[Knowledge, attitude and perception about obstetric fistula by Cameroonian women]. / Connaissance, attitude et perception vis-à-vis des fistules obstétricales par les femmes camerounaises Une enquête clinique conduite à Maroua, capitale de la province de l'extrême Nord du Cameroun.

INTRODUCTION: This study seeks to identify what the women who live in Maroua Cameroon know and think about obstetric fistula. POPULATION AND METHOD: It is a single hospital, cross-sectional, descriptive and comparative study. Ninety-nine women in the maternity service of the Maroua Provincial Hospital were interrogated on obstetric fistula between May and July 2005, by enquirers who were trained health agents using a questionnaire which required both closed and open answers. RESULTS: The women who had no previous knowledge of it were generally the illiterate (41.7% compared to 18.8%). More than a third of the women who had an idea of the fistula do not know that there is a surgical treatment for it. Whether they had the previous information on fistula or received it from us, one-tenth of the women suggested that suicide was the solution to fistula where as one-third of the women suggested that a patient suffering from fistula should be isolated. CONCLUSION AND INTERPRETATION: Illiteracy contributes significantly to the lack of knowledge of this affection. The population has a poor perception and a strong negative attitude towards obstetric fistula as they see isolation or suicide as the solution to it.

[What may be expected from endorectal echography and magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of local extension of cancer of the prostate?]. / Qu'attendre de l'échographie endorectale et de l'imagerie par résonance magnétique dans le bilan d'extension locale du cancer de la prostate?

Thirty patients presenting with a clinical stage A or B cancer underwent TRUS and MRI with a body coil prior to radical prostatectomy. Imaging and pathology were correlated to assess the limits of TRUS and MRI in pre-operative staging of prostatic carcinoma. Results showed that TRUS and MRI had a sensitivity of 42 and 66% and a specificity of 89 and 94% respectively, for the diagnosis of macroscopic capsular effraction. Seminal vesicle invasion was diagnosed by TRUS with a sensitivity of 16% and a specificity of 81%. With MRI, the sensitivity and the specificity were 85 and 94% if only gross infiltration was considered. Sensitivity dropped to 45% if microscopic invasion was included. We conclude that: 1) postero-lateral venous plexus are more easily delineated by MRI, permitting a more accurate diagnosis of capsular penetration. 2) Seminal vesicle invasion cannot be diagnosed by TRUS as the echo-structure of the cancer and the caudal junction of the seminal vesicles and vas deferent are similar. 3) A normal caudal junction on TRUS or a normal bilateral hypersignal of the seminal vesicles on MRI are associated with seminal vesicle invasion in less than 5% of cases. 4) A normal caudal junction on TRUS eliminates false positive cases of MRI related to non tumoral hyposignals of the seminal vesicles.

[Color doppler echography in the exploration of vasculogenic impotence]. / Echographie-doppler couleur dans l'exploration de l'impuissance d'origine vasculaire.

102 patients with suspected vasculogenic impotence were evaluated with color doppler sonography. Measurement of normal systolic and diastolic velocities were obtained from the cavernosal arteries of patients responding by a full erection after intra-cavernosal injection of 20 mg of Papaverine. A correlation with cavernosometry was obtained in 61 patients and with selective internal pudendal arteriography in 11. The 10 patients with abnormal arteriograms had a systolic velocity < 25 cm/sec. 13 out of the 15 patients with an end diastolic velocity > 5 cm/sec had a venous leak defined by a maintenance flow rate of erection during cavernosometry > 25 ml/mn. End diastolic velocity is an excellent index of the function of the veno-occlusive system, provided the systolic velocity remains at a normal value. In case of arterial insufficiency, a diastolic flow < 5 cm/sec is of no value and cavernometry is mandatory to detect a mixed arterio-venous impotence. The addition of color doppler sonography permitted a more rapid detection of vessels and an easily reproducible measurement of velocities which makes color doppler sonography an excellent screening test for examining patients with potential vasculogenic impotence.

[What may be expected from endorectal ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging in the assessment of local extension of cancer of the prostate?]. / Qu'attendre de l'échographie endorectale et de l'imagerie par résonance magnétique dans le bilan d'extension locale du cancer de la prostate?

30 patients presenting with a clinical stage A or B cancer underwent TRUS and MRI with a body coil prior to radical prostatectomy. Imaging and pathology were correlated to assess the limits of TRUS and MRI in pre-operative staging of prostatic carcinoma. Results showed that TRUS and MRI had a sensitivity of 42 and 66% and a specificity of 89 and 94% respectively, for the diagnosis of macroscopic capsular effraction. Seminal vesicle invasion was diagnosed by TRUS with a sensitivity of 16% and a specificity of 81%. With MRI, the sensitivity and the specificity were 85 and 94% if only gross infiltration was considered. Sensitivity dropped to 45% if microscopic invasion was included. We conclude that: (1) postero-lateral venous plexus are more easily delineated by MRI, permitting a more accurate diagnosis of capsular penetration. (2) Seminal vesicle invasion cannot be diagnosed by TRUS as the echostructure of the cancer and the caudal junction of the seminal vesicles and vas deferens are similar. (3) A normal caudal junction on TRUS or a normal bilateral hypersignal of the seminal vesicles on MRI are associated with seminal vesicle invasion in less than 5% of cases. (4) A normal caudal junction on TRUS eliminates false positive cases of MRI related to non tumoral hyposignals of the seminal vesicles.

[Technical problems raised by renal puncture in the percutaneous extraction of coralliform calculi]. / Problèmes techniques posés par la ponction du rein dans l'extraction percutanée des calculs coralliformes.

Initial puncture and dilation of nephrostomy track(s) remain difficult procedures in percutaneous extraction of staghorn calculi. Technical s adjuvants are necessary and are exposed in detail. The choice of the needle, of the wires and of the catheters for initial puncture and ureteral catheterization is explained. Techniques of "Y" tract and double puncture are exposed. Severe complications (3 cases) are reported. Extraction of up to 90% of the stone can be expected if these technical adjuvants are optimally used.

[Correction of deviations of the penis by the Nesbit operation]. / Correction des déviations de la verge par l'opération de Nesbit.

The Nesbit procedure is proposed in the treatment of the penile curvature. Our technique is a longitudinal incision followed by a transversal suture. From 1981 to 1986, 25 patients were operated: 19 fair results, 4 good, 2 unsatisfying. The shortening of the phallus is the major pitfall of the technique.