Background: Bone loss after stroke escalates the risk of fractures, mainly in the hip, leading to further disability in individuals with stroke. We aimed to investigate the skeletal effect of bone mineral density (BMD) based on the duration of onset of stroke, compare the BMD of the paretic and non-paretic sides, and elucidate the relationship between BMD and disability variables. Methods: The 31 male hemiplegic stroke patients between 20 and 70 years of age with cerebral infarction or hemorrhage were considered in this study. Subacute and chronic cases included 13 and 18 patients with lag time from the onset of 1 to 6 months and beyond 6 months, respectively. BMD in the lumbar, paretic, and non-paretic hip as well as the disability variables were analyzed retrospectively. Results: The subacute group showed a significant reduction in the femoral neck BMD on the paretic side compared to that on the non-paretic side based on T-scores (P=0.013). Bone loss was significantly correlated with lower limb muscle strength and overall physical impairment (P<0.05). The chronic group demonstrated significant reduction in femur neck and total femur BMD on the paretic side compared to that on the non-paretic side based on T-scores (P=0.002 and P<0.001, respectively). T-scores of BMD in the chronic phase were not significantly associated with the clinical parameters. Conclusions Early screening of bilateral hip BMD in the early stages after stroke, monitoring, and timely implementation of prevention strategies are important to minimize subsequent bone loss and prevent possible complications in patients who experience stroke.

Pneumocephalus after thoracoscopic excision of a mediastinal mass is a very rare complication. It presumably occurs due to dural injury near the spinal root and development of a subsequent subarachnoid-pleural fistula. A 60-year-old woman complained of nausea and headache after thoracoscopic excision of a posterior mediastinal mass. She was diagnosed with pneumocephalus by brain CT and recovered with supportive management.
Brain ; Female ; Fistula ; Headache ; Humans ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; Middle Aged ; Nausea ; Pneumocephalus* ; Spinal Nerve Roots ; Thoracoscopy

BACKGROUND: Surgical closure of a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) can be considered when conservative medical treatment is ineffective or contraindicated. Low weight and earlier gestational age neonates who are treated with conservative medical therapy generally showed a higher failure rate. The morbidity of surgical PDA closure in such extremely low birth weight (ELBW) neonates is also high. Here we present the early results of a new technique for approaching the PDA through a dorsal minithoracotomy. MATERIAL AND METHOD: From March 2006 to November 2008, 24 premature neonates underwent surgical PDA closure. The procedures were performed in the newborn intensive care unit via a 2 cm long dorsal minithoracotomy with the baby in the prone position with the left hemithorax elevated 30 degrees. Bimanual cotton swab blunt dissection completed the extrapleural access to the PDA and then two clips were applied. Tube thoracostomy was avoided if there was no meaningful pleural laceration. RESULT: The infants mean gestational age was 26.5+/-2.1 weeks (range: 23 to 30 weeks) and the average age at operation was 11+/-11 days. The mean body weight at operation was 933+/-271 grams (range: 570 to 1,700 grams). Eight patients expired, but there was no procedure-related death. Postoperative echocardiography revealed two cases of residual shunt but none of these shunts were detected on the follow up echocardiogram that was performed on the post operative 5 and 59 days. CONCLUSION: We concluded that the technique described here is an effective procedure in view of the satisfactory operative exposure and the low rate of complications.
Body Weight ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; Echocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units ; Lacerations ; Prone Position ; Thoracostomy