Precise measurement of postvoid residual (PVR) urine volume is a key factor in assessing patients with voiding dysfunction, including those with lower urinary tract problems. The safe and noninvasive ultrasound bladder scan is the preferred mode to measure PVR volume. However, this procedure has a false-positive rate up to 9%, in the presence of ovarian cysts, renal cysts, ascites, or uterine myoma with cystic degeneration. Until now, cystic lesions are known to cause false positivity in ultrasound bladder scanner. However, we encountered falsely-elevated PVR in two cases of non-cystic uterine myomas. We present these cases with detailed radiologic images and volume measurement data.
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To clarify the relationship of the initial radiologic and a biomechanical parameter at first clinical visit, and define the effectiveness of modified insole, following insole fitting in children with flexible flatfoot.
Children aged less than 13 years with flexible flatfoot were enrolled. The total number of subjects was 66 (33 boys, 33 girls). The subjects were divided into 5 subgroups, based on age: 1–2, 3–4, 5–6, 7–9, and 10–12 years. The mean time period between the initial & final examination for their resting calcaneal stance position angle (RCSPA) was 24 months. Radiography quantified the deformity by measuring angles, including the talometatarsal angle, the metatarsal angle, and the calcaneal pitch angle.
From the angles measured on radiographs, only the talometatarsal angle showed a statistically significant correlation to the initial RCSPA (r=-0.578 for right side, r=-0.524 for left side; p<0.01). The mean RCSPA improved in all subgroups of subjects following insole fitting. Moreover, in children younger than 7 years, the improvement in RCSPA from the insole fitting was greater compared to children aged 7 years and older.
The insole has additionally beneficial effects in all populations younger than 13 years. However, there might exist a hidden effect of normal structural pedal alignment during growth accompanied with bony maturation and developmental process. To date, it is controversial whether the treatment of flexible flatfoot is necessary in the vast majority of cases, or simple observation and advice to parents would suffice.
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To evaluate whether an initial complete impairment of spinal cord injury (SCI) contributes to the functional outcome prediction, we analyzed the relationship between the degree of complete impairment according to the American Spinal Injury Association impairment scale (AIS), the posterior tibial nerve somatosensory evoked potential (PTSEP) and the changes of functional indices.
Sixty subjects with SCI were studied who received rehabilitative management for over 2 months. The degree of completeness on basis of the initial AIS and PTSEP were evaluated at the beginning of rehabilitation. Following treatment, several functional indices, such as walking index for spinal cord injury version II (WISCI II), spinal cord independence measure version III (SCIM III), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and Modified Barthel Index (MBI), were evaluated until the index score reached a plateau value.
The recovery efficiency of WISCI and BBS revealed a statistically significant difference between complete and incomplete impairments of initial AIS and PTSEP. The SCIM and MBI based analysis did not reveal any significant differences in terms of the degree of AIS and PTSEP completeness.
AIS and PTSEP were highly effective to evaluate the prognosis in post-acute phase SCI patients. BBS and WISCI might be better parameters than other functional indices for activities of daily living to predict the recovery of the walking ability in post-acute SCI.
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Acute multiple cranial neuropathies are considered as variant of Guillain-Barre syndrome, which are immune-mediated diseases triggered by various cases. It is a rare disease which is related to infectious, inflammatory or systemic diseases. According to previous case reports, those affected can exhibit almost bilateral facial nerve palsy, then followed by bulbar dysfunctions (cranial nerves IX and X) accompanied by limb weakness and walking difficulties due to motor and/or sensory dysfunctions. Furthermore, reported cases of the acute multiple cranial neuropathies show electrophysiological abnormalities compatible with the typical Guillain-Barre syndromes (GBS). We recently experienced a patient with a benign infectious disease who subsequently developed symptoms of variant GBS. Here, we describe the case of a 48-year-old male patient who developed multiple symptoms of cranial neuropathy without limb weakness. His laboratory findings showed a positive result for anti-GQ1b IgG antibody. As compared with previously described variants of GBS, the patient exhibited widespread cranial neuropathy, which included neuropathies of cranial nerves III-XII, without limb involvement or ataxia.
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