Resultado a largo plazo en lesión de plexo lumbar / Long-term results in lumbar plexus injury

Las fracturas del sacro y del anillo pélvico son causa de lesión del plexo lumbosacro. El hematoma resultante tras la fractura o la propia fractura ocasionan daño de las estructuras nerviosas a nivel retroperitoneal. Tradicionalmente, este tipo de lesiones nerviosas han sido tratadas de forma conservadora, con un resultado final insatisfactorio en muchos casos por déficit parcial o total de la función de la extremidad inferior. Presentamos el caso de un varón de 37 años de edad que en enero de 2009 sufre un accidente de moto con traumatismo abdominal, fractura inestable de pelvis e importante hematoma retroperitoneal. El paciente tenía pérdida de función del nervio femoral y del obturador, así como de la musculatura dependiente del nervio ciáticopoplíteo externo. A los 8 meses se realiza exploración nerviosa del plexo lumbar, llevándose a cabo neurolisis del mismo. A los 5 años, el paciente ha recuperado la función de la musculatura del cuádriceps, que con una férula antiequino del pie le permite llevar una vida independiente y mantener su puesto de trabajo (AU)

Pelvic and sacral fractures are a potentially cause oflumbosacral plexus injury. Haematoma resulting due tobone fracture or bone disruption itself can compromise the nerves at the retroperitoneal level. Traditionally, neurological injuries have been treated conservatively, resulting in a motor function deficit in the lower limb. We present the case of a 37 year old man with pelvic and sacral fractures in a motorcycle accident. He suffered from a palsy of the femoral nerve, obturator nerve and peroneal nerve. Eight months later he underwent surgery performing neurolysis of the lumbar plexus. After 5 year she experienced quadriceps innervations, and with the assistance of a foot-drop splint, the patient ambulates well and is able to work in the same job he had before (AU)

Spinal cord injury immediately decreases anesthetic requirements in rats.

STUDY DESIGN: Pharmacologically blocking the spinal cord produces sedative effects and reduces anesthesia requirements in patients and animals. Whether spinal cord injury also reduces anesthesia requirements remains unclear. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data from urethane-anesthetized rats (15) to assess anesthesia requirements immediately after complete thoracic transection of the spinal cord. The depth of anesthesia was monitored up to 12 h after spinal transection by the reflexes to noxious stimuli and by electrophysiological recordings from the infragranular layers of the primary somatosensory cortex. Whenever animals displayed electrophysiological and/or behavioral signs of activation, we delivered an additional dose of anesthesia. Anesthetic requirements in animals receiving spinal transection (n=11) were compared with control animals receiving 'sham' lesion (n=9). RESULTS: The cumulative dose necessary to maintain a stable level of anesthesia was significantly lower in transected animals compared with control animals. By about 7 h after spinal cord injury, on average the cumulative dose of urethane was only 1.13±0.14 of the original dose, compared with 1.64±0.19 of the original dose in control animals. CONCLUSIONS: Spinal transection immediately decreased anesthetic requirements in rats. To establish whether these results are relevant for patients with spinal cord injury will require further investigation.