1/2. Orthopedic pitfalls: cauda equina syndrome.low back pain is an extremely common complaint encountered by emergency and primary care physicians. Although the majority of patients have uncomplicated benign presentations, there is a small subset who has a much more severe disease process called cauda equina syndrome, which entails acute compression of the nerve roots of the cauda equina. These patients usually present posttraumatically with the triad of saddle anesthesia, bowel or bladder dysfunction, and lower extremity weakness. Significant morbidity can result from delayed diagnosis and treatment; therefore, the emergency physician should remain aware of this potential orthopedic pitfall. This case report discusses the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and relevant treatment of cauda equina syndrome in the ED.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/2. Clinical value of electrodiagnostic studies in neuromuscular disorders.EMG and conduction studies provide the physician with a precise means of defining the multiple diseases affecting the peripheral motor-sensory unit. These studies frequently provide clues that may be useful in arriving at the appropriate therapeutic decisions and in determining prognosis. Normal results may also support a suspected clinical diagnosis of inorganic illness, providing no evidence of central nervous system disease can be defined. Like any other test, however, results of EMG may be false-negative in bona fide neuromuscular disorders. This is particularly true early in a disease process; in neuropathies restricted primarily to small, unmyelinated nerve fibers; and in certain of the less virulent diseases of muscle and muscle energy metabolism.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |