[Recurrence of intracardiac myxoma. A propos of 6 patients among 85 surgically treated].

It was sought to determine whether recurrent cardiac myxomas had special etiological, surgical and/or pathological features differentiating them from usual forms. This involved study of 6 recurrences occurring in 85 patients treated surgically between 1959 and 1989, as well as 33 well documented recurrences in the literature. True recurrent myxomas in young adults have a definite familial nature, frequently occurring within the context of Craney's complex and are due to a multicentre onset.

[A case of left ventricle-right atrium defect caused by nonpenetrating injury of the thorax].

A rare observation of left ventricular-right atrial defect is reported in a 17 year old boy, victim of a serious car accident. The elements of diagnosis and the congenital or traumatic origin of this defect were discussed. Surgical treatment with application of a patch enssured recovery.

[Association of cutaneous myxoma, recurrent cardiac myxoma and Cushing's syndrome (Carney's complex). Description of a case and review of the literature].

The authors report the case of a rare clinical syndrome which has recently been called Carney's complex or "myxomas, spotty pigmentation and endocrine overactivity". Three components of this complex are described: cutaneous myxomas, Cushing's syndrome of unpredictable evolution treated by bilateral adrenalectomy for multiple adrenal adenoma and left atrial myxoma which recurred twice. The authors review the literature and discuss the practical implications of this new syndrome which may be familial.

[Chronic aortic insufficiency with major left ventricle failure.ion. Results of aortic valve replacement and study of prognosis].

Twenty four patients with chronic aortic incompetence and major left ventricular dysfunction underwent aortic valve replacement. Left ventricular failure was responsible for severe symptoms: NYHA Classes III and IV. It was defined by the following haemodynamic criteria: LV ejection fraction (EF) 40 p.

[An unusual cause of hypoxia: anastomosis of the right superior vena cava into the left auricle. Surgical correction].

Anomalies of drainage of the superior vena cava (S.V.C.

[Hydatid cyst of the heart diagnosed with bidimensional echography. Apropos of a case].

A hydatid cyst of the left ventricular posterior wall was diagnosed by 2D echocardiography in a 36 year old North African patient presenting with exertional dyspnoea and atypical chest pain. Clinical examination was negative but the surface ECG showed inverted T-waves in the infero-lateral leads. Postero-anterior and lateral chest X rays were initially interpreted as normal but 2D echocardiography immediately revealed a cystic cardiac tumour which very probably was hydatid, given the patient's origin.

[Bacterial endocarditis due to Corynebacterium diphtheriae (author's transl)].

A case of bacterial endocarditis with unusual features in a 5 year-old boy is reported. There was no underlying heart disease or provocating factor. The organism was a non toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae which was difficult to classify.

[Intrathoracic splenosis. Apropos of a case].

The authors report an exceptional case of intrathoracic splenosis in a 34 year old woman suffering from a circulation injury with rupture of the spleen and left diaphragm and hemothorax. She had been splenectomized. Eleven years later, a systematic thoracic X-ray examination revealed a rounded opacity of the left extremity.