Asymptomatic Side Research Articles

Correlation between leg pain at rest and spinal nerve edema in symptomatic lumbar foraminal stenosis

BackgroundPrevious studies reported that spinal nerve edema on magnetic resonance myelography (MRM) and leg pain at rest were specifically observed in symptomatic lumbar foraminal stenosis patients. However, the correlation between leg pain at rest and spinal nerve edema in symptomatic foraminal stenosis has not been reported. HypothesisThe purpose of this prospective study is to reveal a correlation between leg pain at rest and spinal nerve edema focusing on the pathophysiology of symptomatic foraminal stenosis. Patients and methodsClinical findings and MRM findings were surveyed among 30 patients with symptomatic foraminal stenosis diagnosed by MR imaging (MRI) and selective nerve root block. Comparisons of patient characteristics and clinical findings between the prevalence and absence groups of spinal nerve edema on MRM were analyzed. A correlation between the visual analogue scale (VAS) for leg pain at rest and the spinal edema ratio calculated as maximum intensity value of the affected spinal nerve/maximum intensity value of the asymptomatic side from region of interest (ROI) made on MRM was evaluated. ResultsTwenty symptomatic foraminal stenosis cases (67%) showed the affected spinal nerve edema on MRM. The prevalence and VAS of leg pain at rest were significantly higher in the presence of spinal nerve edema group (95% and 67.0±36.4, respectively). The correlation coefficient between the VAS for leg pain at rest (53.0±33.6) and the spinal nerve edema ratio (1.3±0.3) was 0.647 (p<0.01). DiscussionOur study revealed the substantial correlation found between the spinal nerve edema ratio on MRM and the VAS for leg pain at rest in symptomatic foraminal stenosis. The correlation between spinal nerve edema and leg pain at rest has potential to clarify the pathology of symptomatic foraminal stenosis. Level of evidenceIV.

Styloid Process; Correlation Between Symptoms, Palpability and Measurements on Three Dimensional Computed Tomography.

Styloid process is a long and slender osseous projection protruding downward, forward and slightly medially from the temporal bone and serves as an anchor point for various muscles associated with thetongue and the larynx. The aim of the present study was to record the length and the angle of Styloid process on three dimensional computed tomography in patients with unilateral symptomatic and palpable styloid process and compare the length and the angle of styloid process of symptomatic side to asymptomatic side on three dimensional computed tomography. 3D-CT face reconstruction were perfomed in all 35 patients (17 females, 18 males of age range 25-69years). The length of the styloid process and its angulation (transverse and sagittal angles) were measured by means of three dimensional and multiplanar reconstruction images. The length of styloid process on symptomatic side had a mean of 33.61 ± 5.08mm while on asymptomatic side mean was 31.11 ± 5.02mm. The mean transverse angle on symptomatic sides had a mean of 72.37° ± 4.48° while on asymptomatic side mean was 74.17° ± 4.48°. The mean sagittal angle seen on symptomatic side was 88.11° ± 5.21° while on asymptomatic side was 87.88° ± 5.03°. Symptomatic side has a longer styloid. Length of the styloid process has a statistical correlation with the symptoms and symptomatic side has a longer styloid. Though there was a difference in transverse and sagittal angulation in symptomatic versus asymptomatic side; but it was not statistically significant. On examination of the opposite asymptomatic side, 5 patients had a palpable styloid process therefore we infer that long styloid process may not always be associated with symptoms. Patients with cervicofacial pain should be evaluated for Eagle syndrome by palpation of styloid process in the tonsillar fossa and further by three dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT). 3D CT is an effective tool in evaluating patients with cervicofacial pain and making a diagnosis of Eagle's syndrome. Therefore, 3D CT should be performed while evaluating patients with these symptoms.

Leveraging high-resolution 7-tesla MRI to derive quantitative metrics for the trigeminal nerve and subnuclei of limbic structures in trigeminal neuralgia

BackgroundTrigeminal Neuralgia (TN) is a chronic neurological disease that is strongly associated with neurovascular compression (NVC) of the trigeminal nerve near its root entry zone. The trigeminal nerve at the site of NVC has been extensively studied but limbic structures that are potentially involved in TN have not been adequately characterized. Specifically, the hippocampus is a stress-sensitive region which may be structurally impacted by chronic TN pain. As the center of the emotion-related network, the amygdala is closely related to stress regulation and may be associated with TN pain as well. The thalamus, which is involved in the trigeminal sensory pathway and nociception, may play a role in pain processing of TN. The objective of this study was to assess structural alterations in the trigeminal nerve and subregions of the hippocampus, amygdala, and thalamus in TN patients using ultra-high field MRI and examine quantitative differences in these structures compared with healthy controls.MethodsThirteen TN patients and 13 matched controls were scanned at 7-Tesla MRI with high resolution, T1-weighted imaging. Nerve cross sectional area (CSA) was measured and an automated algorithm was used to segment hippocampal, amygdaloid, and thalamic subregions. Nerve CSA and limbic structure subnuclei volumes were compared between TN patients and controls.ResultsCSA of the posterior cisternal nerve on the symptomatic side was smaller in patients (3.75 mm2) compared with side-matched controls (5.77 mm2, p = 0.006). In TN patients, basal subnucleus amygdala volume (0.347 mm3) was reduced on the symptomatic side compared with controls (0.401 mm3, p = 0.025) and the paralaminar subnucleus volume (0.04 mm3) was also reduced on the symptomatic side compared with controls (0.05 mm3, p = 0.009). The central lateral thalamic subnucleus was larger in TN patients on both the symptomatic side (0.033 mm3) and asymptomatic side (0.035 mm3), compared with the corresponding sides in controls (0.025 mm3 on both sides, p = 0.048 and p = 0.003 respectively). The inferior and lateral pulvinar thalamic subnuclei were both reduced in TN patients on the symptomatic side (0.2 mm3 and 0.17 mm3 respectively) compared to controls (0.23 mm3, p = 0.04 and 0.18 mm3, p = 0.04 respectively). No significant findings were found in the hippocampal subfields analyzed.ConclusionsThese findings, generated through a highly sensitive 7 T MRI protocol, provide compelling support for the theory that TN neurobiology is a complex amalgamation of local structural changes within the trigeminal nerve and structural alterations in subnuclei of limbic structures directly and indirectly involved in nociception and pain processing.

To What Extent Do Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Biomarkers Relate to Pain, Flexibility, Strength, and Function in Individuals With Chronic Symptomatic Achilles Tendinopathy?

Introduction: Achilles tendinopathy (AT) is a chronic musculoskeletal pathology best evaluated by ultrasound imaging. This cross-sectional study aimed at better understanding the relationship between musculoskeletal ultrasound biomarkers (MUBs) of Achilles tendon and localized pain, ankle flexibility, ankle strength, and functional abilities.Method: Forty-one participants with unilateral midportion chronic AT had their tendon images analyzed bilaterally in the longitudinal and transverse planes. The Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Achilles questionnaire (VISA-A) and Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) assessed pain and function, respectively, during standing and walking-related activities. Ankle flexibility was evaluated by weight-bearing lunge tests, while ankle isometric peak strength was measured using an instrumented dynamometer. Achilles tendon ultrasonographic images were analyzed using geometric (thickness), composition (echogenicity), and texture (homogeneity) MUBs. Discriminative validity was evaluated using paired Student's t-tests to compare MUBs between symptomatic and asymptomatic sides. Predictive validity was evaluated by computing the Pearson product-moment correlations coefficient between MUBs and pain, ankle flexibility, ankle strength, and function.Results: Significant differences were found in MUBs between the symptomatic and asymptomatic sides, confirming the discriminative validity of the selected MUBs. On the symptomatic side, thickness was found 29.9% higher (p < 0.001), echogenicity 9.6% lower (p < 0.001), and homogeneity 3.8% higher (p = 0.001) when compared with the asymptomatic side. However, predictive validity was scarcely confirmed, as most of the correlation coefficients were found negligible for the associations investigated between MUBs with localized pain, ankle flexibility, strength, and function. Only 14 statistically significant low to moderate associations were found, with negative and positive correlations ranging between −0.31 and −0.55 and between 0.34 and 0.54, respectively.Discussion: Musculoskeletal ultrasound biomarkers have a clinical utility in visualizing in vivo tendon integrity and diagnosing AT. MUBs should be valued as part of a comprehensive neuro-musculoskeletal assessment as they complement pain, flexibility, strength, and function measures. Altogether, they may inform the development and monitoring of a personalized rehabilitation treatment plan.

Endovascular Treatment of Posterior Circulation Saccular Aneurysms With the p64 Flow Modulation Device: Mid-and Long-Term Results in 54 Aneurysms From a Single Center

Objective: Flow diverter (FD) stents have become one of the most common tools for treating intracranial aneurysms; however, their role in treating posterior circulation aneurysms is still discussed with controversy. In this study, we evaluated the safety and effectiveness of p64 FD for the treatment of saccular, unruptured aneurysms in the posterior circulation over a long-term follow-up period in a single center.Methods: From our prospectively maintained database, we retrospectively identified patients who underwent treatment of an intracranial saccular aneurysm arising from the posterior circulation with ≥1 p64 FD implanted or attempted between October 2012 and December 2019. Aneurysms could have been treated with prior or concomitant saccular treatment (e.g., coiling, intra-aneurysmal flow diversion). Aneurysms with parent vessel implants other than p64, fusiform aneurysms, and dissections were excluded. Peri- and postprocedural complications, clinical outcome, and clinical and angiographic follow-up results were evaluated.Results: In total, 54 patients (45 female, 9 male; mean age 55.1 years) with 54 intracranial aneurysms met the inclusion criteria. In 51 cases (94.4%), one p64 was implanted; in 2 cases (3.7 %), two p64s were implanted; in one case, deployment of the p64 was not feasible. Procedural complications occurred in 3.7% and postprocedural complications in 9.3 %, respectively. Hemorrhagic complications occurred in 2/54 patients (3.7%), thereof one fatal parenchymal hemorrhage. Ischemic complications were observed in 5/54 patients (9.3%). Early, mid-term, and long-term angiographic follow-up examinations showed complete or near-complete aneurysm occlusion, defined according to the O'Kelly –Marotta (OKM) scale as OKM C + D in 56, 75.6, and 82.9 %, respectively. Asymptomatic side vessel occlusions occurred in 3.8%, each during the first follow-up.Conclusions: The implantation of a p64 FD is a safe and effective device for endovascular treatment of posterior circulation saccular aneurysms with a high success rate and low morbi-mortality.

Comparing Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Atherosclerosis in Patients With Bilateral Carotid Vulnerable Plaques Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

We compared plaque characteristics between symptomatic and asymptomatic sides in patients with bilateral carotid vulnerable plaques using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Participants (n = 67; mean age: 65.8 ± 7.7 years, 61 males) with bilateral carotid vulnerable plaques were included. Vulnerable plaques were characterized by intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH), large lipid-rich necrotic core (LRNC), or fibrous cap rupture (FCR) on MRI. Symptomatic vulnerable plaques showed greater plaque burden, LRNC volume (median: 221.4 vs 134.8 mm3, P = .003), IPH volume (median: 32.2 vs 22.5 mm3, P = .030), maximum percentage (Max%) LRNC (median: 51.3% vs 41.8%, P = .002), Max%IPH (median: 13.4% vs 9.5%, P = .022), cumulative slices of LRNC (median: 10 vs 8, P = .005), and more juxtaluminal IPH and/or thrombus (29.9% vs 6.0%, P = .001) and FCR (37.3% vs 16.4%, P = .007) than asymptomatic ones. After adjusting for plaque burden, differences in juxtaluminal IPH and/or thrombus (odds ratio [OR]: 5.49, 95% CI: 1.61-18.75, P = .007) and FCR (OR: 2.90, 95% CI: 1.16-7.24, P = .022) between bilateral sides remained statistically significant. For patients with bilateral carotid vulnerable plaques, symptomatic plaques had greater burden, more juxtaluminal IPH and/or thrombus, and FCR compared with asymptomatic ones. The differences in juxtaluminal IPH and/or thrombus and FCR between bilateral sides were independent of plaque burden.

Hemifacial spasm caused by a tortuous recurrent perforating artery: A case report

IntroductionWhen the culprit vessel in hemifacial spasm (HFS) is hard to determine, this is a challenge in microvascular decompression (MVD) surgery. In such a situation, small arteries such as perforators to the brainstem might be suspected. But small arteries are omnipresent near the facial nerve root exit/entry zone (fREZ). How to decide whether a given small artery is responsible for HFS is unclear. MethodWe report a case with a previously unreported form of neurovascular impingement, in which the culprit was found to be the recurrent perforating artery (RPA) from the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA). An aberrant anatomic configuration of the RPA was found intraoperatively, which we thought was responsible for generating focal pressure on the facial nerve. Case reportA 62-year-old woman presented with a 1-year history of paroxysmal but increasingly frequent twitching in her right face. MRI showed tortuosity of the vertebral artery and apparently marked neurovascular impingement on the asymptomatic left side, while only the right AICA could be implicated as the possible culprit. Hemifacial spasm was diagnosed based on the typical clinical manifestation, and MVD was performed. The pre-meatal segment of the AICA was found not to be impinging the facial nerve at any susceptible portion near the fREZ: root exit point, attached segment, or root detachment point. The real culprit was in fact the RPA. This occult culprit vessel was tortuous, forming a coil-shaped twist which was interposed between the facial nerve and the intermediate nerve near the root detachment point. Focal pressure atrophy of the nerve was clearly observed at the compressing site. The patient achieved total spasm relief immediately after surgery, and remained spasm-free at 1-year follow-up, without any postoperative complications. ConclusionMVD is the only curative treatment for hemifacial spasm, but with a failure rate of around 10%. Mistaking the real culprit has been reported to be the most likely reason for surgical failure. Therefore, intraoperative identification of atypical occult forms of vascular compression is of importance to improve surgical outcome. In the present case, the RPA formed a coil-shaped twist, which inflicted focal vascular compression causing hemifacial spasm. We recommend careful inspection of the recurrent perforating artery during MVD for HFS, and decompressing any such neurovascular impingement.

Prevalence and severity of neurovascular compression in hemifacial spasm patients.

Hemifacial spasm is typically caused by vascular compression of the proximal intracranial facial nerve. Although the prevalence of neurovascular compression has been investigated in a cohort of patients with classical trigeminal neuralgia, the prevalence and severity of neurovascular compression has not been well characterized in patients with hemifacial spasm. We aimed to investigate whether presence and severity of neurovascular compression are correlated to the symptomatic side in patients with hemifacial spasm. All patients in our study were evaluated by a physician who specializes in the management of cranial nerve disorders. Once hemifacial spasm was diagnosed on physical exam, the patient underwent a dedicated cranial nerve protocol magnetic resonance imaging study on a 3 T scanner. Exams were retrospectively reviewed by a neuroradiologist blinded to the symptomatic side. The presence, severity, vessel type, and location of neurovascular compression along the facial nerve was recorded. Neurovascular compression was graded as contact alone (vessel touching the facial nerve) versus deformity (indentation or deviation of the nerve by the culprit vessel). A total of 330 patients with hemifacial spasm were included. The majority (232) were female while the minority (98) were male. The average age was 55.7 years. Neurovascular compression (arterial) was identified on both the symptomatic (97.88%) and asymptomatic sides (38.79%) frequently. Neurovascular compression from an artery along the susceptible/proximal portion of the nerve was much more common on the symptomatic side (96.36%) than on the asymptomatic side (12.73%), odds ratio = 93.00, P < 0.0001. When we assessed severity of arterial compression, the more severe form of neurovascular compression, deformity, was noted on the symptomatic side (70.3%) much more frequently than on the asymptomatic side (1.82%) (odds ratio = 114.00 P < 0.0001). We conclude that neurovascular compression that results in deformity of the susceptible portion of the facial nerve is highly associated with the symptomatic side in hemifacial spasm.

Recent Advances of Magnetic Resonance Neuroimaging in Trigeminal Neuralgia.

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a disease of unclear pathogenesis. It has a low incidence and is not fatal, but it can cause afflicted patients' depression or suicide. In the past, neurovascular compression was considered to be the main cause of TN, but recent studies have found that neurovascular contact is also common in asymptomatic patients and the asymptomatic side in symptomatic patients. This indicates that the neurovascular contact is not, or is only to a lesser extent, a factor in the development of TN. Thus, the study of the peripheral branches of the trigeminal nerve is necessary to understand the etiology of TN. With the development of imaging technology and the emergence of various imaging modalities, it is possible to study the etiology of TN and the pathological changes of related structures by magnetic resonance neuroimaging. This article reviews the recent advances in magnetic resonance neuroimaging of the trigeminal nerve.

Effect of conscious abdominal contraction on the activation of periscapular muscles in individuals with subacromial pain syndrome

BackgroundSynergism between shoulder and trunk muscles seems to be effective to increase periscapular muscle activation in asymptomatic subjects. The influence of conscious contraction of the abdominal muscles has not yet been studied in non-athlete subjects with pain. The study aimed to investigate the effect of the instruction for conscious activation of the abdominal muscles on the activity of the scapulothoracic muscles during shoulder exercises in subjects with subacromial pain syndrome. MethodThirty subjects with unilateral pain (mean age 52 ± 11 years) participated in this study. Three isometric and five dynamic exercises for the scapulothoracic muscles were assessed. The group without instruction just repeated the exercises, while the instruction group was evaluated before and after conscious abdominal training. The linear mixed model analysis was used to compare the muscle activation between groups. FindingsDifferences between groups after the conscious abdominal contraction for activation of middle and lower trapezius on the symptomatic side in the “Full can”(p = 0.03; effect size:0.92 middle trapezius); (p = 0.02; effect size:0.96 lower trapezius) and “Knee Push” (p = 0.01; effect size:0.75 lower trapezius). For asymptomatic side, the exercises “External Rotation Kneeling” (p = 0.04; effect size: 0.81 lower trapezius); (p = 0.00; effect size: 2.09 serratus anterior), “Knee Push” (p = 0.04; effect size:1.24 serratus anterior) and “Wall Slide” (p = 0.01; effect size: 1.03 serratus anterior). InterpretationConscious contraction of the abdominal muscle immediately alter the activation of the serratus anterior muscle during closed kinetic chain exercises on the asymptomatic side and increased activation of trapezius on the symptomatic side during shoulder open kinetic chain exercise.

Upper limb position affects pain-free grip strength in individuals with lateral elbow tendinopathy.

Pain-free grip (PFG) force is commonly used to monitor treatment outcomes in lateral elbow tendinopathy (LET); however, it is unclear whether changes in forearm and elbow position affect PFG force values. This study aims to examine the effect of elbow/shoulder and forearm position on non-normalised and normalised PFG force in individuals with unilateral LET. A cohort study including 21 subjects with clinically diagnosed unilateral LET (13 females, mean [SD] age 50 [8] years) performed PFG force (symptomatic arm) and maximal grip (asymptomatic arm) tasks using four upper limb positions: (1) shoulder neutral, elbow flexed (90°), forearm pronated; (2) shoulder neutral, elbow flexed (90°), forearm neutral; (3) shoulder flexed (90°), elbow extended, forearm pronated; and (4) shoulder flexed (90°), elbow extended, forearm neutral. PFG force was normalised to the maximal grip of the asymptomatic side. Repeated-measures analyses of variance were used to compare non-normalised and PFG force normalised to maximal grip between positions. Both non-normalised and normalised PFG forces were greater in position 2 than position 1, position 3 and position 4 (elbow-by-forearm interaction non-normalised p=0.002, normalised p=0.004). There were no differences between positions 1, 3 and 4 for either non-normalised or normalised PFG strength. This study shows that PFG force was higher when performed with forearm neutral supination/pronation, elbow flexion and shoulder neutral than other tested positions, and irrespective of whether PFG force was normalised to the maximal grip force of the contralateral limb. This indicates that arm position should be standardised for comparison.

Contralateral mechanical hyperalgesia and altered pain modulation in men who have unilateral insertional Achilles tendinopathy: A cross-sectional study

ObjectiveThe primary aim was to assess whether men who have insertional Achilles tendinopathy (IAT) have altered endogenous modulation of painful stimuli, and secondarily if they exhibit unaffected-side pressure hyperalgesia. MethodsUsing a cross-sectional design, we recruited men with unilateral IAT and asymptomatic men as controls matched for age, body mass index (BMI) and activity history (participation in running, lower limb loading sport or sedentary). We collected pressure pain threshold (PPT) at the asymptomatic side Achilles tendon insertion for cases, and dominant side Achilles tendon insertion for controls. We compared PPT between groups before and after immersion of the hand in painful cold water. ResultsTwenty men with unilateral IAT (45.4 years [SD 10.02], BMI 29.09 [SD 4.61], 60% sedentary) and 34 men without symptoms (43.2 years [SD 8.78], BMI 27.59 [SD 3.18], 50% sedentary) participated. An interaction effect was found for group x time (F (1,50) = 7.67, p = 0.008), with PPT increase after cold water immersion being 1.20 (95%CI 0.25 to 2.15) Kg greater in the control group (1.44 Kg [SD 1.79]) compared to IAT unaffected side (0.24 Kg [SD 1.47]). Before cold water immersion, PPT was 4.77 (CI 3.22 to 6.31; p < 0.001) Kg greater in the control group. DiscussionThis study provides evidence men with IAT have altered endogenous modulation of a painful stimulus, and display pressure hyperalgesia at their unaffected side compared to men without symptoms. These findings infer alterations to pain processing in men with IAT, suggesting nociplastic mechanism(s) may contribute to pain.

Quantitative Evaluation of Intraspinal Lumbar Disc Herniation-related Lumbosacral Radiculopathy Before and After Percutaneous Transforaminal Endoscopic Discectomy Using Diffusion Tensor Imaging.

A prospective study. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) derived parameters of compressed nerve roots at subregions and the corresponding clinical symptoms to evaluate the patients with intraspinal lumbar disc herniation (LDH)-related lumbosacral radiculopathy pre- and postoperatively. It is crucial to explore whether magnetic resonanve imaging (MRI) can quantitatively evaluate intraspinal LDH-related lumbosacral radiculopathy before and after surgery. In all, 66 patients underwent MRI scans and Clinical assessment before and after percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED). Pre- and postoperative findings of the related lumbar disk and nerve tractography were compared with two-way contingency table analysis. The embedded paired t test toolbox was applied to respectively compare the fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of nerves at the symptomatic and asymptomatic sides in three subregions pre- and postoperatively. The correlation of clinical Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores and FA/ADC values of nerves at three sub-regions was analyzed by stepwise multiple linear regression analysis. The postoperative FA values were significantly higher than the corresponding preoperative values (P < 0.001), while comparable ADC values were found. Using tractography, a notable improvement of compressed nerve was revealed after surgery (61 cases, 92.4%). Additionally, multiple linear regression analysis identified significant associations between JOA scores and FA values of the compressed nerves with the greatest effect at the proximal region. The FA values at subarticular zone can reflect the microstructural changes of the corresponding compressed nerves and well associate with clinical symptoms. Therefore, the DTI parameter FA can be considered an effective tool in clinic to quantitatively evaluate intraspinal LDH-related lumbosacral radiculopathy before and after PTED surgery.Level of Evidence: 3.

Spinal accessory neuropathy in patients with chronic trapezius myofascial pain syndrome

BackgroundMyofascial pain syndrome is a common musculoskeletal problem affecting the trapezius muscle. The aim was to assess the presence of spinal accessory neuropathy in patients with unilateral chronic trapezius myofascial pain syndrome.ResultsThe study included 25 patients with unilateral chronic trapezius myofascial pain syndrome and 20 apparently healthy volunteers as the control group. There was a significantly delayed spinal accessory nerve latency on the symptomatic side in comparison to either asymptomatic side (P = 0.014) and control group (P = 0.001). Compound muscle action potential amplitude did not significantly differ between the symptomatic side versus the asymptomatic side and control group. Delayed spinal accessory nerve latency was present in seven patients (28%) and reduced compound muscle action potential amplitude in one of them (4%). The needle electromyography of the upper trapezius muscle revealed neuropathic motor units and incomplete interference pattern in the patient who showed reduced compound muscle action potential amplitude. Abnormal rest potentials were absent in all patients. Individually, seven patients (28%) had electrophysiological evidence of spinal accessory neuropathy, but only one (4%) of them had clinical evidence of spinal accessory neuropathy. Patients with abnormal electrophysiological findings had longer duration of complaint and more severe pain.ConclusionsSpinal accessory neuropathy is common among patients with chronic trapezius myofascial pain syndrome. It could contribute to increased pain severity of myofascial pain syndrome. Electrodiagnosis is a good modality for identifying subclinical spinal accessory neuropathy.

Trigeminal neurovascular contact in SUNCT and SUNA: a cross-sectional magnetic resonance study.

Emerging data-points towards a possible aetiological and therapeutic relevance of trigeminal neurovascular contact in short lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with conjunctival injection and tearing (SUNCT) and perhaps in short lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with cranial autonomic symptoms (SUNA). We aimed to assess the prevalence and significance of trigeminal neurovascular contact in a large cohort of consecutive SUNCT and SUNA patients and evaluate the radiological differences between them. The standard imaging protocol included high spatial and nerve-cistern contrast resolution imaging acquisitions of the cisternal segments of the trigeminal nerves and vessels. MRI studies were evaluated blindly by two expert evaluators and graded according to the presence, location and degree of neurovascular contact. The degree of contact was graded as with or without morphological changes. Neurovascular contact with morphological changes was defined as contact with distortion and/or atrophy. A total of 159 patients (SUNCT = 80; SUNA = 79) were included. A total of 165 symptomatic and 153 asymptomatic trigeminal nerves were analysed. The proportion of neurovascular contact on the symptomatic trigeminal nerves was higher (80.0%) compared to the asymptomatic trigeminal nerves (56.9%). The odds on having neurovascular contact over the symptomatic nerves was significantly higher than on the asymptomatic nerves [odds ratio (OR): 3.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.84-4.99; P < 0.0001]. Neurovascular contact with morphological changes were considerably more prevalent on the symptomatic side (61.4%), compared to the asymptomatic side (31.0%) (OR 4.16, 95% CI 2.46-7.05; P < 0.0001). On symptomatic nerves, neurovascular contact with morphological changes was caused by an artery in 95.0% (n = 77/81). Moreover, the site of contact and the point of contact around the trigeminal root were respectively proximal in 82.7% (67/81) and superior in 59.3% (48/81). No significant radiological differences emerged between SUNCT and SUNA. The multivariate analysis of radiological predictors associated with the symptomatic side, indicated that the presence of neurovascular contact with morphological changes was strongly associated with the side of the pain (OR: 2.80, 95% CI 1.44-5.44; P = 0.002) even when adjusted for diagnoses. Our findings suggest that neurovascular contact with morphological changes is involved in the aetiology of SUNCT and SUNA. Along with a similar clinical phenotype, SUNCT and SUNA also display a similar structural neuroimaging profile, providing further support for the concept that the separation between them should be abandoned. Furthermore, these findings suggest that vascular compression of the trigeminal sensory root, may be a common aetiological factor between SUNCT, SUNA and trigeminal neuralgia thereby further expanding the overlap between these disorders.

Neurovascular contact plays no role in trigeminal neuralgia secondary to multiple sclerosis.

A demyelinating plaque and neurovascular contact with morphological changes have both been suggested to contribute to the etiology of trigeminal neuralgia secondary to multiple sclerosis (TN-MS). The aim of this study was to confirm or refute whether neurovascular contact with morphological changes is involved in the etiology of TN-MS. We prospectively enrolled consecutive TN-MS patients from the Danish Headache Center. Clinical characteristics were collected systematically. MRI scans were done using a 3.0 Tesla imager and were evaluated by the same experienced blinded neuroradiologist. Sixty-three patients were included. Fifty-four patients were included in the MRI analysis. There was a low prevalence of neurovascular contact with morphological changes on both the symptomatic side (6 (14%)) and the asymptomatic side (4 (9%)), p = 0.157. Demyelinating brainstem plaques along the trigeminal afferents were more prevalent on the symptomatic side compared to the asymptomatic side (31 (58%) vs. 12 (22%), p < 0.001). A demyelinating plaque was highly associated with the symptomatic side (odds ratio = 10.6, p = 0.002). The primary cause of TN-MS is demyelination along the intrapontine trigeminal afferents. As opposed to classical trigeminal neuralgia, neurovascular contact does not play a role in the etiology of TN-MS. Microvascular decompression should generally not be offered to patients with TN-MS.The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (number NCT04371575).

Locating the Origin of Femoral Maltorsion Using 3D Volumetric Technology-The Hockey Stick Theory.

Background: The origin of femoral maltorsion is often unknown. However, defining the origin of the rotation of the femoral maltorsion can be useful for establishing the most suitable point to do an external derotational osteotomy. Previous studies have not considered the femoral diaphysis in their investigations of the origin of the deformity. The study of the whole morphology of the femur with 3D volumetric tools, including the femoral diaphysis can contribute to a better understanding of the behavior of femoral maltorsion. Methods: An atypical case of unilateral femoral anteversion was selected. Both femurs were used to obtain 3D bio-models. The mirror image of the asymptomatic side was obtained and overlapped with the symptomatic femur. The Hausdorff–Besicovitch method was used to evaluate the morphologic discrepancies (in mm) between the two femurs in three zones: (1) the femoral neck, (2) the proximal diaphysis, and (3) the distal diaphysis. The differences between the two femurs were analyzed and its correlation was statistically defined using a lineal regression model. Results: The deformity in the distal diaphysis increased from the supracondylar area until the apex of the antecurvatum angle (R2 = 0.91) and then decreased until the base of the femoral neck (R2 = (−0.83)), to finally increase significantly in the femoral neck area (R2 = 0.87). All of the correlations were statistically significant (p-value ˂ 0.001). Conclusion: The femoral maltorsion originates in the supracondylar area and its rotational axis is the longitudinal axis of the femoral diaphysis. Even though the deformity affects the femoral diaphysis, its clinical relevance is much higher in the femoral neck since the rotational axis passes through its base. Thus, the osteotomy can be conducted along all of the femoral diaphysis as long as it is done perpendicular to it.

Nerve Conduction Studies in Patients with Lumbosacral Radiculopathy Caused by Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Herniation

Background. Nerve conduction studies (NCS) are electrodiagnostic tests used to evaluate peripheral nerves functions and aid in the assessment of patients with neuromuscular complaints. There is contrasting evidence concerning the use of NCS in the assessment of patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy. Objectives. This study was conducted to evaluate nerve conduction studies abnormalities in patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy and to find out their relation to abnormal physical examination findings. Materials and Methods. Twenty-seven patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy caused by L4/5 or L5/S1 intervertebral disc prolapse confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were recruited in the study. Twenty-five healthy subjects matched in age and sex served as control. Motor nerve conduction study bilaterally for both common peroneal and tibial nerves, F-wave for both nerves, and H-reflex had been conducted. Results. No significant difference was found in the motor nerve conduction study parameters (latency, amplitude, and conduction velocity) between the patients group and the control group. There was significant prolongation in H-reflex latency of both symptomatic and asymptomatic side in the patients group compared to the control group ( P &lt; 0.05 ). Also, F-wave latencies (F minimum, F maximum, and F mean) of the tibial nerve were significantly prolonged ( P &lt; 0.05 ) compared to control. Conclusion. Prolonged H-reflex latency was the commonest encountered abnormality in our study followed by F-wave latencies of the tibial nerve.

Anatomical deviations of vertebral artery in hemifacial spasm: a quantitative study.

There exist different opinions on whether the anatomical laterality of vertebral artery (VA) is related to the unilateral onset of hemifacial spasm (HFS). In this study, we intended to qualitatively explore the potential correlation between the anatomical deviations of VA and the clinical characteristics of HFS. Two hundred and forty patients who underwent microvascular decompression for HFS between January 2018 and December 2019 were recruited. Clinical data including medical records and preoperative MRI images were retrospectively reviewed. A score system was specially designed for VAs to illustrate their distribution, and a score-weighted cross-sectional area of VA was proposed to represent the relative thickness of VA on each side. Then, the anatomical deviations of VA were comparatively analyzed between the symptomatic side and asymptomatic side and between VA-involved cases and non-VA-involved cases. The score and weighted cross-sectional area (WCSA) of VA in symptomatic side were significantly greater than those in asymptomatic side (P = 0.000, P = 0.000). And in symptomatic side, the score and WCSA of VA in VA-involved cases were significantly greater than those in non-VA-involved cases (P = 0.000). Moreover, with higher score (P = 0.000) and greater WCSA (P = 0.001) on the left side, the VA-involved cases showed a preference (74%) of left HFS. In HFS, the symptomatic side tends to have an ipsilaterally deviated and relatively larger VA, especially in VA-involved cases. And it is the VA-involved cases that are prone to have a prevalence of left HFS, but not the non-VA-involved cases.

MRI characteristics of the asymptomatic temporomandibular joint in patients with unilateral temporomandibular joint disorder.

To determine the association between unilateral temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) and the presence of imaging abnormalities in the contralateral, asymptomatic joint. MRI studies of 219 subjects with symptoms of unilateral TMD were examined for signs of disc displacement, osteoarthritis, disc deformation, and effusion in both temporomandibular joints (TMJ). The Chi-Square test and stepwise logistic regression analysis were performed. Disc displacement, osteoarthritis, disc deformation, and effusion were more common on the symptomatic side. However, in the category of disc displacement with a reduction in open mouth position (DDWR), the difference was not significant between the symptomatic and the asymptomatic TMJs. Stepwise logistic regression showed that the presence of any imaging abnormality other than DDWR was related to osteoarthritis and disc deformity on the symptomatic side. On the other hand, the presence of any MRI abnormality (including DDWR) on the asymptomatic side was related only to the presence of osteoarthritis on the symptomatic side. Unilateral symptomatic TMD is related to the presence of imaging abnormalities on the contralateral, asymptomatic side, suggesting that the development and progression of joint changes in symptomatic and contralateral asymptomatic TMJs are interrelated.