S336 Peripheral Nerve Disease other than Immunological Mediated a question on neck pain, was applied on a group of 40 patients (23 females and 17 males), mean age 36.2 years. Symptoms reported by the whiplash group were compared with those of a control group of 50 (27 females and 23 males), mean age 36.5 years. The patients scored significantly higher than the controls on all symptoms listed in the RPCQ. The most frequent symptoms repotted by the whiplash group were neck pain, headache, “taking longer to think”, poor concentration, forgetfulness, and fatigue. In the patients these symptoms occurred 2.4 times more frequently than in the controls. However, the average grading of severity in the whiplash cases was generally even greater, with mean total RPCQ being 4.6, for headache 4.2 and for neck pain 3.6 times higher in the patients than in the control group. We conclude that the RPCQ may serve as a useful checklist to quantify symptoms after common whiplash. n neuralgia 5-46-08 Stereotactic trigeminal nucleotomy for postherpetic F. Piedimonte, L. Bonamico, J. Salvat, R. Leiguarda. Neurosurgical and Neurological Department, Racil Car-ma institute for Neurolcgical Research, FLENI, Buenos Aires, Argentina Ophthalmic Herpes Zoster is frequently the onset of a very painful facial dyses- thetic syndrome, known as postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), pain usually char- acterized by hipoesthesia or anesthesia at the affected site, accompanied by allodynia, hyperpathia and hyperalgesia as well, commonly does not re- spond to medical treatment based on specific drugs such as carbamazepine, amitriptyline and baclofen among others which makes it a highly invalidating situation for the patient. Neurophysiological studies have shown that abnormal functioning of the second order neurons of the nucleus caudalis, affected by Herpes Zoster, is the neuropathological cause of the severe pain suffered in postherpetic neuralgia. Thus all peripheral procedures would only increase deafferentation, without diminishing pain. We report a patient with postherpetic neuralgia, one year from onset re- sistant to all medication who underwent stereotactic bulbomedullar trigeminal nucleotomy (TN) that relieved dysesthesia and reduced pain 70% without per- manent morbility. Usefulness of TN as a logical treatment for facial dysesthetic pain is discussed as well as possible anatomofunctional mechanism. 5-46-09 Compartment botulinum toxin injectons for entrapment syndromes due to muscle compression Mauro Porta, Alessio Perretti, Massimo Gamba. fain Centre, Dept. of Neurology; Poficlinico San Marco, ZingonWBergamo, kaly Botulinum neurotoxin type A is today of widespread use for treatment of focal dystonias (1). Recent studies have reported usefulness of the toxin in myofascial pain (2). In this work, 32 Patients with painful syndrome due to nerve/plexus en- trapment (Anterior Scalenus. lleopsoas and Piriformis Syndromes) have been studied to evaluate safety and efficacy of compartment botulinum toxin injec- tion. Of the 32 patients evaluated, 29 presented pelvic grindle pain (Piriformis and lleopsoas Syndromes), 3 scapular grfndle pain (Anterior Scalenus Syndrome). Treatment evaluation included overall response and side effects. At first patients underwent to local anesthetic injection as diagnostic test for botulinum toxin response. This test has been considered positive when there was relief/dramatic improvement of pain. The following day, botulinum toxin injection was performed. Authors used purified Botulinum NeuroToxin type A (Botox Allergan, Inc. Irvine, CA). After the procedure a rehabilitation program was established to stretch interested muscles in order to prevent reappearance of pain. 22 Patients showed good relief, 6 fairly good; 2 patient didn’t improve. No side effect was observed. This retrospective review shows the interest in using the compartment ap- proach to influence and reduce chronic pain in Piriformis Syndrome, lleopsoas Syndrome and Anterior Scalenus Syndrome. Authors emphasize also the im- portance of a following patient-adjusted physical therapy. [l] Jankovic J and Brin MF. Therapeutic uses of botulinum toxin. New Engl J Med 1991; 324: 1166-1194. [2] Cheshire WP, Abashian SW and Mann D. Botulinum toxin in the treatment of myofascial pain syndrome. Pain 1994; 59(l): 65-69. 5-46-l 0 SI cortex of the rat receives A@, A& and C-fiber-mediated information about noxious stimuli C. Vahle-Hinz, M. Siemers, B. Bromm. /nsfiWte of Physiolog)! Universify Hospital Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany Brief (2 ms) infrared laser pulses (2-10 brn) activate A- and C-fibers in the most superficial layers of the skin and induce a sharp, pinprick-like as well as a burning sensation. We studied the properties of laser-evoked responses of different latencies in the areas of fore- and hindpaw representation in the primary somatosensory (SI) cortex of the rat. The animals were anesthetized with isoflurane and artificially respired with physiological parameters kept in normal ranges. Intracottical recordings were made with 3 M NaCl pipettes. The receptive fields of the neurons in SI cortex were characterized with non-noxious mechanical stimulation of fur and skin. Evoked responses were elicited with laser pulses (interstimulus interval 5 s, 100 trials averaged) and electrical stimuli (10 ms duration, 50 trials averaged) applied to the ipsi- and contralateral paws. Laser stimulation evoked a first response in the contralateral SI cortex with onset latency of 9 ms (6-11 ms) and peak latency of 17 ms (14-22 ms), indicating activation of Ag-primary afferent fibers. The off-time varied greatly (mean 36 ms, range 264I ms) and the flank included a second peak with a latency of 24 ms. This second peak may be evoked by activation of A&fibers. A third peak was present at 120 ms with a mean duration of 70 ms, this may be mediated by activation of primary afferent C-fibers. The results indicate that information about noxious events affecting the skin is mediated by A- and C-fibers via a multisynaptic pathway to the same area of the contralateral SI cortex of the rat. 5-46-l 1 Biomechanic factors in pathogenesis of the vertebrogenic pain E. Vitols, D. Araja, I. Zundane. Department of Neurologyr Medical Academy of Lafvia, Riga, Latvia The role of parameters of dynamic and static loading of human vertebrae and intervertebral discs in pathogenesis of the vertebrogenic pain was investigated. Experimental series of dynamic loading of 1200 vertebrae, discs and motion segments were perfoned for evaluation of initial destruction signs in various parts of the vertebral column. The critical destruction levels for velocity and energy parameters were estimated. These data were compared wide calcu- lated analogues in 100 patients with vertebrogenic pain in cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions caused by dynamic or static overloading. It was proposed that painful dorsopathies could be originated by long lasting structural deformation of vertebral elements. This type of initial deformation can not be revealed by x-ray examination. 5-46-l 2 Blood pressure changes during gasser ganglion microcompression on the trigeminal neuralgia L. Zulueta, J. Piedra, L. Ochoa, G. Lopez. Neumsurgica/ Service. lntemacional Center of Neurological Restoration, Havana City, Cuba The percutaneous microcompression of the Trigeminal Ganglion is a therapeu- tic alternative in the trigeminal neuralgia, inducing high levels in blood pressure during transoperative and other risks of cardiovascular complications. The surgical technique is described in brief. In our study we used atropine as pre- medication. Orotracheal general anesthesia was administered to all patients, and hydralazine for the control of blood pressure. We report the results of blood pressure observed during this study. 48 Peripheral Nerve Disease other than Immunological Mediated 5-48-01 A new variant of Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy? T.E. Poloni, F. Imbesi, E. Alfonsi, S. Botti ‘, F. Savoldi, F. Taroni I, M. Ceroni. Dept Neuroscience Foundation IRCCS C. Mondino, Pavia, /ta/v; ’ Neurological institute C. Besta, Milano, /ta/y CMT2C is an axonal variant of Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy (CMT) in which vocal cord and diaphragm involvement has been described. Autonomic neuropathy has never been repotted in any CMT variants. A 66-year-old man arrived to our attention with a 44-year history of recurrent pressure palsies