Medical Information Center

Achalasia is a rare disorder of the smooth muscles of the esophagus, the muscular tube that carries food from the mouth into the stomach. Normally, the food moves through the esophagus by coordinated contractions of the smooth muscle, known as peristaltic waves.

Between the esophagus and the stomach is a special muscle called the esophageal sphincter (LES). The muscle around the esophagus to keep it closed and prevent food and acid reflux into the esophagus from the stomach. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 23% [?]

Prevention

The City can not be prevented. However, through genetic testing, people with Ashkenazi heritage can be discovered if they are carriers of the gene mutated IKBKAP before starting a family. A geneticist can explain to a couple’s risk of having a child with FD.

In addition, there are a few medical centers in the investigation of the FD where you can conduct special studies for the disease. These centers are located in the Northeastern United States and Israel. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 8% [?]

Diagnosis

Your doctor may suspect FD based on the child’s symptoms, his/her family, Ashkenazi family descent and results of medical examination of the child.

Typical problems that your doctor may find during an exam include bright and smooth tongue, decreased reflex response when hitting a tendon and no flow of tears to mourn. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 18% [?]

Symptoms usually begin during childhood and worsen with age. These symptoms may include:

- weak suck with difficulty swallowing
- frequent gagging and choking
- constant vomiting
- poor weight gain
- frequent lung infection caused by food and stomach juices that enter the lungs when the child is choking or vomiting Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 16% [?]

Familial dysautonomia (FD), also called Riley-Day syndrome is an inherited disease that affects the nervous system. People born with FD have few nerve fibers to carry the sensations throughout the body. For this reason, these people have trouble feeling pain, fever, skin pressure and position of the arms and legs nor can feel completely comfortable.

They also have abnormally low levels of natural chemicals called noradrenaline one that helps transmit messages between nerve cells.

In addition, people born with FD have difficulty regulating body functions, a condition called dysautonomia. These functions are performed by the autonomic nervous system, the network of nerves that controls functions “automatic” such as breathing and sweating. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 22% [?]

Treatment

As soon as hyperthermia is suspected, doctors must act quickly to treat the condition and prevent complications. The first and most important step is to immediately stop the delivery of anesthesia which triggers also suspend the surgery.

The physicians then provide the drug dantrolene (Dantrium), which relaxes the muscles and stops the dangerous increase of muscle metabolism.

Dantrolene was initially given intravenously (into a vein). Once stabilized the patient, may be continued with the medication in tablet for three days. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 11% [?]

Duration

If the doctor suspects a malignant hyperthermia and begin treatment immediately, the symptoms should disappear within 12 to 24 hours.

However, if severe reaction develops before I started treatment, there may be complications such as kidney or respiratory failure. Such complications may be improving with the passage of days or weeks, however some may be permanent damage. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 6% [?]

Most people with malignant hyperthermia are not diagnosed with the disease until they have a severe reaction after general anesthesia. Doctors usually suspect this condition if a patient develops any of the typical symptoms, including high fever or muscle stiffness.

Blood tests show changes in body chemistry, such as changes in electrolytes, which can give doctors an indication that muscle metabolism is increasing. Blood tests that show signs of renal (kidney) may also provide a signal. If malignant hyperthermia is not recognized and treated promptly, the patient’s heart could be stopped (cardiac arrest) during surgery. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 7% [?]