Biomedical subjects

Karen M Sutton

Publications and source records attributed to Karen M Sutton.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Partial-thickness rotator cuff tears.

Partial-thickness rotator cuff tears are not a single entity; rather, they represent a spectrum of disease states. Although often asymptomatic, they can be significantly disabling. Overhead throwing athletes with partial-thickness rotator cuff tears differ with respect to etiology, goals, and treatment from older, nonathlete patients with degenerative tears. Pathogenesis of degenerative partial-thickness tears is multifactorial, with evidence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors playing key roles. Diagnosis of partial-thickness rotator cuff tears should be based on the patient's symptoms together with magnetic resonance imaging studies. Conservative treatment is successful in most patients. Surgery generally is considered for patients with symptoms of sufficient duration and intensity. The role of acromioplasty has not been clearly delineated, but it should be considered when there is evidence of extrinsic causation for the partial-thickness rotator cuff tear.

Acromion↗

PubMed2004

Complete cervical intervertebral disc extrusion with spinal cord injury in the absence of facet dislocation: a case report.

STUDY DESIGN: Complete cervical disc complex extrusion, defined as the extrusion of both cartilaginous end-plates, the entire nucleus pulposus, and portions of the anulus fibrosus, is rare. A case of complete cervical disc complex extrusion with spinal cord injury in the absence of facet dislocation or subluxation in an obtunded patient is reported. OBJECTIVE: To report an unusual presentation of spinal cord injury and the occurrence of complete traumatic cervical disc complex extrusion in the absence of facet dislocation and normal plain radiographic findings. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Traumatic cervical disc herniation occurs in 54% to 80% of patients with facet dislocation. A report of complete extrusion of a cervical intervertebral disc complex (cartilaginous endplate, anulus, and nucleus pulposus) with spinal cord injury in the absence of dislocation has not been described, to the best of the authors' knowledge. METHODS: A clinical and radiographic review of such a case of complete traumatic cervical disc complex herniation in the absence of dislocation was performed. RESULTS: Plain radiographic imaging did not show any injury. A nondisplaced fracture of the left inferior facet joint was evident on computed tomography. The diagnosis of C4-C5 intervertebral disc extrusion was made only after magnetic resonance imaging. The vacuum effect of complete disc extrusion created a "white-out" appearance to the disc space on the sagittal T2 magnetic resonance image. The patient underwent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with additional posterior cervical fusion. He subsequently regained functional strength against gravity in two of four limbs. He remains completely paraparetic in the left upper extremity and partially paraparetic in the left lower extremity. CONCLUSION: The case report highlights the occurrence of complete traumatic cervical disc extrusion in the absence of facet dislocation with normal plain radiographic findings and consequent spinal cord injury, which can accompany such an injury.

Accidents, Traffic↗

PubMed2004

Cyclooxygenase-2 expression in chondrosarcoma.

OBJECTIVE: In recent years it has become evident that tissue cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) may play a role in carcinogenesis and tumor malignancy. There is now a mounting body of information that strongly implies that COX-2 inhibitors may be of some value in the management of patients with carcinomas, and most recently several similar reports have appeared relating to sarcomas. METHODS: The authors studied 32 samples of cartilage tumors from our tumor tissue bank for the presence of COX-2 by a Western blot technique. There were 29 patients from whom the samples were obtained, including 8 with enchondromas and 21 with chondrosarcomas. RESULTS: Thirteen of the 24 chondrosarcoma samples and none of the 8 enchondromas were positive for COX-2. An attempt was made to correlate these results with clinical data including age, gender, staging according to the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society, anatomical site, ploidic pattern, presence of metastases and death rate but no statistically valid correlation could be found. CONCLUSION: It is evident that COX-2 may play some role in chondrosarcoma but not in the benign enchondroma and that further studies with COX-2 inhibitors are warranted.

Adult↗