Focal myositis of the calf following S1 radiculopathy.

Objectives: To determine the clinical, pathological, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics and outcome of focal myositis of the calf associated with S1 radiculopathy.

Methods: Case report and systematic review of literature using a literature review based on a Medline search from 1950 to 2006. Only cases with myositis documented on muscle biopsy examination were included.

[Professional occupation after cochlear implantation].

This study verifies whether cochlear implants helps deaf adults to maintain or develop their professional occupations. Sixty-seven patients received a questionnaire concerning their professional activities before and after implantation. At the time of implantation 34 were professionally active.

Professional occupation after cochlear implantation.

The aims of this study were to verify whether cochlear implants helped profoundly deaf adults to maintain or even to develop their professional occupations, and to identify other elements that may contribute to or, on the contrary, impede such patients' professional success. All adult patients received a questionnaire concerning their professional activities before and after implantation. Demographic data, health information, hearing performance and degree of satisfaction with the implant were also considered.

Joint medico-psychological consultation for patients suffering from tinnitus.

Because no effective treatment against tinnitus is available, all sorts of approaches have been developed. We believe the care of tinnitus patients concerns mainly ENT medical doctors. In order to take care of such patients, we started in 1993 a joint medico-psychological consultation (JMPC) to dispense adequate care for patients and training to the ENT residents.

Quality of life of patients under home mechanical ventilation for restrictive lung diseases: a comparative evaluation with COPD patients.

The aim of this study was to compare the quality of life of patients under home mechanical ventilation (HMV) for restrictive lung disease, with the quality of life of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), having similar decrease in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), but not receiving HMV. Sixteen patients who were receiving intermittent HMV (six post-tuberculosis, four post-poliomyelitis, two neuromuscular diseases, two kyphoscoliosis, two obesity-hypoventilation syndromes) were compared to 15 COPD patients who were receiving only usual conservative treatment, including long-term oxygen therapy. Dyspnoea scores, anxiety, depression, and psychosocial scores, as well as a panel of functional parameters were measured.

[Psychogenic spastic hand].

Twelve patients seen over a 8-year period with psychogenic spasms of the hand are reported. Six elderly patients presented with extrinsic flexion of the two or three medial fingers with sparing of the thumb and index. Six other patients had various hand attitudes following coincidental but not causal trauma to the upper extremity.

First field trials with a portable CIS processor for the Ineraid multichannel cochlear implant.

The continuous interleaved sampling (CIS) strategy is a promising sound processing strategy for multichannel cochlear implants which provides immediate improvements in speech recognition when tested on Ineraid users: patients with only a few hours of experience (in laboratory testing) with the CIS strategy score better than with the Ineraid prosthesis they used since they, were implanted. The goal of this study was to evaluate the benefits that can be gained by the use of the new strategy in every day life. Two patients, implanted with the Ineraid multichannel cochlear implant, were equipped with a portable numerical processor programmed to implement a high rate CIS strategy.

Psychological adaptations and emotional observations of eight multichannel cochlear implant patients.

A pilot study was performed with 8 deaf patients who received the 'Ineraid' multichannel cochlear implant in Geneva, Switzerland. The mechanisms of psychological adaptation in these patients are summarized.

[What is a psychiatric emergency? Elements of a catamnestic and comprehensive approach].

The authors introduce in this paper the first results of a catamnestic research performed in 1980 through interviews on 759 psychiatric emergencies in 1978 at the Saint-Luc clinics (Woluwe). A detailed analysis of psychiatric emergencies confronts the researcher to various problems (how and why is the psychiatrist called?) and more philosophically about mental health, therapeutic efficacy or the objectivity of the analysis. The authors also emphasize deontological problems in this type of research and the image of psychiatry and psychic disarray in the practice of emergency.