[Stiff man syndrome]. / Stiff-man-Syndrom.

Our 51-year old patient developed low back pain and an increase of tonus mainly in the left limb and trunk muscles. Microscopic examination of the muscles and electronmicroscopic examination of the sural nerve and that of the gastronemic muscle did not show any specific deviation. On the basis of spontaneous activity observed during EMG examination, protracted motor activity of great amplitude when moved passively, as well as characteristic clinical symptoms and the disease process Stiff-man syndrome was diagnosed. Considering literature data, we tried applying diazepam (Seduxen and Rivotril)-presumably increasing the praesynaptic inhibition and affecting the reticular system of the brain stem-, as well as GABA medicaments (Lioresal and Depakine) increasing synaptic transport. By giving Seduxen, Rivotril and Baclofen simultaneously a lasting remission of symptoms could be reached. Applying Depakine in combination with the above medicines proved ineffective, presumably because of synergetic side effects.

[Evaluation of lymphography in neurologic complications of neoplastic diseases (author's transl)]. / Die Bedeutung der Lymphographie bei neurologischen Komplikationen onkologischer Erkrankungen

1. By lymphographic examination, first of all, the primary and secondary tumours of the lymphatic system may be revealed and localized. Further on, it makes possible to state the stage of the disease and thus to apply the appropriate treatment. 2. In case of symptoms indicating that nerve-roots of unknown origin have been damaged, the result of lymphographic examination may call the attention to pathomechanism related to some tumour-disease. If the symptoms of the nervous system are caused by compression or infiltration of a tumour, most frequently the presence of pathologic lymph nodes in their surroundings can be revealed. 3. Among the patients of the National Oncological Institute, in 25 Hodgkin and 2 cases pathologic filling of the lymphatic system was observed by lymphographic examination, -- in 4 cases in the surroundings affected by the damage of the spinal cord while in 23 cases in that of nerve-root. If a tumour disease is discovered and localized in time by lymphographic examination, the symptoms caused by it in the nervous system may be reduced, or, seldom, even alleviated, with a treatment of directed irradation combined with cytostatics. The favourable effect on alleviating pains is to be especially emphasised.