Acute adrenal insufficiency is a rare complication of the primary antiphospholipid syndrome. We report a case of melanoderma of rapid onset revealing an addisonian crisis associated with primary antiphospholipid syndrome, which was associated with life-threatening hypercalcemia. Melanoderma does not belong to the clinical presentation of acute adrenal insufficiency. Its very rapid onset in our patient is probably due to her very high level of serum ACTH, in relation with her recent abortion.

Study design: Radiographic analysis of sagittal spinal alignment of paraplegics in a standing position under surface neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES). Objectives: Describing the radiographic parameters of the sagittal spinal alignment of paraplegics going through a rehabilitation program with NMES. Setting: The University Hospital's Ambulatory (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: Panoramic X-ray images in profile were taken for 10 paraplegics. All patients participated in the rehabilitation program and were able to perform gait through NMES of the femoral quadriceps muscles. The radiographic parameters used for the analysis were the same as those described in the literature for healthy people. The results were didactically organized into three groups: anatomical shape of the spine, morphology and kinetics of the pelvis and spinopelvic alignment. Results: The physiological curvature of the spine in paraplegics showed average values similar to those described in the literature for healthy patients. The inversion of the pelvic tilt and the increase in the sacral slope were defined by the anterior backward rotation of the pelvis. The existing theoretical mathematical formulas that define lumbar lordosis, pelvic incidence and pelvic tilt showed normal values, despite the anterior intense sagittal imbalance. Conclusions: The adaptive posture of the spine in paraplegics standing through the stimulation of the femoral quadriceps does not allow for a neutral sagittal alignment. This novel radiographic detailed description of the various segments of the spine can be of assistance toward the understanding of the global postural control for such subjects.

Study designExperimental trial based on the analytical study of the radiographic standards of the sagittal spinal alignment in paraplegics in upright position under surface Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES).ObjectivesTo evaluate changes in radiographic standards of the sagittal spinal alignment of paraplegics under three different models of NMES used to optimize the global bipedal posture.SettingThe University Hospital Ambulatory (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, BrazilMethodsTen paraplegic patients were selected. Each patient underwent three different models of NMES. The influence that each NMES models exerted over the sagittal balance of the spine was evaluated by lateral panoramic x-rays. Wilcoxon’s Test was used to compare the modifications observed in each NMES model in the group studied.ResultsUsing the femoral quadriceps muscles’ NMES as the starting point, the inclusion of the gluteus maximus’ NMES generated an increase of the lumbar lordosis and an decrease of the spinal tilt angle. These alterations resulted in partial improvement of the anterior sagittal imbalance. NMES of the paralyzed paravertebral lumbar muscles resulted in a more expressive increase on the lumbar lordosis with no important change on the spinal tilt. On the latter model, however, an improvement of 20% was observed in the global sagittal imbalance due to a posterior translation of the spine as pointed out by the decrease in the C7-HA horizontal distance.ConclusionsThe proposed NMES models were able to partially amend the anterior sagittal imbalance of the paraplegic patients in bipedal posture.

Background:The Gorham–Stout syndrome (GSS), also known as phantom bone disease, is a rare bone condition of unknown etiology. Involvement of the spine is described in <50 cases in the literature. Here, we report a case of thoracic spine fracture dislocation in a young female who was known to have GSS.Case Description:A 23-year-old female developed a left spontaneous hemothorax 10 years previously along with left ribs lytic lessions. Pleural and rib biopsies diagnosed angiomatosis and the clinical diagnosis of GSS was established. Following a minor trauma, she presented with a Frankel B deficit attributed to a T3-T4 fracture dislocation with severe spinal cord compression. The patient underwent halo traction with CT. Following reduction, decompression and C5 to T8 with instrumented fusion (posterior only), she neurologically improved to Frankel D, 2 years postoperatively.Conclusion:Although GSS is a rare condition in the spine, it may lead to gross instability and catastrophic vertebral fracture/dislocation with paraparesis. Acute spinal cord decompression with stabilization may be warranted to achieve neurological improvement.

OBJECTIVE: the Classification proposed by Landim for lumbar spine stenosis could be a method of diagnostic standardization once, on the literature, there are no studies that standardize the use of a classification which allows the comparison of results. It is necessary the evaluation of intra and interobservers' reproducibility for such system as to validate it for this matter. METHODS: pre-operative image exam of lumbosacral column of 11 patients diagnosed with symptomatic lumbar stenosis were selected. The criteria for selection were image exams with good quality and diverse etiologies. The age group ranged from 15 to 87 years and included both sexes. The studied samples were followed at the Ambulatory of Spine Column of the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology of the Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade de Campinas (Unicamp), city of Campinas, state of São Paulo, Brazil. Twelve spine surgeons classified the 11 sample exams according to Landim's Classification in two different moments with a time interval of 3 weeks. The intra and interobservers' statistical analysis used were the Wilcoxon and the Alpha of Cronbach Tests, respectively. Significant results were considered as P<0.05. RESULTS: the analysis of the addition of the first and second classifications from the 11 cases appraised by 12 spine surgeons with a time interval of 3 weeks, resulted in percentual accordance among intra and interobserver of 65% and 83% for global classification; 80% and 91% for "segment"; 86% and 95% for "type"; 85% and 82% for "area", respectively. The intraobserver reproducibility was 79% and interobserver, 88%. CONCLUSION: the proposed Classification of Landim has an easy applicability and may become a possible mean to standardize information with good levels of reproducibility and confidence intra and interobservers for more consistent future conclusions related to the pathology of lumbar stenosis.