Group Decision Support System applied to the medical pluri-disciplinary decision group: usability and efficacy.

Objectives: This paper aims to study whether the application of a Group Decision Support System to medical collective decision committees is possible and to determine which GDSS specifications are convenient.

Background: We introduce the common knowledge about GDSS and define the process of the collective medical decision.

Methods: An experimental GDSS has been tested in an actual medical collective decision committee.

[Arteriovenous malformations: clinical aspects and evolution].

Arteriovenous malformations are rare high-flow malformations. As other malformations, they are present at birth but may remain quiescent for many years; their flow may speed up quickly consequently on an infection, traumatism or modification of the hormonal climate. A "nidus" appears in the heart of the malformation which acts as a real "turbo" on the blood flow; vascular shunts appear creating ulcerations (vascular steal phenomenon); cardiac failure may be observed.

[Early surgical treatment of cutaneous hemangiomas].

Infantile hemangioma appears after the birth as a vascular tumor, which is known for its characteristic evolution in 3 phases: rapid augmentation then stabilization and involution on several years with in the best cases, classical "restitutio ad integrum". Usual surgical attitude is abstention and surgery is proposed only in order to treat sequel. But some particular situations require early surgery for life-threatening lesions or in case of functional impairment.