Ten recruited soldiers developed acute left wrist drop and numbness on the back of the thumb after a three hour military shooting training. Neurological examination disclosed decreased muscle power (0-2/5) of left wrist dorsiflexion, hypalgesia and hypaesthesia on the radial side of the left hand, and diminished brachioradialis reflex. Electrophysiological studies showed prolonged distal latency, reduced amplitude and slowness of left radial nerve motor conduction velocity between the axilla and elbow. Electromyography (EMG) revealed fibrillation potentials at rest, polyphasic motor unit and an incomplete interference pattern at volition over the extensor digitorum communis and brachioradialis. Nine patients recovered completely clinically and electrophysiologically between nine and 12 weeks after the onset of the palsy. Sensation recovered faster than the weakness. One patient failed to recover after three months, possibly because of the longer duration of nerve compression. Longer nerve compression time and sustained, decreased muscle power with signs of active denervation in EMG are indicators of poor prognosis.
Ingestion of 10% glucose water impairs head-up tilt tolerance relative to water ingestion. The contrasting effect of 10% glucose water vs. pure water on orthostatic tolerance is associated with increased heart rate and attenuation of the increase in peripheral vascular resistance in head-up tilt testing.
Thrombosed arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) in children are rare lesions that may present with headaches or a seizure disorder. Thirteen patients (4 months to 21 years of age) with this lesion were examined with computed tomography (CT). In 11 patients surgical confirmation was obtained, and the other two patients were examined with follow-up CT scans. Angiography either showed an avascular mass (7/13) or was negative (6/13). CT showed a lobulated lesion (8/13), peripheral location (11/13), and minimal surrounding edema (8/13). All of the lesions were hyperdense prior to the administration of contrast material and all enhanced either slightly or not at all following contrast material administration. It is concluded that these characteristic CT features aid in making the diagnosis of thrombosed AVM. The major differential diagnosis is small intracerebral neoplasm.
Sensory aphasia may be the initial manifestation of a transverse-sigmoid sinus DAVF even if there are no symptoms such as headache or tinnitus. We postulate that early anticoagulation therapy is indicated for preventing thromboembolism in DAVF patients with thrombophilia because the possibility of intracranial bleeding has been reduced by embolization.
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