[Right ventricular function and postural changes during surgery of the lumbar spine].

The aim of the study was to assess the effects of the sitting prone position on right ventricular function in a group of patients requiring low back surgery with using of right heart catheterization with a low fast response thermodilution technique. This posture involves moderated hemodynamic effects. A discrete right ventricle impairment characterised by a decreased compliance was observed and may be due to a moderate compression by the sternum and was improved by fluid challenge.

[Recurrent mobile thrombus of the ascending aorta diagnosed by transesophageal echocardiography].

The authors report the case of a 32 year old woman with no risk factors for thromboembolism apart from a raised Lipoprotein (a) level, in whom a mobile thrombus of the ascending aorta was diagnosed only by transoesophageal echocardiography after multiple episodes of systemic embolism. After surgical excision the thrombus recurred and death ensued on the 17th postoperative day after multiple visceral embolism despite adequate anticoagulant therapy. This is a rare condition, the outcome of which seems often to be fatal, due to early recurrence irrespective of the treatment (anticoagulant or platelet antiaggregant therapy).

[Spontaneous idiopathic pneumopericardium in young patients. Review of the literature. Apropos of a new case].

Spontaneous idiopathic pneumopericardium (SIPP) in young subjects is a rare disorder since, apart from the case described here, only 28 cases have been reported in the literature. It occurs mainly in young adults. The physiopathology of the disorder involves alveolar rupture, as described by Macklin.

[Postoperative hemopericardium compressing the left atrium. Apropos of 8 cases].

The authors report 8 cases of hemopericardium compressing the left atrium occurring at varying intervals after cardiac surgery. This is an unusual anatomical and classically rare site of pericardial effusion. This type of tamponnade has special clinical features, leading to a picture of subacute left ventricular failure, by interference with filling and typical echocardiographic appearances, with special features in two-dimensional mode and, in TM mode, an abnormal anterior movement of the posterior wall of the left atrium, which is studied.