[Chronic pulmonary heart disease during ventriculo-atrial shunts in children].

This grave complication is a major cause of mortality in ventriculo-atrial shunts in children with hydrocephalus. It occurs at a much higher rate than with long-term indwelling intracavitary pacemakers, which suggests that the shunt procedure is responsible for either chronic infection or the introduction of cerebral thromboplastin.

Histological arguments for collagen and elastin synthesis by primary cultures of rat aortic media cells.

Using the histological staining methods of Weigert and of Masson on primary cultures of rat aortic media cells, we obtained additional proofs of the smooth muscle cell's ability to secrete collagen and elastin in vitro: the percentage of positive flasks with aorta rings was the same throughout the follow-up, but increased gradually for the new tissue growing around the rings.

[Thrombosis of the coronary sinus due to right endo-ventricular stimulation].

In a patient with a primary cardiomyopathy, anatomical investigation allowed us to find a total old organised thrombosis of the coronary sinus associated with the presence of a right ventricular stimulator of a pacemaker. A brief review of the literature reveals that cardiac thombosis is a surpising and rare complication of a residual intracavitary pacemaker, even if it is located in the coronary sinus.

[Intermediate and long-term results of multivalve prostheses].

Over a period of observation of 4 years maximum, there is no significant difference between the estimated survival time (by actuarial calculation) for patients with single and for those with double prostheses. Wihin the year following operation there is not significant difference between single and double prostheses as regards: the incidence of bacterial endocarditis, of pyrexias of unknown origin, of hepatitis, of haemolytic anaemia, of bleeding complications or incidents, of coronary of peripheral ischaemic episodes, or of reduced cardiac volume. On the other hand, there is a significant difference in the incidence of neurological defects (21% for the double prosthesis group, and 5% for the single prosthesis group, p less than 0.

[Rupture of the tricuspid cordae simulating a right intraventricular tumor].

Ruptured chordae tendinae of the tricuspid valve is exceptional. It results in an intense valvular incompetence through systolic eversion of one leaflet. In fact, this is not always the case, and in patient reported, the clinical picture suggested an obstacle to right ventricular ejection with paroxysmal phenomena of the faintness type, indicating the temporary obstruction of the pulmonary pathway.

[Giant cell myocarditis. Attempt at interpretation, apropos of 3 cases].

Three cases of giant-cell myocarditis were observed, and 63 comparable cases were published in the literature. On the basis of this material, the significance of this disease was studied, which was considered for long to be of "granulomatous" origin, while it seems to be a peculiar histopathologic type of myocardialgeneration. The cause for this necrosis remains unknown; in spite of as complete as possible investigations in one of the three cases (in which death was preceded for labile recurring lung infiltrates during eleven months) no cause could be demonstrated.

Tolerance and resistance of myocardium to anoxia: experimental studies.

We shall emphasize the notion of wide variability in the tolerance and resistance to anoxia of the myocardium, although the most important parameters are temperature and time. They can be modified widely by accompanying physical or biochemical conditions: --Cardiac distension and drugs inducing cardiac arrest; --Resuscitative perfusion; --The effect of some biochemical components is more likely explained by their possible action on the mitochondriae (glyoxilic acid-Isoproterenol). The study of the mitochondriae alone can explain the different behaviours of hearts subjected to anoxia in various situations.

[Myxoma of the left ventricle. Apropos of a successfully operated case].

Left ventricular myxomata are exceptional (12 published cases). In the case reported, the clinical picture included emboli (cerebral and coronary) and syncope. Auscultation, the electrocardiogram and the phonomechanocardiographic tracings suggested an impaired left ventricular ejection, while the left ventriculography demonstrated the tumour and the coronary arteriography its vascular relationship with the right coronary artery.

[Biopsy of the pericardium. Diagnostic value in subacute and chronic pericarditis, apropos of 70 cases].

The aetiology of pericarditis is often difficult to assess. To try to clear up this problem, a pericardial biopsy through a left lateral thoracotomy was performed in 70 cases in which the cause could not be established by the usual means (including pericardial paracenthesis in 32 cases). They included either subacute pericarditis, dry or with effusion (biopsy being undertaken as an average 45 days after the clinical onset), or chronic pericarditis with effusion.