Idiopathic toe walking and sensory processing dysfunction

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>It is generally understood that toe walking involves the absence or limitation of heel strike in the contact phase of the gait cycle. Toe walking has been identified as a symptom of disease processes, trauma and/or neurogenic influences. When there is no obvious cause of the gait pattern, a diagnosis of idiopathic toe walking (ITW) is made. Although there has been limited research into the pathophysiology of ITW, there has been an increasing number of contemporary texts and practitioner debates proposing that this gait pattern is linked to a sensory processing dysfunction (SPD). The purpose of this paper is to examine the literature and provide a summary of what is known about the relationship between toe walking and SPD.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>Forty-nine articles were reviewed, predominantly sourced from peer reviewed journals. Five contemporary texts were also reviewed. The literature styles consisted of author opinion pieces, letters to the editor, clinical trials, case studies, classification studies, poster/conference abstracts and narrative literature reviews. Literature was assessed and graded according to level of evidence.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Only one small prospective, descriptive study without control has been conducted in relation to idiopathic toe walking and sensory processing. A cross-sectional study into the prevalence of idiopathic toe walking proposed sensory processing as being a reason for the difference. A proposed link between ITW and sensory processing was found within four contemporary texts and one conference abstract.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Based on the limited conclusive evidence available, the relationship between ITW and sensory processing has not been confirmed. Given the limited number and types of studies together with the growing body of anecdotal evidence it is proposed that further investigation of this relationship would be advantageous.</p

Tratamento da escoliose em crianças com paralisia cerebral utilizando a prótese vertical expansível de titânio para costela (VEPTR) Tratamiento de la escoliosis en niños con parálisis cerebral mediante la prótesis vertical expansible de titanio para las costillas (VEPTR) Treatment of scoliosis in children with cerebral palsy using the vertical expandable prosthetic titanium rib (VEPTR)

OBJETIVO: Avaliar o uso da prótese vertical expansível de titânio (VEPTR) como opção de tratamento inicial da escoliose em crianças de baixa idade portadoras de paralisia cerebral. MÉTODOS: Foram avaliados 10 pacientes portadores de paralisia cerebral (PC) tratados com VEPTR pelo grupo de escoliose da AACD de São Paulo. Caracterizavam-se por imaturidade esquelética e escoliose progressiva; sem deformidade grave no plano sagital. Realizamos avaliação da curva pelo método de Cobb no pré e pós-operatório e após dois anos de seguimento. RESULTADOS: A correção obtida com o uso do VEPTR no pós-operatório imediato foi em média de 41,4% nas radiografias iniciais sem tração (p = 0,005) e 9,1% (p = 0,055) nas radiografias com tração. Após quatro meses de pós-operatório mantiveram-se ganhos de 27,2% com relação ao início. Houve correção da obliquidade pélvica de 10,2º no pré-operatório para 5,4º em média (p = 0,007). As complicações ocorreram em seis pacientes (60%) e em apenas um paciente foi necessária a retirada do VEPTR. CONCLUSÃO: O VEPTR é um método que obteve correção significativa no tratamento provisório das escolioses na PC, apesar de frequentes complicações de baixa morbidade.<br>OBJETIVO: Evaluar el uso de la prótesis vertical expansible de titanio (VEPTR) como opción de tratamiento inicial para la escoliosis en niños pequeños con parálisis cerebral. MÉTODOS: 10 pacientes con parálisis cerebral (PC) fueron evaluados y tratados con VEPTR por el grupo de escoliosis de la AACD en Sao Paulo. Caracterizados por escoliosis progresiva inmadurez esquelética, sin deformidad grave en el plano sagital. Se evaluó la curva por el método de Cobb en el preoperatorio, posoperatorio, y después de dos años de seguimiento. RESULTADOS: LA CORRECCIón, obtenida con el uso de VEPTR en el posoperatorio inmediato, fue en promedio 41,4% en relación a las radiografías iniciales sin tracción (p = 0,005) y 9,1% (p = 0,055) en comparación a las radiografías con tracción. Después de cuatro meses de la intervención fueron mantenidas mejorías de o 27,2% con respecto a las iniciales. Hubo una corrección de la oblicuidad pélvica de 10,2 º en el preoperatorio para 5,4 º en promedio (p = 0,007). Las complicaciones ocurrieron en seis pacientes (60%), y sólo uno de ellos necesitó retirada de VEPTR. CONCLUSIÓN: El VEPTR es un método que ha obtenido corrección significativa en el tratamiento temporal de la escoliosis en el PC, pesar de las complicaciones frecuentes con una baja morbilidad.<br>OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of vertical expandable prosthetic titanium rib (VEPTR) as an option for initial treatment of scoliosis in younger children with cerebral palsy. METHODS: We evaluated 10 patients with cerebral palsy (CP) treated with VEPTR by the group of scoliosis of the AACD in Sao Paulo. The characteristics of the subjects were progressive scoliosis and skeletal immaturity without severe deformity in the sagittal plane. We evaluated the curve by the Cobb method pre-and postoperatively and after two years of follow up. RESULTS: The correction achieved with the use of VEPTR in the immediate postoperative period was on average 41.4% on initial radiographs without traction (p=0.005) and 9.1% (p=0.055) in the traction radiographs. Four months after surgery the gains of 27.2% were maintained compared to the baseline. There was a correction of pelvic obliquity from 10.2º preoperatively to 5.4º on average (p=0.007). Complications occurred in six patients (60%), and only one patient required removal of the VEPTR. CONCLUSION: The VEPTR is a method that has obtained significant correction in the temporary treatment of Scoliosis in PC, despite frequent complications with low morbidity

Cutaneous Granulomatosis: a Comprehensive Review

Cutaneous granulomatosis is a heterogeneous group of diseases, characterized by a skin inflammatory reaction triggered by a wide variety of stimuli, including infections, foreign bodies, malignancy, metabolites, and chemicals. From a pathogenic point of view, they are divided into non-infectious and infectious granulomas. Pathophysiological mechanisms are still poorly understood. Non-infectious granulomatous skin diseases include granuloma annulare, necrobiosis lipoidica, rheumatic nodules, foreign body granulomas, cutaneous sarcoidosis, and interstitial granulomatous dermatitis. Necrobiosis lipoidica is more frequent in diabetic patients. Infectious granulomas of the skin are caused by mycobacteria, in particular Mycobacterium tuberculosis or atypical mycobacteria; parasites, such as Leishmania; or fungi. Pathogenic mechanisms of M. tuberculosis-related granuloma are discussed. From a clinical point of view, it is useful to divide cutaneous granulomatosis into localized and more disseminated forms, although this distinction can be sometimes artificial. Three types of localized granulomatous lesions can be distinguished: palisaded granulomas (granuloma annulare, necrobiosis lipoidica, and rheumatoid nodules), foreign body granulomas, and infectious granulomas, which are generally associated with localized infections. Disseminated cutaneous granulomas can be divided into infectious, in particular tuberculosis, and non-infectious forms, among which sarcoidosis and interstitial granulomatous dermatitis. From a histological point of view, the common denominator is the presence of a granulomatous inflammatory infiltrate in the dermis and/or hypodermis; this infiltrate is mainly composed of macrophages grouped into nodules having a nodular, palisaded or interstitial architecture. Finally, we propose which diagnostic procedure should be performed when facing a patient with a suspected cutaneous granulomatosis