What's the difference between contracture and spasm?

Contracture


Definition:

  • (n.) A state of permanent rigidity or contraction of the muscles, generally of the flexor muscles.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) The repriming of K-contractures was more affected by changes in [Ca]0 in normal soleus than in normal extensor digitorum longus and this difference was unaffected by dystrophy.
  • (2) The prognosis was adversely affected by obesity, preoperative flexion contracture of 30 degrees or more, wound-healing problems, wound infection, and postoperative manipulation under general anesthesia.
  • (3) Five cases of bilateral abduction contracture of the shoulder in adults including the first case of bilateral abduction contractures of shoulder and hip plus bilateral flexion contracture of elbow and extension contracture of a knee are reported.
  • (4) However, it had no significant effect on grip strength, digital contractures, respiratory function or visceral involvement.
  • (5) Of four normal tissues assessed, two (hair follicles and tissues responsible for development of leg contractures) showed no change in radioresponse after treatment with indomethacin, one (hematopoietic tissue) exhibited radioprotection, and one (jejunum) exhibited slight radiosensitization (enhancement factor, 1.12).
  • (6) The amplitude was 15-70% as large as the tonic component of the K-contracture induced by 40 mM K. Theophylline (10 mM), 0.1 mM papaverine and 1 microM isoprenaline nearly abolished, and 1 mM cAMP partly depressed the tonic contraction of K-contracture, whereas the tonic contraction induced by the test solution was unaffected.
  • (7) The calcium channel blocker (cadmium and nifedipine) greatly blocked the effects of adrenaline on the peak and total tension of K+ contractures.
  • (8) Preincubation of normal rat soleus muscles in vitro with homogenates prepared from mixed leg muscles which had been denervated 4 days previously resulted in an increase in the contracture response to acetylcholine.
  • (9) This may partly be explained by a slight increase of flexion contractures of the hips during treatment.
  • (10) Under potassium contracture the length of the thick filaments of both fibre types was shortened by 25-30% of the rest-length, the diameter of the slow fibres increased to 180-185 A, the diameter of the intermediate fibres to 200-220 A.
  • (11) Previously unidentified forms of suxamethonium-induced contractures have been investigated in chronically denervated rat extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle at 20 degrees C. Contractures were assigned to groups 1-6 on the basis of the peak tension (Tp1) during 0-10 min exposure to the drug (3.0 x 10(-5) M), (7.0 x 10(-6) M), and (3.5 x 10(-6) M) and the subsequent retention, increase, or decrease in tension (Tp2), during the further 10 min.
  • (12) Both indomethacin and mefenamic acid prevented expression of the withdrawal contracture on naloxone challenge.
  • (13) If left untreated, compartment syndrome can lead to the loss of neuromuscular function, contractures, myoglobinuric renal failure, and amputation.
  • (14) Shocks of these intensities also produced a transient postshock contracture.
  • (15) The combination of congenital hypotonia, contractures, 'dystrophic' muscle biopsy changes and diffuse subcortical hypodensity on computed-tomographic scans seems unique and specific for CMD and of differential diagnostic significance.
  • (16) Bleeding into the anterior muscles and into the volar aspect of the wrist, on the other hand, was complicated by contracture, neuropathy, or both in six cases.
  • (17) A report is given on a small-for-date male infant showing the following symptoms: bilateral aplasia of humerus, radius, and ulna, shortened femora, bilateral cleft lip and cleft palate, stigmata of dysmorphism, and notably; simple helix formation of the ear, simian crease, clinodactylia, bilateral clubfoot deformity, hypospadia, thrombocytopenia, micrognathia, and contractures in the knee joints.
  • (18) Ouabain produced only contracture without positive inotropy.
  • (19) Fetal malformations in this group were limited from modest to moderate contractures of the front limbs, which resolved by 8-10 weeks post partum.
  • (20) In vitro contracture tests used currently for malignant hyperthermia (MH) do not possess absolute specificity.

Spasm


Definition:

  • (v. t.) An involuntary and unnatural contraction of one or more muscles or muscular fibers.
  • (v. t.) A sudden, violent, and temporary effort or emotion; as, a spasm of repentance.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) The generally accepted hypothesis is a coronary spasm but a direct cardiotoxicity of 5-FU cannot be.
  • (2) Oculomotor paresis with cyclic spasms is a rare syndrome, usually noticeable at birth or developing during the first year of life.
  • (3) The ophthalmic headache's crisis is caused, in fact, by a spasm of convergence on an unknown exophory of which the amplitude of fusion is satisfying, and the presence of which can only be seen with test under screen.
  • (4) The present case indicates that the possibility of osseous spines impinging on the facial nerve should be considered in all cases of facial spasm.
  • (5) The coronary arteriography reveals a spasm in the normal left anterior descendens artery.
  • (6) Increasing awareness of disorders such as coronary arterial spasm, functional impairment of subendocardial blood flow and the possible role of variant patterns of anatomic distribution of the coronary arterial tree, will provide a better understanding of their significance as determining or contributing factors in patients with the anginal syndrome.
  • (7) Thus one may speculate that endothelin plays a role in the coronary spasm which has been shown in patients with angina pectoris.
  • (8) in 1937, the arterial spasm may have occurred at the time of cerebral embolism.
  • (9) Coronary spasm was provoked by ergonovine maleate in four of 12 patients in group A (33%) and in three patients in group B (18%).
  • (10) In 2 cases, sublingual nitroglycerin failed to completely relieve the spasm.
  • (11) Furthermore, an association of tiapride-corticoids was effective in treating post-anaesthetic spasm of the glottis.
  • (12) Case histories of two patients with hypertensive LES and normal peristalsis in the body of the esophagus are contrasted to that of a patient with a hypertensive LES and diffuse esophageal spasm.
  • (13) Whether they affect ureteral motility in vivo or whether they can counteract ureteral spasm associated with ureteral stones have not been established.
  • (14) Thrombotic occlusion, in association with varying degrees of plaque disruption and coronary artery spasm, represents the major cause of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
  • (15) The patients with spasm on top of a fixed organic lesion underwent a successful aorto-coronary bypass graft together with resection of the pre- and sub-aortic nerve plexus.
  • (16) In vitro tests with isolated trachea or ileum of guinea pigs show that flupirtine possesses no or very weak antagonism against histamine-induced spasms.
  • (17) The spasms were inhibited by gallopamil (100 nM) and diltiazem (1 microM).
  • (18) Indeed this procedure is the only one which can act in a fitted manner on muscular spasms responsible of more than 60% of convergent squints.
  • (19) Such an exercise response should suggest significant fixed coronary stenosis in addition to coronary spasm.
  • (20) Evidence is provided for the concept of enlarged spasms (phenomenon of the spastic dominant) common to peptic ulcer.

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