RESUMEN
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine whether the alar fascia is a distinct layer of the deep cervical neck fasciae. The present study also aimed to elucidate the anatomical limits of this fascia. METHODS: Neck dissections of ten adult cadavers were performed, layer by layer, in the retropharyngeal region, under a powered operating microscope. Detailed dissections revealed the anatomical limits of the deep neck fasciae. Histological descriptions were also performed on large tissue samples collected from three cervical dissections. RESULTS: In the ten dissections, three layers of fascia were identified and dissected in the retropharyngeal region: a visceral fascia, a prevertebral fascia and an alar fascia. The alar fascia appeared like a connecting band derivative of the visceral fascia, between both vascular sheaths. It fused completely with the visceral fascia anteriorly at the level of T2 and with the prevertebral fascia posteriorly at the level of C1. No sagittal connection between the visceral fascia and the prevertebral fascia was identified. The stained histological sections confirmed the presence of the visceral and prevertebral fasciae at the oropharyngeal level, with a third intermediate layer closely connected with the visceral fascia. CONCLUSION: The alar fascia is a layer of the cervical neck fascia connected with the visceral fascia from C1 to T2 levels. The anatomical limits of this alar fascia and its relationships with the internal carotid artery are important in the surgical management and the prognosis of deep neck infections and retropharyngeal lymph node metastases.
Asunto(s)
Fascia/anatomía & histología , Cuello/anatomía & histología , Adulto , Cadáver , Arteria Carótida Interna/anatomía & histología , Femenino , Humanos , Ganglios Linfáticos/anatomía & histología , Masculino , Cuello/cirugía , Disección del CuelloRESUMEN
Hormonal changes during the reproductive cycle are thought to account for the variation in migraine occurrence and intensity. Although the majority of women and the specialists treating them do not consider migraine as a component of the climacteric syndrome, many women, in fact, do experience migraine during perimenopause. If a woman already suffers from migraine, the attacks often worsen during menopausal transition. Initial onset of the condition during this period is relatively rare. Women with the premenstrual syndrome (PMS) prior to entering menopause are more likely to experience, during late menopausal transition, an increased prevalence of migraine attacks. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can be initiated during the late premenopausal phase and the first years of postmenopause to relieve climacteric symptoms. The effect of HRT on migraine, either as a secondary effect of the therapy or as a preventive measure against perimenopausal migraine, has been variously investigated. HRT preparations should be administered continuously, without intervals, to prevent sudden estrogen deprivation and the migraine attacks that will ensue. Wide varieties of formulations, both systemic and topical, are available. Treatment with transdermal patches and estradiol-based gels is preferable to oral formulations as they maintain constant blood hormone levels. Natural menopause is associated with a lower incidence of migraine as compared with surgical menopause; data on the role of hysterectomy alone or associated with ovariectomy in changing the occurrence of migraine are till now unclear.
Asunto(s)
Trastornos Migrañosos/etiología , Perimenopausia/fisiología , Síndrome Premenstrual/complicaciones , Femenino , HumanosRESUMEN
Acupuncture has been proven to be effective in the treatment of various cardiovascular disorders; it acts both on the peripheral flow and on the cerebral flow. Our study aimed to evaluate the effects of the insertion of PC 6 Neiguan and LR 3 Taichong acupoints on the cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the middle cerebral artery (MCA). These effects were measured in a group of patients suffering from migraine without aura (Group M) and in a healthy control group (Group C). In the study, we included 16 patients suffering from migraine without aura, classified according to the criteria of the International Headache Society, and 14 healthy subjects as a control group. The subjects took part in the study on two different days, and on each day, the effect of a single acupoint was evaluated. Transcranial Doppler was used to measure the blood flow velocity (BFV) in the MCA. Our study showed that the stimulation of PC 6 Neiguan in both groups results in a significant and longlasting reduction in the average BFV in the MCA. After pricking LR 3 Taichong, instead, the average BFV undergoes a very sudden and marked increase; subsequently, it decreases and tends to stabilize at a slightly higher level compared with the baseline, recorded before needle insertion. Our data seem to suggest that these two acupoints have very different effects on CBF. The insertion of PC 6 Neiguan probably triggers a vasodilation in MCA, while the pricking of LR 3 Taichong determines a rapid and marked vasoconstriction.