We have recently managed a case of syringomyelia associated with Chiari I Type malformation. The syrinx was found at C2 level to T10 level. And the patient complained left forearm pain and paresthesia in left shoulder, arm with segmental dissociated sensory loss. The cranio-vertebral decompression(suboccipital craniectomy, cervical laminectomy) and the shunting procedures were performed. Postoperative course was not uneven, the clinical and neurological improvement was observed. M.R.I. permitted rapid, exact diagnosis including localization of syrinx and information of associated anomaly.
Arm ; Diagnosis ; Forearm ; Humans ; Paresthesia ; Shoulder ; Syringomyelia*

OBJECTIVE: Surgical treatment of focal plantar hyperhidrosis is often unsatisfactory compared to palmar hyperhidrosis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of lumbar sympathetic radiofrequency neurotomy on plantar hyperhidrosis. METHODS: From February 2004 to December 2005, 10 patients (mean age 24.3 male 1, female 9) with the clinical diagnosis of plantar hyperhidrosis were treated by bilateral lumbar sympathetic radiofrequency neurotomy of L3 and L4. Patients' symptom relief, satisfactory rate and side effects related to the procedure were analyzed. RESULTS: Radiofrequency neurotomy was effective in the treatment of focal plantar hyperhidrosis showing excellent (more than 75% improved) outcome in 70% of the patients and good (more than 50% improved) in 30%. Complications related to the surgical procedure, such as sensory dysesthesia and compensatory hyperhidrosis were not detected in any case. CONCLUSION: The use of radiofrequency neurotomy to ablate the lumbar sympathetic ganglion is a safe and effective treatment option for patients with plantar hyperhidrosis.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Ganglia, Sympathetic ; Humans ; Hyperhidrosis* ; Male ; Paresthesia

Most clinicians dread seeing the patient presenting with a primary complaint of a burning pain on one or more oral mucosal surfaces. Unlike most other clinical conditions presenting in a dental office, burning mouth syndrome is recently, advances have been made towards clarifying the possible etiology of the disorder and testing the possible therapeutic modalities available. This article attempts to summarize the "state of the art" today.
Burning Mouth Syndrome ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Candidiasis, Oral ; diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Glossalgia ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Paresthesia ; diagnosis ; Xerostomia ; diagnosis

STUDY DESIGN: A case report. OBJECTIVES: To report a rare case of epidermoid cyst in the spinal canal. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Epidermoid cyst in the spinal canal is rare. Idiopathic epidermoid cyst in the spinal canal not associated with a trauma or infection is even rarer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A 73 year-old female presented with a 1 year history of progressive paresthesia and motor weakness of both lower extremeties. MRI showed a cystic mass on the 7th thoracic canal. We performed total laminectomy at the T6-T8 level. The cystic mass was excised after durotomy using a posterior approach. RESULTS: We confirmed the presence of an epidermoid cyst for histopathology. CONCLUSION: Idiopathic epidermoid cyst in the spine is very rare and requires accurate differential diagnosis. Preoperative MRI scans are necessary to differentiatie epidermoid cysts from other intradural masses. Confirmative diagnosis can be done by histopatholoty.
Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Epidermal Cyst* ; Female ; Humans ; Laminectomy ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Paresthesia ; Spinal Canal ; Spine

Several clinical variants of Guillain-Barre syndrome(GBS) merit separate description because they simulate other diseases and because they may illuminate the pathophysioloy of the typical illness. Some limited regional forrns of the GBS and unusual focal signs or symptoms that resemble other illnesses are described. A number of patients will have prominent pharyngeal, facial, and neck-flexion weakness at the onset of GBS, which descends to involve the arms, and soon after. The legs. The unusual of distribution of weakness, presenation of leg reflexes, and unusual absence of paresthesias directs diagnostic attention toward myasthenia, botulism, or diphtheria. In a few such patients the illness halts when it has caused severe oropharyngeal. Neck. Shoulder, and proximal arm wealiness. Completely sparing power and reflexes in the legs. We report two cases of unusual clinical variant of GBS, so called pharyngeal-cervical-brachial variants who had bilateral ptosis. Marked oropharyngeal, neck, and shoulder weakness, and with areflexia in the arrns only. And normal sensation. Botulism or diphtheria and, less so, myasthenia, were initially considered diagnoses. The illness progressed to generalized typical GBS with respiratory failure in one patient. In the other patient. The illness halted without affecting power or reflexes in the legs, and electrophysiologic abnormalities were isolated to the face and the arms.
Arm ; Botulism ; Diagnosis ; Diphtheria ; Guillain-Barre Syndrome* ; Humans ; Leg ; Neck ; Paresthesia ; Reflex ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Sensation ; Shoulder

BACKGROUND: Meralgia paresthetica(MP) which is characterized by paresthesias and sensory impairment without motor weakness in the anterolateral aspects of the thighis produced by compression of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve(LFCN). Even though the diagnosis of MP is mostly based on the clinical symptoms, electrophysiologic study is mandatory to confirm the disease objectively. It has been known that Somatosensory evoked potential(SSEP) study of LFCN is a simple and very useful method to evaluate MP, so we studied SSEP of LFCN in normal adults and offer normal values. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty six normal adults(23 males and 13 females) ages from 21 to 73 years old(mean+/-SD:42.06+/-15.74) were studied SSEP of LFCN bilaterally. The stimulation site was anterolateral aspect of thighs and the recording site was Cz'. RESULTS: The mean values(msec+/-SD) of LPo, SPdegree, LN, and SN1 of all subjects were 35.10(+/-2.42), 33.80(+/-2.4), 43.68(+/-1.88) and 42.16(+/-2.12) and the mean values(msec+/- SD) of DPo, DNl and DA(tw+/-SD) were 1.3O(fi1.14), 1.52(+/-1.38) and 0.32(+/-0.33). CONCLUSION: For the diagnosis of MP, comparison of latency difference between both sides is more reliable than simple value of latency itself because of individual differences of body types. According to our results, the latency difference should be less than 2 msec and the amplitude difference was less than 1.6 times in normal adults.
Adult* ; Diagnosis ; Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory ; Humans ; Individuality ; Male ; Paresthesia ; Reference Values ; Somatotypes ; Thigh

PURPOSE: To classify zygomatico-orbital fractures based on Zingg's classification and to evaluate the results of treatment. METHODS: Thirty patients who were diagnosed with zygomatico-orbital fracture between 2000 and 2004 were classified based on Zingg's classification, were treated and followed up for more than 3 months. Of the 30 patients, 28 received surgical treatment, including Gillies reduction or open reduction and rigid fixation with a microplate. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 6 months. Most of the patients were satisified with the results of surgery. There were no secondary operations due to facial asymmetry, secondary wound infection, microplate exposure or paresthesia. However, there were 3 re-operations for diplopia, enophthalmos, and lower eyelid retraction, respectively; the conditions had persisted until postoperative 2 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The use of 3-dimensional Zingg's classification for zygomatico-orbital fractures appeared to be beneficial in making more accurate diagnoses and in determining surgical treatment. Oculoplastic approaches, including subciliary or transconjunctival incision, Gillies reduction and rigid fixation with a microplate, are considered to be good methods for the treatment of zygomatico-orbital fractures, as they are associated with exact anatomical and functional restoration and few complications.
Classification* ; Diagnosis ; Diplopia ; Enophthalmos ; Eyelids ; Facial Asymmetry ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Paresthesia ; Wound Infection

Neurologists are occasionally confronted with patients who have unique symptoms of bilateral but regional weaknesses that do not conform to the typical case with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS). Acute facial diplegia is a very uncommon neurologic manifestation that can be the presenting symptom in a wide range of diseases. We describe a 32-year-old male patient with acute facial diplegia and distal limb paresthesias without diminished reflexes. His neurophysiologic studies, CSF albuminocytologic dissociation and the clinical course are in keeping with a regional variant of GBS. The absence of hyporeflexia does not necessarily exclude the diagnosis of a GBS variant.
Adult ; Diagnosis ; Extremities ; Guillain-Barre Syndrome* ; Humans ; Male ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Paresthesia ; Reflex ; Reflex, Abnormal

PURPOSE: Endoscopic thyroidectomy has not become a widespread procedure because of limited advantages to its use. We have performed endoscopic thyroidectomies by use of the axillary approach. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of this surgical procedure. METHODS: Between June of 2002 and December of 2002, 17 patients underwent an endoscopic thyroidectomy by use of the axillary approach while 11 patients underwent a conventional thyroidectomy. Each procedure was performed by one surgeon under general anesthesia. Patients with thyroid carcinoma at the preoperative diagnosis or who received a bilateral thyroidectomy were excluded. We compared the age, size of the tumor, postoperative pain (48 hours after surgery), surgical time, cosmetic result, length of hospital stay, and paresthesia. Statistical analysis was determined by use of the Mann-Whitney test and the chi-square test using SPSS software. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 46.6 years who received a conventional thyroiodectomy and 32.9 years who underwent the axillary approach. The size of the tumor was 3.1 cm for patients who received conventional thyroiodectomy and 3.3 cm for patients who underwent the axillary approach. The operation time was 80.91±16.1 (65~100) minutes for the conventional thyroiodectomy and 135.3± 34.6 (80~210) minutes for the axillary approach. The difference between the two approaches in regards to parameters such as postoperative pain, parethesia, and total hospital days was negligible. The degree of satisfaction was 2.7±0.8 for the conventional thyroiodectomy and 1.1±0.3 for the axillary approach. CONCLUSION: While conventional thyroidectomy still offers an advantage in terms of surgical time, performance of endoscopic thyroidectomy by the axillary approach has an advantage in producing better cosmetic results. Although a multitude of patients will be necessary to follow in further studies, the use of endoscopic thyroidectomy by the axillary approach could become the procedure of choice by offering better cosmetic results to young patients who present with thyroid nodules.
Anesthesia, General ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Operative Time ; Pain, Postoperative ; Paresthesia ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroid Nodule ; Thyroidectomy*

Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. In typical cases, the first symptoms of GBS are pain, numbness, paresthesia, weakness in the limbs. Autonomic involvement is common and causes urinary retention and ileus. Much of these symptoms overlap with those of lumbar spinal stenosis. Therefore, correct diagnosis of GBS in a patient with symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis or in a patient with atypical manifestations of GBS can be difficult, especially early in the course of GBS. Here, we report on a case of atypical GBS in a 74-year-old previously healthy patient with lumbar spinal stenosis and discuss the differential diagnosis of the GBS and lumbar spinal stenosis.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Extremities ; Guillain-Barre Syndrome ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Ileus ; Paresthesia ; Polyradiculopathy ; Spinal Stenosis ; Urinary Retention