight Against Tuberculosis, 1909 Annual Oration on the Occasion of the Opening of the New Building of the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of the State of Maryland, May 13, 1909 The Medical Library in Post-Graduate Work, 1909 The Treatment of Disease, 1909 Part 3: 1910-1911 The Pupil Symptoms in Thoracic Aneurysm, 1910 The Lumleian Lectures on Angina Pectoris, 1910 Certain Vasomotor, Sensory, and Muscular Phenomena Associated with Cervical Rib, 1910 An Address on the Hospital Unit in University Work, 1911 Sulle Telangiectasie Emorragiche Ereditarie, 1911 Transient Attacks of Aphasia and Paralyses in States of High Blood Pressure and Arterio-Sclerosis, 1911 The Pathological Institute of a General Hospital, 1911 Part 4: 1912-1914 An Address on High Blood Pressure: its Associations, Advantages, and Disadvantages, 1912 Specialism in the General Hospital, 1913 Syphilis of the Liver with the Picture of Banti’s Disease, 1913 An Introductory Address on Examinations, Examiners, and Examinees, 1913 The Medical Clinic: a retrospect and a Forecast, 1914 Part 5: 1915-1919 Remarks on the Diagnosis of Polycystic Kidney, 1915 The War and Typhoid Fever, 1914/15 The Cerebro-Spinal Fever in Camps and Barracks, 1915 Remarks on Arterio-Venous Aneurysm, 1915 Nerve & “Nerves”, 1915 Intensive Work in Science at the Public Schools in Relation to the Curriculum, 1916 Creators, Transmuters, and Transmitters, 1916 Annual Oration on the Campaign Against Syphilis, 1917 The First Printed Documents relating to Modern Surgical Anaesthesia, 1918 Observations on the Severe Anaemias of Pregnancy and the Post-Partum State, 1919 Typhoid Spine, 1919

L'accuratezza diagnostica dei test clinici per la sindrome dello stretto toracico: una revisione sistematica della letteratura

Obiettivo: indagare l’accuratezza diagnostica dei principali test provocativi per la diagnosi di sindrome dello stretto toracico (TOS) neurogena. Metodi: tra Aprile e Settembre 2022 sono state condotte ricerche su 5 banche dati/motori di ricerca elettronici, utilizzando stringhe di ricerca costituite da parole chiave e termini MeSh (Medical Subject Headings). Sono stati inclusi tutti gli studi che indagassero l’accuratezza diagnostica dei test clinici. La valutazione metodologica degli studi è avvenuta attraverso lo strumento di critical appraisal CASP Checklist per gli studi diagnostici. È stata svolta una sintesi qualitativa degli studi considerati eleggibili. Risultati: sono stati identificati in totale 7784 studi, ma solo 12 sono stati inclusi nella revisione. Gli index test indagati erano diversi nei vari studi, così come i reference standard con cui venivano comparati (quando presenti). La qualità metodologica della maggior parte degli studi si è rivelata bassa. L’assenza di reporting standard crea un’eterogeneità tale non permettere la comparazione e la sintesi dei risultati con strumenti statistici. Gli studi sull’accuratezza diagnostica delle manovre provocative sono tra loro contrastanti in termini di risultati e non è possibile trarre conclusioni sicure. Nemmeno gli esami di imaging sembrano così utili per la diagnosi di TOS, ma devono essere utilizzati solo per escludere altre condizioni che possono mimare quadri di TOS neurogenico. Conclusione: la letteratura disponibile non sembra supportare l’utilizzo dei test clinici per la diagnosi di TOS. Al fine di migliorare la ricerca futura, dovrebbero essere introdotti criteri diagnostici univocamente accettati per aiutare nella diagnosi, oltre a ben definite linee guida per il reporting, al fine di creare omogeneità tra gli studi, come suggerito dal comitato della Società di Chirurgia Vascolare.

Repair of non-circumferential cervical trachea defects by three different latissimus dorsi flaps. A comparative studyin an experimental setting.

BACKGROUND: Large intrathoracic airway defects may be closed using a pedicled latissimus dorsi (LD) flap, with rewarding results. This study addresses the question of whether this holds true for extrathoracic non-circumferential tracheal defects. METHODS: A cervical segment of the trachea of 4 x 1 cm was resected in 9 white male pigs. The defect was stented with a silicone stent for 3 months and closed either by an LD flap alone (group a, n = 3), an LD flap with an attached rib segment covered by pleura (group b, n = 3), or an LD flap reinforced by a perforated polylactide (MacroPore) plate (group c, n = 3). The trachea was assessed by rigid endoscopy at 3 and 4 months and histologically at 4 months postoperatively. RESULTS: The degree of stenosis at the level of the reconstruction at 4 months was 25, 50 and 75% in group a, 15, 50 and 60% in group b, and 20, 95 and 95% in group c, respectively. The percentage of the defect covered by columnar epithelium was 100% in all animals of group a, 60, 100 and 100% in group b, and 10, 0 and 0% in group c. Resorption of the rib was seen in all animals of group b and obstructive inflammatory polyps were found in 2 animals of group c. CONCLUSION: Pedicled LD flaps provided less satisfactory results for closure of large non-circumferential extrathoracic airway defects than observed after intrathoracic reconstruction. A pedicled rib segment added to the LD flap did not improve the results obtained from LD flap repair alone, and an embedded MacroPore prosthesis may result in severe airway stenosis due to plate migration and intense inflammatory reaction protruding into the tracheal lumen.

Characteristics of speech following cervical spinal cord injury

The present study examined 24 individuals with either complete or incomplete injuries to the cervical spinal cord through the use of standardized assessments of dysarthria and a perceptual rating scale. Perceptual assessment revealed predominantly prosodic and phonatory disturbances, while physical impairments were common in the respiratory and laryngeal subsystems of speech production. A reduction in intelligibility and speaking rate resulted in a diminished communicative effectiveness ratio for most participants. Individuals showed a high degree of variation, with no clear relationship between lesion type and impairments present. Further investigation is required to verify the physiological nature of the respiratory and laryngeal impairments found in the present investigation and to determine the relative contributions of these to the overall presentation of speech and voice post cervical spinal cord injury (CSI).

Prognostic Value Of Dna And Mrna E6/e7 Of Human Papillomavirus In The Evolution Of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia Grade 2.

This study aimed at evaluating whether human papillomavirus (HPV) groups and E6/E7 mRNA of HPV 16, 18, 31, 33, and 45 are prognostic of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2 outcome in women with a cervical smear showing a low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL). This cohort study included women with biopsy-confirmed CIN 2 who were followed up for 12 months, with cervical smear and colposcopy performed every three months. Women with a negative or low-risk HPV status showed 100% CIN 2 regression. The CIN 2 regression rates at the 12-month follow-up were 69.4% for women with alpha-9 HPV versus 91.7% for other HPV species or HPV-negative status (P < 0.05). For women with HPV 16, the CIN 2 regression rate at the 12-month follow-up was 61.4% versus 89.5% for other HPV types or HPV-negative status (P < 0.05). The CIN 2 regression rate was 68.3% for women who tested positive for HPV E6/E7 mRNA versus 82.0% for the negative results, but this difference was not statistically significant. The expectant management for women with biopsy-confirmed CIN 2 and previous cytological tests showing LSIL exhibited a very high rate of spontaneous regression. HPV 16 is associated with a higher CIN 2 progression rate than other HPV infections. HPV E6/E7 mRNA is not a prognostic marker of the CIN 2 clinical outcome, although this analysis cannot be considered conclusive. Given the small sample size, this study could be considered a pilot for future larger studies on the role of predictive markers of CIN 2 evolution.

[why Does The Prevalence Of Cytopathological Results Of Cervical Cancer Screening Can Vary Significantly Between Two Regions Of Brazil?].

To analyze the prevalence of cervical cytopathological results for the screening of cervical cancer with regard to women's age and time since the last examination in Maceió and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, among those assisted by the Brazilian Unified Health System. Cervical cytopathological results available in the Information System of Cervical Cancer Screening for the year 2011 were analyzed, corresponding to 206,550 for Rio de Janeiro and 45,243 for Maceió. In Rio de Janeiro, examination at one and two year intervals predominated, while in Maceió examination at one and three year intervals had a higher predominance. Women who underwent cervical smear screening in Maceió were older than those in Rio de Janeiro. The prevalence of invasive squamous cell carcinoma was similar for the two cities, but all the other results presented a higher prevalence in Rio de Janeiro: ASCUS (PR=5.32; 95%CI 4.66-6.07); ASCH (PR=4.27; 95%CI 3.15-5.78); atypical glandular cells (PR=10.02; 95%CI 5.66-17.76); low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (PR=6.10; 95%CI 5.27-7.07); high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (PR=8.90; 95%CI 6.50-12.18) and adenocarcinoma (PR=3.00; 95%CI 1.21-7.44). The rate of unsatisfactory cervical samples was two times higher in Maceió and that of rejected samples for analysis was five times higher in Maceió when compared to Rio de Janeiro. The prevalence rates of altered cervical cytopathological results was significantly higher in Rio de Janeiro than in Maceió. There is no objective information that may justify this difference. One hypothesis is that there may be a difference in the diagnostic performance of the cervical cancer screening, which could be related to the quality of the Pap smear. Thus, these findings suggest that it would be necessary to perform this evaluation at national level, with emphasis on the performance of cervical cancer screening in order to improve the effectiveness of cervical cancer control.

Cervical Spine Involvement In Rheumatoid Arthritis--a Systematic Review.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic chronic inflammatory disorder that can compromise the cervical spine in up to 80% of the cases. The most common radiological presentations of cervical involvement are atlantoaxial subluxation (AAS), cranial settling and subaxial subluxation (SAS). We performed a systematic review in the PubMed Database of articles published later 2005 to evaluate the prevalence, progression and risk factors for cervical spine involvement in RA patients. Articles were classified according to their level of evidence. Our literature review reported a wide range in the prevalence of cervical spine disease, probably explained by the different studied populations and disease characteristics. Uncontrolled RA is probably the main risk factor for developing a spinal instability. Adequate treatment with DMARD and BA can prevent development of cervical instabilities but did not avoid progression of a pre-existing injury. MRI is the best radiological method for diagnosis cervical spine involvement. AAS is the most common form of RA. Long term radiological follow-up is necessary to diagnosis patients with late instabilities and monitoring progression of diagnosed injuries.

Cervical Injuries Scored According To The Subaxial Injury Classification System: An Analysis Of The Literature.

The Subaxial Injury Classification (SLIC) system and severity score has been developed to help surgeons in the decision-making process of treatment of subaxial cervical spine injuries. A detailed description of all potential scored injures of the SLIC is lacking. We performed a systematic review in the PubMed database from 2007 to 2014 to describe the relationship between the scored injuries in the SLIC and their eventual treatment according to the system score. Patients with an SLIC of 1-3 points (conservative treatment) are neurologically intact with the spinous process, laminar or small facet fractures. Patients with compression and burst fractures who are neurologically intact are also treated nonsurgically. Patients with an SLIC of 4 points may have an incomplete spinal cord injury such as a central cord syndrome, compression injuries with incomplete neurologic deficits and burst fractures with complete neurologic deficits. SLIC of 5-10 points includes distraction and rotational injuries, traumatic disc herniation in the setting of a neurological deficit and burst fractures with an incomplete neurologic deficit. The SLIC injury severity score can help surgeons guide fracture treatment. Knowledge of the potential scored injures and their relationships with the SLIC are of paramount importance for spine surgeons who treated subaxial cervical spine injuries.

Metastatic Cervical Carcinoma Of The Jaw Presenting As Periapical Disease.

To present a case report of a metastasis from cervical cancer to the maxilla, which was misdiagnosed as periapical disease and to caution clinicians that metastases could have a disguised clinical presentation that must be taken into account in the differential diagnosis of periapical disease in oncologic patients. Although metastatic tumours of the jaws are uncommon, they may mimic benign inflammatory processes and reactive lesions. The ability of metastatic lesions to mimic periapical disease is discussed and a brief review of the literature is presented, emphasizing the importance of correct diagnosis to prevent delay in diagnosing cancer. Attention should therefore be given to the patient's medical history, especially of those with a previous history of cancer, and all dental practitioners should be aware of the possibility of metastases that may be confused with periapical disease. Finally, endodontists are well placed to recognize malignant and metastatic oral lesions during the initial clinical stages, given that their treatments are usually based on frequent dental appointments and long-term follow-ups.

Pain Intensity And Cervical Range Of Motion In Women With Myofascial Pain Treated With Acupuncture And Electroacupuncture: A Double-blinded, Randomized Clinical Trial.

Acupuncture stimulates points on the body, influencing the perception of myofascial pain or altering physiologic functions. The aim was to evaluate the effect of electroacupuncture (EAC) and acupuncture (AC) for myofascial pain of the upper trapezius and cervical range of motion, using SHAM acupuncture as control. Sixty women presenting at least one trigger point at the upper trapezius and local or referred pain for more than six months were randomized into EAC, AC, and SHAM groups. Eight sessions were scheduled and a follow-up was conducted after 28 days. The Visual Analog Scale assessed the intensity of local and general pain. A fleximeter assessed cervical movements. Data were analyzed using paired t or Wilcoxon's tests, ANOVA or Friedman or Kruskal-Wallis tests and Pearson's correlation (α=0.05). There was reduction in general pain in the EAC and AC groups after eight sessions (P<0.001). A significant decrease in pain intensity occurred for the right trapezius in all groups and for the left trapezius in the EAC and AC groups. Intergroup comparisons showed improvement in general pain in the EAC and AC groups and in local pain intensity in the EAC group (P<0.05), which showed an increase in left rotation (P=0.049). The AC group showed increases in inclination (P=0.005) sustained until follow-up and rotation to the right (P=0.032). EAC and AC were effective in reducing the pain intensity compared with SHAM. EAC was better than AC for local pain relief. These treatments can assist in increasing cervical range of motion, albeit subtly.