1/13. Long-term sequelae after surgery for orbital floor fractures.A surgical technique involving exact repositioning and rigid fixation is required for the reduction of fractures of the orbital floor. Even then, sequelae may be present long after the trauma. The aim of this study was to establish the frequency and type of sequelae after surgery for orbital floor fractures and to investigate the extent to which the method of surgery had any impact on the severity of the sequelae. A questionnaire was sent to all 107 patients (response rate 77%) 1 to 5 years after the injury. Further clinical data were obtained from the patients' charts. Eighty-three percent of the patients were affected by some kind of permanent sequelae in terms of sensibility, vision, and/or physical appearance. A high frequency of diplopia (36%) was related to the reconstruction of the orbital floor with a temporary "supporting" antral packing in the maxillary sinus, a technique which has now been abandoned at our department in favor of orbital restoration with sheets of porous polyethylene. Our conclusion is that, because long-term sequelae are common, the surgical technique must be subjected to continuous quality control to minimize future problems for this group of patients.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/13. Desensitization of the gag reflex in an adult with cerebral palsy: a case report.Severe oral hypersensitivity and aversive oral behaviors present a significant barrier to dental treatment and compromise oral health status. Although several authors have addressed the reduction of oral hypersensitivity and aversive behaviors (such as gagging, retching, and vomiting) in the otherwise well dental patient, treatment for patients with severe disability has not been explored. The successful management of oral hypersensitivity and aversive behavior can have significant health benefits. These can be described via an outcomes paradigm as physical and social benefits for the patient, psychological benefits for the patient, carer, and practitioner, and organizational benefits for the institutions providing dental care and medical management. This paper summarizes the management of a severely disabled patient whose aversive behaviors were eliminated with non-invasive therapy techniques. oral hygiene was facilitated and health benefits were identified across a number of domains following successful multi-disciplinary management.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/13. Misinterpretation of regional sensory loss in an injured worker: a case report.Regional patterns of motor or sensory loss are considered indicators of a behavioral component to the complaints of an injured worker. This assumption may lead to a discounting of signs and symptoms with premature return to work and discharge from care. We present the case of a 25-year-old airline baggage handler with an 8-month history of unresolved neck and shoulder complaints who had been returned to work after a lack of objective findings on physical examination. On physiatric evaluation, his unusual pattern of insensitivity to pinprick led to prompt magnetic resonance imaging that revealed a focus of increased intramedullary signal at C6 consistent with a syrinx. This case report shows the importance of a detailed neuromuscular examination coupled with appropriate diagnostic imaging in the assessment of individuals with regional sensory or motor loss so as not to miss more serious spinal cord pathology.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3.0051807302134keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/13. U.S. navy diver/aviator/skydiver with AGE from a previously unknown PFO.A 32 year old US Naval aerospace physiologist with dive, jump and flight qualifications presented to a US Navy hyperbaric medicine department complaining of nausea, unsteadiness and left hand and forearm paresthesia that began almost immediately after completing a 28ft/ 40min recreational dive. Following an abbreviated history and physical examination the patient was diagnosed to be suffering from an arterial gas embolism. He was treated with hyperbaric therapy during which his symptoms resolved. Follow-on transesophageal echocardiography revealed an atrial septal aneurysm with a patent foramen ovale resulting in a right-to-left shunt after valsalva maneuver, but no evidence of ventricular dysfunction, wall motion abnormalities, or abnormal ejection. His episode was attributed to paradoxical air embolism and he was disqualified from further special duty. In order to regain his dive, jump and flight qualifications, the patient elected to undergo repair of the cardiac defect with a device that is relatively new in the operational military setting. The procedure was a success, he was granted waivers for his prior qualifications, and remains in that status to this day. This is the first known case where an atrial septal occluder has been used to preserve these special duty qualifications.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3.0051807302134keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/13. Trauma-induced spinal vascular event producing hemipseudoathetosis.We report on a patient with spinal pseudoathetosis secondary to posterior column vascular incident and physical injury. This unusual case highlights sensory system abnormalities as a cause of movement disorders.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/13. Thermal and tactile sensory deficits and allodynia in a nerve-injured patient: a multimodal psychophysical and functional magnetic resonance imaging study.OBJECTIVE: A case study was conducted to examine a patient with chronic neuropathic pain of the right foot following peripheral nerve injury and characterize associated sensory abnormalities. methods: Multimodal psychophysical examination of the patient's affected and nonaffected foot included thermal sensibility, dynamic touch, and directional sensibility. In addition, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to study cortical representation of brush-evoked allodynia. RESULTS: Detailed psychophysical examination revealed substantial deficits in warm, cool, and tactile perception on the injured foot. These findings indicated severe dysfunction of perceptual processes mediated by A beta, A delta, and C fibers. Despite reduced tactile perception, light touch evoked a deep burning pain in the foot. Functional magnetic resonance imaging during brushing of the patient's injured foot showed that tactile allodynia led to activation of several cortical regions including secondary somatosensory cortex, anterior and posterior insular cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex. Brushing of the patient's nonaffected foot led to fewer activated regions. DISCUSSION: The profound sensory disturbances suggest a possible deafferentation type of tactile allodynia mediated by changes within the central nervous system, such as a disruption of normal tactile or thermal inhibition of nociception. The functional magnetic resonance imaging data suggest that tactile allodynia is represented in similar brain regions as experimental pain.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 10.010361460427keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/13. Case report: the role of arteriography in patients with isolated neurological deficit following a penetrating upper limb injury.Two cases are described of patients who presented with isolated neurological deficit following penetrating injury to the upper limb. Arteriography demonstrated brachial artery false aneurysm formation in each case. There are accepted indications for emergency angiography following stab wounds including pulse deficit, vascular bruit, expanding haematoma and hypotension with no obvious cause. Indirect indicators of vascular damage include proximity of the injury to an artery with no physical signs or isolated neurological deficit. These indications do have a significant association with concurrent arterial injury and should be investigated by elective angiography if the patient is haemodynamically stable.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/13. Acute exertional anterior compartment syndrome in an adolescent female.Acute compartment syndromes usually occur as a complication of major trauma. While the chronic exertional anterior tibial compartment syndrome is well described in the sports medicine literature, reports of acute tibial compartment syndromes due to physical exertion, or repetitive microtrauma, are rare. The case of an adolescent female who developed an acute anterior compartment syndrome from running in a soccer game is described in this report. Failure to recognize the onset of an acute exertional compartment syndrome may lead to treatment delay and serious complications. Whereas the chronic exertional anterior compartment syndrome is characterized by pain that diminishes with the cessation of exercise, the onset of the acute exertional anterior compartment syndrome is heralded by pain that continues, or increases, after exercise has stopped. Compartment pressure measurement confirms the clinical diagnosis and helps guide treatment. True compartment syndromes require urgent fasciotomy.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/13. Evaluation of an aviator with chronic disequilibrium, oscillopsia, and central sleep apnea.A case is presented of an aviator with chronic disequilibrium, oscillopsia, and central sleep apnea. history, physical examination, and special studies are presented establishing a diagnosis of epidermoid tumor at the foramen magnum. Differential diagnosis and relation of findings to the lesion are presented. The aeromedical significance of this case is to reinforce the importance of persistence and the team concept in establishing diagnoses when aviators present with confusing or unexplained symptoms.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3.0051807302134keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/13. Case report: profound neurobehavioral deficits in an oil field worker overcome by hydrogen sulfide.A 24-year-old oil well tester was rendered semiconscious by hydrogen sulfide (H2S). He received oxygen and was hospitalized but released in 30 minutes. The next day, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and incontinence of urine and stool led to rehospitalization. These problems and leg shaking, dizziness, sweating, trouble sleeping, and nightmares prevented his return to work. A physical examination, chest x-ray, and pulmonary function tests were normal 39 months after the episode but vibration sense was diminished. Two choice visual reaction times were delayed. Balance was highly abnormal (5 to 6 cm/sec) with eyes closed. Blink reflex latency was slow (R-1 17.5 msec versus normal 14.3 msec). Numbers written on finger tips were not recognized. Verbal and visual recall were impaired but overlearned memory was intact. Cognitive functions measured by culture Fair, block design, and digit symbol were impaired. Perceptual motor was slow. Scores for confusion, tension-anxiety, depression, and fatigue were elevated and vigor was reduced. Forty-nine months after exposure his reaction time, sway speed, and color vision had not improved. His recall and his cognitive, constructional, and psychomotor speeds had improved but remained abnormal. These deficits are most likely due to H2S. Similar testing of other survivors is recommended.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3.0051807302134keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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