Cranial ultrasound for beginners.

Cranial ultrasound (CUS) is an extremely valuable tool to evaluate the brain during the first year of life, in experienced hands. It is the initial screening imaging tool to evaluate the infants' brain and complementary to the use of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). It is an accessible, inexpensive and harmless technique that can be used bedside as frequently as needed.

[Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and hypertrophic tonsils in infants].

Background: Even if failure to thrive in infants suffering from obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) due to hypertrophic tonsils is well documented in the literature, the surgical act is often delayed due to the lack of diagnostic evidence.

Case Reports: We report three cases which share the common characteristic of age of onset, tonsillar hypertrophy, growth retardation and growth catch-up after tonsillectomy. Authors emphasize the importance of clinical diagnosis as a sufficient tool in making the decision of surgery, thus avoiding unnecessary and expensive investigations.

[Post-traumatic pulmonary pseudocysts].

Background: Pulmonary pseudocyst is an unusual complication of chest trauma.

Case Report: A 12-year-old boy suffered from a non penetrating chest trauma. Examination was normal except mild hemoptysis.

[A severe form of vitamin D deficiency with hypocalcemic cardiomyopathy].

The authors report on a case of cardiomyopathy with congestive heart failure in an infant with severe hypocalcemia related to vitamin D deficient rickets. The heart failure was successfully treated with calcium gluconate and vitamin D, associated with dobutamide.

[Trial of initial non surgical treatment of subdural empyema].

The authors report on an 8-year-old girl who experienced bilateral subdural frontoparietal and interhemispheric empyema following sinusitis. The child improved after initial treatment with a 3 weeks course of parenteral antibiotics. Surgical drainage was further required because of clinical aggravation; however, this evolution was related to bilateral frontoparietal brain edema and abscesses fluid was sterile.

[Fatal cerebral aspergillosis in acute megakaryoblastic leukemia].

A 13 year-old girl was diagnosed as having acute megakaryoblastic leukemia. A serious infectious syndrome appeared during the chemotherapy, not improved by broad spectrum antibiotic therapy. A pulmonary aspergillosis was diagnosed one month later by a second bronchoalveolar lavage.

[Acute hydrocephalus drained in emergency. Consequence of cerebellar infarction in Haemophilus meningitis].

A 2 year-old child admitted for Haemophilus meningitis was immediately treated by adequate antibiotic treatment. Three days later multiple hypertonic strokes and periodic respiration occurred; a resuscitation was necessary. CAT scan showed an acute hydrocephalus with non visible 4th ventricle and low-density areas in both cerebellar hemispheres allowing the diagnosis of cerebellar infarction.

[Contribution of direct immunofluorescence diagnosis to the epidemiology of acute viral respiratory infections in young children].

Rapid diagnosis by immunofluorescence (IF) has enabled us to study the epidemiology of acute viral respiratory diseases in infants admitted to the CHRU at Caen between January 1980 and December 1982. 809 nasal aspiration samples were examined. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) was recovered in 36% of cases.

[Multiple extremities gangrene as complications of meningococcemia (author's transl)].

Five limb extremities gangrene are reported in 54 meningococcemia. Prognosis depends first on early medical treatment. Extremities ischemia require large early aponeurotomy for limb preservation.