Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Ohry

Publications and source records attributed to A Ohry.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

Misdiagnosis of spinal cord injuries--the physiatrist's point of view.

Thirteen different patients involving spinal cord pathology with delayed or false diagnosis are presented and these diagnostic pitfalls are discussed. Many seemingly simple explanations for para or quadriplegia are suddenly quite complex upon scrutiny. The problem of proper diagnosis is capital in instituting proper therapy, advising the patient and his family, and unfortunately in today's medical climate, for medical legal reasons.

Adult↗

Zinc and osteoporosis in patients with spinal cord injury.

Thirty-eight patients (8 women and 30 men) with spinal cord injury were investigated. All had been immobilised after the traumatic event. The time elapsed since their accidents varied from 2 to 74 weeks. Blood and urine samples were collected to investigated calcium, zinc, magnesium, sodium, alkaline phosphate, phosphore, haemoglobin, creatinine, uric acid and proteins in blood, and the urinary excretion of phosphore, hydroxyproline, creatinine, amino acids, calcium, calcium, magnesium and zinc. The methods were estimately by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The serum zinc levels did not differ statistically from normal and the calcium and magnesium levels in the serum were lower among the patients than in normal controls. The urinary excretion of zinc, calcium, phosphore and hydroxyproline was higher among the patients without correlation to the patients' age. The zinc excretion is negatively correlated to the time elapsed since the injury, but it is still high 3 months after trauma. The highly significant correlation between urinary zinc and hydroxyproline excretion, together with increased calcium and phosphore excretion, suggests that zinc may be involved in the process of osteoporosis in patients with spinal cord injury.

Adolescent↗

Serum dopamine beta-hydroxylase (D beta H) levels during tilting in patients with spinal cord injuries.

The activity of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (D beta H) in the serum was measured in patients with quadriplegia and in healthy subjects. We assume that the plasma D beta H levels reflect sympathetic tone. Quadriplegics had significantly lower D beta H levels at rest. After head-up tilting a significant decrease in D beta H levels occurred in patients with spinal cord injury suggesting failure of the sympathetic nervous system. However, a considerable overlap exists between normals and quadriplegics, making this test of limited value in the assessment of autonomic function in individual subjects.

Adult↗

Hypokalemic periodic paralysis associated with multiple sclerosis.

A case is reported of a 46-year old male who has been suffering from recurrent episodes of quadriplegia, characteristic of hypokalemic periodic paralysis, for 28 years. During this period he has developed typical signs and symptoms of multiple sclerosis. The association of hypokalemic periodic paralysis and multiple sclerosis is extremely unusual.

Humans↗

Shoulder complications as a cause of delay in rehabilitation of spinal cord injured patients. (Case reports and review of the literature).

We describe ten patients with spinal cord disease or injury who developed upper extremity and shoulder complications during rehabilitation. These shoulder complications caused delay in rehabilitation. We discuss the aetiology, treatment and management of shoulder complications in spinal patients and in patients with other neurological diseases.

Adult↗

Sexual function, pregnancy and delivery in spinal cord injured women.

Complete spinal cord injury results in abolition of motor, sensory and autonomic functions. Among the autonomic functions, the sexual system is seriously disturbed. The spinal cord injury with its many complications offers a challenge to the rehabilitation team, and the sexual problem is one of its most important aspects. For the female paraplegic, rehabilitation of sexual functions is an essential part in the building of a positive new self-image. In this review, we try to summarize the gynecological and obstetrical aspects of spinal cord injured women. Although the innervation of the reproductive system is damaged, this system continues to function and the menstrual cycle resumes its normal course after a while. Ovulation takes place regularly and pregnancy is possible. Today the general opinion is that the pregnant paralyzed woman can deliver vaginally and not by cesarean section as was believed before. We emphasize the importance of special medical care before, during and after delivery. The cooperation between physiatrist and gynecologist is mandatory.

Autonomic Nervous System↗

Orthostatic hypotension in amputees and subjects with spinal cord injuries.

Orthostatic examinations were performed with a tilt table on 64 male volunteers, of whom 21 had sustained amputation of one or both lower limbs and 23 were paraplegic due to spinal cord injuries (SCI), with 20 healthy subjects as controls. Following tilting, signs and symptoms of fainting appeared in five of the SCI subjects, four of whom had spinal injuries above the level of D5. These phenomena appeared in only two of the controls and in none of the amputees. The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures of the amputees at rest and standing were higher than those recorded in the other two groups. The mean pulse pressures were lower in the amputees than in the other two groups. The changes in the systolic, diastolic, and pulse pressures were more profound in those subjects with high spinal cord injuries than in subjects with lower cord injuries. ECG changes and fainting were more frequent among the SCI subjects than in the other two groups.

Adult↗

Osteomyelitis caused by mycobacterium fortuitum.

A case of osteomylitis of the foot and ankle bones with subsequent complications is presented. Antibiotic therapy was unsuccessful and a below-knee amputation was performed. A comparison of the various Mycobacteria species and their role as etiologic agents in osteomyelitis follows.

Adult↗