Epidemiological aspects of peptic haemorrhagic ulcers

Upper Gastrointestinal haemorrhages of ulcerous origin onstitutea frequent and fearsome emerrgency. We report the experience of our department about the epidemiological aspects of peptic haemorrhagic ulcers. Our study was carried out during the period of two years [January 1998 - december 1999] in the endoscopy unit of our ward and conducted over 600 patients presenting with an acute upper gastrointestinal heamorrhage. Only upper gastrointestinal heamorrhage of ulcerous origin will be studied. The mean age of our patients is 48 years with a male predominance [88,9%]. Antecedents of peptic ulcer and acute upper gastrointestinal heamorrhage were noted respectively in 17% and 6,8%. An associated disease was noted 29,7% and a consumption of a gastrotoxic drug in 6.5%. On the 600 upper endoscopy realized, a peptic ulcer was the cause of the heamorrhage in 235 cases [39,2%]. The ulcer was duodenal in 79,1%, gastric in 15,4%, pyloric in 1.7%. The double association duodenal and gastric was noted in 3,8%. The front face of the bulb was the most frequent localisation of the heamorrhage [74,1%]. A lesional association, heamorrhagic or not, was found respectively in 36,5% and 38,9% with duodenal ulcer and gastric ulcer

Superficial migratory thrombophlebitis [about one case]

Superficial migratory thrombophlebitis represents a segmental inflammatory reaction of subcutaneous veins walls, that is associated to a thrombosis. Clinical manifestations, essentially cutaneous, show subcutaneous erythematous nodules and painfull, indurated venous cords the main characteristic of which is the recurrence anywhere in the superficial venous system. Differential diagnosis is sometimes difficult concerning hypodermic infiltrates, polyarteritis nodosa and other forms of recurrent cellulitis and panniculitis. The cutaneous biopsy is the key of the diagnosis. The main etiologies are malignancy, especially visceral cancers, Buergers disease, Behcet's disease, some infectious pathologies and haemostatic abnormalities However, in half of cases, no cause is found. Such forms are thus classified as idiopathic. Treatment consists of nonsteroidal anti- inflammatory agents, corticosteroids, anti-malarial drugs and / or colchicin. The use of anticoagulants is controversial; they are reserved for a possible involvement of the deep venous system. Our work is about a report of a patient with recurrent superficial phlebitis