Paralysis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Paralysis, including details on treatment, diagnosis, facial paralysis, sleep paralysis.

Effects of long-term denervation on the rat thyroarytenoid muscle.

Miyamaru S, Kumai Y, Ito T, Yumoto E

Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kumamoto University, Honjo, Kumamoto, Japan. 053r5172@med.stud.kumamoto-u.ac.jp

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To determine the effects of long-term denervation on the rat thyroarytenoid (TA) muscle and neuromuscular junctions. STUDY DESIGN: A quantitative histologic assessment of the TA muscle after long-term denervation. METHODS: Thirty Wistar rats were euthanized 10, 18, 26, 42, and 58 weeks after left recurrent laryngeal nerve resection. The areas of the entire muscle and individual muscle fibers were evaluated using hematoxylin-eosin staining, and neuromuscular junctions were detected by immunohistochemistry. Changes after denervation were evaluated by comparing the treated (T) and untreated (U) sides (T/U ratio). The ratio of the number of nerve terminals (NTs) to that of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) (NT/AChR ratio) was also assessed. RESULTS: The average T/U ratio for the entire muscle area of the denervation groups ranged between 61.1% and 72.5% and did not differ significantly. Similarly, the T/U ratios for the individual muscle fiber area ranged between 45.0% and 51.9%, and the differences were not significant. The T/U ratio of AChRs at 58 weeks (35.3 +/- 20.2%) was significantly lower than that at 10 weeks (76.3 +/- 9.0%; P < .01). The NT/AChR ratios ranged between 30.3% and 35.6% and did not differ significantly among the denervation groups. CONCLUSIONS: The entire TA muscle area, individual muscle fiber area, and NT/AChR ratio did not decrease with long-term denervation. Thus, the TA muscle may retain an ability to receive regenerating nerve axons. However, the ability of the TA muscle to receive nerve axons may deteriorate after an excessively long denervation period because the T/U ratio of AChRs decreased with long-term denervation.

Published 2 July 2008 in Laryngoscope, 118(7): 1318-23.
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Articles on Paralysis published 2 July 2008:

The natural history of idiopathic unilateral vocal fold paralysis: evidence and problems.   Laryngoscope, 118(7): 1303-7.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To identify clinical evidence regarding outcome and duration of unilateral idiopathic vocal fold paralysis (IVFP). STUDY DESIGN: Literature review. METHODS: Medline search using the terms "vocal fold paralysis," "laryngeal paralysis," "vagal paralysis," and "recurrent nerve paralysis" was performed. Results were cross-checked by substituting "palsy" and "paresis" in place of "paralysis," ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Optimization of autologous muscle stem cell survival in the denervated hemilarynx.   Laryngoscope, 118(7): 1308-12.

OBJECTIVE: Current treatments for vocal fold paralysis are suboptimal in that they fail to restore dynamic function. Autologous muscle stem cell (MSC) therapy is a promising potential therapy for vocal fold paralysis in that it can attenuate denervation-induced muscle atrophy and provide a vehicle for delivery of neurotrophic factors, thereby potentially selectively guiding reinnervation. The goal of this project was to characterize optimal conditions for injected autologous MSC survival in the ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Paralysis published 13 June 2008:

The mechanism of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury during thyroid surgery--the application of intraoperative neuromonitoring.   Surgery, 143(6): 743-9.

BACKGROUND: Identification of recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) has decreased the rates of permanent RLN palsy during thyroid operations; however, unexpected RLN palsy still occurs, even though the visual integrity was assured and most nerve injuries were not recognized intraoperatively. The aim of this study is to determine the causes of RLN palsy and to identify potentially reversible causes of RLN injury during the operation with the application of intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM). ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Paralysis published 10 June 2008:

Progressive supranuclear palsy with wall-eyed bilateral internuclear ophthalmoplegia syndrome.   Arch Neurol, 65(6): 827-9.

BACKGROUND: Walleyed bilateral internuclear ophthalmoplegia (WEBINO) syndrome has mainly been reported in patients with cerebrovascular diseases and multiple sclerosis, but has never been described in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. OBJECTIVE: To describe a patient with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) who presented with WEBINO syndrome. DESIGN: Case report and review of literature. SETTING: A university hospital. PATIENT: A 72-year-old man began to display akinesia, freezing of ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Paralysis published 6 June 2008:

Acute aortic dissection with painless paraplegia: report of 2 cases.   Am J Emerg Med, 26(5): 631.e3-5.

Acute aortic dissection is often a life-threatening event that usually presents as a sudden, severe, exquisitely painful, ripping sensation in the chest or back. There are a few reports of atypical findings or no pain in the literature. We report 2 patients with painless acute aortic dissection who presented to the emergency department (ED) with sudden onset paraplegia. [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Paralysis published 3 June 2008:

Toward shortening interoperation period in two-stage cross facial nerve graft with muscle transfer.   Ann Plast Surg, 60(6): 639-43.

Cross facial nerve graft with free muscle transfer is a well-accepted method to deal with the long-standing facial paralysis, which is usually carried out in 2 separate operations including the nerve graft in first operation followed by a muscle transfer 10 to 12 months later. However, delayed rehabilitation of the nerve graft because of its long length leads to considerable interval between first and second operations. Nine patients with long-standing unilateral facial paralysis underwent ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Paralysis published 28 May 2008:

Surgical treatment of delayed epilepsy in hemiconvulsion-hemiplegia-epilepsy syndrome.   Neurology, 70(22): 2116-22.

OBJECTIVE: Hemiconvulsion-hemiplegia-epilepsy (HHE) syndrome is an uncommon consequence of prolonged febrile convulsive seizures in infancy and early childhood. Delayed epilepsy in HHE syndrome is frequently intractable to medical treatment. The present study evaluated the role and prognosis of surgical treatment in patients with delayed epilepsy of HHE syndrome. METHODS: We included 26 consecutive patients who were diagnosed with HHE syndrome and underwent surgical treatment for delayed ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Paralysis published 20 May 2008:

Long-term results of Artecoll injection laryngoplasty for patients with unilateral vocal fold motion impairment: safety and clinical efficacy.   Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 134(5): 490-6.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the long-term clinical efficacy and safety of injections of Artecoll, a soft-tissue filler consisting of a suspension of polymethyl methacrylate microspheres in a 3.5% solution of bovine collagen, into a vocal fold for managing glottal insufficiency secondary to unilateral vocal fold motion impairment. DESIGN: Single-institution retrospective study. SETTING: A single tertiary care teaching hospital of Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine. PATIENTS: Ninety-six ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

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