[Staphylococcal tracheitis and toxic shock syndrome in a child].

Bacterial tracheitis should be raised as a possible cause in cases of severe febrile dyspnea. It can be life-threatening due to airway obstruction or, less frequently, due to toxic shock syndrome. We report the observation of toxic shock syndrome-complicated bacterial tracheitis in a 14-year-old boy.

Combined lumbar and sacral plexus block compared with plain bupivacaine spinal anesthesia for hip fractures in the elderly.

Background And Objectives: This prospective randomized study was designed to determine the hemodynamic effects and quality of combined lumbar and sacral plexus block compared with plain bupivacaine spinal anesthesia in the elderly for repair of proximal femoral fractures.

Methods: Twenty-nine elderly patients ranging in age from 68 to 97 years were randomly assigned to 2 groups: a spinal anesthesia group with single-shot 3 mL 0.5% plain bupivacaine, and a combined block group with 30 mL lidocaine 1.

[Utilization of an equimolar mixture of oxygen-nitrous oxide in a general pediatric ward].

Unlabelled: We report our experience of the utilization of the 50% oxygen-nitrous oxide mixture (nitrous oxide 50%) in our general pediatric ward after one year of use.

Patients And Methods: Between 1st April 1997 and 31st March 1998, children who had to undergo a painful procedure were proposed to inhale 50% nitrous oxide before the procedure. We evaluate pain, restlessness and adverse effects.

Numerous and large Bier's spot associated with pregnancy.

We report a patient with anemic macules over cyanotic skin which started in the 8th month of a normal pregnancy. We thought that these lesions were close to Bier's spot description although it has never been described during pregnancy. The relationship with pregnancy is likely because skin lesions regress in post-partum.

[Biomaterials in plastic and maxillofacial surgery].

The major progress in biomaterials over recent years have concerned osteosynthesis, reconstruction and creation of the shapes of bones and soft tissues and gluing. In the authors' field of osteosynthesis, "pure" medical titanium, particularly T40, is perfectly adapted to situations (face, hand) in which the bone constraints are much lower than those encountered in hip and long bone surgery. Two improvements can be recommended: reheated titanium T40 due to its improved ductility; cermets (ceramo-metallic biomaterials) which have an excellent biocompatibility and which allow bone-implant liaisons, particularly for the bony fixation of epithesis supports.

[A variant of island flaps for the covering of pressure sores: the hatchet flap. Apropos of 31 cases].

The authors propose a modification of the classical design of island flaps for cover of pressure sores, applied to gluteus maximus and tensor fascia lata muscles: the hatchet flap. 31 flaps have been used including 13 gluteus maximus superior flaps for sacral pressure sores, 9 gluteal inferior flaps for ischial pressure sores and 9 tensor fascia lata flaps for trochanteric pressure sores. A small partial necrosis and two cases of sepsis were observed in this series, but did not require surgical revision.