[Odontoid fracture after high impact trauma : Assess instability correctly]. / Densfraktur nach Hochrasanztrauma : Instabilität richtig einschätzen.

Odontoid process fractures are frequent injuries of the cervical spine and usually occur at an advanced age and often due to minor trauma. In younger patients they are mainly observed in the context of high impact trauma. Odontoid fractures are classified according to Anderson and D'Alonzo. In rare cases the fracture results in cervical myelopathy, which can be life-threatening.In this article, two cases of patients with odontoid fractures and traumatic myelopathy are presented. The first case concerns a type III fracture, the second a type II fracture. In both cases the instability present was incorrectly assessed on the basis of the anatomical position in the initial computed tomography (CT). In the further course both cases showed considerable instability, which led to fatal spinal cord injuries.The purpose of this case report is to draw attention to the possible presence of spinal cord injuries in supposedly trivial odontoid fractures when high speed trauma has occurred. In particular, spinal cord compression should be considered in patients requiring resuscitation without having an internal medical cause. If the patient with a bone injury on CT, e.g. cannot be adequately assessed clinically by intubation, the indications for magnetic resonance imaging must be generously considered. This is the only way to ensure early detection of a myelopathy and timely treatment.

Limits on diffuse fluxes of high energy extraterrestrial neutrinos with the AMANDA-B10 detector.

Data from the AMANDA-B10 detector taken during the austral winter of 1997 have been searched for a diffuse flux of high energy extraterrestrial muon neutrinos. This search yielded no excess events above those expected from background atmospheric neutrinos, leading to upper limits on the extraterrestrial neutrino flux measured at the earth. For an assumed E-2 spectrum, a 90% classical confidence level upper limit has been placed at a level E2Phi(E)=8.4 x 10(-7) cm(-2) s(-1) sr(-1) GeV (for a predominant neutrino energy range 6-1000 TeV), which is the most restrictive bound placed by any neutrino detector. Some specific predicted model spectra are excluded. Interpreting these limits in terms of the flux from a cosmological distributions of sources requires the incorporation of neutrino oscillations, typically weakening the limits by a factor of 2.

Palmar basal cell carcinoma: case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Although basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common tumor of the skin, its occurrence on the palm is very rare. Only eight cases not associated with the basal cell nevus syndrome having been reported in the world literature so far. Among these eight cases, one was associated with epidermolysis bullosa dystrophica and another with previous trauma to the site of the appearance of the lesion. OBJECTIVE: The authors report a case of palmar BCC due to its rare occurrence on that site. The case is not associated with any predisposing factors such as basal cell nevus syndrome, trauma, or preexistent dermatosis. METHODS: An incisional biopsy was performed into the border of the palmar ulcer. The histopathologic findings of the fragment, stained by hematoxylin and eosin, were characteristic of BCC. RESULTS: Following surgical removal of the lesion, there was complete healing and the patient has presented no signs of relapse after 3 years of clinical follow-up. CONCLUSION: Palmar BCC not associated with the basal cell nevus syndrome or any other predisposing condition is very rare. Nevertheless, when facing an ulcerated lesion on the palm, BCC should be considered as a diagnostic possibility.

[Micrographic surgery. A current methodological assessment]. / Mikrographische Chirurgie. Eine methodische Bestandsaufnahme.

Micrographic surgery is one of the most effective methods in the treatment of basal cell carcinoma. In the last 20 years this method has been further developed and modified. Three kinds of micrographic surgery are now available: the Mohs method, the margin strip method ("Tübingen torte") and the "Munich" method. All three variants have the same goal; radical tumour removal with optimal sparing of surrounding tumour-free tissue. They differ, however, in the technique of tumour excision, the preparation of the histological specimens and the interpretation of the slides. In this paper the authors take stock of the methods available and describe the differences, advantages and disadvantages.