Cardiac multislice spiral computed tomography as an alternative to coronary angiography in the preoperative assessment of coronary artery disease before aortic valve surgery: a management outcome study.

Background: Conventional coronary angiography (CA) is still recommended before valvular surgery. Preliminary studies suggest that multislice spiral computed tomography coronary angiography (MSCT-CA) can be used to rule out coronary artery disease (CAD).

Aim: To assess prospectively the safety of ruling out CAD before surgery solely on the basis of normal MSCT-CA in patients with severe aortic valve disease.

Diabetic critical ischemia of lower limbs: distal arterial revascularisation.

Objectives: To evaluate the outcomes of ischemic diabetic foot lesions for which distal arterial bypass grafting was considered as the first-line vascular procedure.

Patients And Methods: Between November 2004 and November 2006, 19 lower limbs of 17 diabetic patients with lower limb critical ischemia were operated in our department. The bypass grafts included five femoro-popliteal bypass grafts below knee and 14 distal bypass grafts.

Rotational femoral osteotomies using an endomedullary saw.

Introduction: The goal of this retrospective study is to analyze a series of ten patients (11 osteotomies) who underwent closed femoral rotational osteotomy using an endomedullary saw; stabilization was achieved by a locked centromedullary nail. We report the indications, technical aspects, clinical and radiological results as well as intercurrent complications with this surgical technique.

Hypothesis: Femoral endomedullary osteotomy is a safe procedure to correct malrotations.

2008 SOR guidelines for the prevention and treatment of thrombosis associated with central venous catheters in patients with cancer: report from the working group.

Background: In view of the lack of recommendations on central venous catheter (CVC)-associated thrombosis in cancer patients, we established guidelines according to the well-standardized Standards, Options and Recommendations methodology.

Material And Methods: A literature review (1990-2007) on CVC-associated thrombosis was carried out. The guidelines were developed on the basis of the corresponding levels of evidence derived from analysis of the 36 of 175 publications selected.

Inherited thrombophilias and unexplained pregnancy loss: an incident case-control study.

Background: Despite an initial impressive impact, a critical appraisal of the link between pregnancy loss and inherited thrombophilias is currently growing. Furthermore, little is known about the paternal thrombophilic phenotype and pregnancy loss.

Objective: We sought an association between unexplained pregnancy loss and parental factor V Leiden (FVL) and Prothrombin G20210A (PTG) mutations.

Strong evidence that skewed X-chromosome inactivation is not associated with recurrent pregnancy loss: an incident paired case control study.

Background: Previous studies have reported conflicting results regarding recurrent pregnancy loss and skewed X-chromosome inactivation. Hence, we sought an association by carrying out a specifically designed incident paired case-control study with required statistical power.

Methods: Design incident 1:3 matched case-control study, from 2003 to 2007.

Group B streptococcal arthritis.

Recent data suggest that group B streptococcal arthritis is being increasingly diagnosed. We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients admitted to our Teaching Hospital Rheumatology Department for septic arthritis between May 2000 and May 2004 and we reviewed the relevant literature to determine the characteristics of group B streptococcal arthritis. We compared age, hospital stay duration, and number of joints involved in the patients with group B streptococcal arthritis and in those with septic arthritis due to other organisms.

Incidence and nature of karate injuries.

Objectives: To determine the incidence and nature of karate injuries sustained in karate clubs and to identify risk factors for injuries.

Methods: One hundred eighty-six individuals from three karate clubs in Brest, France, were entered in a retrospective study extending from September 2002 to June 2003. Each athlete was asked to complete a questionnaire on karate injuries sustained during the previous year (type, location, mechanism, exercise during which the injury occurred, number of days off training and work, and medical care).

Diffuse EGFR staining is associated with reduced overall survival in locally advanced oesophageal squamous cell cancer.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus (SCCO) is still a pathology of bad prognosis. Specific therapies are now developed against epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, c-kit receptor (CD117), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and p53 protein. This study was aimed at assessing their expression in a large series of SCCO, as well as their potential therapeutic interest in this pathology.

Noninvasive assessment of left main coronary stent patency with 16-slice computed tomography.

We investigated the ability of 16-slice computer tomography (CT) to discriminate any restenosis after left main coronary artery stenting in 29 consecutive patients. CT was able to detect all stents and analyze the lumen properly in 27 of 29 cases. With the exception of arrhythmic or heavily calcified segments, multislice CT provides a noninvasive alternative to conventional coronary angiography in the follow-up of left main angioplasty with stenting.

Delayed isolated tension intraventricular pneumocephalus after ventriculoperitoneal shunt.

Objective And Importance: Delayed and isolated tension intraventricular pneumocephalus without air in the pericerebral subarachnoid spaces is an exceptional complication of a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt. We purpose an explanation for the development of such delayed pneumocephalus.

Clinical Presentation: A 14-year-old boy developed headaches and right-side hearing loss three months after surgical resection of a cerebellar medulloblastoma and insertion of a VP shunt.

Dorsal pancreas agenesis: computed tomography appearance with three-dimensional volume rendering reconstruction.

We report a case of a very rare congenital variant consisting in a dorsal (or left) pancreas agenesis due to the lack of development of the dorsal embryonic bud of the gland. This variant is characterized using helical computed tomography (CT). Three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography reconstruction, especially using the volume rendering technique, is very helpful for assessing this entity, which it is important to recognize due to its potential clinical implication (diabetes mellitus).

A case of cutaneous sensory neuropathy associated with Churg-Strauss syndrome.

Cutaneous sensory neuropathy manifests as multiple, sharply demarcated areas of hypoesthesia with a variable degree of pain. This rare neuropathy is caused by a multifocal infection or inflammation of the small sensory nerves of the skin. We report a case in a patient with febrile arthritis and eosinophilia.

Ability of the American College of Rheumatology 1987 criteria to predict rheumatoid arthritis in patients with early arthritis and classification of these patients two years later.

Objective: To determine how well the American College of Rheumatology (ACR; formerly, the American Rheumatism Association) 1987 classification criteria for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), when used at study inclusion in a cohort of 270 patients with early (<1 year) arthritis, predicted a diagnosis of RA 2 years later and how well they classified these patients at the end of the 2 years.

Methods: Patients were evaluated during 1995-1997 at 7 hospitals in the Brittany region of France. Patients were evaluated at 6-month intervals until November 1999.

Prevalence of symptomatic bronchiectasis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of symptomatic bronchiectasis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: Cross-sectional retrospective study of 453 rheumatoid arthritis patients. All patients completed a questionnaire designed to detect manifestations of bronchiectasis and had a chest film taken.