Pleuropulmonary blastoma in childhood. A malignant degeneration of pulmonary cysts.

Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is an extremely rare intrathoracic neoplasm of early childhood with an unfavorable outcome. In this article, two children with PPB associated with pre-existing pulmonary cysts are presented. It is emphasized that surgical excision is the treatment of choice for all pulmonary cysts.

Bidirectional Glenn shunt in association with congenital heart repairs: the 1(1/2) ventricular repair.

Background: The bidirectional Glenn shunt has been used to incorporate a smaller tripartite ventricle into the circulation and create pulsatile pulmonary artery flow. We reviewed our operative experience and assessed hemodynamics of the bidirectional Glenn shunt in 1(1/2) ventricular repair or in conjunction with other repairs of congenital heart defects.

Methods: Between 1992 and 1998, 15 patients (mean age, 8.

Acute spontaneous pneumomediastinum in a child with Hodgkin's disease and pulmonary fibrosis.

A case of acute spontaneous pneumomediastinum in a 13-year-old boy suffering from Hodgkin's disease and pulmonary fibrosis is reported. He was initially treated for Pneumocystis carinii but his respiratory function progressively deteriorated, and fibrosis secondary to bleomycin was suspected. The day before the admission to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit the patient complained of anterior thoracic pain, and a chest x-ray revealed a left-sided small spontaneous pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum.

delta IK17: an antigen expressed on human lymphocytes.

Anti delta IK17 monoclonal antibody was produced by fusing SP2/0/Ag 14 myeloma with spleen cells of BALB/c mice immunized with normal human thymocytes. a delta IK17 antibody recognizes a 44kD cell surface protein detected on human lymphocytes. delta IK17 is expressed on human thymocytes, CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets, B, NK cells, as well as on activated cells.

Angiomyolipoma of the left ureterovesical junction associated with ipsilateral renal agenesis.

To our knowledge we report the first case of retroperitoneal angiomyolipoma located at the left ureterovesical junction associated with ipsilateral renal agenesis. Radiologically, the mass had the characteristics of a cystic soft tissue tumor. Final diagnosis was determined by histopathological examination, which revealed the specific characteristics of angiomyolipoma.