POTTS

What is POTTS?  I have heard it is a syndrome of the intestines.

[MARY ANN]

THIS IS FROM THE TABER'S CYCLOPEDIC MEDICAL DICTIONARY:                                                                     DIFINITION OF:                              POTT'S DISEASE:        CARIES OR OSTEITIS OF THE VERTERBRAE,USUALLY OF TUBERCULOUS ORIGIN;TUBERCULAR INFLAMATION (inflammation) OF THE BODIES OF THE VERTEBRAE THE DISEASE IS PRIMARILY A DISEASE OF CHILDREN AND OF ADULTS UP TO THE AGE OF 40. DESTRUCTION AND COMPRESSION OF AFFECTED VERTEBRAE OFTEN RESULTS IN KYPHOSIS WITH RESULTING COMPRESSION OF SPINAL CORD AND NERVES. OFTEN INFECTION SPREADS TO PARAVERTEBRAL TISSUES GIVING RISE TO PARAVERTEBRAL ABSCESSES .SYN:SPONDYLITIS,TUBERCULOUS.SEE:KYPHOSIS.SYMPTOMS:CHILD WILL COMPLAIN OF PAIN IN REGION SUPPLIED BY THE NERVES ARISING FROM AFFECTED SEGMENT OF THE CORD-IF DISEASE IS LUMBAR,PAINS ARE ABDOMINAL AND APT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH VESICAL ;IF DORSAL,PAINS ARE EPIGASTRIC OR INTERCOSTAL AND RESPIRATION SOMETIMES IRREGULAR AND HURRIED FROM FAILURE OF RESPIRATORY MUSCLES TO TAKE THE FULL SHARE IN THE WORK ;IF CERVICAL ,NEURALGIC PAIN OR NUMBNESS IN HANDS, A TICKING COUGH, AND DIFFICULT SWALLOWING.PAINS APT TO BE SYMMETRICAL.INCREASE OF PAIN ON JUMPING OR ROTATING SPINE IS EXTREMELY SIGNIFICANT . IF CHILD CAN JUMP PAINLESSLY FROM CHAIR TO FLOOR IT IS ALMOST CERTAIN THAT INFLAMMATION OF THE BODY OF A VERTEBRA IS NOT PRESENT.IF VERTEBRAE ARE CROWDED TOGETHER BY PRESSURE ON HEAD OR SHOULDERS WHILE THE PATIENT SITS OR STANDS OR WHILE HE LIES FACE DOWNWARD ACROSS THE KNEES OF THE SURGEON , PAIN IS MUCH INCREASED.IF PATIENT IS PLACED IN TRACTION SO SPINE IS ELONGATED,RELIEF IS OBTAINED .INVOLUNTARY IMMOBILLIZATION OF SPINE ,AS A RESULT OF PAIN ON MOVEMENT ,GIVES A VERY CHARACTERISTIC MLITARY ATTIUDE.IF CHILD IS ASKED TO LOOK AT SOMETHING BEHIND HIM,HE TURNS HIS WHOLE TRUNK.IF REQUESTED TO PICK UP SOMETHING FROM THE FLOOR ,HE STOOPS BY BENDING THE THIGHS UPON THE TRUNK AND KNEES UPON THE THIGHS ,NEVER BY FLEXING THE SPINAL COLUMN IN THE USUAL WAY.IN WALKING,THE PATIENT MOVES AS IF ON ICE,SLIDING OR SHUFFLING ALONG SO AS TO AVOID THE JAR OF SUCCESSIVE STEPS.IN STANDING HE FIXES THE UPPER PORTION OF THE COLUMN BY AID OF THE TRAPEZII AND OTHER SCAPULAR MUSCLES,ACTIONS OF WHICH AT THE SAME TIME RAISES SHOULDERS AND THROWS ARMS OUT FROM SIDES.IN STANDING OR SITTING ,THERE IS AN INVOLUNTARY TRANSFER OF THE  WEIGHT OF HEAD AND SHOULDERS AND PARTS ABOVE DISEASED AREA TO THE PELVIS,BY MEANS OF THE UPPER EXTREMITIES.HANDS PLACED UPON THE HIPS AND ARMS MUSCLES ARE TENSE. IN WALKING ABOUT THE ROOM , HE HOLDS ONTO FURNITURE FOR AID.SPINAL ABSCESS OCCURS LATER,LOCATION VARYING WITH SEAT OF CARIES.PARALYSIS MAY OCCUR,ALWAYS MOTOR AT FIRST ,NOT AFFECTING SENSATION AT ALL .                                                                            TREATMENT:ENDEAVOR TO SECURE RESOLUTION OF THE TUBERCULOUS OSTEITIS.LIMIT DESTRUCTION OF TISSUE AND RESULTING DEFORMITY.PROMOTE ANKYLOSIS IF INDICATED .EVACUATE ABSCESS.REMOVE A SEQUESTRUM OR THE FOCUS OF CARIOUS BONE. REST IN BED IN RECUMBENT POSITION.ADEQUATE DIET AND EXERCISE CARE TO PREVENT DEVELOPMENT OF DECUBITUS ULCERS .CHEMOTHERAPY AS FOR PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS.                                                                                                                                                                                            DEFINITION OF: POTTS FRACTURE :  FRACTURE OF THE LOWER END OF THE FIBULA AND MEDIAL MALLEOLUS OF THE TIBIA WITH DISLOCATION OF FOOT OUTWARDS AND BACKWARDS . AFTER REDUCTION, FOOT AND LEG ARE PUT IN PLASTER IN WHICH A WALKING IRON IS INCORPORATED.THE PATIENT IS ABLE TO WALK,  AND PLASTER IS REMOVED IN ABOUT 6 WEEKS.                                                                                            PS.                                                                                                                         IF THERE IS ANY MISTAKES MADE IT IS MY DOING BASED ON TYPE O ERRORS  AND IN NO WAY IS THIS MENT FOR DIAGNOSES OR TREATMENT I AM ALSO A PATIENT JUST FINDING SOME INFORMATION .YOU  MAY OR MAY NOT FIND USEFUL. BEST  OF LUCK