[Kidney angioplasty. Long-term clinical and angiographic results apropos of 50 patients].

In order to evaluate the long-term results of renal angioplasty with a follow-up of at least 3 years, we reviewed the first 50 patients who were treated by this technique for renovascular hypertension. The 42 patients (85 p. 100) in whom the angioplasty was technically successful were followed up both clinically and radiologically, using intravenous digital angiography.

[Chronic aortic dissection disclosed by pericardial effusion. Apropos of 3 cases].

Three exceptional cases of chronic aortic dissection revealed by a pericardial effusion are reported. The patients were two men and a woman admitted for thoracic pain or fever. Initial diagnoses were myocardial infarction, infective endocarditis and tuberculous pericarditis.

[Value of pericardioscopy in pericardial effusion. Apropos of 20 patients].

The value of pericardioscopy in pericardial effusion of uncertain origin was evaluated in 20 patients, aged from 18 to 77 years, whose pericardial effusion had been diagnosed by ultrasonography; 2 patients presented with clinical signs of tamponade. The cause of the pericarditis was unknown, but the clinical context suggested a malignant disease in 13 patients, tuberculosis in 5 patients and another cause in 2 patients. The pericardium was explored by means of a direct vision, cold-light endoscope, usually a mediastinoscope, introduced by the retroxiphoidal route under general of local anaesthesia.

[Cough and inhibitors of the angiotensin-converting enzyme].

Regarding 5 recent cases of cough induced by inhibitors of angiotensin conversion enzyme (CEI), the authors emphasize the still underestimated frequency of this annoying and sometimes disabling side-effect (10 to 15% of cases). They remind of their clinical and evolutive characteristics: dry cough, predominantly at night, often occurring rapidly, sometimes delayed (up to 17 months) after introduction of the CEI and unrelated to the dosage. The cough usually disappears in two to three days (up to 8 days) upon discontinuation of the treatment.