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Biomedical subjects

A F Battista

Publications and source records attributed to A F Battista.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Complications of biopsy of the cervical lymph node.

The incidence of injury to the accessory nerve after biopsy of the cervical lymph nodes is difficult to ascertain. The deficits in trapezius muscle function can result in marked disability to the patient. We have presented the results of surgical exploration and repair in eight patients with injury to the accessory nerve during biopsy of the cervical lymph node. External and internal fascicular neurolysis and fascicle suturing when indicated were performed. Four patients received significant improvement in accessory nerve function and four had no improvement. Our findings agree with those reported in the literature that early recognition of accessory nerve dysfunction after biopsy of the posterior cervical lymph node with appropriate surgical therapy can yield excellent results in trapezius muscle function.

Accessory Nerve Injuries↗
PubMed1986

The anatomy and physiology of the peripheral nerve.

The anatomy and physiology of nerve tissue and the peripheral nerve are reviewed. The importance of the anatomical and physiological understanding of nerve tissue in the surgical repair of nerve injuries is discussed. This includes an outline of the light and electron microscopic histology of nerve and a short review of axoplasmic flow. In addition, the nerve coverings, endoneurium, perineurium, and epineurium, are described. The relationship of these coverings to the surgical therapy of nerve injuries is outlined. By maintaining, where possible, nerve fascicle continuity and by restoring, where practical, the normal physiology of distorted but not disrupted fascicles, with the use of careful internal neurolysis, optimal clinical return of function should be achieved.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Effect of graded ligature compression on nerve conduction.

It has been reported that compression over a 12-mm nerve segment in vitro (rubber cuff) or over a 5-cm nerve segment in vivo (using a blood pressure cuff) produces conduction block in large myelinated A fibers before affecting small unmyelinated C fibers. It was concluded that large fibers are more sensitive to compression than are small C fibers. We found, however, when a nerve in vitro was compressed over a short segment (0.5 to 1 mm) using a ligature technique, conduction in small unmyelinated C fibers is blocked before conduction in large myelinated A fibers. These findings have some clinical implications.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Surgical therapy for blepharospasm.

Over the past 3 1/2 years, 28 patients with blepharospasm have undergone, bilaterally, staged percutaneous thermolytic fractional destruction of branches of the facial nerve. This series consisted of 20 women and eight men ranging in age from 40 to 79 years, with symptoms for from 1 to over 10 years. At the time of follow-up, 12 patients had undergone one operation, 12 had had two operations, and four had had three to five operations. Sixteen of the 28 patients obtained excellent to good relief of symptoms for 1 to 3 1/2 years. The procedures performed using local anesthesia and intravenous analgesia allow the immediate recognition of any facial muscle weakness or asymmetry. The findings indicate that this procedure, in many patients with minimal complications, can significantly relieve the incapacitating symptoms of blepharospasm.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Painful neuroma: changes produced in peripheral nerve after fascicle ligation.

Sixteen months after resection of a painful neuroma and fascicle ligation of the proximal nerve segments, the fascicle ligated neural tissue was examined by light and electron microscopy. No significant neuroma formation was found in the fascicle-ligated regions. The distal portion consisted mainly of connective tissue fibroblasts with an absence of neural elements. Maintaining the perineurium intact by fascicle ligation seems to alter significantly axonal regeneration in humans, as is indicated by minimal neuroma formation. Similar findings after fascicle ligation in animals have also been reported. This lack of neuroma formation after resection of a painful neuroma and fascicle ligation may play a significant role in relieving pain in patients with painful neuromas.

Amputation Stumps↗
PubMed1981

Blepharospasm: a surgical procedure for therapy.

Seventeen patients with intractable blepharospasm underwent bilateral percutaneous fractional thermolytic destruction of branches of the facial nerve. Thirteen were women and four men; their ages ranged from 46 to 76 years with an average of 62 years. Since local and intravenous analgesia were used, the patients were awake and cooperative, resulting in minimal complications. In this series, patients had an average improvement of 69%. Minimal scarring results from the percutaneous route and these patients may undergo staged procedures for further relief of their symptoms.

Aged↗
PubMed1978

Bromocriptine, lergotrile: the antiparkinsonian efficacy and the interaction with monoaminergic receptors.

The antiparkinsonian activity of bromocriptine and of lergotrile was investigated in monkeys with surgically induced tremor and in parkinsonian patients. Both drugs effectively relieve tremor in experimental monkeys and induce less pronounced abnormal involuntary movements than L-dopa or piribedil. Both drugs were shown to be of therapeutic value in a group of patients with advanced Parkinson's disease who were no longer responsive to levodopa combined with carbidopa. Adverse effects were similar to those observed with levodopa and carbidopa, except that in individual patients abnormal involuntary movements and diurnal oscillations in performance ("on-off" effect) were decreased, while mental changes were increased. The interactions of bromocriptine and of lergotrile with dopamine and alpha-adrenergic receptors were investigated. Both drugs have mixed agonist-antagonist activities with respect to the dopamine receptors; lergotrile has a higher affinity for the agonist site while bromocriptine has a higher affinity for the antagonist site of the receptors. Both drugs effectively displace the binding of the alpha-adrenergic antagonist WB-4101 to cerebral cortex membranes. The mechanisms underlying the antiparkinsonian efficacies of these two drugs were discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Effect of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase inhibition on cerebral vasospasm in the cat.

Inhibitors of dopamine beta hydroxylase (DBH) administered intraperitoneally were shown to prevent spasm of the basilar artery caused by blood application in cats. A low or nondetectable blood DBH activity level may be related to the absence of spasm. In several instances, however, moderate spasm did occur with a low blood DBH activity level. Possible mechanisms for these findings are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Studies on the antiparkinsonism efficacy of lergotrile.

The antiparkinsonian activity of lergotrile mesylate, a presumed dopaminergic receptor stimulating agent, was investigating in monkeys with surgically induced tremor and in parkinsonian patients. The administration of lergotrile resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in the intensity of tremor in the monkeys. In 13 patients with Parkinson's disease treated with lergotrile (up to 12 mg a day), overall improvement was observed in five. Tremor was the main clinical feature to benefit, and the improvement reached statistical significance. In a subgroup of four patients treated with a higher dose of lergotrile (up to 20 mg a day), further improvement in rigidity and bradykinesia was noted, but again, only improvement in tremor was statistically significant. Adverse effects included orthostatic hypotension, behavioral alterations, and nausea and vomiting. These were severe enough to result in drug withdrawal in three patients.

Acetonitriles↗