Ceftaroline for the treatment of prosthetic valve endocarditis due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

The case is described of a frail patient who developed prosthetic valve endocarditis due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Conventional antimicrobial treatments either failed or were contraindicated, and the patient was judged unsuitable for a further valve replacement. A salvage therapy with high doses of a new cephalosporin, ceftaroline, given three times daily was undertaken; subsequently, the patient had not relapsed at two months after completing a six-week course of ceftaroline.

Emergency extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in a hospital without on-site cardiac surgical facilities.

Aims: We report the feasibility and outcomes of emergency extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) implantation by a cardiac catheterisation team in patients in severe cardiogenic shock or refractory cardiac arrest in a hospital without cardiac surgical facilities.

Methods And Results: This prospective cohort study involved 51 consecutive patients who had ECMO implantation (September 2006 - September 2010). Twenty-seven were in severe cardiogenic shock and 24 in refractory cardiac arrest (17 with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest; seven with in-hospital cardiac arrest).

[Evaluation of an education program of patients undergoing oral anticoagulation treatment].

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic impact of an education program on patients undergoing oral anticoagulation treatment, within the hospital of Annecy (France).

Material And Methods: Groups of 10 patients were invited to participate to two meetings. The education was carried out by two nurses.

[Validation of a diagnostic algorithm in non severe pulmonary embolism at the Annecy general hospital. D-dimers, venous lower limb ultra-sound and spiral CT scan].

Objective And Method: We have evaluated the sensitivity of a diagnostic algorithm for all patients suspected of pulmonary embolism using: D-Dimer, lower limb venous ultrasonography and helical computed tomography. To validate this approach, a lung scan is systematically carried out if the pulmonary embolism diagnosis is not withheld as a result of the algorithm. Clinical tests are organised between the 3rd and 6th month.