What does tabes dorsalis mean?
Tabes dorsalis is a form of neurosyphilis, which is a complication of late stage syphilis infection. Syphilis is a bacterial infection that is spread sexually. When syphilis is untreated, the bacteria damages the spinal cord and peripheral nervous tissue. This leads to the symptoms of tabes dorsalis.
What is tabes dorsalis and what causes it?
What are Charcot joint?
Neuropathic arthropathy (Charcot joint) can be defined as bone and joint changes that occur secondary to loss of sensation and is most often associated with diabetes, syphilis, syringomyelia, spina bifida, traumatic spinal cord injury, and leprosy.
What is the pathophysiology of tabes dorsalis?
The pathogenesis of tabes dorsalis follows the pattern of syphilis elsewhere: a perivascular inflammatory response against the treponeme along with gummas (caseous necrosis in granulomata). Some studies support the invasion of the large myelinated nerve fibers by Treponema pallidum and subsequent neuronal degeneration.
What is the definition of tabes?
Definition of tabes : wasting accompanying a chronic disease.
Where is the lesion in tabes dorsalis?
Tabes dorsalis (TD) (caused by Treponema pallidum) is now a rare disorder in the western world (Conde-Sendin et al., 2004; Timmermann and Carr, 2004). TD affects primarily the posterior columns and sensory roots of the spinal cord, causing large-fiber sensory loss.
Is tabes dorsalis bilateral?
In 90% of patients, the pupils are bilaterally small and fail to constrict further in response to light, but they do respond normally to accommodation (i.e., Argyll Robertson pupils). The onset of tabes dorsalis is usually first noticed 20 to 30 years after the initial infection.
What causes Charcot joint?
Any condition that causes sensory or autonomic neuropathy can lead to a Charcot joint. Charcot arthropathy occurs as a complication of diabetes, syphilis, chronic alcoholism, leprosy, meningomyelocele, spinal cord injury, syringomyelia, renal dialysis, and congenital insensitivity to pain.
What is Charcot shoulder?
Topic. Neuropathic (charcot) shoulder is a chronic and progressive joint disease most commonly caused by syringomyelia leading to the destruction of the shoulder joint and surrounding structures.
What does the term emaciation mean?
Definition of emaciated : very thin and feeble especially from lack of nutrition or illness He was deadly pale and terribly emaciated, with the protruding, brilliant eyes of a man whose spirit was greater than his strength.—
What is joint disorder?
A joint is where two or more bones come together, like the knee, hip, elbow, or shoulder. Joints can be damaged by many types of injuries or diseases, including: Arthritis – inflammation of a joint. It causes pain, stiffness, and swelling. Over time, the joint can become severely damaged.