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To explore the utility of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MR imaging for quantitative analysis of blood-brain barrier disruption in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) patients with post-concussion syndrome (PCS). Forty-four consecutive patients with PCS after mTBI and 32 controls were included in this retrospective study. Ktrans and ve from DCE MR imaging were analyzed at contrast-enhancing lesions, T2 hyperintense white matter (WM) lesions, normal-appearing white matter (NAWM), and predilection sites for diffuse axonal injury (LocationDAI). The Mann-Whitney U-test was performed to compare the parameters between mTBI patients and controls and the parameters were correlated with neuropsychological tests using Mann-Whitney U-test and Spearman rank correlation. The median ve of the T2 hyperintense WM lesions in mTBI patients (n=21) was higher than that of NAWM in controls (p=.027). Both median Ktrans and ve at NAWM were also significantly higher in mTBI patients than in controls (p=.023 and p=.029, respectively). In addition, mTBI patients had higher Ktrans and ve at LocationDAI than controls (p=.008 and p=.015, respectively). VLT (delayed recall) scores were significantly correlated with ve values at T2 hyperintense WM lesions (p=−0.767, p=.044). The median ve at LocationDAI was significantly higher in patients with atypical performance in the digit span test (forward) than in those with average or good performance (p=.043). mTBI patients with PCS had higher Ktrans and ve values than controls not only at T2 hyperintense WM lesions but also at NAWM and LocationDAI. BBB disruption may be implicated in development of PCS in mTBI patients. • mTBI patients with PCS had higher permeability than controls at T2 hyperintense WM lesions on DCE MR imaging. • mTBI patients with PCS had higher permeability than controls also at NAWM and predilection sites for DAI. • BBB disruption may be implicated in the development of PCS in mTBI patients.

The purpose of this study was to compare the swallowing function and kinematics in stroke patients with and without tracheostomies. In this retrospective matched case-control study, we compared stroke patients with (TRACH group, n = 24) and without (NO-TRACH group, n = 24) tracheostomies. Patients were matched for age, sex, and stroke-type. Swallowing function was evaluated using the videofluoroscopic dysphagia scale (VDS) and functional oral intake scale (FOIS) obtained from videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS) images. Swallowing kinematics were evaluated using a two-dimensional kinematic analysis of the VFSS images. Mean duration of tracheostomy was 132.38 ± 150.46 days in the TRACH group. There was no significant difference in the total VDS score between the TRACH (35.17 ± 15.30) and NO-TRACH groups (29.25 ± 16.66, p = 0.247). FOIS was significantly lower in the TRACH group (2.33 ± 1.40) than in the NO-TRACH group (4.33 ± 1.79, p = 0.001). The TRACH group had a significantly lower maximum vertical displacement (15.23 ± 7.39 mm, p = 0.011) and velocity (54.99 ± 29.59 mm/s, p = 0.011), and two-dimensional velocity (61.07 ± 24.89 mm/s, p = 0.013) of the larynx than the NO-TRACH group (20.18 ± 5.70 mm, 82.23 ± 37.30 mm/s, and 84.40 ± 36.05 mm/s, respectively). Maximum horizontal velocity of the hyoid bone in the TRACH group (36.77 ± 16.97 mm/s) was also significantly lower than that in the NO-TRACH group (47.49 ± 15.73 mm/s, p = 0.032). This study demonstrated that stroke patients with tracheostomies had inferior swallowing function and kinematics than those without tracheostomies. A prospective longitudinal study is needed to elucidate the effect of a tracheostomy on swallowing recovery in stroke patients.

The oro-esophageal tube (OE tube) is widely used in dysphagia patients although its success rate for transition to oral feeding is reported only in stroke patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and outcome of OE tube feeding for patients with dysphagia resulting from various etiologies. The authors reviewed the medical records of 1995 dysphagic patients that had undergone videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) in a tertiary hospital from April 2002 through December 2009. Of these, 97 patients were recommended to use OE tube feeding based on the VFSS findings. Follow-up VFSS were performed on 54 patients. The mean duration of tube use at the time of follow-up VFSS was 274 days. We evaluated clinical information including age, sex, diet, etiology of dysphagia, location of lesions, duration of intervention, and complications of OE tube feeding. Initially, all 54 patients were fed using the OE tube. After their last follow-up evaluation, 19 patients (35.2 %) resumed full oral feeding without the OE tube, 12 patients (22.2 %) used partial OE tube feeding, and 23 patients (42.6 %) continued OE tube feeding only. Full oral feeding was achieved again most often in brain tumor, stroke, and head and neck cancer patients (54.5, 27.3, and 20.0 %, respectively). Mild adverse events, such as blood-tinged sputum, nausea, dyspepsia, and regurgitation of food, were reported in 4 patients. OE tube feeding is a feasible feeding method also in conditions other than stroke such as brain tumors, and head and neck cancers.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of the chin-tuck maneuver on the movements of swallowing-related structures in healthy subjects and formulate standard instructions for the maneuver. A total of 40 healthy volunteers (20 men and 20 women) swallowed 10 mL of diluted barium solution in a “normal and comfortable” position (NEUT), a comfortable chin-down position (DOWN), and a strict chin-tuck position (TUCK). Resting state anatomy and kinematic changes were analyzed and compared between postures. Although angles of anterior cervical flexion were comparable between DOWN (46.65 ± 9.69 degrees) and TUCK (43.27 ± 12.20), the chin-to-spine distance was significantly shorter in TUCK than in other positions. Only TUCK showed a significantly shorter anteroposterior diameter of the laryngeal inlet (TUCK vs. NEUT, 14.0 ± 4.3 vs. 16.3 ± 5.0 mm) and the oropharynx (18.8 ± 3.1 vs. 20.5 ± 2.8 mm) at rest. The maximal horizontal displacement of the hyoid bone was significantly less in TUCK (9.6 ± 3.0 mm) than in NEUT (12.6 ± 2.6 mm; p

Although coordination and timing of swallowing have often been investigated by using discrete timing events such as the onset, peak, and duration of specific motions, the sequence and duration of swallowing events cannot represent the coordination of the swallowing mechanism quantitatively. This study aimed to apply a cross-correlation analysis of the motions of the hyolaryngeal structures during swallowing as an objective method for measuring the coordination and timing of the motions. Forty healthy subjects swallowed 2 and 5 ml of diluted barium solution (35 %) and 5 ml of curd yogurt under videofluoroscopy. Hyolaryngeal motions in videofluoroscopic images were digitized using the motion analysis system. The time series of the horizontal and vertical hyoid motion, the laryngeal elevation, and the angle of the epiglottic tilt were analyzed using cross-correlation at each 1/60-s time lag. The results showed high and consistent cross-correlations between hyolaryngeal motions during swallowing in most of the subjects regardless of age and bolus type. The horizontal hyoid motion and laryngeal elevation were more strongly correlated with the epiglottic tilt than the vertical hyoid motion, which might suggest the mechanism of the epiglottic tilt during swallowing. The bolus volume and viscosity affected the correlation coefficients and time lags between the hyolaryngeal motions, particularly those related to the epiglottic tilt. The results suggest that cross-correlation analysis may be used for measuring the coordination and timing of swallowing. Further studies using cross-correlation analysis of additional physiological factors related to swallowing or pathological conditions are warranted.

Previous studies of the effects of body fat on bone mineral density (BMD) have shown conflicting results depending on the age, sex, and menopausal status of the subjects. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of body fat on BMD using data from the Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which was conducted in 2010. Our data were drawn from a relevant population within the survey's range of participants, yielding a total of 4,138 subjects aged 20-93 years (1,133 men

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of repeated sessions of electrical stimulation therapy (EST) on the neck muscles with respect to the stimulation site by using quantitative kinematic analysis of videofluoroscopic swallowing studies (VFSS) in dysphagia patients with acquired brain injury. We analyzed 50 patients in a tertiary hospital who were randomly assigned into two different treatment groups. One group received EST on the suprahyoid muscle only (SM), and the other group received stimulation with one pair of electrodes on the suprahyoid muscle and the other pair on the infrahyoid muscle (SI). All patients received 10-15 sessions of EST over 2-3 weeks. The VFSS was carried out before and after the treatment. Temporal and spatial parameters of the hyoid excursion and laryngeal elevation during swallowing were analyzed by two-dimensional motion analysis. The SM group (n = 25) revealed a significant increase in maximal anterior hyoid excursion distance (mean ± SEM = 1.56 ± 0.52 mm, p = 0.008) and velocity (8.76 ± 3.42 mm/s, p = 0.017), but there was no significant increase laryngeal elevation. The SI group (n = 25), however, showed a significant increase in maximal superior excursion distance (2.09 ± 0.78 mm, p = 0.013) and maximal absolute excursion distance (2.20 ± 0.82 mm, p = 0.013) of laryngeal elevation, but no significant increase in hyoid excursion. There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to changes in maximal anterior hyoid excursion distance (p = 0.130) and velocity (p = 0.254), and maximal distance of superior laryngeal elevation (p = 0.525). EST on the suprahyoid muscle induced an increase in anterior hyoid excursion, and infrahyoid stimulation caused an increase in superior laryngeal elevation. Hyolaryngeal structural movements were increased in different aspects according to the stimulation sites. Targeted electrical stimulation based on pathophysiology is necessary.

Experimental studies and clinical trials designed to help patients recover from various brain injuries, such as stroke or trauma, have been attempted. Rehabilitation has shown reliable, positive clinical outcome in patients with various brain injuries. Transplantation of exogenous neural stem cells (NSCs) to repair the injured brain is a potential tool to help patient recovery. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of a combination therapy consisting of rehabilitation and NSC transplantation compared to using only one modality. A model of motor cortex resection in rats was used to create brain injury in order to obtain consistent and prolonged functional deficits. The therapeutic results were evaluated using three methods during an 8-week period with a behavioral test, motor-evoked potential (MEP) measurement, and measurement of the degree of endogenous NSC production. All three treatment groups showed the effects of treatment in the behavioral test, although the NSC transplantation alone group (CN) exhibited slightly worse results than the rehabilitation alone group (CR) or the combination therapy group (CNR). The latency on MEP was shortened to a similar extent in all three groups compared to the untreated group (CO). However, the enhancement of endogenous NSC proliferation was dramatically reduced in the CN group compared not only to the CR and CNR groups but also to the CO group. The CR and CNR groups seemed to prolong the duration of endogenous NSC proliferation compared to the untreated group. A combination of rehabilitation and NSC transplantation appears to induce treatment outcomes that are similar to rehabilitation alone. Further studies are needed to evaluate the electrophysiological outcome of recovery and the possible effect of prolonging endogenous NSC proliferation in response to NSC transplantation and rehabilitation.

This study evaluated the effects of a three-dimensional (3D) imaging system on laparoscopy performance compared with the conventional 2D system using a novel one-camera 3D system. In this study, 21 novices and 6 experienced surgeons performed two tasks with 2D and 3D systems in 4 consecutive days. Performance time and error as well as subjective parameters such as depth perception and visual discomforts were assessed in each session. Electromyography was used to evaluate the usage of muscles. The 3D system provided significantly greater depth perception than the 2D system. The errors during the two tasks were significantly lower with 3D system in novice group, but performance time was not different between the 2D and 3D systems. The novices had more dizziness with the 3D system in first 2 days. However, the severity of dizziness was minimal (less than 2 of 10) and overcome with the passage of time. About 54% of the novices and 80% of the experienced surgeons preferred the 3D system. Electromyography (EMG) showed a tendency toward less usage of the right arm and more usage of the left arm with the 3D system. The new 3D imaging system increased the accuracy of laparoscopy performance, with greater depth perception and only minimal dizziness. The authors expect that the 3D laparoscopic system could provide good depth perception and accuracy in surgery.

Dear Editor, We report a man who experienced a cauda equina syndrome secondary to intrathecal (IT) injection of colistimethate sodium (colistin) for the treatment of postneurosurgical meningitis with multi-drug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii. The patient missed opportune diagnosis due partly to the complexity of clinical circumstances and partly to the lack of previous reports of a cauda equina syndrome as a direct neurological complication of IT colistin.