This retrospective study aims to discuss and compare our results with those previously mentioned in the literature with regard to C5-C6 radiculopathy that occurs after decompression carried out for cervical spondylotic myelopathy. There are few reports in the literature referring to the incidence of the C5-C6 radiculopathy following cervical decompression procedures. Some authors believe that the postoperative cord shift is the most likely cause. From January 1994 to November 2002, 121 patients underwent cervical corpectomies for cervical spondylotic myelopathy. The preoperative and the postoperatively discovered paresis have been assessed according to the criteria of the British Medical Council. The Nurick Scale was used to grade the severity of the myelopathic changes. The follow-up period varied from 4 to 111 months with an average of 50 months. Symptoms of C5 and/or C6 radiculopathy appeared in 10 patients (8.2%) postoperatively. Aggravation of a preoperative C5 and/or C6 radiculopathy was seen in 3 patients, while 7 patients developed a new C5 and/or C6 radiculopathy in the immediate postoperative period. These motor deficits resolved completely in 7 patients within 7 months of surgery, whereas a residual motor weakness remained in the other 3 patients. The postoperative C5 motor deficit is not infrequently associated with partial involvement of the C6 root. The lesions can be either unilateral or bilateral with a statistically average frequency of 8%. The prognosis is generally favorable. Our results did not support the hypothesis that the claimed cord shift phenomenon is a possible aetiology.
Lumbar discectomy is one of the most frequent neurosurgical and orthopaedic procedures. In this study, a series of 43 consecutive patients operated with a minimally invasive technique referred to as "microscopically assisted percutaneous nucleotomy" (MAPN) is presented. After a follow-up period of 3 months, every patient was seen clinically, and after 12 months, telephone enquiries were performed by the first author. There were two recurrences. The results in improvement of sciatica and neurologic deficit corresponded to common microdiscectomy series with 80% excellent and good results. The MAPN method is compared with common microdiscectomy with regard to operating time, technical procedure, and especially in surgical indications. It proved to have the same effectivity in the treatment of lumbar disc herniations, however, with less approach damage.
Recently, conflicting results have been published about a possible relationship between platelet activity and exercise-induced myocardial ischemia. The present study was performed to investigate platelet behavior during a graded symptom-limited bicycle ergometer test both in relation to the intensity of exercise and to exercise-induced myocardial ischemia. Plasma concentrations of platelet factor 4 (PF4) and β-thromboglobulin (β-TG) were measured by radioimmunoassays in 53 patients who had had acute myocardial infarction 10 weeks before the study and, for comparison, in 9 healthy individuals. In the whole group of the 53 patients there was no significant alteration in platelet-specific proteins during exercise, whereas physical activity induced a 2- to 3-fold increase in β-TG and PF4 levels in the controls. However, on differentiation of the patients as to their individual exercise performance, significant exercise-associated platelet activation was demonstrable in those who reached more than 75% of their calculated maximal working capacity, whereas no correlation was found between platelet activity and exercise-induced myocardial ischemia. Thus, the results from this study indicate that in vivo platelet activation is a physiological phenomenon which occurs when a certain degree of physical intensity is exceeded, independent of the precipitation of myocardial ischemia.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.