Paraparesis in a patient with advanced HIV infection: a diagnostic conundrum

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. e240725
Author(s):  
Anupa John ◽  
Nitin Gupta ◽  
Kavitha Saravu
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Infection ◽  
Lower Limb ◽  
Opportunistic Infections ◽  
Pathological Process ◽  
Nutrient Deficiencies ◽  
Limb Weakness ◽  
Lower Limb Weakness ◽  
Sensory Disturbances ◽  
Vacuolar Myelopathy

In patients with HIV infection, lower limb weakness is a result of the pathological involvement of the brain, spinal cord or peripheral nervous system. The pathological process can be opportunistic infections, nutrient deficiencies, neoplastic infiltration or HIV itself. Here, we present the case of a 50-year-old manual labourer who presented with gradually progressive lower limb weakness, sensory disturbances, impotence and urinary urgency. He was diagnosed with HIV during evaluation. Based on the presentation and other supportive laboratory and radiological evidence, the following differentials were considered: vacuolar myelopathy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and myeloradiculopathy. The patient was initiated on antiretroviral therapy, and he showed significant improvement of symptoms on follow-up. We report this case to discuss the diagnostic puzzle.

scholarly journals Tuberculous lumbar spinal epidural abscess in a young adult (case report)

SICOT-J ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Ghazwan Abdulla Hasan ◽  
Saif Mohammed Kani ◽  
Ahmed Alqatub
Keyword(s):  
Case Report ◽  
Lower Limb ◽  
Epidural Abscess ◽  
Spinal Epidural Abscess ◽  
Mri Scan ◽  
Limb Weakness ◽  
Lower Limb Weakness ◽  
Lumbar Spinal ◽  
Spinal Epidural

Introduction: Spinal Epidural abscess (SEA) is an uncommon pathology that needs an urgent intervention to decompress the pressure on the spinal epidural sac, cord, and roots. The authors report a rare case of a young adult with lumbar spinal epidural tuberculous abscess occupying the spinal canal from L2–L5 vertebrae with extesion to the posterior paraspinal muscles and presenting with bilateral progressive lower limb weakness.   Case report: A 42 years old male teacher presented with a 15-day history of progressive difficulty to walking and bilateral lower limb weakness associated with fever, malaise and later on urinary incontinence. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan revealed a paraspinal intermuscular abscess and an abscess occupying the spinal canal compressing the dural sac from L2–L4/5, without any signs of vertebral involvement. Surgery was done by a posterior midline incision. Pus was evacuated from multiple pockets through the paraspinal muscle layers. Laminectomy for L3/4, and hemilaminectomy for L2/3, and L4/5 were performed. Pus and bone specimens were negative for acid-fast bacilli. However, both histopathological studies and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing confirmed the presence of tuberculosis (TB). The patient received TB antibiotics, and a follow-up MRI scan at 2 months showed complete evacuation of the abscess. However, signs of L5 spondylitis were evident. No further surgery was needed as there was no vertebral collapse or neural compression and the patient's clinical condition was improving. He had normal right lower limb power and sensation and grade 4+ motor power of the left lower limb. Bowels and bladder function was normal. Conclusion: Isolated tuberculous spinal epidural abscess is a rare disease and should be treated urgently with evacuation and decompression. Signs of spondylitis or spondylodiscitis may appear later and therefore long follow up is recommended in tuberculous cases presenting with an isolated epidural abscess.

scholarly journals Postpartum femoral neuropathy: managing the next pregnancy

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. e232967 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathy Rowland ◽  
Daniel Kane ◽  
Maeve Eogan
Keyword(s):  
Caesarean Section ◽  
Motor Function ◽  
Lower Limb ◽  
Elective Caesarean Section ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
Primiparous Woman ◽  
Limb Weakness ◽  
Femoral Neuropathy ◽  
Lower Limb Weakness ◽  
Spontaneous Labour

A 34-year-old primiparous woman presented in spontaneous labour and had an unassisted vaginal birth of a 3.5 kg infant. Postnatally, the patient experienced lower limb weakness and was unable to mobilise unassisted. A diagnosis of postpartum femoral neuropathy was made. Full recovery of normal motor function was not achieved until 5 months postpartum. She returned in her next pregnancy, seeking advice on how to avoid this complication from reoccurring. It was decided that an elective caesarean section was an appropriate mode of delivery, which she underwent at 39 weeks without complication and without recurrence of the femoral neuropathy.

Improving sit-to-stand transition by the saddle-assistive device in the spinal cord injury: A case study

2021 ◽  
pp. 095441192110033
Author(s):  
Akbar Hojjati Najafabadi ◽  
Saeid Amini ◽  
Farzam Farahmand
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Lower Limb ◽  
Reaction Force ◽  
Assistive Device ◽  
Limb Weakness ◽  
Sit To Stand ◽  
Lower Limb Weakness ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Cord Injury

Physical problems caused by fractures, aging, stroke, and accidents can reduce foot power; these, in the long term, can dwindle the muscles of the waist, thighs, and legs. These conditions provide the basis for the invalidism of the harmed people. In this study, a saddle-walker was designed and evaluated to help people suffering from spinal cord injury and patients with lower limb weakness. This S-AD works based on body weight support against the previously report designs. This saddle-walker consisted of a non-powered four-wheel walker helping to walk and a powered mechanism for the sit-to-stand (STS) transfer. A set of experiments were done on the STS in the use of the standard walker and the saddle-assistive device(S-AD). A comparison of the results showed that this device could reduce the vertical ground reaction force (GRF) of the legs up to 70%. Using this device could help a wide range of patients with lower limb weakness and SCI patients in changing from sitting to standing.

scholarly journals Genotypical diversity of HIV clades and central nervous system impairment

2011 ◽  
Vol 69 (6) ◽  
pp. 964-972 ◽  
Author(s):  
Indianara Rotta ◽  
Sérgio Monteiro de Almeida
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Hiv Infection ◽  
Opportunistic Infections ◽  
Regulatory Protein ◽  
Viral Meningitis ◽  
Neurological Involvement ◽  
Subtype C ◽  
Vacuolar Myelopathy ◽  
The Central Nervous System

The central nervous system (CNS) and the immune system are considered major target organs for HIV infection. The neurological manifestations directly related to HIV are acute viral meningitis, chronic meningitis, HIV associated dementia, vacuolar myelopathy and involvement of the peripheral nervous system. Changes in diagnosis and clinical management have changed the aspect of HIV infection so that it is no longer a fatal disease, and has become a chronic disease requiring sustained medical management. After HAART the incidence of most opportunistic infections, including those affecting the CNS, has dropped markedly. Some studies suggest that neurological involvement of infected patient occur with different frequency, depending on HIV subtype involved in the infection. Subtype C may have reduced neuroinvasive capacity, possibly due to its different primary conformation of HIV transactivating regulatory protein (Tat), involved in monocyte chemotaxis. This review focus on physiopathologic aspects of HIV infection in CNS and its correlation with HIV clades.

scholarly journals Neurologic melioidosis presented as encephalomyelitis and subdural collection in two male labourers in India

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 1289-1293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kavitha Saravu ◽  
Rajagopal Kadavigere ◽  
Ananthakrishna Barkur Shastry ◽  
Rohit Pai ◽  
Chiranjay Mukhopadhyay
Keyword(s):  
Lower Limb ◽  
Corticosteroid Treatment ◽  
Conus Medullaris ◽  
Subdural Empyema ◽  
Lower Limbs ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Limb Weakness ◽  
Subdural Collection ◽  
Lower Limb Weakness ◽  
Left Lower Limb

Two distinct and potentially deceitful cases of neurologic melioidosis are reported. Case 1: A 39-year-old alcoholic and uncontrolled diabetic male presented with cough, fever, and left focal seizures with secondary generalization. An magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scan revealed a small peripherally enhancing subdural collection along the interhemispheric fissure suggestive of minimal subdural empyema. Blood culture grew Burkholderia pseudomallei. Patient was diagnosed with disseminated bacteraemic melioidosis with subdural empyema. He was successfully treated with ceftazidime-cotrimoxazole-doxycycline. Case 2: A 45-year-old male presented with left lower limb weakness, difficulty in passing urine and stool, and back pain radiating to lower limbs. Neurological examination revealed flaccid left lower limb with absent deep tendon reflexes and plantar reflex. Spinal MRI showed T2 hyperintensity from D9 to L1 suggestive of demyelination. Patient was treated with high dose methylprednisolone. By day 3 of steroid treatment, lower limb weakness progressed. Subsequent MRI showed extensive cord hyperintensity on T2 weighted sequence extending from C5 to conus medullaris consistent with demyelination. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture grew B. pseudomallei, and the patient was given meropenem-cotrimoxazole. After three weeks of parenteral treatment, the lower limbs remained paralyzed. Patient was discharged on oral cotrimoxazole-doxycycline. Conclusions: Melioidosis should be considered as a differential in focal suppurative central nervous system (CNS) lesions, meningoencephalitis, or encephalomyelitis in endemic areas. CNS infections must be ruled out prior to steroid administration. The role of corticosteroids in demyelinating CNS melioidosis has been refuted. This is a rare documentation of effect of unintentional corticosteroid treatment in melioidosis.

scholarly journals Bilateral lower limb weakness: a cerebrovascular consequence of covid-19 or a complication associated with it?

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 901-905 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. B. Morjaria ◽  
F. Omar ◽  
R. Polosa ◽  
G. Gulli ◽  
P. U. Dalal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lower Limb ◽  
Limb Weakness ◽  
Lower Limb Weakness ◽  
Bilateral Lower Limb
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