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Biomedical subjects

I Bernat

Publications and source records attributed to I Bernat.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

[The hypolossal-facial anastomosis in man. A model for studying peripheral and central nervous system plasticity].

Hypoglossal-facial anastomosis (HFA) is a cross-over between the proximal stump of the hypoglossal nerve (XII) and the distal one of the facial nerve (VII). The hypoglossal axons regrow within the sheaths of facial fibres, allowing the progressive reinnervation of the facial muscles. This model is interesting to study some mechanisms of plasticity of the nervous system for several reasons: 1) It is a quite simple and reproducible model of pathophysiological state. It allows the study of 2) the modifications of the nervous system induced by the HFA, both upwards and downwards to the lesion and 3) the modifications of reflex activities involving intrapontine connections such as the blink reflex. The electrophysiological features of the trigemino-facial (TF) and trigemino-hypoglossal (TG) connections demonstrated that a central reorganisation of the blink reflex (BR) was induced by HFA: the afferent volleys of the TF and TH reflexes elicited by cutaneous and mucosal trigeminal afferents respectively have been shown to project onto common interneurones located within the trigeminal principal sensory nucleus. A long-term prospective study showed: 1) a reinnervation of the facial muscles by the hypoglossal axons is a necessary perequisite for the central reorganisation of BR, 2) a hyperinnervation of the facial muscles by the hypoglossal axons, 3) a transient and regressive cross-innervation of paralyzed face by the healthy contralateral facial nerve.

Central Nervous System↗

Hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis: dynamic insight into the cross-innervation phenomenon.

The authors investigated the evolution of the dynamic features of the cross-innervation process in patients with complete facial palsy due to facial nerve transection during surgery for acoustic neuroma removal followed by a hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis (HFA). Clinical and electrophysiologic investigations were carried out before and over a 3-year period after HFA. Cross-innervation had started by the 10th day, progressed to the seventh to eighth month, then decreased and finally disappeared by the 12th month after HFA. Ipsilateral reinnervation was observed by the fourth month, progressed to the 12th to 18th month, and remained stable for the remainder of the follow-up period.

Adult↗

[Emergency surgical myocardial revascularization by means of a temporary arterial angioplasty].

The authors describe the case of a patient who was admitted for four-hour lasting acute myocardial infarction of the anterior wall with elevations of ST segments on ECG. The finding obtained in selective coronarography revealed an unsuitable condition for coronary intervention (a narrow stenosis of the stem, RIA occlusion, further two narrow stenoses in the coronary vascular bed). Since an operation room was not available at the moment the patient was indicated for palliative PTCA RIA (prevention of necrosis evolution) and subsequent urgent complete surgical revascularization of myocardium. The uncomplicated post-operation course and returned function of the affected myocardium indicates that the intervention may be considered as a suitable alternative for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction.

Aged↗

Midbrain deafness with normal brainstem auditory evoked potentials.

The authors report two cases of patients with word deafness. The word deafness occurred after a head injury for the first patient and after an arterio venous malformation embolization for the second patient. MRI demonstrated bilateral lesions of the inferior colliculi but brainstem auditory-evoked potentials (BAEP) were within normal limits. These cases demonstrated that lesions involving the two inferior colliculi induced pure word deafness but do not affect BAEP.

Balloon Occlusion↗

[Treatment of Bell's palsy with acyclovir and methylprednisolone].

OBJECTIVE: An open therapeutic trial was conducted in patients with Bell's palsy. Results were compared with data in the literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1997 and 2000, 76 patients with Bell's palsy were treated with intravenous methylprednisolone (2 mg/kg/day) and acyclovir (5-10 mg/kg/8 hours) for 7 days. Treatment was initiated in all patients before the 14th day of illness. Severity of the palsy was scored on the first day of treatment and again one year later using the House and Brackman scale. RESULTS: Grade II or III palsy were observed in 38% of the patients at initial presentation, grades IV to VI in 62%. After treatment, 92% of the patients had reverted to grades I and II (good outcome) and only 8% had sequelae at 1-year follow-up. All patients with initial grade I or II recovered completely. For patients with grade IV, V, or VI complete recovery at 1 year was observed in 94, 86 and 50% respectively. CONCLUSION: Data in the literature suggest that corticosteroids should improve recovery in Bell's plasy. In our study, adjunction of acyclovir did not demonstrate any clear improvement in the cure rate. Benefit could depend on early prescription.

Acyclovir↗

[Parapharyngeal chondrosarcoma and Ollier's disease: a case report and review of the literature].

OBJECTIVES: Ollier's disease is a constitutional pathology of unknown etiology. It is characterized by bone dysplasia generating numerous enchondromas. The malignant degeneration of this dysplasia is well known. The aim of this article is to study the diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic characteristics of these lesions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We report a case of parapharyngeal chondrosarcoma extended to the base of the skull in a patient with Ollier's disease. The treatment was a surgical removal by a cervicotransoral incision combined with a preauricular incision and with a mastoidectomy. It was therefore possible to control the skull base, the parapharyngeal space, the infratemporal fossa and the major neurovascular structures. The removal of the lesion was completed at the level of the clivus and sphenoid with optics (30 and 70 degrees ). We discuss this treatment and the follow up on the bases of literature data. RESULTS: The neoplastic degeneration of enchondromas is estimated between 25 to 50% of cases. The most frequent location is the pelvic bones. Chondrosarcomas are slow growing tumors and their metastatic potential is less significant as we note it in our case report. Their diagnostic is essentially based on histological criteria's and their treatment is surgical. CONCLUSION: Chondrosarcomas of the ENT area occurring with Ollier's disease is rare. Their prognostic is good if the surgical treatment is well done.

Adult↗

Trigeminal projections to hypoglossal and facial motor nuclei in the rat.

This study was undertaken to identify the trigeminal nuclear regions connected to the hypoglossal (XII) and facial (VII) motor nuclei in rats. Anterogradely transported tracers (biotinylated dextran amine, biocytin) were injected into the various subdivisions of the sensory trigeminal complex, and labeled fibers and terminals were searched for in the XII and VII. In a second series of experiments, injections of retrogradely transported tracers (biotinylated dextran amine, gold-horseradish peroxidase complex, fluoro-red, fluoro-green) were made into the XII and the VII, and labeled cells were searched for in the principal sensory trigeminal nucleus, and in the pars oralis, interpolaris, and caudalis of the spinal trigeminal nucleus. Trigeminohypoglossal projections were distributed throughout the ventral and dorsal region of the XII. Neurons projecting to the XII were found in all subdivisions of the sensory trigeminal complex with the greatest concentration in the dorsal part of each spinal subnucleus and exclusively in the dorsal part of the principal nucleus. Trigeminofacial projections reached all subdivisions of the VII, with a gradual decreasing density from lateral to medial cell groups. They mainly originated from the ventral part of the principal nucleus. In the spinal nucleus, most of the neurons projecting to the VII were in the dorsal part of the nucleus, but some were also found in its central and ventral parts. By using retrograde double labeling after injections of different tracers in the XII and VII on the same side, we examined whether neurons in the trigeminal complex project to both motor nuclei. These experiments demonstrate that in the spinal trigeminal nucleus, neurons located in the pars caudalis and pars interpolaris project by axon collaterals to XII and VII.

Animals↗

Tumour-like thallium-201 accumulation in brain infarcts, an unexpected finding on single-photon emission tomography.

Thallium-201 brain single-photon emission tomography (201Tl-SPET) is widely used to detect viable tumour tissue with increased metabolic activity. When reperfusion takes place early in cerebrovascular lesions of embolic origin, the presence of tissue areas with increased regional blood flow and preserved metabolic activity can also be assumed. In the present study our purpose was to investigate whether or not foci of 201Tl accumulation occur in reperfused areas with sustained morphological integrity indicated by computed tomography (CT) scans not showing hypodensity in the acute or subacute period. In 16 stroke patients with possible cortical embolic infarction, dual 201Tl and technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (99mTc-HMPAO) SPET was performed in both the acute and the subacute period. 99mTc-HMPAO SPET was performed to detect reperfusion. Follow-up CT scans from the same period were also available. In five cases 99mTc-HMPAO SPET ruled out reperfusion and 201Tl SPET was also negative. In four cases 99mTc-HMPAO studies indicated reperfusion early in the acute phase (24-72 h), and comparative CT, without showing hypodensity in the acute or subacute period, also favoured the possibility of sustained metabolic activity. In these cases 201Tl SPET was negative in both the acute and the subacute period. In seven cases CT already showed necrosis in 99mTc-HMPAO hypoperfused areas in the acute period, with negative results on corresponding 201Tl SPET. Later reperfusion occurred in the subacute period (8-14 days) as indicated by 99mTc-HMPAO SPET, at which time an unexpected focal accumulation of 201Tl was detected.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗