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Biomedical subjects

R A Sawaya

Publications and source records attributed to R A Sawaya.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Carpal tunnel syndrome: modern diagnostic and management techniques.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common disorder characterised by the classical symptoms of numbness and paraesthesiae along the distribution of the median nerve. Thenar muscle weakness is a late manifestation of advanced disease. Tinel's and Phalen's signs are helpful in suggesting the diagnosis. The symptoms and signs arise from entrapment of the median nerve. Electrophysiological tests are helpful in confirming the diagnosis and magnetic resonance imaging may be used in the diagnosis of atypical cases. Ergonomic manoeuvers and steroid injections may alleviate symptoms in mild cases. Surgery is reserved for severe cases and those who do not respond to conservative therapy. Open carpal tunnel release is the classical surgery with usually excellent results. Endoscopic carpal tunnel release surgery was introduced to decrease the morbidity of open surgery. This latter technique also has its complications and is still being refined.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome↗
PubMed2000

Astrocytes give rise to oligodendrogliomas and astrocytomas after gene transfer of polyoma virus middle T antigen in vivo.

The cells of origin for oligodendrogliomas and astrocytomas are not known but are presumed to be oligodendrocyte and astrocyte precursors, respectively. In this paper we report the generation of mixed gliomas from in vivo transformation of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive cells (differentiated astrocytes) with polyoma virus middle T antigen (MTA). MTA is a powerful oncogene that activates a number of signal transduction pathways, including those proposed to be involved in gliomagenesis, and has been shown to induce tumors in many cell types. We have achieved transfer of MTA expression specifically to GFAP(+) cells in vivo using somatic cell gene transfer, and find resultant formation of anaplastic gliomas with mixed astrocytoma and oligodendroglioma morphological features. We conclude that GFAP- expressing astrocytes, with appropriate signaling abnormalities, can serve as the cell of origin for oligodendrogliomas, astrocytomas, or mixed gliomas.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Idiopathic sciatic mononeuropathy.

Sciatic nerve lesions are usually painful and secondary to compression, trauma, infarction or part of a systemic illness. The etiology is usually defined by radiographic or blood studies, or by exploratory surgery. In rare cases, as the one being presented, there is clear clinical and electrophysiological evidence for a lesion of the sciatic nerve, but no morphological correlate or defined etiology. These idiopathic sciatic mononeuropathies seem to occur in the nerves of the legs in young adults.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Adrenoleukodystrophy associated with vitiligo and ulcerative colitis.

Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is an X-linked inherited disorder of lipid metabolism usually presenting in childhood or early adolescence. It is a progressive disease with symptoms of adrenal insufficiency and central nervous system demyelination. The pathology results from the accumulation of very long-chain fatty acids and an inflammatory reaction in the brain white matter. We report a case of ALD associated with adrenal insufficiency and two autoimmune diseases: vitiligo and ulcerative colitis.

Addison Disease↗
PubMed1998

Foramen magnum meningioma presenting as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, degenerative disease of the nervous system. It affects adults in all age groups and leads to death few years after the diagnosis. The etiology is unknown, and there no convincing medical or surgical therapy Some diseases can mimic ALS. If diagnosed early these may be treatable, but if misdiagnosed as ALS and left untreated they may be fatal. We present a case of foramen magnum meningioma presenting clinically as ALS. After surgery, the symptoms disappeared and the neurological deficits improved.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Trigeminal neuralgia associated with sinusitis.

When a patient presents with trigeminal neuralgia, one usually thinks of a vascular loop at the root entry zone of the nerve and consequently of vascular decompression. An image of sinusitis on the MRI may be considered an incidental finding. We present a case of an elderly woman who experienced severe neuralgic pain in the distribution of the trigeminal nerve on the left side following a mild upper respiratory tract infection. Routine MRI revealed severe sinusitis with no pathology in the brain. Following antibiotic treatment for the sinusitis, the symptoms of the neuralgia resolved completely and no other therapy was necessary. A review of the literature reveals a wide variety of etiologies for trigeminal neuralgia. A vascular loop compressing the nerve may be the most frequent cause of trigeminal neuralgia. Nevertheless, other etiologies must be considered prior to decompressive surgery since some can be treated medically.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗