A posterior cord or dorsal column myelopathy due to neurosyphilis presenting as a tabetic gait is a classic neurological vignette and is taught to all medical students. Its clinical presentation is so graphic that its simulacrum with diseases other than neurosyphilis is labeled as pseudotabes. The latter can be seen with vitamin B12 deficiency as a subacute combined degeneration (SCD) of the spinal cord, another neurology classic. However, not all cases of pseudotabes are due to posterior cord myelopathy as some can arise with other deafferentation syndromes such as polyganglioneuropathies as seen with paraneoplastic syndromes, Sjogren's syndrome, idiopathic autoimmune diseases, and post-viral neuronopathies. A unique and interesting cause of pseudotabes is due to copper deficiency; copper being a metallic trace element that is fundamental to cellular life. Herein, we present a case of copper deficiency manifesting as pseudotabes and review the biochemical properties of copper and its effects on the nervous system.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.7759/cureus.16254 | DOI Listing |
J Neurosurg Case Lessons
December 2024
Shin-Ai kai Spine Center, Katano Hospital, Katano City, Osaka, Japan.
Background: A bipartite atlas is a rare congenital anomaly characterized by incomplete fusion of the anterior and posterior arches of the first cervical vertebra (C1). While typically asymptomatic, this condition can result in cervical myelopathy when accompanied by degenerative changes. This report presents a rare case of cervical myelopathy caused by a bipartite atlas in an older patient that required surgical intervention.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Neurosurg Case Lessons
December 2024
Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
Background: Brown-Séquard syndrome (BSS) is a rare neurological condition characterized by injury to one-half of the spinal cord. In the context of trauma, BSS is typically seen with penetrating injuries. Here, the authors present the unique case of a patient presenting with BSS after blunt trauma.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMC Surg
December 2024
Department of Spine Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin, 300121, China.
Background: The best open side for unilateral open-door laminoplasty (UODL) to treat inconsistent cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) needs to be identified.
Methods: Thirty-one individuals with inconsistent OPLL who underwent UODL between January 2016 and December 2018 were retrospectively divided into two groups: when the side of the open door was consistent with the side of the larger ossification occupancy area, patients were placed in the Consistent group; when the side of the open door was contralateral to the side of the larger ossification occupancy area, patients were placed in the Contralateral group. The following parameters were evaluated: neck disability index (NDI) score, Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, visual analog scale (VAS) score, postoperative laminoplasty opening width and angle, and spinal cord diameter ratio.
Front Immunol
December 2024
Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan.
Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is an immune-mediated disease that mainly affects the peripheral nerves and nerve roots and typically presents with distal dominant motor and sensory disturbances as clinical symptoms. Central nervous system (CNS) demyelination with inflammation occurs infrequently in patients with CIDP. Here, we present a unique autopsy report of CIDP causing severe demyelination along the entire spinal cord.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCureus
November 2024
Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Freeman Health System, Joplin, USA.
Klippel-Feil syndrome (KFS) is a rare congenital condition characterized by the fusion of cervical vertebrae. It classically presents with a triad of symptoms: limited cervical range of motion, a low posterior hairline, and a short neck. Common otolaryngological manifestations include hearing loss, dysphagia, cleft palate, jaw disorders, thyroid abnormalities, and ear malformations, highlighting the importance of KFS awareness in the field of otolaryngology.
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