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Thymus Gland

February 23, 2010 By 1 Comment

The thymus gland lies in the upper chest area beneath the sternum or breastbone , plays an important role in the development of the immune system in early life. Its cells form a part of the body’s normal immune system. The gland is somewhat large in infants, grows gradually until puberty, and then gets smaller and is replaced by fat with age.

Thymus is involved in immune system development.

Hematopoietic precursors from the bone-marrow, referred to as thymocytes, mature into T-cells. Once mature, T-cells emigrate from the thymus and constitute the peripheral T-cells.

The stock of T-lymphocytes is built up in early life, so the function of the thymus is diminished in adults. It is largely degenerated in elderly adults and is barely identifiable, consisting mostly of fatty tissue, but it continues to function as an endocrine gland important in stimulating the immune system.

Abnormalities of Thymus

Immunodeficiency

Any congenital defect in thymic genesis or a defect in thymocyte development can lead to a profound T cell primary immunodeficiencis like Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Syndrome,  DiGeorge Syndrome .

Abnormalities of thymus are also found in  autoimmune diseases like myasthenia gravis.

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Myasthenia Gravis

February 23, 2010 By 5 Comments

The term myasthenia gravis has Latin and Greek  origin. It  literally means “grave muscle weakness.”

It  is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease that results in by varying degrees of weakness of the skeletal  muscles of the body.

This weakness increases during periods of activity and improves after periods of rest. Certain muscles such as those that control eye and eyelid movement, facial expression, chewing, talking, and swallowing are often, but not always, involved in the disorder. The muscles that control breathing and neck and limb movements may also be affected.

Myasthenia gravis occurs in all ethnic groups and both genders. It most commonly affects young adult (under 40) and older (over 60), but it can occur at any age. In former case there is female preponderance and in later case it is more common in males.

In children other types of myasthenia gravis are also found.

The disease  is more common in families with other autoimmune diseases. A familial predisposition is found in 5% of the cases.

Thyroid disorders may be seen in as many as 10% of patients with myasthenia gravis, and symptoms of hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism  may be present. [Read more...]

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Thrombocytosis

February 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Thrombocyte is another name for platelets and thrombocytes are important blood cells that help in clotting of the blood. An variation in number of platelets may occur in various diseases.

Thrombocytosis implies an increase in platelet count that threatens homeostasis and warrants investigation.

In a healthy individual, a normal platelet count ranges from 150,000 and 450,000 per mm³ (or microlitre) (150–450 x 109/L). The counts over 750,000 (and especially over a million) are considered serious enough to warrant investigation and intervention.

High platelet levels do not necessarily signal any clinical problems, and are picked up on a routine full blood count.

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Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

February 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Failed back surgery syndrome [FBSS, or failed back syndrome] is a vague term used to describe the condition of patients who did not get a successful result with back surgery and have experience continued pain.

A spine surgery in lumber region  is mainly done for two causes

  • To decompress a nerve root
  • To stabilize a painful joint.

Failed back surgery syndrome is a group of disorders with persistent or recurrent symptoms following spinal surgery with hallmarks of back pain, sciatica and functional impairment. The severity of failed back surgery is often sufficiently great to cause a change in the job. [Read more...]

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Xray of Comminuted Fracture of Upper End of Humerus

February 19, 2010 By 4 Comments

Following xray is of 67 years old man who fell in bathroom. He presented in the out patient department three days after the injury with complaint of pain and swelling in the upper part of the arm. There was substantial bruising on the arm and swelling was noted.

The xray revealed comminuted fracture of upper end of humerus.

The patient was advised closed reduction and internal fixation using an interlock nail but patient refused for surgery.

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Thermography

February 16, 2010 By 1 Comment

Thermography is a diagnostic technique for measuring blood flow by determining the variations in heat emitted from the body.

A thermogram  shows an altered blood supply to the painful area, appearing as a different shade  than the surrounding areas of the corresponding part on the other side of the body.

A difference of 1.0°C between two symmetrical body parts is considered significant, especially if a large number of asymmetrical skin temperature sites are present.

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Erythromelalgia

February 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Erythromelalgia [acromelalgia, Mitchell's disease, red neuralgia, or erythermalgia] is a rare neurovascular peripheral nerve disorder in which blood vessels, usually in the lower extremities are episodically blocked and inflamed.

This is associated with severe burning pain and skin redness associated with this blood vessel blockage.

The attacks are periodical and are commonly triggered by heat, pressure, mild activity, exertion, insomnia and stress.

Erythromelalgia can occur either as a primary or secondary disorder.

Primary erythromelalgia is caused by mutation of the voltage-gated sodium channel and is more common in males than females.

Secondary erythromelalgia may be associated with- [Read more...]

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Sympathetic Ganglia

February 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Sympathetic ganglia are the ganglion of the sympathetic nervous system. They deliver information to the body about stress and impending danger, and are responsible for the familiar fight-or-flight response.

They contain approximately 20000–30000 nerve cell bodies and are located close to and on either side of the spinal cord in long chains. Sympathetic ganglia are the tissue from which neuroblastoma tumours arise.

The bilaterally symmetric sympathetic chain ganglia, also called the paravertebral ganglia, are located just ventral and lateral to the spinal cord. The chain extends from the upper neck down to the coccyx, forming the unpaired coccygeal ganglion.

Preganglionic nerves from the spinal cord synapse end at one of the chain ganglia and the postganglionic fibre extends to an effector, typically a visceral organ in the thoracic cavity.

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Sympathectomy

February 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Sympathectomy is a surgical procedure that destroys nerves in the sympathetic nervous system. This surgical procedure cuts or destroys the sympathetic ganglia, collections of nerve cell bodies in clusters along the thoracic or lumbar spinal cord.

Sympathectomy can be done either by a surgical procedure under general or local anaesthesia. It may also be treated with a percutaneous radiofrequency technique. In this technique, the surgeon locates the ganglia by a combination of x ray and electrical stimulation. The ganglia are destroyed by applying radio waves through electrodes on the skin.

Laser beams can also be used to destroy the ganglia.

Depending upon the ganglion involved the sympathectomy is called cervical, thoraccic or lumbar

The procedure is done to increase blood flow and or decrease long-term pain in certain diseases that cause narrowed blood vessels. It can also be used to decrease excessive sweating.

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Biofeedback

February 13, 2010 By 1 Comment

Biofeedback is a process that involves measuring a subject’s specific and quantifiable bodily functions such as the activity of brain waves, blood pressure, heart rate, skin temperature, sweat gland activity, and muscle tension. This information is conveyed to the patient in real-time.

This raises the patient’s awareness and therefore the possibility of conscious control of those functions. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: A-D, Definitions Tagged With: , ,
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