1/18. A patient with cerebral palsy whose mother had a traffic accident during pregnancy: a diffuse axonal injury?A 16-year-old girl had spastic cerebral palsy (CP) with triplegia and focal epilepsy. The patient's past history included her mother's lower abdominal trauma caused by a traffic accident at the 7th month of gestation. brain examination with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed encephalomalacia at the bilateral parieto-temporal lobes and the left caudate nucleus, segmental narrowing of the splenium of the corpus callosum, dilatation of the left lateral ventricle and an abnormally high intensity at the right posterior portion of the internal capsule. These findings might indicate a diffuse axonal injury (DAI), but not an asphyxic brain damage. In this patient, CP might be caused by an intrauterine DAI when her mother was involved in the accident.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = gestation, pregnancy (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/18. Induction of general anesthesia using propofol for cesarean section of a woman with cerebral palsy.A 45-year-old pregnant woman with cerebral palsy was scheduled for cesarean section at 37 weeks' gestation due to the risk of athetotic reaction. Spinal anesthesia appeared difficult to perform due to maintenance position, and because maternal respiratory depression due to athetotic reaction to mechanical stimulation might cause fetal hypoxia. We therefore selected general anesthesia. propofol and succinylcholine were intravenously (i.v.) administered for induction, and additional propofol was administered i.v. for hemodynamics stabilization. Neonatal Apgar scores were 8 at one minute and 10 at five minutes. No maternal respiratory depression was observed postoperatively, and a healthy baby was successfully delivered.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.45498346118669keywords = gestation (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/18. magnetic resonance imaging findings in cerebral palsy.OBJECTIVE: To review all cases of cerebral palsy (CP) that had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) over a defined period of time. METHODOLOGY: The MRI brain scans of 42 children (12 premature, 30 full-term) with CP were studied. The scans were performed at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, between January 1995 and June 1996. RESULTS: Abnormalities were found in 39 of the 42 scans. Five children had cortical malformations and three children had white matter hypoplasia, indicating insults during the second trimester of pregnancy. Twenty-one children had hypoxic-ischaemic lesions (eight premature, 13 full-term) with patterns of periventricular leucomalacia, subcortical lesions or cortical infarction indicating insults perinatally or in the third trimester. Only 10 children had scans that could not be categorized into these groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this study sample of children with CP, MRI was useful in revealing underlying brain abnormalities, most of which were due to events in the third trimester or the perinatal period.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.13625413470333keywords = pregnancy (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/18. Neonatal periventricular leukomalacia preceded by fetal periventricular echodensity.OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this prospective study is to verify whether fetal periventricular echodensity (PVE) precedes neonatal periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). methods: Fetal brains were studied with transvaginal scan in 63 high-risk fetuses from 17 to 32 weeks of pregnancy, PVE echogenicity was quantified with ultrasonic histogram, and neonatal brains and clinical courses were studied after birth. RESULTS: No fetal cystic PVL was found, instead, fetal PVE was detected in 42 fetuses. The quantified echogenicity value was higher in PVE than in normal brain. Four cases developed neonatal PVL among 28 preterm and 1 among 14 term births. Neonatal PVL developed in the 23 cases of persistent fetal PVE, whereas no neonatal PVL was found when fetal PVE was negative or disappeared. Cord compression signs were common in PVL cases. CONCLUSION: Neonatal PVL was preceded by antepartum persistent fetal PVE in the present study.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.13625413470333keywords = pregnancy (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/18. Idiopathic chronic fetomaternal haemorrhage resulting in hydrops--a case report.INTRODUCTION: We report a case of idiopathic chronic fetomaternal haemorrhage (FMH) that developed in the late trimester. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: The patient presented with decreased fetal movement at 38 weeks gestation. Antenatal follow-up was uneventful with normal serial ultrasound performed at 22 and 35 weeks. Prior to delivery, the cardiotocography (CTG) was abnormal with decreased baseline variability and late deceleration. Emergency lower segment caesarean section was performed. Upon delivery, a hydropic neonate with a haemoglobin level of 3.9 g/dL was noted. The Kleihauer-Betke test was positive, confirming FMH. OUTCOME: The neonate later developed intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) and spastic cerebral palsy on follow-up. DISCUSSION: It is possible for FMH to occur late at the third trimester leading to detrimental effect. The fact that FMH can occur without antecedent risk factors underscores the importance of further research, and a high index of suspicion.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.45498346118669keywords = gestation (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/18. Motor outcome differences between two groups of children with spastic diplegia who received different intensities of early onset physiotherapy followed for 5 years.The objective of this study is to determine the clinical effectiveness of early onset long-term intensive physiotherapy on motor development in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (CP). The study was a non-randomized cohort study with 62 months (mean) follow-up. The participants were ten infants who were first examined before 3 months of age corrected for prematurity. All had a gestational age of less than 33 weeks and a birth weight of less than 2000 g. brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed periventricular white matter injury in nine subjects and moderate grade bilateral porencephaly in one. Five completed a full course of training of 52 months (mean), two did not receive therapy, and three received an insufficient course of therapy. The study was conducted at the Regional Center for Children with Disabilities including outpatient clinics and a school for children with special needs. The Vojta Method was used, which is an extensive family oriented physiotherapy program which uses isometric strengthening of muscles with tactile stimulation. Subjects were evaluated for the highest motor developmental level at the outcome evaluation 59 months (mean) after initiation of therapy. Four of the five who completed training could either stand still for 5 s or walk at the time of the outcome evaluation 52 months after the beginning of the therapy program. None of the five subjects with no training or insufficient training could accomplish this task when evaluated 64 months following therapy initiation. This was a statistically significant difference (P = 0.0278). A consistently applied physiotherapy program resulted in better motor outcomes in this group of children at risk for developing spastic diplegic CP.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.45498346118669keywords = gestation (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/18. Congenital bilateral severe microphthalmia with mental retardation and cerebral palsy: chromosome aberration, 46, XY, t (2;6)(q31;q24).Congenital bilateral anophthalmia and microphthalmia are rare conditions, with overall prevalence in one study set at 1.0 per 10,000 births. We report here a case of congenital bilateral severe microphthalmia with mental retardation and cerebral palsy. The patient was man aged 38 years with a chromosome aberration, namely a balanced translocation: 46, XY, t (2;6)(q31;q24). He had no other malformations apart from the severe microphthalmia. CT of the head showed no significant abnormal findings in the brain, but rudimentary eyeballs and external ocular muscles in the bilateral orbits. There was no family history of anophthalmia, microphthalmia, mental retardation or cerebral palsy. His mother had not used any medications or excessive alcohol during gestation. Putative genes of anophthalmia and microphthalmia reported to date include PAX6 (Glaser T et al 1994) and CHX10 (Ferda Percin E et al 2000). Further, some loci of these conditions have been reported (Graham CA et al 1991; Bessant DAR et al 1998; Morle L et al 2000: Forrester S et al 2001: Ng D et al 2002). To our knowledge, however, this is the first report of nonsyndromic microphthalmia or anophthalmia with chromosome 2q31 or 6q24 aberration. We consider that the putative gene may be located on the brake points of chromosome 2 and 6.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.45498346118669keywords = gestation (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/18. Diffuse placental chorioangiomatosis causing multiple fetal cerebral embolism: a case report.BACKGROUND: Placental chorioangiomas are benign vascular tumors. Large chorioangiomas have been reported to cause several obstetric complications, including premature labor, placental abruption, polyhydramnios, fetal hydrops, fetal growth restriction, fetal hepatosplenomegaly, cardiomegaly, a congestive heart failure and fetal death. The clinical significance of small hemangiomas is less known. CASE: Multiple small placental hemangiomas occupied 70% of the total placental volume. A shower of emboli in the fetal cerebral circulation occurred 1 week before the delivery, causing permanent brain damage. Workup failed to detect causes of the embolism other than dissemination from the placental hemangioma. The fetal heart rate tracing was reassuring a few days after the cerebral embolism. CONCLUSION: Chorioangiomas can cause fetal cerebral ischemic stroke, which, in otherwise healthy neonates, should prompt examination of the placenta. The nonstress test is not an adequate method of monitoring gestations with placental chorioangiomas. Optimal management in the presence of placental hemangiomas without fetal compromise remains undetermined.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.45498346118669keywords = gestation (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/18. oxytocin-associated rupture of an unscarred uterus in a primigravida.BACKGROUND: Intrapartum rupture of the unscarred uterus is an uncommon event, usually associated with such risk factors as grand multiparity, malpresentation, history of gestational trophoblastic disease, or instrumented delivery. Rupture during first pregnancy is extremely rare. CASE: A 30-year-old primigravid woman was admitted for labor augmentation with oxytocin at 40.5 weeks of gestation. The oxytocin infusion rate was increased during the first and second stages of labor despite contractions occurring at a rate of 4-5 per 10 minutes. The uterus ruptured during second stage. Despite emergency cesarean delivery, the baby had evidence of severe asphyxia. CONCLUSION: This case of uterine rupture in a primigravida with no prior uterine surgery and a structurally normal uterus underscores the importance of careful contraction monitoring and judicious control of oxytocin infusion rates.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.0462210570767keywords = gestation, pregnancy (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/18. Destructive brain lesions of presumed fetal onset: antepartum causes of cerebral palsy.Antepartum events have been associated with fetal brain injury and may contribute to later neurological sequelae. However, children with these injuries may be asymptomatic or exhibit few clinical signs during the neonatal period. Six neonates are presented with destructive brain lesions of fetal onset based on radiological and neurophysiological studies at birth. No intrapartum difficulties were noted in any of the cases. Two maternal histories were significant for either placental bleeding or toxemia during the second or third trimesters of pregnancy. Fetal porencephaly from presumed intraventricular hemorrhage was documented by serial abdominal sonography for these two children. No causes could be assigned for the remaining four patients with destructive brain lesions. All six children had normal results on neurological examinations at birth, although four neonates later presented with isolated seizures at 8 to 30 hours of life which resolved after administration of anti-epileptic medication. In all cases initial neonatal electroencephalographic records showed abnormalities consisting of major background asymmetries or seizures. Initial documentation of cerebral lesions was made by fetal sonography (two patients) and computed tomography scan (four patients) during the initial 30 hours of life, timing the lesions to the antepartum period. cerebral palsy has been documented in all children; one child had resolution of her deficits by 6 months of age. Better surveillance of events during the antepartum period may help identify specific pathophysiological conditions that contribute to cerebral palsy. Neurophysiological and imaging studies should be used during the immediate new-born period for neonates believed to have cerebral lesions based on maternal sonography or isolated seizures.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.13625413470333keywords = pregnancy (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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