Abstract: Background: Copper deficiency can lead to a severe myelopathy and cytopenia. The myelopathy can lead to inability to walk by paresis and deafferentation. The anemia can as well be severe with the need for blood transfusions. Beside innate reasons it occurs years after surgeries of the intestine and following disturbed resorption. It can also occur due to excessive intake of zinc that binds copper. An early diagnosis following copper substitution can lead to restitution. It can clinically be mistaken for a vitamin B12 deficiency. This circumstance can lead to a delayed treatment. Case: A 67 years old woman with severe gait disturbances, sensory ataxia was admitted to our hospital. She had the diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency. B12 was elevated and metabolites were in normal range. The electrophysiology showed a deafferentation of the legs. Objective: This case report provides detailed information about the course of diagnosis and the treatment of a severe copper deficiency with symptomatic myelopathy and cytopenia in an elderly woman. Methods: We performed a literature research with keywords “spinal cord disease, gait disturbances, elevated lactate in cerebrospinal fluid, anemia”. We did blood tests and CSF on a regular basis combined with clinical assessments and electrophysiology. Results: Serum copper was not detectable. CSF copper was reduced (8.7 µg/l, Ref.: 14.2-109 µg/l), CSF lactate was elevated (4.69 mmol/l, Ref.: 1.1-2.4 mmol/l). The patient had a cytopenia (Hb 6.6 g/dl, Ref.: 12-16 g/dl, MCV 130 fl, Ref.: 80-96 fl, leucocytes 2.3 103, Ref.: 4.3-10 103/µl). Vitamin B12 amounted to 891 pg/ml (Ref.: 191-663 pg/ml). The somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) study showed absent cortical responses after stimulation of the sural nerves bilaterally. Due to the diagnosis of a myelopathy and bone marrow dysfunction due to copper deficiency we substituted copper-histidine subcutaneously. This led to a marked improvement of symptoms, an increase of serum copper levels (141 µg/l), CSF copper levels (14.1 µg/l), hemoglobin (11.9 g/dl), leukocyte count (11.4 103/µl) and a normalization of CSF lactate. Conclusion: Elevated CSF lactate might be an indicator for treatable myelopathy due to copper deficiency in patients with afferent gait disturbances. A timely substitution can lead to a marked improvement of even severe symptoms.Abstract: Background: Copper deficiency can lead to a severe myelopathy and cytopenia. The myelopathy can lead to inability to walk by paresis and deafferentation. The anemia can as well be severe with the need for blood transfusions. Beside innate reasons it occurs years after surgeries of the intestine and following disturbed resorption. It can also occur ...Show More
Abstract: Background: The surgical treatment of epilepsy is widely recognised by neurosurgeons as the most effective method for treating patients with drug-resistant forms of the disease. Objective: To analyse the results of surgical treatments in patients with epileptic seizures, depending on the applied methods of surgery. Methods: A comprehensive clinical examination of the surgical treatments of 112 patients with various forms of drug-resistant epilepsy was carried out. Results: Hemispherectomy was performed in three patients with positive outcomes. Hippocampectomy was performed for four patients. In two patients, the seizures became medically controlled. In the other two cases, the intervals between seizures were longer and seizures tended to occur at night. Extratemporal resection of the epileptogenic focus was performed in 86 patients, 72% percent of whom became seizure-free. Six patients underwent callosotomy, five of whom were then seizure free. One patient’s seizures resumed after 8 months, this case was also drug-resistant. Thirty two patients underwent multiple subpial transection and were followed-up for approximately 5 years. Excellent results were obtained in 20 (62.5%) patients with seizures ceasing. Conclusions: The results of the study showed sufficient efficiency of the applied methods of surgical treatment for various forms of epilepsy.Abstract: Background: The surgical treatment of epilepsy is widely recognised by neurosurgeons as the most effective method for treating patients with drug-resistant forms of the disease. Objective: To analyse the results of surgical treatments in patients with epileptic seizures, depending on the applied methods of surgery. Methods: A comprehensive clinical...Show More
