Rapid reduction of syrinx associated with traumatic intracranial hypotension by direct surgery: case report.

A woman in her early twenties presented with cerebellar tonsillar herniation with syrinx in the cervicothoracic spinal cord manifesting as postural headache after suffering trauma to the hip. She was treated under a diagnosis of traumatic intracranial hypotension. Cranial magnetic resonance (MR) imaging demonstrated tonsillar herniation to the upper rim of the C1 lamina, associated with effacement of the basal cisterns and flattening of the pons against the clivus, sagging of the optic chiasm, and protrusion of the pituitary gland into the suprasellar cistern.

Effect of pentoxifylline on diaphragmatic contractility in septic rats.

We investigated the effects of pentoxifylline (PTX) on endotoxin-induced diaphragmatic dysfunction in vitro. Seventy-two rats were divided into 3 groups: a group in which endotoxin (20 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally (endotoxin-group), a group in which PTX (100 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally 30 min before injection of endotoxin (endotoxin-PTX group), and a group in which only saline was given (sham group). Left hemidiaphragms were removed 4 h after injection of endotoxin.