Central nervous system manifestations of Q fever responsive to steroids.

We report the clinical and radiological central nervous system manifestations of a 27-year-old man with Q fever who subsequently developed acute disseminated encephalomyelitis and showed a significant response to steroids. The patient presented with headache and fever and quickly progressed to develop acute respiratory failure and hepatitis. A prompt evaluation revealed positive serology for Q fever and doxycycline was initiated.

Vestibulocochlear nerve.

The vestibulocochlear or eighth cranial nerve (CN VIII) has purely special sensory afferent function. The nerve has two components, the vestibular nerve, that detects head and body motion, and the cochlear nerve that detects sound. The primary receptors that convey information to the vestibular portion of CN VIII are the semicircular canals that detect angular acceleration, and the otolithic organs that detect linear acceleration.

Cold elbow syndrome: spurious slowing of ulnar nerve conduction velocity.

Low temperature decreases nerve conduction velocity (NCV). The across-elbow segment of the ulnar nerve is superficial and may be particularly susceptible to decreased temperature. We evaluated patients without clinical ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (UNE) but with isolated slowing of the across-elbow ulnar NCV (normal group), and patients with clinical and electrodiagnostic findings of UNE (UNE group).

Effect of body mass index on ulnar nerve conduction velocity, ulnar neuropathy at the elbow, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Both high and low body mass index (BMI) have been reported as risk factors for ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (UNE), and a high BMI as a risk factor for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). To determine whether the extremes of BMI are risk factors for UNE or CTS, and whether BMI affects calculation of median and ulnar motor nerve conduction velocity (NCV), we retrospectively analyzed the electrodiagnostic records of control patients, UNE patients, and CTS patients. The BMI was calculated for 50 patients with a sole diagnosis of UNE and compared to the BMI of 50 patients with CTS and 50 control subjects.

Acquired neuromyotonia in association with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Acquired neuromyotonia (NMT) is a rare condition resulting from a dysfunction of motor nerves. Current literature suggests acquired NMT is an antibody-mediated channelopathy. We present a case of acquired NMT in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Optimal screening distance for ulnar neuropathy at the elbow.

Focal demyelinating lesions typically occur within a 1-cm segment of a nerve. In electrodiagnostic studies, measurements over longer distances decrease the chance of detecting such lesions, but measurements over shorter distances result in greater experimental error. Our objective was therefore to determine the optimal screening distance for ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (UNE) incorporating previously derived experimental errors for calculating nerve conduction velocity (NCV).

Optimal distance for segmental nerve conduction studies revisited.

In 1972, Maynard and Stolov showed that the experimental error in calculating nerve conduction velocity (NCV) depends on errors of latency and distance measurements. Their data suggested that a minimum distance of 10 cm should be used when calculating NCV because of an increase in error >/= 25% at shorter distances. The object of this study was to reestablish the minimum distance using current technology.

A review of perioperative nerve injury to the upper extremities.

Perioperative nerve injuries can be a complication of surgical procedures and accounts for approximately 16% of all anesthesia-related claims in the United States. Whereas ulnar neuropathy at the elbow is the most common, other nerve injuries of the upper extremity and the phrenic nerve are not rare occurrences. A number of possible etiologies have been proposed to explain perioperative nerve injury to include stretch, compression, ischemia, and metabolic derangement.

A review of perioperative nerve injury to the lower extremities: part I.

Perioperative nerve injuries can be a complication of surgical procedures and account for a significant number of anesthesia-related claims in the United States. Whereas ulnar neuropathy at the elbow is the most common, other nerve injuries of the upper extremity and injuries to the lower extremities are not rare occurrences. A number of possible etiologies have been proposed to explain perioperative nerve injury to include stretch, compression, ischemia, and direct trauma from agents such as suture and cement material.

Changes in nerve conduction velocity across the elbow due to experimental error.

One diagnostic criterion for ulnar nerve mononeuropathy at the elbow (UNE) is a decrease in across-elbow nerve conduction velocity (NCV) > 10 m/s compared to the forearm segment. Distance and latency measurement errors are an inherent part of NCV calculations. Twenty electromyographers measured the latencies of stored ulnar compound muscle action potentials and measured the forearm and across-elbow distances along the ulnar nerve.