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Biomedical subjects

Takehisa Araki

Publications and source records attributed to Takehisa Araki.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Inferior temporal sulcus approach for amygdalohippocampectomy guided by a laser beam of stereotactic navigator.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a surgical technique for a minimally invasive transcortical transventricular amygdalohippocampectomy via the inferior temporal sulcus (ITS) using a stereotactic navigator. METHODS: Seven patients with medically intractable mesial temporal lobe epilepsy underwent an amygdalohippocampectomy via the ITS. By use of a laser-guided navigation system, the epileptogenic foci of the mesial temporal lobe were resected through a small linear operative route that was made by a brain speculum inserted from the ITS to the anterolateral floor of the temporal horn in the lateral ventricle. RESULTS: All patients completed at least a 1-year follow-up (range, 14-45 mo) after surgery and had improved neuropsychological parameters as a result of the operation. All patients became seizure-free after surgery. A Humphrey visual field perimeter detected no hemianopsia. CONCLUSION: Combined with the stereotactic navigation system, the ITS approach provides the least invasive amygdalohippocampectomy that preserves optic radiation. This approach seems beneficial especially in patients in whom the epileptic lesions are limited to the anterior mesial temporal lobe.

Adolescent↗

[A case of cerebellar ataxia showing severe dystonia masquerading as myoclonic jerky movements on arm extension].

A 43-year-old man was admitted to our hospital due to unstable walking, head tilting to the left and difficulty in extending his arm. He was quite healthy until the age of 20 years, when these symptoms appeared and progressed slowly afterward. Due to his unstable walking, he started to use a wheelchair when he was 39 years old. He had no family history of similar disease. On admission, neurological examination revealed spasmodic torticollis, ataxic speech and marked limb and truncal ataxia. Myoclonic jerky flexion of the forearm was induced when he raised and extended his forearm. He also showed mild hyperreflexia in the lower limbs without pathological reflexes. He had weakness and atrophy of the left supraspinatus, infraspinatus, deltoid and biceps brachii muscles and mild superficial sensory impairment in the left axillary nerve territory due to cervical spondylotic radiculopathy of the left C5 root. MRI of the brain demonstrated severe bilateral atrophy of the cerebellar hemispheres and vermis but minimal atrophy of the cerebrum and brainstem. Because surface electromyography revealed continuous discharge with phasic components in the biceps and wrist flexor muscles on extending the upper limbs, the jerky flexion movement of the forearm was considered to be primarily dystonia. Although no giant SEP was observed, a C-response was detected in the long-loop reflex in response to right median nerve stimulation. Nuclear examinations showed diffuse hypoperfusion and decreased glucose metabolism in the cerebellum. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that cerebellar dysfunction may have induced severe dystonic movement resembling myoclonus. We would like to name this complicated involuntary movement an "arm thrust". This is the first case to be reported of sporadic, chronic, progressive cerebellar ataxia accompanied by severe dystonic movement, especially on stretching the forearms, that mimics myoclonic movement.

Adult↗

[A patient with Parkinson's disease complicated by hypothyroidism who developed malignant syndrome after discontinuation of etizolam].

A 59-year-old man, who was diagnosed as having Parkinson's disease and depression seven years ago and was on oral antiparkinsonian agents, antianxiety agents, and antidepressants, developed a high fever, disturbed consciousness, and marked muscle rigidity after discontinuation of etizolam and amitriptyline. He was admitted to a nearby hospital. Hypothyroidism had been noted two months before admission. Marked muscle rigidity and increased serum CK were observed. Since discontinuation of benzodiazepine has been known to rarely trigger a neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), he was diagnosed as having NMS. After receiving dantrolene and bromocriptine, these symptoms temporarily improved but he again developed consciousness disturbance, and convulsive seizures associated with an elevated serum CK. He was transferred to our hospital. On admission, the CK level was normal at 168 IU/l, while free T4 was 0.6 ng/dl (normal range, 0.9-2.3) and TSH was 108.7 mU/ml (normal range, 0.2-4.2) in serum, indicating the presence of primary hypothyroidism. As an increase in thyroid hormone dosage improved the thyroid function to normal level, his disturbed consciousness and muscle rigidity gradually improved. Convulsive seizure and recurrence of NMS in a short interval are unusual in neuroleptic malignant syndrome. In this patient, hypothyroidism may have contributed to the development of malignant syndrome through metabolic changes of the central dopaminergic system, and discontinuation of etizolam, a kind of benzodiazepine, may have triggered NMS, since there has not been reported that discontinuation of antidepressants including amitriptyline triggers NMS.

Antidepressive Agents↗

[A case of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) type 1 complicated by diabetes mellitus (DM) showing bilateral phrenic nerve palsy].

We here report a 44-year-old woman with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) type 1 who showed severe bilateral phrenic nerve palsy (PNP). She had chronic progressive distal dominant muscle weakness and atrophy since early in her second decade and had been unable to walk by herself due to weakness of the legs since she was 40-years old. At that time, she was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM). She also had difficulty breathing when she was in a supine position. On admission, sural nerve biopsy showed a marked decrease of large and small myelinated fibers and numerous onion bulb formations, which are compatible with CMT type 1. Chest X-ray showed bilateral elevation of the diaphragm, which was more marked on the right side, indicating bilateral PNP. Since it is reported that CMT patients show demyelination of the phrenic nerve subclinically, and DM itself may facilitate the development of PNP, periodic evaluations of respiratory function may thus be useful for preventing respiratory failure in patients with CMT, especially when it is complicated with DM.

Adult↗