Electrophysiologic studies in tarsal tunnel syndrome. Diagnostic reliability of motor distal latency, mixed nerve and sensory nerve conduction studies.

The tarsal tunnel syndrome (TTS) is an entrapment of the posterior tibial nerve at the ankle, which, like carpal tunnel syndrome, improves with surgery but needs an instrumental diagnosis to exclude other diseases. This study was performed to evaluate the diagnostic value of nerve conduction tests proposed for the diagnosis of TTS. Of the 13 patients who were investigated 12 had secondary unilateral and 1 idiopathic bilateral TTS. One or more neurophysiologic parameters were abnormal in all cases. The diagnostic value of each neurophysiologic parameter was calculated by comparing conduction on the affected side with conduction on the healthy side of each patient with TTS. The accuracies of the sensory nerve action potential and mixed nerve action potential, both after stimulation of the plantar nerves, were almost the same, with sensory nerve action potentials more sensitive and less specific and mixed nerve action potentials less sensitive and more specific. Because from the clinical point of view we must be more afraid of false-positive results, the mixed nerve action potential is recommended for presurgical diagnosis of TTS. Coexistence of mixed nerve and sensory nerve action potential abnormalities, especially if asymmetric, are highly indicative of TTS.

[Initial experiences in the treatment of psoriasis with pulsating magnetic fields]. / Prime esperienze di trattamento della psoriasi mediante campi magnetici pulsanti.

The ability of a pulsed magnetic field to achieve regression in psoriasis was investigated in 110 patients. The best results were obtained in the scalp hair region (100% good results), patches in the classic sites (73,7% good results) in males, and in guttate forms (75% good results) in females. Persons in the 2nd, 5th and 6th decades of life showed the best response to this treatment, while longstanding forms responded better than those of more recent origin. The treatment seemed to be particularly successful when commenced in march-april (80% good results). No side-effects worthy of note were observed. It is felt that the field employed has a systemic effect.