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Biomedical subjects

I Iob

Publications and source records attributed to I Iob.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Cerebral blood flow changes induced by electrical stimulation of the Gasserian ganglion after experimentally induced subarachnoid haemorrhage in pigs.

The effect of trigeminal electrical stimulation on cerebral blood flow has been studied in conditions of normal or reduced cerebral blood flow (CBF). Autologous blood was injected into the subarachnoid space of ten Pittmann-Moore pigs to induce subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) accompanied by cerebral blood flow (CBF) reduction. One week later, in six of ten animals, a considerable decrease of CBF was noted as evaluated by means of a recording-system monitoring over the right parieto-temporal calvarium the washout of 133Xenon injected into the internal carotid artery after the external carotid had been clamped. Continuous electrical stimulation of the Gasserian ganglion performed in the six animals with severely induced CBF reduction produced a remarkable cerebrovascular dilation and increase of CBF lasting over 3 h. Electrical stimulation of the Gasserian ganglion produced a similar pattern of vasodilation in six pigs in which no blood was injected and no reduction of CBF was evident. The mechanisms and the anatomical pathways which underlie these results are discussed.

Animals

Evaluation of beta-endorphin/beta-lipotropin immunoreactivity content in the CSF of patients affected by deafferentation pain syndromes.

Beta-endorphin/beta-lipotropin immunoreactivity (BE/BLPH-IR) content was evaluated in the CSF of patients suffering by deafferentation pain syndromes. BE/BLPH-IR CSF concentrations of these patients were compared with those obtained in a group of patients affected by low back pain and in a control group without pain problems. No statistically significant variation in BE/BLPH-IR levels were found between controls and subjects with different types of chronic pain.

Adult

Diencephalic syndrome following cervical spinal cord trauma.

The authors discuss about five cases of diabetes insipidus observed in patients affected by traumatic cervical spine fractures and/or dislocations, without either evident lesions of the cerebral structures at CT scan examination, or important craniocerebral trauma. In all patients polyuria and hyperthermia arose some days after the traumatic accident and regressed spontaneously or after exogeneous vasopressin administration. Vasopressin urinary levels confirmed the presence of a true diabetes insipidus, the origin of which is in largely obscure. A central medullary vasopressin mediated pathway, demonstrated only in experimental animals, may be responsible for such a finding.

Adolescent

The treatment of hemifacial spasm with percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation of the facial nerve.

The authors present their first results with the treatment of hemifacial spasm by controlled percutaneous thermocoagulation of the facial nerve. Seven patients have been treated to date with good immediate results on the movements, although a slight paresis of the homolateral facial musculature, aesthetically acceptable, persists after treatment. A long-term follow-up at more than 10 months was achieved in only 3 patients, who showed a complete regression of the spasm with partial disappearance of the facial hemiparesis.

Adult

Percutaneous thermocoagulation for sphenopalatine ganglion neuralgia.

The authors describe percutaneous radiofrequency (rf) thermocoagulation of the sphenopalatine ganglion used to treat seven patients with sphenopalatine ganglion neuralgia. The procedure was effective in relieving pain, without significant side-effects. All the patients have actually been free of pain during a follow-up of 6-28 months. The surgical technique and the rationale for its use are pointed out.

Adult

Accidental high voltage electrocution: a rare neurosurgical problem.

The authors describe a case of accidental electrocution from a high voltage current in a young worker, who was struck by the electric shock in the mid-occipital region. The case is especially interesting due to the improbability of anyone surviving after receiving a shock of more than 1000 V., and to the development of bilateral parieto-occipital haemorrhagic infarction with spastic paraparesis, directly caused by the high voltage current and not indirectly by heat generation or secondary head trauma.

Adult

Combined thermocoagulation of the 5th and 9th cranial nerves for oral pain of neoplastic aetiology.

The authors report their limited but interesting experience in the treatment of intractable oral pain employing the technique of percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation both of the trigeminal and glossopharyngeal nerves. The use of combined percutaneous thermolesions for cancer pain is rarely described in the literature. Immediate and long-term results confirm the usefulness of this surgical procedure.

Aged

Selective percutaneous thermolesions of the ninth cranial nerve by lateral cervical approach: report of eight cases.

Percutaneous radiofrequency thermolesion of the petrous ganglion at the jugular foramen was employed for the treatment of glossopharyngeal neuralgia in eight cases, three with essential and five with symptomatic pain from oropharyngeal cancer. Because of its technical simplicity, the lateral cervical approach was preferred to the anterior lateral approach. Immediate and subsequent surgical results were satisfactory. No neurological complication was noted, except for transitory bradycardia and hypotension during the procedure.

Adult

Alterations of facial sensitivity induced by percutaneous thermocoagulation for trigeminal neuralgia.

Sixty patients with essential trigeminal neuralgia underwent selective percutaneous thermocoagulation of the gasserian ganglion. Immediate and long-term modifications of pain and tactile facila sensitivity, recurrences of pain, and occurrences of facial paresthesias were evaluated. Pin-prick and von Frey hair tests and somatosensory-evoked potentials were used to study facila sensitivity. Patients with mild alterations of sensitivity-treated with low temperatures of coagulation (60 degrees-70 degrees C)--had a lower incidence of paresthesias, although a higher risk of recurrence. Patients with severe alterations of sensitivity--a consequence of a temperature of coagulation above 70 degrees C--had a high incidence of paresthesias and a low risk of recurrence. In our opinion, the first kind of results are better.

Adult

Multiple meningiomas.

The authors discuss the criteria of differential diagnosis for a correct use of the term "multiple meningiomas". Reviewing a series of 934 meningiomas, of which 834 were intracranial and 100 were spinal, they found 14 cases of multiple meningiomas, i.e. an incidence of 1.5%. The study shows that multiple meningiomas are quite similar to solitary meningiomas in all their biological characteristics. Furthermore, the possible presence of more than one meningioma must always be kept in mind in the clinical and radiological evaluation of a patient. The aetiology of multiple separate meningiomas is discussed: the hypothesis which suggests their origin from multicentric neoplastic foci activated by a supposed "tumour-producing factor" appears to be the most reliable.

Adult

Cortical evoked responses and transcutaneous electrotherapy.

Percutaneous electrostimulation, acupuncture, and direct stimulation of the central nervous system are supposed to be capable of reducing painful sensation by releasing enkephalins and endorphins. We treated six volunteers with electrotherapy, obtaining in all cases a clear reduction of the pain induced by electric stimulation of the median nerve at the wrist. During the treatment, the administration of naloxone, an antagonist of morphine, in four subjects provoked a short but clear and immediate return of pain. In the other two cases, the drug provoked a further decrease of the painful sensation. During electro-stimulation in all patients, the somatosensory evoked potentials showed a statistically significant decrease. In the four "naloxone-responsive" subjects, the cortical evoked responses returned to basal amplitude after naloxone. In the two patients with a clinically paradoxic response, nonsignificant modification in the cortical evoked potentials was noted.

Adult

Intrinsic haematopoietic activity of cerebellar haemangioblastomas. Ultrastructural study of three cases.

Three cerebellar haemangioblastomas were studied by electron microscopy. One of these shows electron-dense granules within the tumour cells, indicative of erythropoietic activity, as previously described in a haemangioblastoma. The biological significance of these granules is discussed. Biological assay of serum erythropoietic activity was performed in one case.

Cerebellar Neoplasms