scholarly journals Ultrasound-guided ethyl alcohol injection to the deep branch of the ulnar nerve to relieve hand spasticity in stroke patients: A case series

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 346-350
Author(s):  
Min Cheol Chang ◽  
Gyu-Sik Choi ◽  
Mathieu Boudier-Revéret

Abstract Hand spasticity with a flexor pattern is a common problem affecting stroke patients and can result in pain, contractures, esthetic concerns, skin maceration, and overall loss of function. Poststroke (≥6 months) hemiparetic adult patients having a Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) score of ≥1 for metacarpophalangeal flexion and thumb adduction spasticity were selected to receive an ultrasound-guided 20% ethyl alcohol block performed perineurally at the level of the deep branch of the ulnar nerve. Their MAS scores were evaluated pretreatment at 1 month and the change in MAS scores was assessed using Wilcoxon’s test. The threshold for statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The mean MAS score for the flexor muscles of the 5 MCP joints and for thumb adduction was reduced from 3.3 ± 0.5 at pretreatment to 0.9 ± 0.5 at 1 month after the injection for the 10 patients. One month after the injection, the MAS scores were significantly reduced compared with those at pretreatment (p < 0.001), without complications. These are encouraging results showing that ultrasound-guided alcohol blocks of the deep branch of the ulnar nerve are safe and can help chronic stroke patients with metacarpophalangeal flexion and thumb adduction spasticity at 1 month.

2005 ◽  
Vol 33 (8) ◽  
pp. 1224-1230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Venu Akuthota ◽  
Christopher Plastaras ◽  
Kirstin Lindberg ◽  
John Tobey ◽  
Joel Press ◽  
...  

Background Distal ulnar neuropathies have been identified in cyclists because of prolonged grip pressures on handlebars. The so-called cyclist palsy has been postulated to be an entrapment neuropathy of the ulnar nerve in the Guyon canal of the wrist. Previous studies utilizing nerve conduction studies have typically been either case reports or small case series. Hypothesis Electrophysiologic changes will be present in the ulnar and median nerves after a long-distance multiday cycling event. Study Design Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods A total of 28 adult hands from 14 subjects underwent median and ulnar motor and sensory nerve conductions, which were performed on both hands before and after a 6-day, 420-mile bike tour. A ride questionnaire was also administered after the ride, evaluating the experience level of the cyclist, equipment issues, hand position, and symptoms during the ride. Results Distal motor latencies of the deep branch of the ulnar nerve to the first dorsal interosseous were significantly prolonged after the long-distance cycling event. The median motor and sensory studies as well as the ulnar sensory and motor studies of the abductor digiti minimi did not change significantly. Electrophysiologic and symptomatic worsening of carpal tunnel syndrome was observed in 3 hands, with the onset of carpal tunnel syndrome in 1 hand after the ride. Conclusion Long-distance cycling may promote physiologic changes in the deep branch of the ulnar nerve and exacerbate symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.


2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 196-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel E. Musson ◽  
Jasdev S. Sawhney ◽  
Leslie Lamb ◽  
Antony Wilkinson ◽  
Haron Obaid

Background: Morton's neuroma is a common cause of metatarsalgia. This study evaluated the efficacy of ultrasound guided alcohol injection as a treatment for this condition. Method: Data from 87 treatment courses were included in this study with a mean follow of 14.3 months. Results: Technical success was 100%. One patient developed symptoms consistent with an allergic reaction to the injection and one patient declined further injection because of periprocedural pain. Partial or total treatment response was achieved in 66%, with 32% of patients having complete resolution of pain. The median visual analogue score (VAS) decreased from 8 pre-procedure to 4 post-procedure ( p < 0.0001). Procedural success was greater in patients under 55 years old and in those with solitary neuromas. Seventeen patients (20%) went on to have surgery due to continuing pain. Conclusion: Ultrasound guided alcohol ablation for the treatment of Morton's neuroma was a safe procedure that significantly reduced pain and may offer an alternative therapy to surgery. Level of Evidence: IV; Retrospective Case Series


2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 114-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan-Xu Ma ◽  
Yun Wang ◽  
Meng-Meng Bao ◽  
Chen Zhang ◽  
Xue-Yang Li ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 436-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel A. Rosloff ◽  
Kunal Patel ◽  
Paul J. Feustel ◽  
Jocelyn Celestin

Background: Undifferentiated somatoform (US) idiopathic anaphylaxis (IA) is considered a psychogenic disorder characterized by a lack of observable physical findings and poor response to treatment. Although failure to diagnose true anaphylaxis can have disastrous consequences, identification of US-IA is crucial to limit unnecessary expenses and use of health care resources. Objective: To better define the presentation and understand the potential relationship between US-IA and underlying psychiatric comorbidities. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 110 visits by 107 patients to our institution for evaluation and management of anaphylaxis over a 1-year period. The patients were classified as having either criteria positive (CP) or criteria negative (CN) anaphylaxis based on whether they met Second National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease/Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network Symposium criteria for the clinical diagnosis of anaphylaxis. Patient characteristics, including objective and subjective signs and symptoms, and the presence of psychiatric diagnoses were collected and analyzed. Statistical significance was assessed by using the Fisher exact test. A literature review of US-IA and other psychogenic forms of anaphylaxis was performed. Results: Patients with CP anaphylaxis were more likely to present with hypotension, wheezing, urticaria, and vomiting than were patients with CN anaphylaxis. The patients with CN anaphylaxis were more likely to present with subjective symptoms of sensory throat tightness or swelling compared with patients with CP anaphylaxis. No significant difference was detected in the prevalence of psychiatric conditions between the two groups. Conclusion: Patients who met previously established diagnostic criteria for anaphylaxis were more likely to present with objective physical findings than those who did not meet criteria for true anaphylaxis. CN patients who presented for treatment of anaphylaxis were more likely to present with subjective symptoms. Formal diagnostic criteria should be used by clinicians when evaluating patients with suspected anaphylaxis.


2016 ◽  
pp. 120-127
Author(s):  
Dinh Toan Nguyen

Background: Dementia after stroke, particularly subacute period is often overlooked. Today the quality of human life is increasingly high, finding scales that have high value for detection of dementia in patients with stroke is increasingly interested. MoCA test is high sensitivity with mild dementia and identify more abnormalities of awareness caused by vascular, but MoCA have not been studied much in Vietnam. Objective: Assessing MoCA test in subacute stroke patients and compare MoCA versus MMSE in these patients. Subjects: 90 patients with subacute stroke period, these people are being treated at Department of cardiovascular internal medicine at Hue Central Hospital, from 7/2014 - 7/2015. Methods: cross-sectional description and analysis. Results: The mean age is 65.57 ± 13.38, accounting for 54.4% male and 45.6% female. Age, duration of illness has weak correlation with MoCA. The risk factors: hypertension, stroke ischemic transient, alcoholism, smoking, heart disease, diabetes, dyslipidemia related no statistical significance with MoCA. The proportion of dementia in subacute stroke according MoCA is 82.2%. The concordance between MoCA and MMSE was good (kappa = 0.684). Using DSM-IV criteria as the gold standard we found MoCA more valuable in the dementia diagnosis than MMSE (AUC 0.864 versus 0.774, p <0.05). Conclusion: The rate of dementia in stroke subacute period according MoCA is quite high. MoCA is valuable than MMSE in detecting dementia in patients with stroke subacute period, this scale is short, easy to implement so should put into using widely in clinical practice. Key words: MoCA test, subacute stroke, dementia


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