Atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia diagnosed by pacemaker electrograms.

Electrograms stored by pacemakers or implantable defibrillators enable the diagnosis of numerous atrial or ventricular arrhythmia episodes. We present the case of a patient implanted with a DDD pacemaker for sinus node dysfunction who experienced episodes of tachycardia. Atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia was diagnosed by real-time analysis of electrograms during and at the onset of the tachycardia episodes.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy using a VDD lead.

In heart failure patients with normal sinus node function, cardiac resynchronization therapy can be achieved with only two leads, one VDD type, and one left ventricular. This reduces the number of venous punctures, implanted leads, and possibly operation and fluoroscopic times and complication rates. We present two cases and discuss the advantages and limits of such a procedure.

[Autonomic nervous system involvement in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy].

Introduction: Involvement of the autonomic nervous system during Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) is rare. Localised hyperhydrosis and Claude Bernard Horner (CBH) syndrome have never been reported in patients with CIDP.

Case Report: We report the case of a 65-year-old right handed man who presented with hyperhydrosis localised to the right hemithorax and hemiface and a left CBH syndrome.

[Etanercept].

Etanercept (Enbrel, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals) is a fusion protein composed of a soluble TNF alpha receptor issued from bio-technology. It is a member of TNF alpha's family with two others marked infliximab (Remicade, Scheringh Plough Laboratory), chimeric monoclonal antibody (25 p. 100 mouse) and adalimumab (Humira, Abbott France Laboratory), humanized monoclonal antibody (100 p.

[Horton's disease revealed by brachial C5 plexopathy].

Background: Shoulder palsy due to brachial plexopathy (or lower cervical radiculopathy) is a rare occurrence in patients with giant cell temporal arteritis (TA). We report a patient with C5 plexopathy revealing TA, with review of the literature.

Exegesis: A 67-year-old woman presented with a complex neurological syndrome of rapid onset, including a left trigeminal neuralgia, painless masticatory palsy, impaired swallowing, and severe palsy of the left shoulder, corresponding to a C5 plexitis.

[Perforation of the sigmoid colon secondary to acetabular fracture].

Traumatic lesions of the colon associated with fracture of the acetabulum occurs in less than 2% of the cases. Direct perforation of the colon by a bony spike, which occurred in our patient, is even more exceptional. We were unable to find any other case reported in the literature.

[Disease associations in 250 patients with temporal (giant cell) arteritis].

Introduction: Miscellaneous disorders have been described in association with temporal (giant cell) arteritis (TA), most often anecdotally, except with arteriosclerosis.

Method: In a retrospective study, we reported our personal experience of disease associations in a series of 250 patients diagnosed with TA and followed-up in the department between 1976 and 2003.

Results: Disease associations were found in 43 patients, i.

[Spontaneous splenic rupture due to splenic metastasis of lung cancer].

We report the case of a patient who underwent splenectomy for spontaneous rupture of the spleen due to splenic metastasis. Pathologic examination revealed diffuse infiltration by carcinoma. Chest X-ray revealed a right lung superior lobe tumor, related to poorly differentiated carcinoma.

Evaluation of the microbial safety of a new 1.5 l enteral feeding diet reservoir system.

Background & Aims: Microbial safety is essential during enteral nutrition (EN) as it can be the origin of gastrointestinal symptoms, but can also lead to systemic infections. The use of large-volume diet reservoirs could limit the risk of contamination and reduce nursing time, due to fewer repeated manipulations. The aim of the study was to evaluate in vivo the microbial safety of a new 1.

[Hepatitis B vaccination in France: vaccination coverage in 2002].

In parts of Europe where the relevant data are available, the vaccinal coverage rate of children against hepatitis B virus ranges from 27.5 to 99.0% and that of adolescents from 52 to 98%.

Immunologic basis for the rare occurrence of true nonsecretory plasma cell dyscrasias.

Lymphocytes and plasma cells are major actors of the adaptive immune response and can rightly be considered as human health keepers. However, recombination and mutation events occurring at high rate in the B cell lineage also expose these cells to gene alterations, potentially resulting in uncontrolled and life-threatening cell proliferation. Although in cultured cell lines, such gene alterations frequently generate nonsecretory variants, most immunoproliferative B cell disorders feature in vivo immunoglobulin (Ig) secretion.

[Cystocele].

A cystocele is a bladder hernia through the anterior wall of the vagina. It is common in elderly women. There is no clinico-anatomical correlation, but the functional disturbance, although both variable and variably experienced, remains a major factor in the indication of eventual surgery.

Plasma levels and metabolism of AcSDKP in patients with chronic renal failure: relationship with erythropoietin requirements.

N-acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline (AcSDKP) is a physiological inhibitor of hematopoiesis that is maintained at stable levels in normal plasma. Its degradation in vivo and in vitro by angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) accounts for the high plasma concentrations of AcSDKP in patients treated with ACE inhibitors. Because ACE inhibitors can induce anemia in some patients, we measured plasma AcSDKP concentrations in 176 patients with chronic renal failure: 120 hemodialysis (HD) and 56 nondialysis (nD) patients, 39 of whom were administered ACE inhibitors.

[General anesthesia].

General anaesthesia is a reversible loss of consciousness induced and maintained with a hypnotic drug given either by venous injection and infusion, or by inhalation. A potent opioid is usually associated to inhibit the transmission of pain and thus to lessen sympathetic and endocrine reactions to nociceptive stimuli. Myorelaxation is used to facilitate tracheal intubation and surgery.

Comparative review of topical ophthalmic antibacterial preparations.

The choice of an antibacterial is based on considerations of pharmacodynamic, pharmacokinetic and bacteriological characteristics, risk of selecting resistant mutants, and cost. In this article we review 16 commercially available ophthalmic antibacterial preparations. Fusidic acid and bacitracin are selective for gram-positive bacteria whereas polymyxin B targets gram-negative species.

[Aneurysmal bone cyst of the patella. A case report and literature review].

We report a case of an aneurysmal cyst localized in the patella of a 37-year-old man. The lesion was secondary to a chondroblastoma at six years follow-up after initial curettage and bone graft. It were no recurrence.

[Extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis C virus infection].

HCV virus is associated with various immunological disorders. Some of them like mixed cryoglobulinemia, are proved by molecular biology and virology. Others are presumed auto-immune: auto-antibodies production (antinuclear, anti-smooth muscle, anti-liver-kidney microsomal antibodies.

[Elastofibroma in the scapular region. A case report and review of the literature].

Purpose Of The Study: We report a case of elastofibroma and have collected 280 cases in the literature.

Material And Methods: A 56 year-old man presented with a right subscapular mass. The patient was asymptomatic but he reported a "clicking"sensation associated with mobilization of the shoulder.

Radical surgery for gallbladder cancer. Results of the French Surgical Association Survey.

Background/aims: Gallbladder carcinoma is a highly lethal disease. The advantages of radical surgery remain controversial. The authors' objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of an aggressive approach to gallbladder carcinoma on long-term survival.