Bicruciate ligament lesions and dislocation of the knee: mechanisms and classification.

Knowledge of the mechanisms of bicruciate lesions and dislocation of the knee enables analysis and classification in terms of injuries' location and type, guiding surgery and facilitating assessment. Careful history taking and clinical examination shed light on the mechanism involved, but exact identification of the lesion further requires examination under anesthesia and static and dynamic X-rays and MRI, which together enable precise determination of lesion type and location. There are two types of mechanism: gaping, causing ligament tear; and translation, causing detachment.

Comparative analysis of neointimal coverage with paclitaxel and zotarolimus drug-eluting stents, using optical coherence tomography 6 months after implantation.

Background: Intrastent thrombosis, while rare, has a poor prognosis. Strut non-coverage is one causal factor, especially in cases of resistance to or premature discontinuation of dual antiplatelet therapy.

Aim: To compare neointimal coverage with paclitaxel and zotarolimus drug-eluting stents, using optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Overweight after deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus in Parkinson disease: long term follow-up.

Objective: To assess the occurrence of weight gain in patients with Parkinson's disease, with an average 16 months of follow-up after subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation.

Methods: We used dual x ray absorptiometry to evaluate changes in body weight and body composition in 22 patients with Parkinson's disease (15 men and seven women) before surgery, 3 months after surgery and on average 16 months after surgery.

Results: No patient was underweight before surgery and 50% were overweight.

Osteoporosis treatment in postmenopausal women after peripheral fractures: impact of information to general practitioners.

Unlabelled: A low-impact fracture in a postmenopausal woman should prompt investigations for osteoporosis followed, if needed, by appropriate treatment.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of information alerting general practitioners to the need for osteoporosis treatment in postmenopausal women with a recent history of peripheral fracture.

Methods: We conducted a prospective 7-month follow-up study of 78 postmenopausal women, with a mean age of 81.

Leaching of diethylhexyl phthalate from multilayer tubing into etoposide infusion solutions.

Purpose: The extent of leaching of diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) from various polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE), coextruded (PVC and PE), and triple-layered (PVC, ethyl vinyl acetate, and PE) i.v. extension tubing into etoposide infusion solutions was studied.

Ovarian vein thrombosis in the antiphospholipid syndrome.

Ovarian vein thrombosis (OVT) is an unusual condition mainly observed during the postpartum period. It has not been reported to date in the antiphospholipid syndrome. Two female patients with definite antiphospholipid syndrome, ages 33 years and 73 years, were diagnosed as having OVT by computed tomography (CT) scan, according to the radiologic criteria described by Zerhouni et al.

Short-term peak power changes in adolescents of similar anthropometric characteristics.

Purpose: The present study was undertaken to examine changes of cycling peak power (P(max)), optimal pedaling frequency (Vopt), and optimal pedaling force (Fopt) with age in subjects with the same lean leg volume (LLV), leg length (LL), and percentage body fat (%BF).

Method: A total of 132 males aged 9.5-16.

Can procalcitonin measurement help in differentiating between bacterial infection and other kinds of inflammatory processes?

Objective: To study the levels of procalcitonin (PCT) in various inflammatory states seen in an internal medicine department and to evaluate the possible discriminative role of PCT in differentiating bacterial infection from other inflammatory processes.

Methods: PCT, C reactive protein (CRP), and white blood cell count (WBC) were measured in patients admitted to the department for fever or biological inflammatory syndrome, or both. The serum of 173 consecutive patients was analysed according to the aetiological diagnosis.

Minimally invasive extraperitoneal lymphadenectomy: clinical validation of an original technique.

Purpose: To validate an original technique described for pelvic node dissection.

Patients And Methods: A series of 192 patients were included in this study. The surgical technique we reported in 1987 is based on the use of a special retractor called the pelvioscope.

Mitral and mitro-aortic valve replacement with Sorin Bicarbon valves compared with St. Jude Medical valves.

Objective: We assessed the clinical results of two bileaflet mechanical valves: the St. Jude Medical (SJM) and the Sorin Bicarbon (Sorin Bicarbon) used either in single mitral valve replacement (MVR) or in double, aortic and mitral, valve replacement (DVR).

Methods: Between September 1990 and November 1995, 217 patients received either a St.

Pyogenic arthritis in adults.

Septic arthritis has shown no change in incidence, and despite advances in antimicrobial therapy is often responsible for residual functional impairment and for a high mortality rate among debilitated patients. Risk factors include older age, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, immunodeficiency, and a preexisting joint disease (e.g.

Prediction of hypoxemia and mechanical ventilation after lung resection for cancer.

Background: Hypoxemia usually occurs after thoracotomy, and respiratory failure represents a major complication.

Methods: To define predictive factors of postoperative hypoxemia and mechanical ventilation (MV), we prospectively studied 48 patients who had undergone lung resection. Preoperative data included, age, lung volume, force expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), predictive postoperative FEV1 (FEV1ppo), blood gases, diffusing capacity, and number of resected subsegments.

An open study of the anti-TNF alpha agent pentoxifylline in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: Monoclonal antibodies to TNF alpha have a rapid therapeutic effect in rheumatoid arthritis. Pentoxifylline is an anti-TNF alpha agent that is easier to handle than antibodies.

Methods: An open prospective trial was conducted in 21 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis.

Validity of a model of cultured myocardial cells for assessment of cardioplegia.

Myocardial protection is usually studied in vitro on perfused heart preparations, but never directly on cultured cardiomyocytes. We evaluated a model of cultured newborn rat cardiomyocytes to study both the cytotoxicity and the protective effect against chemical hypoxia of three cardioplegic solutions (St Thomas' I, Bretschneider, St Thomas' II) under normothermic (37 degrees C) and hypothermic (4 degrees C) conditions. Cytotoxicity was evaluated in 50% and 100% concentrations of the cardioplegic solutions with incubation times from 90 to 360 min.

Traumatic aortic ruptures diagnosed by transesophageal echocardiography.

The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic efficiency of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in isthmic aortic ruptures and to describe the echocardiographic Doppler anomalies. TEE was performed prospectively for 18 months in 33 patients with serious polytraumas requiring intensive care. The average age was 40.

Anaesthesiology.

Because of the extension of laparoscopic surgery to older patients with more complicated medical histories, anaesthetists increasingly have to face the problem of haemodynamic and respiratory tolerance of the technique. The management of such problems requires the understanding of the mechanisms involved, and their implications in terms of patient selection. Protocols where the maintenance of anaesthesia is provided using halogenated agents like isoflurane or desflurane have been shown to blunt the increase in systemic vascular resistances induced by CO2 insufflation and therefore enhance the haemodynamic tolerance of this procedure.

Mitral annuloplasty with a flexible linear reducer.

Although the ideal technique is still controversial, mitral valve reconstruction for mitral insufficiency usually includes an annuloplasty. From August 1985 to June 1993, 126 cases of pure, acquired mitral insufficiency were repaired by means of a posterior annuloplasty. Whatever the etiology, all types of mitral insufficiency allowing a mitral reconstruction were included.

Systemic-pulmonary shunt with a right retroesophageal subclavian artery.

A 19-day-old child suffering from cyanosis due to tetralogy of Fallot was palliated by using his right retroesophageal subclavian artery. It was anastomosed side-to-side onto the ascending aorta and end-to-side onto the right pulmonary artery. The palliation obtained with this systemic-pulmonary shunt was satisfying.