[Acute hysterectomy for huge submucous leiomyoma prolaps]. / Akutní hysterektomie pro prolaps velkého submukózního myomu do pochvy.

OBJECTIVE: To present a case of huge submucous leiomyoma prolaps to the vagina with severe haemorrhage and its management and to analyse current articles with this rare complication. DESIGN: A case report, review article. SETTING: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics Trinec Hospital. RESULTS: A case report of huge submucous leiomyoma prolaps in 49-year-old woman. The patient presented at our department with sudden onset of profuse vaginal bleeding. The vaginal and utrasound examination was performed with diagnosis of huge submucous leiomyoma obturating upper third of the vagina. The cervix was not palpable, rised up. While manipulating with the leiomyoma the bleeding exceeded. The patient agreed with abdominal hysterectomy without adnexectomy. Then the patinent colapsed and the operation was performed immediately, taking care of changed anatomy--the line between the vaginal wall and the uterus was almost invisible caused by "non-existing cervix" and the uterus was partialy inverted into the vagina. The haemoglobin level failed from 124 g/l to 95 g/l with no need of tranfusion. The patient quickly recovered and was dimised the sixth day after the operation. CONCLUSION: Uterine myomas in their submucous localisation may protrude through the cervix into the vagina and cause rare but very serious complications--profuse vaginal bleeding and non-puerperal inversion of the uterus, and thus need very urgent management.

[Reha-Stepper locomotion therapy in early rehabilitation of paraplegic patients]. / Der Reha-Stepper-Lokomotionstherapie in der Frührehabilitation von Querschnittgelähmten.

Treadmill training with partial body weight support was shown to significantly improve the constitution and gait capacity of incomplete spinal cord injured (SCI) persons. The main requirement for application of this therapy is a sufficient capacity of the cardiovascular system. Most of the SCI patients do not comply with this requirement in the first few weeks after spinal cord injury, where spinal reflexes are frequently missing (spinal shock). To offer SCI patients a locomotion therapy at this early stage of rehabilitation we developed a novel, active tilt-table, the Reha-Stepper, that moves the lower limbs in an almost physiological manner in terms of kinematic and kinetic parameters. The tilt of the device can be continuously increased from horizontal to almost upright position adapted to the status of the patient.

Treadmill training of paraplegic patients using a robotic orthosis.

Recent studies have confirmed that regular treadmill training can improve walking capabilities in incomplete spinal cord-injured subjects. At the beginning of this training the leg movements of the patients have to be assisted by physiotherapists during gait on the moving treadmill. The physical capabilities and the individual experience of the therapists usually limit this training. A driven gait orthosis (DGO) has been developed that can move the legs of a patient in a physiological way on the moving treadmill. The orthosis is adjustable in size so different patients can use it. Actuators at the knee and hip joints are controlled by a position controller. With the DGO the legs of patients with different degrees of paresis and spasticity could be trained for more than half an hour, and physiological gait patterns were obtained.

Kinematic analysis of lumbar and hip motion while rising from a forward, flexed position in patients with and without a history of low back pain.

STUDY DESIGN: This study analyzed two groups of individuals during return to an upright position (extension) from a forward, bent position. Group 1 (n = 12) included individuals with no history of low back pain who were currently asymptomatic, and group 2 (n = 12) included individuals with no history of low back pain. OBJECTIVES: To determine the amount and pattern of lumbar spine and hip motion that occur as an individual rises from a forward, flexed position, to determine if differences exist in this measurement between individuals with and without a history of low back pain, and to determine if hamstring length is related to the pattern of motion. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Reports of interaction between lumbar spine and hip movement vary for forward bending and extension. Differences may be a result of variations in measurement methods, loading conditions, or the pathology present, such as low back pain. METHODS: A three-dimensional optoelectric motion analysis system was used to measure the amount and velocity of lumbar spine and hip motion during extension. Each participant in the study performed three trials of a complete flexion-extension cycle at a self-selected speed. The data for the extension portion of the cycle were averaged and used for statistical analysis. Hamstring length also was determined using two clinical tests, the passive straight-leg raise and the active knee-extension tests. RESULTS: The pattern of movement was described by calculating lumbar to hip extension ratios for each 25% interval of total extension. Individuals with a history of low back pain tended to move from the lumbar spine earlier than those with no history of low back pain, especially in the initial 25% of the extension motion. For all participants, mean lumbar to hip extension ratios were 0.26 for 0-25% of extension, 0.61 for 25-50%, 0.81 for 50-75%, and 2.3 for 75-100%. The lumbar to hip ratios were different in each 25% interval, demonstrating that the hips had a greater contribution to early extension, with the lumbar spine contribution increasing in the middle intervals and becoming the primary source of motion in the final interval. When lumbar to hip extension ratios were compared with corresponding intervals of flexion, three of four were positively correlated to flexion ratios, demonstrating a reversible lumbopelvic rhythm. Although participants with a history of low back pain had significantly tighter hamstrings than participants with no history of low back pain, hamstring length was not correlated with any of the kinematic characteristics during extension. CONCLUSIONS: Participants who were currently asymptomatic but had a history of low back pain moved in a manner similar to that of participants with no history of low back pain except that they demonstrated greater lumbar motion and velocity during the initial phase of extension. This may have been the result of low back pain or a contributing factor in recurrent low back pain.

A community-based learning experience for medical students.

A programme in which medical students are attached to Children's Institutions for one year is described. The students' role embraces a medical and psychosocial component in which students conduct clinics, screening programmes and health education as well as develop relationships with individuals and groups of children. This experiential learning programme enables medical students to obtain an understanding of children's needs and work through their own feelings which are aroused when confronted with children who have been deprived and abused.

Disaster, stress and the doctor.

Man is unable to control for the ever-present potential of disaster. In the past practices and procedures have been developed to minimize physical risk and maximize personal safety. However, there has been little awareness of, or attention to, the stress to those involved in the care-giving process to the victims. Medical care-givers are at the forefront of post-disaster intervention. It is necessary to provide training and support for doctors engaged in post-disaster work, especially with regard to the psychosocial consequences for patients, relatives, and the medical team as a group and as individuals. Pre-disaster preparation is suggested as a situational moderator in the prevention or management of extreme strain in medical and paramedical staff. Specifically, social support in the form of team-building and supervisory support and debriefing, use of personality hardiness concepts in selection and training of staff, and general emergency preparedness should form part of a disaster preparation plan. Medical social workers and psychologists can play an important role as facilitators in disaster preparation. The importance of education and increasing awareness of disaster effects on the health team is emphasized.

[Incidence and clinical symptomatology of coronary heart disease in acquired valvular defects]. / Häufigkeit und klinische Symptomatik der koronaren Herzkrankheit bei erworbenen Herzklappenfehlern.

220 consecutive patients with acquired valvular defects were checked within the preoperative examination by means of heart catheter with regard to significant coronary stenoses. In these cases a relative frequency of typical and atypical angina pectoris troubles of 0.136 and 0.459, respectively, was the result. In contrast to this significant coronary stenoses could relatively infrequently made evident angiographically: 6/220 (= 0.027). In patients with valvular defects angina pectoris cannot be used as the leading symptom of an additionally existing coronary heart disease on account of bad sensitiveness.

[Follow-up studies and special cardiologic diagnosis in patients with suspected heart sarcoidosis]. / Verlaufsbeobachtungen und spezielle kardiologische Diagnostik bei Patienten mit Verdacht auf Herzsarkoidose.

During a retrospective analysis of 1236 patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis who showed electrocardiographic disturbances or cardiomegaly the existence of a possible heart sarcoidosis was suspected. It was tried to confirm this suspected diagnosis in subsequent examinations of these patients by support of modern non-invasive and invasive cardiological methods. Thereby the differential diagnosis to the coronary heart disease is especially difficult in elderly. This problem represents a permanent diagnostic challenge because of the therapeutic chance in case of heart sarcoidosis.

[Value of the vectorcardiogram in the evaluation of right heart hypertrophy in chronic obstructive lung diseases]. / Untersuchungen zur Wertigkeit des Vektorkardiogramms bei der Beurteilung der Rechtsherzhypertrophie bei chronisch-obstruktiven Lungenkrankheiten.

In 41 patients with severe chronic obstructive lung disease vector cardiographic and electrocardiographic results and the level of pulmonary arterial pressure (pap) are compared. We observed a positive correlation between normal results from vector cardiography, electrocardiography, and pulmonary arterial pressure. In cases of hypertrophy of the right heart, type I and type II according the method of Lichtlen, pulmonary arterial hypertension was found in 72% of the cases.