[Reconstruction of superficial defects from the crossroad of nasal subunits, tip, alar lobule and lateral side wall: Study of 36 patients].

Purpose: Conventionally, articles dealing with nasal defects plan reconstructions regarding the aesthetic subunits, imposing their systematic respect. We propose to study the reconstruction of a crossroad region of three subunits, tip, alar lobule and lateral sidewall, where that full compliance is not possible, in our experience of 36 patients.

Methods: Our retrospective study from January 2011 to December 2012 focused on patients with a defect in this crossroad region that was repaired by skin graft or flap.

[Perioperative interstitial brachytherapy for recurrent keloid scars].

Purpose: Evaluation of the results of perioperative interstitial brachytherapy with low dose-rate (LDR) Ir-192 in the treatment of keloid scars.

Patients And Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 73 histologically confirmed keloids (from 58 patients) resistant to medicosurgical treated by surgical excision plus early perioperative brachytherapy. All lesions were initially symptomatic.

[Surgical technique and advantages of the free temporal fascia flap for covering loss of substance of the dorsum of the foot and around the ankle: report of 12 cases].

The authors report a series of twelve patients with loss of substance of the dorsum of the foot or around the ankle who underwent coverage with a free temporal fascia flap. There were no failure of flaps and no vascular complication at the microanastomosis. There were three complications: partial burn of the flap with a lamp, failure of the split thickness skin graft and an area of scar alopecia at the donor site.

[Covering of a thoraco-lumbar defect by omentoplasty].

With a case of thoraco-lumbar defect, the authors discuss about different procedures to cover it. In this place, the better procedure is certainly the latissimus dorsi flap, in all combinations. The indication for omentoplasty at this spinal site should not be performed by first intention but by exclusion of other procedures, as in the case considered by the authors.

[Large abdominal wall reconstruction by free flap after recurrence of a dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans].

Based on a case of recurrence of a dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans of the abdominal wall, the authors discuss the need for initial wide resection of this type of skin tumour and the possibilities of repair of extensive full thickness defects of the abdominal wall by means of a latissimus dorsi myocutaneous free flap.

[Tuberculous dacryocystitis].

Background: Acute infection and inflammation of the nasolacrimal sac may complicate congenital obstruction of the nasolacrimal duct. Acute dacryocystitis is uncommon later and tuberculosis is exceptionally responsible for it.

Case Report: A 4 1/2 year-old boy was admitted because he suffered from acute left dacryocystitis with fever and cervical adenitis.

[Lumbar hernias in adults. Apropos of 4 cases and review of the literature].

Lumbar hernias are rare (2% of abdominal wall hernias). Symptomatology consists frequently only of an arch formation seen best with the patient sitting and when coughing. In adults it is twice as frequent in women and on the left side.

[Should routine exploratory laparotomy be performed in the presence of an abdominal wound? Discussion apropos of 176 cases].

Management of abdominal wounds is presently the subject of discussion between the partisans of routine laparotomy and those preferring "armed" surveillance. Results of study of a series of 176 abdominal wounds subjected to surgical dogma showed: that the diagnosis of non penetrating wounds (17.6%) was not always evident, due either to their anatomical localization (frontier region wounds) or to insufficient local exploration in urgent cases (6.

[What is the role of elective surgery in diverticular sigmoiditis?].

From 1981 to 1991 inclusive, 188 operations were carried out for diverticular sigmoiditis. One hundred and thirty-nine patients were operated in emergency for acute complications (123) or fistulae (16), and another 49 had surgery scheduled outside acute crisis periods. Mortality and morbidity respectively are 16.

[Gallstone obstruction of the common bile duct, a severe form of biliary lithiasis. Choice of treatment].

Collection of 10 or more stones in the extrahepatic common bile duct causes lithiasic obstruction of the CBD, a fairly rare entity observed in less than 10% of cases of bile duct lithiasis. This study is based on 35 cases recorded over 10 years, including 60% in patients aged more than 75 years. Endoscopic treatment was attempted in 28% of patients and was totally successful in one case our of four only because of insufficient removal of obstruction after sphincterotomy.

Fully automated high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for the analysis of free catecholamines in urine.

A totally automated and reliable high-performance liquid chromatographic method is described for the routine determination of free catecholamines (norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine) in urine. The catecholamines were isolated from urine samples using small alumina columns. A standard automated method for pH adjustment of urine before the extraction step has been developed.

Structure of a new saponin: chrysantellin A from Chrysanthellum procumbens Rich.

A new saponin has been isolated from a tropical plant Chrysantellum procumbens Rich. which is thought to be useful in the therapy of digestive troubles. The structure of this saponin was determined by chemical methods, nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry.