Acute symptomatic hyponatremia complicating invasive cardiac procedures: a report of three patients.

Hyponatremic encephalopathy is a well-known complication of surgical procedures. This syndrome has not been described in the cardiology literature. We report three patients who developed acute hyponatremia with life-threatening encephalopathy following an invasive cardiac procedure.

Electrical activity from rat corpora is affected by pharmacological but not mechanical intracorporal manipulation.

Smooth muscle electromyographic (EMG) recording from the corpora cavernosa is a potentially useful clinical tool for the diagnosis of impotence. Controversy still exists regarding the nature of this signal, which could be resolved using animal models. The signal recorded from denuded rat corporal surface was Fourier transformed, and power at 0.

The acute effect of minocycline on the pericardium: experimental and clinical findings.

Study Objectives: To evaluate the acute effect of minocycline on the pericardium in the experimental animal and in the human with malignant pericardial disease.

Design: A prospective study in open-chest dogs and in humans.

Setting: Experimental surgery laboratory, medical school; coronary care unit, university hospital.

Clinical applications of quantitative sensory testing (QST).

Quantitative sensory testing (QST) has been used clinically for the last two decades, yielding a substantial number of publications regarding these applications. In this review we tried to amass together the major findings of these publications into one monograph, excluding those dealing with pain. This was done with the aim of assisting clinicians in the better use of QST techniques for the benefit of their patients.

Quantitative sensory testing.

Quantitative sensory testing has become commonplace in clinical neurophysiology units. Measurement of the thermal and vibratory senses provides an estimate on function of sensory small and large fibers, respectively. Being psychophysical parameters, sensory threshold values are not objective, and various test algorithms have been developed aiming at optimized results.

Penile thermal sensation.

Purpose: To our knowledge no direct measurement of autonomic failure in the penis is currently available. Indirect techniques in clinical use, such as bulbocavernosus reflex, genital somatosensory evoked potentials and biothesiometry, all rely on large nerve fiber function. Since micturition and potency depend on small fibers of the peripheral system, tests of these fibers might be more relevant in the clinical diagnostic evaluation.

Carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy: indications for early surgery.

The incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome is increased during pregnancy. The common conventional therapeutic approach is conservative, as symptoms usually abate after delivery. We describe our experience with 65 hands (50 patients), who were treated initially by a conservative approach and later, when required, surgically.