Artikel
Head and neck manifestations of Myasthenia gravis – our experience
Suche in Medline nach
Autoren
Veröffentlicht: | 30. März 2016 |
---|
Gliederung
Text
The aim of our poster is to present several cases of Myasthenia gravis (MG) patients with head and neck manifestations including ocular ptosis, laryngeal paresis, dysphagia and velopharyngeal insufficiency.
Materials and methods: These MG patients were referred to our clinic in 2015 for evaluation on the account of their complaints. Among the used methods were full neurological and ENT examinations, CT scan of neck and mediastinum (one had untrearted thymoma), fibrolaryngoscopy, serological testing for AChR antibodies.
Discussion/conclusion: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a relatively rare autoimmune disorder in which antibodies form against acetylcholine nicotinic postsynaptic receptors at the neuromuscular junction of skeletal muscles. The usual initial complaint is a specific muscle weakness that progresses to the more severe generalized form in most patients, producing severe muscular deterioration. As far as the head and neck region is concerned, most common is extraocular muscle weakness or ptosis ; weakness of the facial muscles is almost always present. Laryngeal involvement manifests with flaccid paresis and dysphonia. Patients can also have dysphagia, hypernasality, and velopharyngeal insufficiency.
MG treatment includes medical therapy – anticholinesterase agents, immunosuppresive agents- and surgical thymectomy if a tymoma is present. Our patients were treated with corticosteroids with significant improvement, one of them was referred for surgical treatment.
Although rare, MG should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of the neurological disorders of the head and neck region and it has to be distinguished from cranial nerve neuropathies and other infectious and non-infectious diseases that cause dysphonia, dysphagia, etc.
Der Erstautor gibt keinen Interessenkonflikt an.