Abnormal connection between lateral and posterior semicircular canal revealed by a new modeling process: origin and physiological consequences.

We developed a modeling procedure using CT scans or MRI data for exploring the bony and lymphatic canals of vestibular patients. We submitted 445 patients with instability and spatial de-orientation to this procedure. Out of the 445 patients, 95 had scoliosis, some of them, because malformations were suspected also had CT-scan modeling and functional tests.

[Spontaneous disappearance of herniation pit on the femoral neck].

The authors present a case of a 39 years old patient who had a herniation pit of the left femoral neck, 5 years ago. This lesion disappeared spontaneously. To our knowledge, no report of healing of a herniation pit has been previously described.

[MRI of the semicircular canals in cranio-facial asymmetries and craniomandibular syndrome].

The cranio-mandibular syndrome (CMS) is often secondary to an cranio-facial asymmetry (CFA); it associate a painful masticatory dysfunction syndrome with functional and aching clinical signs in relation with a functional torticollis required for oculo-labyrinthal equilibration maintenance. Our anatomical and functional MRI protocol uses tridimensional study of semi-circular canals (SCC) up relation to the medial cerebral axis (MCA), and permit to measure precisely these CFA and propose, with a multispecialist approach, an adapted treatment of the SCM. Application of MRI to SCC asymmetry looks to its future use for spatial intracranial referencial of cerebral structures.

[Percutaneous angioscopy and angioplasty in the treatment of arteriopathies of the lower limbs].

Since 1987, the authors have routinely combined angioscopy with angioplasty of peripheral arteries. In a series of 251 angioplasties carried out in 191 patients, angioscopy was found to be more specific and more sensitive than arterial angiography in the etiological diagnosis of arterial stenoses and/or obstructions. Angioscopic findings modified the angioplasty procedure in 29% of cases.

[Interventional angioscopy].

Since 1987, routine angioscopic examination has been performed in 191 patients undergoing angioplasty, with interventions (196) after a 2 year surveillance period (55). Angioscopy allowed follow up "de visu" of the performance of angioplasty, details of its mechanism to be precise and under dilatation to be carried out. For femoral artery occlusions it allowed treatment "à la carte": conventional dilatation of vegetating atheroma, specific treatment of established thrombi (5) and abstention from therapy of atheroma covered by endothelium (3).

[Percutaneous diagnostic angioscopy. Primary lesions].

Efficacy of percutaneous treatments of arterial affections requires the correct choice of indications, necessitating precise knowledge of elementary arterial lesions. Arterial endoscopy appears to be more specific than angiography for this use, since it allows direct vision in vivo of the lesion, a histopathologic approach compared with the non univocal images produced by angiography (for example, an arterial obstruction can result from varied causes). Different accidents to the endothelial surface can be observed: golden yellow atheromatous elevations on a straw yellow background, intimal flaps, mobile intra-luminal vegetations.

[Angioscopy of lower limb arteries. History and technique, cost and practical information].

The historical background to angioscopy shows that the principal successes recorded by its use result from the miniaturization of fibroscopes and the progress in video imaging. The first tentative use of angioscopy was by surgeons during operations carried out at about 1970, that of percutaneous angioscopy dating from 1984. The material used for diagnostic (fibroscope, cinecamera, video system, flushing pump) and interventional (fibroscope, clamps, Dormia cage, endoprostheses .

[Chondrosarcoma of the femur neck simulating a normal variant. A difficult diagnostic pitfall].

We report a case of chondrosarcoma of the femoral neck wrongly considered as a normal variant during a long time due to the initial aspect on the plain films and its location. Precise radiological criteria must allow the differential diagnosis and will be detailed.

[Percutaneous angioscopy in the diagnosis of arteriopathies of the lower limbs].

Because of the poor specificity of the arteriography, the authors have performed a percutaneous angioscopy before every angioplasty of the arteries of lower limbs for nearly 3 years. They define the angioscopy and describe materials and technique. The percutaneous route without surgery and without anesthesia underlines the originality of the technique.

[Angioscopy and angioplasty of the iliac and femoral arteries].

Angioscopy is a technique of endoscopic investigation of the vascular lumen and its contents, which we have coupled with iliac and femoral angioplasty. The material comprises 3 main elements: the angioscope, the TV-monitoring assembly and the infusion system. No complication was recorded in a series of 94 angioscopies (47 iliac, 44 distal femoral and 3 grafts) performed over a period of 18 months.

[Femoral angioplasty. Long-term results].

A study on the long-term efficacy of femoral-popliteal angioplasty was carried out on 185 angioplasty cases over a 5 year follow-up period. A classification of data according to the type of lesion treated, revealed that results were favorable in case of stenosis (87%), short obstruction (70%) and long obstruction (35%). A special study of the outcome of treatments for stage IV arteritis was carried out.

[Long-term results of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of the iliac arteries].

A well-mastered technique will cause percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of iliac arteries to achieve long-term results comparable to those obtained surgically. In isolated iliac stenosis, a 95% good result rate is attained (81% cured, 14% improved). More complex cases of iliac stenosis yield 90% good results (72% cure), with a mean Doppler ankle/arm pressure index gain of 0.

[Pitfalls in phlebography].

Despite the progress in functional investigation procedures, phlebography remains the standard test in venous disease of the lower extremities. The development of better quality contrast media has significantly improved patients tolerance. After a review of the regular, routine procedure, the authors stress the technic's pitfalls.

[Myelopathies caused by dorsal spinal canal spondylotic stenosis. 3 cases and a review of the literature].

Thoracic spondylotic myelopathies are exceptional, only 29 observations could be found in the literature; we intend to describe three new cases here. The patients, two women and one man, 64, 69 and 72 years old, complained of weakness of the lower limbs, more marked on one side, which had been progressing slowly from several months to eight years. Examination revealed asymmetrical paraparesis with distal sensitivity deficits without thoracic sensory level.

[Synovial cysts and synovialomas of the lumbar spine. Histo-pathologic and neuro-surgical aspects apropos of 8 cases].

Based on 8 personal cases and a 81-cases review of literature, it's authors' opinion that cystic or solid masses issued form posterior lumbar articular process and called according to the cases synovial cyst, ganglion cyst, benign synovialoma, pigmented villonodular synovitis, are a single variety of benign degeneration of soft articular tissues. The cystic or solid feature of these masses depends upon the extent of their histiocytic granulomatous proliferation. They may be asymptomatic, accompany chronic lumbar pain or cause sciatica, seldom cauda equina syndrome.

[Lipoma of the spermatic cord. Description of a case and review of the literature].

The authors analyse a case of fibrolipoma of the spermatic cord. It is the most common entity in the non testicular tumors. Ultrasound imaging has proven his utility.

[Subperiosteal chondroma. Diagnostic contribution of x-ray computed tomography. Apropos of 2 cases].

Results of CT scan exploration are reported in two cases of subperiosteal chondroma, one in a 4 year old child affecting the anterior tibial tuberosity the other in a 9 year old child involving the upper end of humerus. Data from CT scan imaging were undoubtedly superior to those of conventional radiography and appear to be characteristic of this benign cartilaginous tumor, greatly facilitating correlation between clinical, radiological and pathologic findings. The scanner should allow certain situations to be dedramatized and the surgical attitude adapted when the functional prognosis is involved.

[Spondylodiscitis after surgery of lumbar disk hernia. Apropos of 12 cases in 1796 operations].

Discitis is a rare complication of disc operation. The incidence rate varies from 0.2 to 0.

[Meningioma of the optic canal. Diagnostic aspects apropos of 3 surgically treated cases].

Three cases of meningiomas originated in the optic nerve sheath in its intra-canalicular portion, have been operated on in Reims since we dispose of the TDM; it gave us the opportunity to re-define the way how to explore an area always difficult to investigate; indeed it has been impossible for a long time to clearly isolate meningiomas in the optic canal through the classical neuro-radiologic technics. The anatomic study confirms that the optic canal orientation is fixed, constantly inclined downward and forward with an angle of minus forty degrees with regard to the horizontal line; our work establishes that it is possible to apply it to the CT scan; in this incidence, TDM perfectly allows to visualize the optic canal and the optic nerve, from the anterior clinoid process to the posterior orbital pole. This incidence seems us to be interesting, in addition to classical neuro-ophthalmic planes, for early diagnosis or supervision of tumors of the optic canal.

[Percutaneous angioscopy of the iliac and femoral arteries].

Very few papers about peripheral angioscopy are reported in literature. Percutaneous angioscopy (P.T.

[Dorsal spinal cord compression caused by vertebral subperiosteal chondroma. Apropos of 2 cases].

The authors report 2 cases of vertebral subperiosteal chondroma causing thoracic spinal cord compression. Total excision of this benign cartilaginous neoplasm is usually sufficient treatment.

[Bilateral traumatic carotid-cavernous fistula treated using an inflatable and detachable balloon].

The authors report a case of traumatic bilateral carotid-cavernous fistula successfully treated by inflatable and detachable balloon.

[Cardiac myxoma with cerebral metastases].

A 56 year old woman developed multiple metastases in the cerebrum and cerebellum, four years after cardiac intervention on a left atrial myxoma. The absence of stroke is noteworthy. Multiple high density lesions with contrast enhancement were seen by CT scan, suggesting metastatic neoplasms.

[Comparison of the efficacy and tolerance of Kabi 2165 and standard heparin in the prevention of deep venous thrombosis in total hip prosthesis].

A series of 80 patients operated for total hip prosthesis under epidural anesthesia was randomly allocated to treatment with Kabi 2165 (n = 40): 2,500 U anti-Xa preoperatively and evening of operation and 2,500 U anti-Xa morning and evening daily up to the 9th or 10th day postoperatively, or standard heparin (n = 40): 3,750 U preoperatively and then 8 hourly, at a dose adjusted with thrombin time and cephalin + activator time, daily up to the 9th or 10th day. Phlebography was performed routinely on the 9th or 10th day. Venous thrombosis occurred in 7 patients (17.