Adverse events with medical devices in anesthesia and intensive care unit patients recorded in the French safety database in 2005-2006.

Background: French regulations require that adverse events involving medical devices be reported to the national healthcare safety agency. The authors evaluated reports made in 2005-2006 for patients in anesthesiology and critical care.

Methods: For each type of device, the authors recorded the severity and cause of the event and the manufacturer's response where relevant.

Budd-Chiari syndrome following repair of a giant omphalocele.

We report a case of Budd-Chiari syndrome following repair of a giant omphalocele. Thrombosis of hepatic veins and of retrohepatic inferior vena cava may result from direct pressure on the hepatic venous outlet after visceral reduction and final abdominal wall closure.

[Practical experience in monitoring the oxygen saturation of central venous blood in pediatric anesthesia-resuscitation].

Venous central oximetry (ScO2) in high-risk pediatric surgical patients (myopathies, congenital diaphragmatic hernia) is an useful guide to treatment. ScO2 was monitored in 15 patients (4 neonates) during and after thoracic interventions or interventions involving manipulation of the liver. Oximetrix ScO2 is not more invasive than a catheter of common stiffness, but the size 4F remains large for neonates.

Central venous catheter-related complications in newborns and infants: a 587-case survey.

In an attempt to identify factors determining central venous catheter-related complications in newborns and infants, 587 cases have been retrospectively analyzed. Attention has been paid to the influence of the incidence of babies' body weight, site of insertion, and technique of placement of the catheter and the material used, ie, silicone (SI) or polyurethane (PU). Overall complications occurred in 28% of the catheters with 2 deaths due to cardiac tamponade.

[Venoglobulins in pediatric surgical resuscitation].

Early postoperative use of iv immunoglobulins after septic surgery in infants is reported. As compared to the randomized control group of patients (n = 20), return of C reactive Protein to normal values first occurred in the group receiving IVI (n = 20) p 0.01.

[Congenital diaphragmatic hernia. 120 neonatal cases. Preliminary study].

120 newborns with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) were treated during the first day after birth in the Department of Pediatric Surgery at Saint Vincent de Paul's Hospital from 1980 to 1987. The overall survival rate was 40%. The influence of prenatal diagnosis, clinical and anatomical aspects is analysed.

[Percutaneous or surgical central catheters in the newborn infant].

Central microcatheters are important in neonatal intestinal surgery, as peripheral veins are quickly all used up in these patients; they are essential in maintaining a satisfactory nutritional status during the period of digestive exclusion. This retrospective study over an 18 month period concerned 105 catheters (82 central percutaneous catheters and 23 surgical catheters) put up in neonates operated on within the first few days of life. The advantages and disadvantages of both methods of catheterization were assessed by means of the infectious or mechanical complications, as well as the length of time the catheters were used.

[Critical approach to technics for the disinfection of respirators with formaldehyde].

Method of artificial respirators desinfection by Formaldehyde is studied. Formaldehyde and ammoniac quantitative analysis are performed. Air samples are taken by dry process and by wet process.

[Surgical ligation of patent ductus arteriosus in the very-low-birth-weight premature infant].

Three recent cases of surgical closure of ductus arteriosus in very low birth weight infants (less than 1 000 g) are reported. The indications of both surgical and pharmacological closure in very low birth weight premature infants are discussed. The necessity of an early closure of a patent ductus arteriosus is now admitted in the very premature infant, but the use of indomethacin in the first days of life is often impossible because of its side-effects.

[Location of the left recurrent laryngeal nerve during high frequency ventilation in surgery for esophageal atresia].

The authors are describing a surgical technique to recognize the left recurrent laryngeal nerve during the oesophage atresia surgery. This technique uses for anatomical marks the superior line of the great azygos vein an the oeso-tracheal lateral junction. The dissection is very delicate, and the hight frequency ventilation during anesthesia gives a precious comfort to the surgeon.

[Pulmonary edema following generalized peritonitis in a 4-year-old child].

Following a recent case of adult-type respiratory distress syndrome in a four-year old child, the rare occurrence of this pathology in visceral paediatric surgery is recalled. The few published cases do not allow a comparison of the mortality in paediatric and adult patients. The treatment is discussed, as well as the results of pulmonary function tests performed some time after the acute pulmonary episode.

[High frequency ventilation during the surgical treatment of esophageal atresia].

The preliminary results of the use of high frequency positive pressure ventilation (HFPPV) in six newborn infants presenting a type III oesophageal atresia during the thoracic stage of surgical repair are reported. HFPPV allowed correct gas exchange during the surgical procedure. In the six cases, a significant decrease in PaCO2 (p less than 0.

[Acute retinopathy of prematurity following oxygen therapy: current concepts (author's transl)].

Five cases of retinopathy of prematurity have been observed among 1,750 premature infants at the Florence Geller Center in Cochin-Port-Royal--C.H.U.