An alternative didactic, functional and topographic systematization of the spinal muscles.

Back muscles are commonly described in a topographically-oriented manner without necessarily following morphological criteria. In this manner, non-standard terms may be employed which convey incorrect morphological concepts and demanding more time from both faculty and students to transmit knowledge. We propose a classification system for spinal muscles incorporating morphological concepts with the goal of facilitating knowledge transfer and suggest the term "spinal muscles".

Structural and Ultrastructural Analysis of the Cervical Discs of Young and Elderly Humans.

Several studies describing the ultrastructure and extracellular matrix (ECM) of intervertebral discs (IVDs) involve animal models and specimens obtained from symptomatic individuals during surgery for degenerative disease or scoliosis, which may not necessarily correlate to changes secondary to normal aging in humans. These changes may also be segment-specific based on different load patterns throughout life. Our objective was to describe the ECM and collagen profile of cervical IVDs in young (G1 - <35 years) and elderly (G2 - >65 years) presumably-asymptomatic individuals.

The connective tissue of the adductor canal--a morphological study in fetal and adult specimens.

The adductor canal is a conical or pyramid-shaped pathway that contains the femoral vessels, saphenous nerve and a varying amount of fibrous tissue. It is involved in adductor canal syndrome, a claudication syndrome involving young individuals. Our objective was to study modifications induced by aging on the connective tissue and to correlate them to the proposed pathophysiological mechanism.

Surgical treatment of primary intramedullary spinal cord tumors in adult patients.

Background: Primary spinal cord intramedullary tumors are rare and present with insidious symptoms. Previous treatment protocols emphasized biopsy and radiation/chemotherapy but more aggressive protocols have emerged.

Objective: To report our experience.

Cerebral abscess caused by Serratia marcescens in a premature neonate.

Background: Cerebral abscesses are extremely rare in neonates. Serratia marcescens is an unusual cause of sepsis and neurological spread is especially ominous.

Purpose: To report the case of a 34-week neonate who developed this rare condition and to discuss diagnostic and therapeutic measures.

Effects of pre- and postnatal protein deprivation and postnatal refeeding on myenteric neurons of the rat small intestine: a quantitative morphological study.

We investigated weight gain, the size of the small intestine and numbers and sizes of enteric neurons in rats whose mothers had been deprived of protein during pregnancy and who themselves were deprived postpartum. Postnatally, protein deprivation was for 42 days, or for 21 days with refeeding for a further 21 days. Control animals received normal nourishment.

Clinical presentation, treatment and outcome of patients with cerebral metastases: the University of São Paulo series.

Introduction: Secondary neoplasias are the most common tumors affecting the central nervous system and several clinical aspects of this disease are still controversial.

Method: Forty-seven consecutive patients with the diagnosis of cerebral metastases (CM) were retrospectively studied at the Clinical Hospital of Sao Paulo University Medical School. Mean age was 53.

The myenteric plexus of the rat colon after fecal stream diversion: a morpho-quantitative study.

The myenteric plexus undergoes adaptive changes under several conditions. Mucosal and muscular alterations of the colon have been described after fecal stream diversion but studies concerning the myenteric plexus after this procedure are scarce. Therefore, 28 Wistar rats were submitted to fecal diversion and followed for different periods (30, 60, 120 and 180 days), in order to study the myenteric plexus of the excluded segments.

Hemophilia and child abuse as possible causes of epidural hematoma: case report.

Introduction: Head trauma is an important consequence of child abuse. Specific pathophysiological mechanisms in child abuse are responsible for the "whiplash shaken-baby syndrome", which would favour the occurrence of intracranial hemorrhages.

Case Report: We report the case of a child who developed epidural hematoma following minor-intensity head trauma.

Anterior cruciate ligament ganglion: case report.

Context: A ganglion is a cystic formation close to joints or tendinous sheaths, frequently found in the wrist, foot or knee. Intra-articular ganglia of the knee are rare, and most of them are located in the anterior cruciate ligament. The clinical picture for these ganglia comprises pain and movement restrictions in the knee, causing significant impairment to the patient.

Anatomic study of the filum terminale and its correlations with the tethered cord syndrome.

Objective: To evaluate the intradural anatomic features of the filum terminale (FT) in fresh human cadavers, analyzing morphological parameters relevant for the diagnosis of the tethered cord syndrome.

Methods: Forty-one fresh cadavers were dissected, and the following parameters were evaluated: cadaver height, weight, and age, FT length, FT diameters at the initial point and midpoint, and topographic relationships of the initial and fusion points of the FT to the adjacent vertebrae.

Results: The mean FT length was 156.