[Precarious situation of obstetric practice in Gabon].

In 1993, 2,008 deliveries were recorded at the Provincial Maternity Hospital at Franceville in Gabon. The frequency of cesarean section was 3%. The perinatal mortality of children born by cesaraean section was high, 213 per thousand.

A new device for endothelial cell seeding of a small-caliber vascular prosthesis.

A device permitting homogeneous endothelial cell seeding of a small-caliber arterial prosthesis has been developed. The prosthesis is maintained firmly attached to a rotative scaffolding device. This device is activated by an electrical motor at constant and adjustable speed.

In vitro endothelialization of carbon-coated Dacron vascular grafts.

Physical vapour deposition is used to coat vascular prostheses with pyrolytic carbon. This coating may facilitate the development of an endothelial monolayer in grafts implanted in laboratory animals. This in vitro study compared the adherence and growth of cultured porcine aortic endothelial cells (EC) seeded in vitro on carbon-coated Dacron, to uncoated prostheses.

[Diffusion of minocycline in pulmonary tissue].

The penetration of minocycline into lung tissue was evaluated in 14 patients about to undergo excision of the lung for cancer. The patients received minocycline orally in doses of 100 mg twice a day for 3 days, the 100 mg in the morning of the operation day. Minocycline concentrations were measured in plasma samples taken before surgery and in the lung tissue resected.