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Biomedical subjects

M Portafaix

Publications and source records attributed to M Portafaix.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1986

[X-ray computed tomography in central pontine myelinolysis. 2 cases].

Two cases of central pontine myelinolysis were studied by computerized tomography (CT). One patient had chronic alcoholism, the other porphyria variegata; both initially presented with water-and-electrolyte disorders, notably hyponatraemia. The neurological disorders consisted of acute pseudobulbar syndrome which totally regressed within 15 days to 1 month. CT demonstrated a low density area in the pons, extending to the mesencephalon in one case. Despite clinical cure, this low density persisted for 16 and 20 months respectively, counting from the onset of neurological symptoms. In central pontine myelinolysis, CT images only are of diagnostic value in cases with suggestive neurological symptoms and aetiology. CT can recognize minor forms of the disease and confirms that in some cases severe forms may follow a regressive course.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

[Peroperative spinal cord ultrasonography in neurosurgery].

Intraoperative spinal sonography is a new method of investigation. We are reporting 14 observations. The results of these explorations permit to describe the normal spinal sonography and a spinal ultrasonic semeiology. We underline the advantage of this technic in the neurospinal surgery particularly to locate the tumors and to facilitate the removal.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

[Postoperative echographic surveillance].

Real time ultrasonography can be used in the post operative period through a bone defect such as a craniectomy or laminectomy when their surface excess 6 cm2. It permits without moving the patient the study of the normal post-operative evolution of certain lesions such as abscess or ventricule enlargement, and the diagnosis of early post-operative complications. Tardive unfavourable anatomic evolution and/or recurrence can also be studied. In the future, the miniaturization of the probe will allow to extend this technique to smaller bone window.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

[Transfontanelle cerebral echography].

Cerebral transfontanelle ultrasonography has been making many progress for ten years, with the grey scale of new echographs. We report here our experience. The technique is now standardized: we use a high resolution realtime scanner with a 5 MHz transducer placed directly over the fontanella. The flexible cable permits the examination of preterm infants in incubator. After the description of normal echoanatomy, we give examples of the most frequent pathology observed: hydrocephalus, intracranial haemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, corpus callosum lipoma, brains dysraphism, Dandy Walker malformation.

Brain↗
PubMed1986

[Ultrasonically guided biopsy of cerebral tumors].

The authors have not an installation for stereotaxic neurosurgery. In this condition they have used for 3 years real-time ultrasonography to guide the biopsy of deep-seated brain lesions. For adopting finally their method, a preliminary study of 31 patients has been performed. This method is not available for superficial lesions (two failures) which are in the blind area of the probe. In 29 cases the lesion has been clearly identified and biopsed. Histologic diagnosis has been correct in 26 cases (90 percent), incorrect in 3 cases (lesion too necrotic in 2 cases, non specific gliosis in 1 case). The simplicity of this method, its innocuity and its low cost (versus sterotaxy) and its others applications prove its high interest for neurosurgery.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

[Benign acute cerebral angiopathy. 4 cases].

Presenting symptoms in 4 patients with acute benign cerebral angiopathy were headaches over several days, with a transient neurologic disorder in two cases. Angiography showed diffuse and segmental distal narrowing alternating with dilatations. In one patient, the radiologic anomalies persisted to a milder degree in the same region 2 months later, while the reduced cerebral blood flow failed to return to normal. The pathophysiology of this syndrome would appear to result initially of vasospasm in particularly reactive subjects, especially young women. Its cause appears to vary from one case to another: post-partum disorders, infection or inflammation, meningeal hemorrhage, paroxysmal hypertension. Adjuvant factors could be unusual effort, medication or a migraine context. In spite of this pathogenetic uncertainty this angiopathy in usually considered as an isolated, benign and non-relapsing disease.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1985

[Peculiarly slow development of several acoustic neuromas. Management].

Thirteen patients presented with neurinomas of particularly slow evolution, including 5 cases with a history of over 20 years chronicity. These cases appear to be more common after 60 years of age and correspond often to stage I and II tumors. The decision to operate to resect the tumors is a difficult one to make, particularly in the bilateral forms.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Biological, psychometric and tomodensitometric study of treated neurosyphilis].

Results of follow-up examinations of the CSF in 6 patients with neurosyphilis, including 5 with general paresis, following treatment with high doses of aqueous penicillin G are reported. Persistence of any residual active infection of the nervous system could be eliminated since as well as fairly rapid restoration of normal CSF cytology and chemistry there was a slow reduction (and sometimes return to normal) of initially very high levels of immunoglobulins G, disappearance of their oligoclonal distribution (3 cases), and negativation of quantitative immunofluorescence serology (F.T.A. ABS). Clinical efficacy of treatment was shown by stabilization of the intellectual deficit investigated by serial psychometric tests. Memory disturbances were prominent mainly in the initial stages, and sometimes adopted a rather frontal nature. Psychometric tests can contribute to the assessment of initial extension of the treponemic infection in the aborted types of general paresis. The atrophy observed constantly on CT scans appeared to be stationary on serial examinations (2 cases). It was of a diffuse type affecting cortical sulci and ventricles. The onset of anomalies such as ischemic complications was not related to recurrence of infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

[Left paramedian thalamic infarct. Memory and language study].

Unusual findings in a patient with a paramedian infarct of the left thalamus, shown by CT scan were the elective nature and long duration of memory disorders. Mild amnesia has been relatively stable for two years, and is apparent during tests as an anterograde verbal memory deficiency for all modalities (serial, associative, logical), without facilitation during learning or recall by semantic or phonologic cues. On the other hand, anterograde visual, gestual or tactile memory, and particularly retrograde verbal and visual memory are well retained. The worsening effect of verbal interferences on word learning is emphasized, whereas no similar phenomenon has been observed for visual material. The antero-internal thalamic lesion in the dominant hemisphere results in a memory disorder of a particular type which cannot be explained by the cognitive disorder, or by the very transient initial aphasic disturbance. Prolonged verbal amnesia with persistent reduction in fluency most probably results from a deficiency of specific incitation in using and memorizing verbal material, without other negligence phenomena. The role of the thalamocortical and particularly frontocingular connections are discussed, according to the semiology.

Association Learning↗