Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency is unlikely to be a direct trigger of multiple sclerosis
Abstract Background Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency, a vascular pathology affecting the veins draining the central nervous system can accompany multiple sclerosis and is suspected to be involved in its pathogenesis. Objective This study was aimed at exploring a potential role for chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency in triggering multiple sclerosis. If it were venous abnormalities responsible for neurological pathology, one should expect negative correlation, i.e. more severe vascular lesions in the patients with early onset of multiple sclerosis. Methods Localization and degree of venous blockages in 350 multiple sclerosis patients were assessed using catheter venography. …
Internal jugular vein entrapment in a multiple sclerosis patient.
We describe a multiple sclerosis patient presenting with compression of the internal jugular vein caused by aberrant omohyoid muscle. Previously this patient underwent balloon angioplasty of the same internal jugular vein. Ten months after this endovascular procedure, Doppler sonography revealed totally collapsed middle part of the treated vein with no outflow detected. Still, the vein widened and the flow was restored when the patient’s mouth opened. Thus, the abnormality was likely to be caused by muscular compression. Surgical exploration confirmed that an atypical omohyoid muscle was squeezing the vein. Consequently, pathological muscle was transected. Sonographic control three weeks af…
Administration of low molecular weight heparins for prolonging the survival of patients with cancer
Thromboembolism represents one of the most common causes of mortality and morbidity in cancer patients, and thromboembolic events occur more often in patients with biologically more aggressive malignant disease. Therefore, low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) are routinely administered to cancer patients. Importantly, in addition to the prophylactic activity against thromboembolism, LMWHs seem to decrease mortality in these patients. Improved clinical prognosis is independent of the antithrombotic efficacy, since vitamin K antagonists do not improve patient survival, and non-anticoagulant heparins exhibit a similar anti-cancer effect. This protective effect is primarily related to the prev…