Neurología : publicación oficial de la Sociedad Española de Neurología
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Besides Babinski's, Lhermitte's sign is likely the eponym mostly used in the neurological literature. We review here the history of this eponym as well as recent advances on its pathophysiology and treatment. Lhermitte's phenomenon is, on one hand, a symptom as it is spontaneously explained by patients, and, on the other hand, a sign as it may be triggered by flexion of the nape. ⋯ All authors agree that this phenomenon is more common in multiple sclerosis, although it has been descibed in many other conditions. The history of how this sign was hatched, whose pathophysiology remains a mystery, is fascinating. And it is fascinating the fact that patients compare the phenomenon with a current, especially if we bear in mind that few people may have suffered an electrocution, mainly in that time when just a few ones could actually enjoy domestic electricity.
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Review Case Reports
[Cerebral infarction due to spontaneous dissection of the left common carotid artery].
Spontaneous dissection of the extracranial cervicocephalic arteries occurs most often in the internal carotid artery or vertebral artery. Spontaneous dissection of a common carotid artery is rare, with only nine cases having been reported. ⋯ The most common causes of dissection of the common carotid artery are the extension of an aortic dissection and the complication in an angiogram with direct puncture; spontaneous dissection being very rare. We review the previous literature on this topic.
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Earlier designs of hydrocephalus valves, focusing on a reduction of the problem of overdrainage, were proved to be insufficiently. Since the middle of the 90's hydrostatic valve, constructions are available, which should solve this problem. The objective of the study was to evaluate, whether these gravitational shunts would indeed reduce the percentage of overdrainage in shunted patients. ⋯ Gravitational shunts seem to decrease the overdrainage linked to the treatment of chronic hydrocephalus in shunted patients, therefore its use should be standardised when treatment chronic hydrocephalus.