[Spontaneous rupture of the esophagus or Boerhaave syndrome. Report of 3 cases and review of the literature].

A triad of signs constitutes Boerhaave syndrome: forceful vomiting, chest pain and subcutaneous emphysema. The syndrome results from spontaneous rupture of the oesophageal wall leading to an oeso-pleural or oeso-mediastinal fistula. Positive diagnosis is established with a water-soluble swallow, sometimes coupled with computed tomography of the thorax.

[Superior vena cava syndrome and Riedel's thyroiditis. Report of a case: review of the literature].

The authors present the case of a 42-year-old female patient, initially admitted to hospital for the etiological diagnosis--which remained negative--and the treatment of a superior vena cava syndrome. This patient was seen again two years later as the superior vena cava syndrome recurred, while a thyroid syndrome appeared at the same time. Exeresis followed by a clinicopathological study demonstrated Riedel's chronic fibrous thyroiditis.

Arterioportal fistulas: twelve cases.

During the last 20 years, we encountered 14 arterioportal fistulas in 12 patients. Gastrointestinal hemorrhage or mesenteric artery insufficiency were the most frequent conditions found after the diagnosis. Arterioportal arterial fistulas were congenital in two cases and acquired in 10; seven of these 10 were iatrogenic.

[Malignant venous tumors of the limbs. Apropos of 6 cases].

The authors report six personal cases of malignant venous tumours of the limbs, tumour pathology of the inferior vena cava being excluded from this study. Diagnostic features are described together with the various therapeutic possibilities. This discussion forms the basis of a review of the worldwide literature, but stresses two problems which determine the prognosis: that of diagnosis, which in the majority of cases is very late, and that of their prognosis, which remains somber because of their tendency to metastasize by blood-borne spread and that of locoregional recurrences.