Myasthenia gravis: study of 153 patients

Abstract

Twenty four cavernous sinuses from tufted capuchin monkey (Cebus apella) were studied throughout gross anatomy, stereoscopic and microscopic serial analysis. The results could show us that the cavernous sinus in monkeys is similar to the other primates, including man. Its pattern is the same as the venous channels located between the dura mater layers. It is attached by trabeculae in the intracavernous portion of the internal carotid artery. Its lateral wall is formed by two layers of connective tissue. The deep layer is continuous with the oculomotor, troclear and ophthalmic sheath nerves. The abducent nerve runs almost all the time between the internal carotid artery and the cranial nerves placed on the lateral wall. Their trabeculae are ensheated by endothelium that divides the sinus in superior, lateral and medial venous spaces in relation to the internal carotid artery. There are communications among them in the intercavernous sinus named anterior, inferior and posterior sinus. The internal carotid artery presents a foreward ascendent retiform course until the anterior segment when it bents abruptly toward the roof of the cavernous sinus. Bundles of the nerve fibers in the trabeculae are greater in number between the internal carotid artery and the abducent nerve. These trabeculae exhibit perikaryon of neurons near the lateral wall and between the abducent and ophthalmic nerves.KEY WORDS: dura-mater, cavernous sinus, cranial nerves, internal carotid artery, Cebus apella. EDUARDO CARLOS DA SILVA** A hundred patients underwent microscopic removal of unilateral lumbar herniated disc in a single level. * Contribuição ao estudo anatômico do seio cavernoso do macaco-prego, Cebus apella (ResumoThe results were: good in 86%, regular in 12% and bad in 2%. Hospital staying after surgery was: 77% just for one day; 12% for two days, 10% for three days and 1% for four days.Selected patients after lumbar herniated disc microsurgery performed by a skillful surgeon may show positive results such as: short hospital staying: a day or less, minor complications, early walking and quick returning to daily activities.

Myasthenia gravis in Ceará, Brazil: clinical and epidemiological aspects

“…Accordingly, we found a single modal age of onset of 41 years for males and 16 years for females. These data are similar to those reported by Cunha et al who found a single peak age of onset in males between 20 and 35 years old (44.8%) and in females between 15 and 30 years old (45.2%) 5 . Christensen et al found a greater incidence in men older than 40 years, but demonstrated a bimodal pattern with one peak consisting of females at child-bearing age and a second peak of older women 19 .…”

“…Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a potentially serious but treatable autoimmune disease affecting the neuromuscular junction, whose main clinical feature is fluctuating weakness and fatigability of the voluntary muscles [1][2][3][4][5] . The weakness tends to increase over the day or with continued activity, and the condition improves with rest or after the administration of anticholinesterase drugs 4,6 .…”

Clinical profile of patients with myasthenia gravis followed at the University Hospital, Federal University of Minas Gerais

“…[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30] Ocular symptoms were the first symptoms described by most MG patients; however, they were not considered the main problem with the disease progression. Bulbar symptoms were considered the most disabling, which is in agreement with some studies.…”

“…[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] These heterogeneous results may be partly explained by methodological differences and biological factors. [17][18][19][20][21][22][23] There is, for instance, hormonal and/ or environmental influence on disease development.…”

“…Conversely, a few Brazilian case series have been reported, describing clinical and sociodemographic features of patients followed at specialized clinics. [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30] The aim of the current study was to determine the clinical profile of patients with MG under treatment at the Neuromuscular Diseases Clinic of the University Hospital, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), com-paring it with other series to draw a picture of the MG in Brazil.…”