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Peroneal neuropathy is a common mononeuropathy of the lower limb. Some studies have reported cases of peroneal neuropathy after vascular surgery or intervention. However, no cases of peroneal neuropathy with occlusion of a single peripheral artery have been previously reported. A 73-year-old man was referred with a 3-week history of left-sided foot drop. He had a history of valvular heart disease and arrhythmia, and had previously been treated with percutaneous coronary intervention. Computed tomography angiogram of the lower extremity showed proximal occlusion of the left anterior tibial artery. An electrodiagnostic study confirmed left common peroneal neuropathy. After diagnosis, anticoagulation therapy was started and he received physical therapy.
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Lunate and perilunate dislocations are uncommon, but they have clinical importance because complications, such as median neuropathy and avascular necrosis of the lunate, can occur. Although early diagnosis enabling early surgical treatment is crucial for preventing long-term sequelae, these dislocations are frequently missed in the initial assessment. Imaging tools, such as plain radiography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonography, and electrodiagnostic studies, have been used for diagnosis. The proper choice of initial evaluation tools is important for making an accurate early diagnosis. Here we present a case of lunate dislocation associated with median neuropathy in which ultrasonography, along with the electrodiagnostic study and plain radiography, played an important diagnostic role in detecting structural abnormalities. This case report reveals the complementary diagnostic role of ultrasonography in initial assessment and provides ultrasonographic images of lunate dislocation as a cause of median neuropathy.
Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis is a rare autosomal recessive disease that involves multiple organs, including the peripheral nervous system. The present study is the first to report the ultrasonographic findings of peripheral nerves in a patient with cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis. The patient presented with bilateral Achilles tendon enlargement and foot hypesthesia. Sonographic examination revealed hypoechoic, swollen peripheral nerves with enlarged bilateral Achilles tendons. Since the ultrasonographic findings revealed peripheral involvement, the diagnosis of cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis was established after laboratory and genetic studies along with clinical findings.
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To evaluate the clinical differences between patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) who have asymptomatic carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and those who have symptomatic CTS.
Sixty-three patients with DM were assessed using the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ), nerve conduction studies (NCS), and ultrasonographic evaluation of the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the median nerve. According to the BCTQ responses and NCS results, the patients were divided into the following three groups: group 1 (n=16), in which NCS results did not reveal CTS; group 2 (n=19), in which NCS results revealed CTS but the group scored 0 points on the BCTQ (asymptomatic); and group 3 (n=28), in which NCS results revealed CTS and the group scored >1 point on the BCTQ (symptomatic). The clinical findings, NCS results, and CSA of the median nerve were compared among the three groups.
There were no significant differences in age, DM duration, glycated hemoglobin levels, and presence of diabetic polyneuropathy among the three groups. The peak latency of the median sensory nerve action potential was significantly shorter in group 1 than in groups 2 and 3 (p<0.001); however, no difference was observed between groups 2 and 3. CSA of the median nerve at the carpal tunnel in group 2 was significantly larger than that in group 1 and smaller than that in group 3 (p<0.05).
The results of our study suggest that the symptoms of CTS in patients with diabetes are related to CSA of the median nerve, which is consistent with swelling of the nerve.
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To investigate the influence of hyperlipidemia on the treatment of supraspinatus tendinopathy, with or without tear.
We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients with shoulder pain and patients with supraspinatus tendinopathy, with or without tear, were included in the study. Exclusion criteria were prior shoulder surgery, prior steroid injection, neurological diseases that could lead to shoulder pain, and use of lipid-lowering medication. According to the serum lipid profiles, patients were assigned to either the hyperlipidemia or non-hyperlipidemia group. By analyzing the numeric rating scale (NRS) before treatment, and at 2 weeks and 8 weeks after treatment, we compared the difference in treatment effect between the two groups.
No significant baseline difference was found among the two groups for age, gender, body mass index, duration of pain, side of pain, range of motion of affected shoulder, or physical examination. On the repeated-measures analysis of variance, NRS scores significantly decreased with time for both groups (p<0.001). When analyzing the effect of time between the subjects factor, there was significant difference in the treatment effect between the two groups (p<0.001), namely NRS was less decreased in the hyperlipidemia group.
We found that hyperlipidemia may be an adversely affecting factor in the treatment of supraspinatus tendinopathy with or without tear.
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To evaluate the pathophysiological mechanism of hemifacial spasm (HFS), we performed electrophysiological examinations, such as supraorbital nerve stimulation with orbicularis oris muscle recording and lateral spread tests, after suppressing the patient's central nervous system by administering intravenous diazepam.
Six patients with HFS were recruited. Supraorbital nerve stimulation with orbicularis oris muscle recording and the lateral spread test were performed, followed by intravenous application of 10 mg diazepam to achieve facial motor neuron suppression. Subsequently, we repeated the two electrophysiological experiments mentioned above at 10 and 20 minutes after the patients had received the diazepam intravenously.
Orbicularis oris muscle responses were observed in all patients after supraorbital nerve stimulation and lateral spread tests. After the diazepam injection, no orbicularis oris muscle response to supraorbital nerve stimulation was observed in one patient, and the latencies of this response were evident as a slowing tendency with time in the remaining five patients. However, the latencies of the orbicularis oris muscle responses were observed consistently in all patients in the lateral spread test.
Our results suggest that ectopic excitation/ephaptic transmission contributes to the pathophysiological mechanisms of HFS. This is because the latencies of the orbicularis oris muscle responses in the lateral spread test were observed consistently in the suppressed motor neuron in our patients.
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To investigate whether or not indirect ultrasound guidance could increase the accuracy of the glenohumeral joint injection using the superior approach.
Twelve shoulders from 7 adult cadavers were anatomically dissected after a dye injection had been performed, while the cadavers were in the supine position. Before the injection, a clinician determined the injection point using the ultrasound and the more internal axial arm rotation was compared to how it was positioned in a previous study. Injection confidence scores and injection accuracy scores were rated.
The clinician's confidence score was high in 92% (11 of 12 shoulders) and the injection accuracy scores were 100% (12 of 12 shoulders). The long heads of the biceps tendons were not penetrated.
Indirect ultrasound guidance and positioning shoulder adducted at 10° and internally rotated at 60°-70° during the superior glenohumeral joint injection would be an effective method to avoid damage to the long head of biceps tendons and to produce a highly accurate injection.
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To describe an ultrasonography-guided technique for cubital tunnel injection.
The ulnar nerves from 12 elbows of 6 adult cadavers were scanned, and the cross-sectional areas of the ulnar nerves, cubital tunnel inlets and outlets were measured by using ultrasonography. All elbows were dissected after an ultrasonography-guided dye injection at the inlet of the cubital tunnel. The dissectors evaluated the spread of dye and the coloration of the nerve and remeasured the cross-sectional areas of the cubital tunnel inlets and outlets.
After a real-time visualization of an ultrasonography-guided injection, the ulnar nerves were seperated from the medial groove for the ulnar nerve. All the ulnar nerves of the cadavers were successfully colored with the dye, from the inlet to oulet of the cubital tunnel. The post-injection cross-sectional areas were significantly larger than the pre-injection cross-sectional areas. No significant differences were detected in the post-injection cross-sectional areas of the cubital tunnel outlet and the ulnar nerve as compared with the pre-injection areas.
Clinicians should consider real-time visualization of ultrasonography for guided injection around the ulnar nerve at the inlet of the cubital tunnel.
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Lateral plantar foot pain can be caused by various entities, and the painful os peroneum syndrome should be considered in the differential diagnosis. Recent developments in musculoskeletal ultrasonography are very useful for initial diagnosis. We discuss a 69-year-old female who experienced lateral plantar foot pain for over one month. Through physical examination, radiography, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging, she was diagnosed with the painful os peroneum syndrome with a chronic fatigue fracture of multipartite os peroneum and peroneus longus tenosynovitis, for which she underwent surgery. We herein report this rare condition and reviewed the relevant literature.
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