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Biomedical subjects

W E Ballinger

Publications and source records attributed to W E Ballinger.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Regeneration in peripheral nerve grafts to the cat spinal cord.

Peripheral nervous system grafts have long been known to promote CNS axonal elongation in the rodent. To investigate whether these principles also apply to a higher order animal, more suitable for physiologic studies, we performed autogenous sciatic nerve grafts to the adult cat spinal cord. This report is a brief, initial study of these grafts. In an effort to study both descending and ascending fibers as separately as possible, laminectomies were performed at both thoracic (T2-T9) and lumbar (L2-L4) levels. Aspiration lesions were made in the left side of the cord and the sciatic grafts were introduced. Three cats were studied with standard histological techniques, confirming previous reports of glial scar formation, collagen deposition, and cyst formation at the graft-CNS junction. In 7 other animals, at 146-179 days after the initial operation, the axonal origins were traced retrogradely using horseradish peroxidase and the tetramethyl benzidine technique. Reinnervation of the graft was found by intrinsic spinal cord neurons and dorsal root ganglia neurons. The number of reinnervating neurons was found to be greater than previously reported in the rodent. There was, however, no evidence of regeneration from brainstem nuclei when the grafts were placed at spinal levels where this has been seen in the rat. This may support an absolute maximum for regenerative distances vs a relative one. Although the amount of data was limited, it did support previous reports that peripheral axotomy enhances the regenerative response seen in primary sensory neurons.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Lead encephalopathy: symptoms of a cerebellar mass lesion and obstructive hydrocephalus.

The neurologic signs and symptoms of lead intoxication are quite varied. We review a case of lead poisoning in a 9-month-old child who presented clinically and radiographically with a posterior fossa mass effect and obstructive hydrocephalus. The predominance of edema of the cerebellum sufficient to achieve obstruction of the ventricular system represents a particularly unusual presentation of this disease process. Review of the literature for similar cases of lead encephalopathy is included.

Brain↗
PubMed1986

Resolution of gumma with steroid therapy.

Antibiotic usage has rendered neurosyphilis uncommon, and cerebral gummas are rare. Reduced awareness of cerebral gummas and abolition of serologic screening can delay diagnosis of this treatable disease. Diagnostic confusion between syphilitic and nonsyphilitic cerebral mass lesions can be increased by apparent resolution of a gumma during steroid therapy. Such an occurrence in a young woman emphasizes the need for serologic testing for syphilis in diagnosing cerebral mass lesions. A trial of conservative therapy using penicillin (with or without prednisone) should be considered for patients with intracerebral mass lesions and positive serologic findings.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Cavernous angioma: a review of 126 collected and 12 new clinical cases.

The histopathological, clinical, and radiological features of the intracranial cavernous angioma are reviewed, based on an analysis of 138 symptomatic, histologically verified cases. Twelve of the cases are from our own series and 126 were collected from appropriately documented reports in the modern literature. The analysis indicated that, at the time of diagnosis, one-third of the patients (49 cases) were being evaluated for seizures, one-third (40 cases) for clinical evidence of hemorrhage, and one-third (49 cases) for mass lesions. Unlike the other two groups, the group presenting with clinical evidence of hemorrhage was distinguished by a dominant age at the time of diagnosis (41% were diagnosed during the 4th decade of life), by a high incidence of prior neurological evaluation (43%), by a higher rate of diagnosis at autopsy (28%) than at operation, and by the absence of microscopic calcification within the lesion.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Primary leptomeningeal glioma mimicking an acoustic neuroma: case report with review of the literature.

Primary leptomeningeal gliomas are rare. Historically, they have been found in the spinal canal more frequently; however, in the recent literature nearly all have been found within the cranium. In the only cadaveric study of leptomeningeal glial nests, the most frequent site was the medulla and pons. Until now, no leptomeningeal glioma has been found at this site. We report what we believe to be the first such case mimicking an acoustic neuroma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy: CT spectrum and pathologic correlation.

Because of recent papers suggesting that subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy (SAE) (Binswanger's disease) is more common than historically assumed, this investigation was initiated to assess the frequency of SAE, to gauge the reliability of CT in making this diagnosis, and to assess the strength of the correlation between SAE and arterial hypertension. Of 202 autopsied patients in a 17-month period, 82 had undergone antemortem CT. Of these, 20 had CT findings thought to represent varying degrees of the disease spectrum of SAE. Microscopy confirmed this diagnosis in 18 cases. The pattern of diminished attenuation in the white matter was periventricular in 16 patients (marked asymmetry in one) and limited to an isolated focus somewhat removed from the ependyma in two. Among the 16 with periventricular disease, the extent of the process by CT appeared mild in nine, moderate in five, and severe only in two. There were two false positive CT diagnoses of SAE. Among a control group of 10 patients with normal white matter by CT, seven had some microscopic evidence of SAE, although it was generally less severe than in those with positive CT scans. Subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy is common and can be identified in its various forms by CT with a high degree of reliability.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

Nitrogen inhalation in the human.

The neuropathologic findings in the brain of a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) engineer, who died subsequent to nitrogen inhalation, are reported. Findings which are unusual in other forms of anoxia included relative preservation of neurons in the Sommer sector of the hippocampus and a pattern of damage similar to that of "hypotensive brain stem necrosis" in the cranial nerve nuclei. Some lesions conformed exactly to gray matter structures, whereas others disclosed no respect for anatomic boundaries. Both selective necrosis and relative preservation of neurons were evident in different regions of the brain. Distinct differences between lesions in various areas of the CNS suggest the importance of multiple and complex pathogenetic mechanisms in anoxia caused by exposure to nitrogen.

Brain↗
PubMed1984

Upgaze paralysis caused by lesion of the periaqueductal gray matter.

A 61-year-old man with upgaze paralysis was found on postmortem examination to have had a single lesion of the brain stem confined to the periaqueductal gray matter between the levels of the superior and inferior colliculi. Most previous neuropathologic cases reported in human beings have consisted of much larger lesions with common involvement of the posterior commissure and pretectum. We suggest that the lesion in this case caused upgaze paralysis either by interrupting descending fibers from the interstitial nucleus of Cajal or by destroying neurons located within the periaqueductal gray matter.

Brain Diseases↗
PubMed1984

Septic cavernous sinus thrombosis associated with gingivitis and parapharyngeal abscess.

A 29-year-old previously healthy man died of spread of infection from gingivitis to both parapharyngeal (pharyngomaxillary) spaces and to the cavernous sinus. The diagnosis was delayed because gingival and parapharyngeal sources of cavernous sinus thrombosis were not initially considered, and the ophthalmic congestion was believed at first to represent orbital cellulitis rather than cavernous sinus thrombosis.

Abscess↗
PubMed1983

Primary lymphoma of the central nervous system. Computerized tomography scan characteristics and treatment results for 12 cases.

A retrospective analysis of 12 patients with primary central nervous system non-Hodgkin's lymphoma seen from 1958 to 1980 was carried out with emphasis on diagnostic evaluation and treatment results. Computerized tomography (CT) scans were found to be the most valuable diagnostic tool both for initial evaluation as well as follow-up. Characteristic CT scan features were identified and are discussed. Three patients had a history of previous immunosuppression; two had preceding and concurrent uveitis. Nine of the 12 patients were treated primarily with radiation therapy. Three patients were diagnosed at autopsy and had not received definitive therapy. Size of lesion proved to be the most important prognostic factor and appeared to be related to location. Gross total excision of tumor did not appear to improve survival. Two patients were alive with no evidence of disease at 38 and 48 months, respectively. Recurrences were noted from 1 to 33 months after diagnosis (median, 14 months), suggesting the advisability of long-term follow-up prior to presumption of cure. From these results and a review of the literature, possible treatment approaches are presented.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Electrophysiologic recordings in a patient with a discrete unilateral thalamic infarction.

The electroencephalogram, and somatosensory and auditory evoked potentials were recorded from a patient, who, at necropsy, showed a restricted unilateral thalmic infarct involving predominantly the anterior and lateral thalamus. The electroencephalogram showed distinct monomorphic delta activity and a suppression of the alpha rhythm over the side of the lesion. Short latency somatosensory evoked potentials were present bilaterally; mid-latency somatosensory evoked potentials were absent ipsilateral to the lesion. Both mid-latency and long latency auditory evoked potentials were normal.

Aged↗
PubMed1980

Dendritic alterations in rat isocortex within an iron-induced chronic epileptic focus.

Ferrous chloride was injected into the rat isocortex in 5-microliters volumes as an aqueous solution with a concentration of 100 mM. Bursts of epileptiform discharges were sustained throughout the 6 weeks of observation. Nissl and Golgi-Cox stains showed gliosis and neuronal loss within the injection site. Neurons adjacent to the cavitory lesion showed deformity of dendrites, dendritic nodularity, loss of spines, and string-of-beads deformity. These changes are identical to those found in human epileptogenic foci.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

An experimental model for cerebral metastasis: preliminary light and ultrastructural studies.

An experimental model for hematogenously spread cerebral metastases by injection of a suspension of M3 fibrosarcoma cells into the carotid artery of C57 BL/6 mice was developed. Intracerebral metastatic tumor nodules were consistently produced by this method with subsequent death of the animals. Development of extracerebral metastatic disease was minimal. Light and electron microscopic studies were carried out at various time intervals postintracarotid injection of tumor cells to observe the morphologic events during the development of the brain metastases. Tumor cells were observed arrested in the cerebral capillaries from 15 minutes to 4 days post-injection. From 1 day to 4 days post-injection, individual tumor cells were also observed in the pericapillary spaces in the brains of the injected animals. From 5 days post-injection on, tumor cells were seen to be proliferating in peri-capillary spaces displacing the brain parenchyma and eventually formed tumor nodules with resulting death of the animals. Morphological changes were observed in the endothelial cells of the blood vessels which were surrounded by the growing metastatic tumors. This model, and modifications thereof, should prove to be valuable in the study of cerebral metastatic disease.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

So-called extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma. Report of a case with ultrastructural analysis.

The light and the electron microscopic features of an extraskeletal round-cell tumor resembling Ewing's sarcoma are described. Ultrastructural observation revealed features similar to Ewing's sarcoma of bone. Variable agrees of nuclear complexity are described. These soft tissue tumors are probably composed of undifferentiated mesenchymal cells; there is no ultrastructural evidence to indicate the cell of origin.

Adult↗