A 67-year-old male patient underwent a left nephrectomy for a renal cell carcinoma. Thirty-eight months later, he presented with right sided lower backache, radiating to the posterior aspect of his thigh, calf and foot, paraesthesiae and numbness in the distribution of the right S1 and S2 dermatomes. The presumptive diagnosis was of nerve root entrapment secondary to a disc prolapse. MRI scan of the lumbosacral spine revealed an enlarged S1 root canal containing a solid solitary lesion suggestive of a neurofibroma of the S1 nerve root. Because of persistent pain, he underwent a right L5/S1 hemilaminectomy. A lesion originating from the right S2 nerve root was found and excised. The patient made an uneventful postoperative recovery with complete resolution of his right leg pain. The histopathological examination revealed a portion of the nerve root and dorsal root ganglion infiltrated by metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Although uncommon, nerve root infiltration by a metastasis should be included in the differential diagnosis of back pain and sciatica, especially if there is a previous history of malignant disease.
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Mol Neurobiol
January 2025
The Second School of Clinical Medical College, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, Jiangsu, China.
Changes in DNA methylation and subsequent alterations in gene expression have opened a new direction in research related to the pathogenesis of peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP). This study aimed to reveal epigenetic perturbations underlying DNA methylation in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) of rats with peripheral nerve injury in response to prior exercise and identify potential target genes involved. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups, namely, chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve, CCI with prior 6-week swimming training (CCI_Ex), and sham operated (Sham).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCureus
December 2024
Dermatology and Venereology, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, BGR.
Herpes zoster (HZ) is a viral infection caused by the reactivation of endogenous and latent varicella-zoster virus that remains dormant in the cranial nerve or dorsal root ganglia. HZ occurs in a portion of the general population, with a higher incidence observed in high-risk individuals. Patients with impaired immunity, including human immunodeficiency virus infection, organ transplantation, old age, and cancer-related treatments such as chemotherapy (CT) and radiotherapy (RT) were found more prone to HZ infection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCureus
January 2025
Research, Clarity Science LLC, Narragansett, USA.
The recent identification of Piezo ion channels demonstrating a mechano-sensitive impact on neurons revealed distinct Piezo-1 and 2 types. While Piezo-1 predominates in neurons linked to non-sensory stimulation, such as pressure in blood vessels, Piezo-2 predominates in neurons linked to sensory stimulation, such as touch. Piezo-1 and 2 have a major bidirectional impact on transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels, and TRPs also impact neurotransmitter release.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCommun Biol
January 2025
Department of Anesthesiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
Peripheral nerve injury (PNI)-induced neuropathic pain (NP) is a severe disease with high prevalence in clinics. Gene reprogramming and tissue remodeling in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and spinal cord (SC) drive the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain (NP). However, our understanding of the NP-associated spatial molecular processing landscape of SC and the non-synaptic interactions between DRG neurons and SC cells remains limited.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur Spine J
January 2025
Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710054, China.
Background: Posterior laminectomy is a standard treatment for thoracic ossification of the ligamentum flavum (TOLF), but it often leads to neurological deterioration during surgery. This study aimed to reduce iatrogenic neurological deterioration by using an S8 navigation system combined with an ultrasonic osteotome for three-dimensional real-time dynamic visualization decompression.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who underwent laminectomy and internal fixation for TOLF in our centre from January 2016 to January 2023.
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