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Biomedical subjects

W el Masri

Publications and source records attributed to W el Masri.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

[Gesture apraxia disclosing carbon monoxide poisoning].

A seventy year old right handed woman presented progressive limb apraxia and headache due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Thereafter, when in hospital for one week, she developed akinetic mutism, coma and died. Limb apraxia has been rather uncommonly reported in carbon monoxide poisoning. The akinetic mutism observed after the patient had been removed from intoxication could be analysed as a delayed encephalopathy related to a chronic carbon monoxide poisoning.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Spinal cord injury: prognostic indicators.

A retrospective analysis of 70 patients with closed traumatic incomplete injuries of the spinal cord was performed. Of those presenting with motor sparing, as minimal as muscle flicker, 86 per cent recovered useful motor function. Of those presenting with spinothalamic sensory sparing, as minimal as unilateral sacral sparing, 71 per cent recovered to a similar functional level. While the patients presenting with preservation of only posterior column sensory sparing had the worst prognosis, some still showed important improvement. Meticulous neurological assessment within 72 h of the injury can localize the tract spared and can help with the prognosis in those patients with incomplete lesions.

Humans↗
PubMed1989

Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of the oral antispastic agent tizanidine in patients with spinal cord injury.

The efficiency and duration of action of a single oral dose (8 mg) of tizanidine in patients with spinal cord injuries were determined by studying its antispastic, cardiovascular and sedative effects along with its pharmacokinetic profile in five tetraplegic and five paraplegic patients. After the administration of tizanidine, there was a reduction in spasticity in both groups within half an hour, with the effects lasting for 3 to 4 hours. There was no rebound increase in blood pressure. There was a greater increase in sedation in the tetraplegics than in the paraplegics. Plasma tizanidine levels rose within half an hour after dosing and peaked at one hour. The levels had fallen to 15 percent by 6 hours. The plasma half-life was 2.7 +/- 0.06 hours. We conclude that oral tizanidine has antispastic effects in patients with spinal cord injuries without affecting the power of non-involved muscle groups. It has minimal effects on blood pressure and it lowers heart rate. Side effects include sedation and dryness of mouth.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1986

Prevertebral soft tissue shadow widening--an important sign of cervical spinal injury.

Injury to the cervical spine may first be diagnosed by recognizing the increase in prevertebral soft tissue seen on a radiograph. Seven such patients are reviewed. Failure to recognize this important sign led to delay in diagnosis of the cervical spinal injury in one patient and resulted in tetraplegia. A large prevertebral swelling should be considered as an indication of a severe and unstable injury to the cervical spine and requires careful handling of the patient.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Tracheostomy in intensive care setting.

A detailed analysis of early complications resulting from tracheostomy in 50 consecutive patients, admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, who had required ototracheal intubation, is presented. The very low incidence of complications seen in this study supports the contention that a carefully performed tracheostomy is a safe procedure in the management of these critically ill patients. In view of this and the greater incidence of laryngeal and tracheal stenosis associated with longer periods of orotracheal intubation followed by tracheostomy, early tracheostomy should be considered in patients intubated for five days in whom further prolonged respiratory assistance is anticipated.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Ingrowing toenails and tetraplegia.

Nearly half the tetraplegic patients examined in a spinal injuries clinic had suffered ingrowing of the great toenail only after the injury to their spinal cord. This article describes the features of this common condition.

Humans↗