The intercosto-brachial anastomosis in the treatment of cervical roots avulsions: clinical and neurophysiological considerations.

The authors present their surgical and clinical experience about the intercosto-brachial anastomosis for treating traumatic avulsions of the cervical roots. The most interesting aspect in the post-operative course of these patients is their ability to regain a voluntary elbow flexion independently from the respiratory activity. A dynamic SPECT examination in a small series of cases suggests that some mechanisms of functional reorganization within the brain should be involved

Evaluation of beta-endorphin/beta-lipotropin immunoreactivity content in the CSF of patients affected by deafferentation pain syndromes

Beta-endorphin/beta-lipotropin immunoreactivity (BE/BLPH-IR) content was evaluated in the CSF of patients suffering by deafferentation pain syndromes. BE/BLPH-IR CSF concentrations of these patients were compared with those obtained in a group of patients affected by low back pain and in a control group without pain problems. No statistically significant variation in BE/BLPH-IR levels were found between controls and subjects with different types of chronic pain