[Post-transfusion purpura: and cause of severe postoperative thrombopenia].

A 59-year-old woman developed an acute and severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count below 10.10(9).L-1) with active bleeding, 6 days after a massive transfusion for intraoperative haemorrhagic shock.

[Early diagnosis of traumatic extra-pericardial luxation of the heart. Value of tomodensitometry. Apropos of a case].

Heart luxation is a rare complication of chest trauma. The rupture of pericardium must be diagnosed as soon as possible, particularly before prolonged orthopaedic surgery for multitrauma, as a cardiac arrest may occur during anaesthesia. This report underlines the difficulties of diagnosis in a 40-year-old patient with head trauma, chest trauma and multiple fractures.

[Peroperative rhabdomyolysis caused by compression of a kidney-bridge. Value of muscular scintigraphy].

A case is reported of acute renal failure occurring after prolonged abdominal aortic bypass surgery in an overweight 69-year-old male patient. Preoperative serum creatinine concentration was normal. Surgery lasted for 6 h, and infrarenal aortic cross-clamping 2 1/2 h.

[Repeated convulsions after abrupt benzodiazepine withdrawal].

Benzodiazepines are widely used and well-known for their safety; serious complications may, nevertheless, occur in the particular case of an abrupt withdrawal, which is quite common after general anaesthesia. The case reported emphasizes the seriousness of the syndrome : after vascular surgery the patient presented with repeated epileptic seizures and a short lasting cardiac arrest. The patient used to absorb large quantities of benzodiazepines, without medical prescription.