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Cervical Dystonia

47-year-old female with a 4-year history of cervical dystonia. She has been treated with botulinum toxin injections which were ineffective for her. In the expert's opinion, the success of Botulinum toxin in cervical dystonia depends on a thorough clinical assessment, exact targeting of the chosen muscles, and adequate doses of toxin injected. The expert also suggests additional or alternative treatment strategies: medical treatment by different oral drugs, or deep brain stimulation of the globus pallidus interna.

 

Motor Neuron Disease

71-year-old female developed progressive dysarthria and dysphagia. Her doctor describes her speech difficulty as “Spastic dysarthria with slow and nasal speech" and noticed decreased mobility in the tongue and palate. She underwent multiple investigations and started Rilutek. The differential diagnosis of isolated swallowing and speaking difficulties include: Early motor neuron disease, Cranial neuropathies, Myopathies, Neuromuscular junction disorders and Neurodegenerative movement disorders.

Motor Neuropathy

52-year-old male with a one year history of lower motor neuropathy affecting the limbs, left upper and lower limbs clinically and all 4 limbs electrically. The neurologic examination showed left lower and left upper limb hyposthenia with mainly distal motor clumsiness, appearance of left upper limb hypotrophy and diffuse fasciculations. The patient was diagnosed with “suspect motor neuron disease" and was treated with IVIG cycles with slight initial improvement, but later lack of response and worsening of the clinical condition.

Motor Neuron Disease – another opinion

72-year-old female developed progressive dysarthria and dysphagia. Her doctor describes her speech difficulty as “Spastic dysarthria with slow and nasal speech" and noticed decreased mobility in the tongue and palate. She underwent multiple investigations and started Rilutek. Since there is no biologic marker for ALS, the expert suggests further testing that is focused on trying to rule out other disorders and show diffuse lower motor neuron involvement

Left cervicobrachialgia following cervical discectomy

43-year-old male suffered of cervical disc herniation, and therefore C5-6 and C6-7 discectomy and fusion were done. About one year later he experienced acute sciatica followed by hot pricking sensation in the arm and neck. MRI showed far lateral bulge of L3-4 on the left and small disc bulge on C4-5, and a larger C5-6 disc herniation. Neurological examination disclosed C6-C7 radiculopathy on the left, minimal weakness of biceps and triceps muscles and reduced biceps reflex. EMG and physical examination were consistent with bilateral radiculopathy, attributed to small disc herniation.

Spinal pathology

75-year-old male with multiple complaints related to both his lumbar and cervical spine. He complains of low back pain, cramping and numbness in his thigh muscles, radiating left leg pain to his toes, as well as unsteady gait. He experiences numbness in his shoulders, arms and hands that gets worse over the day. He had a C4-5 fusion and a lumbar procedure at L4-5. The cervical MTI showed degenerative disease worse at C6-7 where there is moderate central and foraminal stenosis.

Stage 4 Neuroblastoma – additional opinion

1.5-year-old male suffered from eye swelling. His MRI revealed expansive lesion of left lateral orbital wall origin, with compression on the lateral rectus muscle. Later he was hospitalized due to fever and vomiting in left orbital lesion, suspecting a metastatic neuroblastoma. His eye examination revealed exophthalmus of the eye with exophoria and light dysfunction of the lateral rectus. His biopsies were indicative of stroma-poor neuroblastoma.

Stage 4 Neuroblastoma

1.5-year-old male suffered from eye swelling. His MRI revealed expansive lesion of left lateral orbital wall origin, with compression on the lateral rectus muscle. Later he was hospitalized due to fever and vomiting in left orbital lesion, suspecting a metastatic neuroblastoma. His eye examination revealed exophthalmus of the eye with exophoria and light dysfunction of the lateral rectus. His biopsies were indicative of stroma-poor neuroblastoma.

Chronic Pain in the Lower Rib Cage – Suspected Intercostal Neurinoma

67-year-old male began to complain of chronic pain in the left lower rib cage. The pain is stitch, ever-present, dull and localized at the level of his left last rib, and became slightly worse in the last 2 years. Recent image findings: MRI - "Ovalish hypoechogenic solid formation, Ultra sound - "Suspected intercostal neurinoma at ribs 10, 11 and 12.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

41 year-old male was recently diagnosed as having multiple sclerosis (MS) after episodes of leg and shoulder weakness and parasthesis. Lately he experiences dizziness. His MRI showed several demyelinating lesions, other ancillary tests showed demyelinating damage to the auditory and visual pathway. Currently he has no functional or sensorial deficiencies. He was offered several immunomodulatory treatment options: Rebif, Betaferon and Copaxone, and asks about their pros, cons and complications, and about the differential diagnosis.

Neuropathic Pain with Neuralgic Features

70-year-old female with a history of diabetes mellitus began experiencing pain in the legs. In the last few months the pain localized in her inner thighs. It is burning in nature, with sudden intense attacks, and is consistent with neuropathic pain with neuralgic features. The expert suggests possible diagnosis, further investigation and symptomatic treatment. In his opinion, it is likely that the cause of the symptoms is peripheral neuropathy or radiculopathy.

Chronic talalgia of undetermined nature

A 58 years old male. 4 years ago the patient was hospitalized due to acute thrombosis of the right femoral-iliac axis. The patient was treated succesfully with locoregional intra-arterial fibrinolytic therapy. A follow-up arteriography, revealed sub-occlusion of the common iliac, occlusion of the right superficial femoral artery in Hunter’s canal. PTA + stent of the iliac was carried out with excellent final angiographic result.

Left Knee Arthralgia

65-year-old female that suffers from pain in the left knee underwent examinations that showed femoral-tibial arthrotic manifestations, external degenerative meniscal tear and moderate joint effusion. A diagnosis of external degenerative meniscal tear was established. Further medical tests showed marked degeneration of the meniscal fibrocartilage, diffuse femoral-tibial arthrotic abnormalities, subchondral cysts and edema of the spongious bone, as well as rarefaction of the cartilage matrix, and manifestations of chondropathy.

Spinal pathology – additional opinion

75-year-old male with multiple complaints related to both his lumbar and cervical spine. He complains of low back pain, cramping and numbness in his thigh muscles, radiating left leg pain to his toes, as well as unsteady gait. He experiences numbness in his shoulders, arms and hands that gets worse over the day. He had a C4-5 fusion and a lumbar procedure at L4-5. The cervical MTI showed degenerative disease worse at C6-7 where there is moderate central and foraminal stenosis.

Psychomotor retardation due to spinal amyotrophy

10 months old, female. After normal birth (at the 40th week of pregnancy) and neonatal period, started to suffer from gastroesophageal reflux and recurrent respiratory infections, at times with broncospasm. In addition, psychomotor retardation was found and the young patient was assessed by a neurologist. The tests run (EMG and genetics for SMA) pointed to the diagnosis of Spinal Amyotrophy.
After hospitalization due to catarrhal bronchitis, the patient was discharged in good general conditions with recomendations for respiratory physiotherapy and neurological rehabilitation.

Motor Neuron Disease – additional opinion

71-year-old female developed progressive dysarthria and dysphagia. She underwent multiple investigations and started Rilutek. Her EMG study does not meet published criteria for the electrophysiologic diagnosis of motor neuron disease. In the expert's opinion, a definite diagnosis is not possible at the present time, and there would be utility in repeating clinical and electrophysiologic testing. The expert also recommends to perform pulmonary function testing.

Multiple Sclerosis_2

21-year-old female with an acute onset of a unilateral sixth cranial nerve deficit. Brain MRI showed at least a dozen white matter lesions, one of them contrast-enhancing. Sensory evoked potentials showed a bilateral increase in latency. Multiple sclerosis was diagnosed, and the patient was treated by corticosteroids, followed by improvement of symptoms. The first follow-up revealed no focal neurological signs with a history of a transitory unilateral lower limb hyposthenia. On the second visit, a horizonto-rotatory nystagmus and irregular paraesthesia in the right toes are documented.

Ischemic Heart Disease

A very physically active 49-year-old male with a history of labile hypertension and hypercholesterolemia with an LDL cholesterol of 126 mg%. He underwent an exercise stress test which revealed reversible inferoseptal ischemia at a peak heart rate of 171 bpm and peak blood pressure of 195/85. In the expert's opinion, the results suggest that the patient has silent myocardial ischemia and may be at risk for sudden cardiac death, especially in light of the marked exertional level of activity.