[Pseudo-aneurysm of mitro-aortic continuity: a rare complication after aortic valve replacement]. / Le pseudo-anévrisme du trigone fibreux aorto-mitral : une complication rare du remplacement valvulaire aortique chirurgical.

Pseudo-aneurysm of the fibrous continuity zone between the aortic and mitral valves, the so-called "mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa" is a rare complication of acute infective endocarditis, rarely after an aortic valve replacement. We report the case of a large pseudo-aneurysm occurred in a 70-year-old man, who had a history of surgical aortic valve replacement 3 years before. There were no biological or clinical evidence for infective acute endocarditis. The originality of this observation can be summarized in three points: the late onset after surgery, the absence of any infectious context and the chronic nature of pseudo-aneurysm, without any complication during a follow-up of 12 months. Transesophageal echocardiography remains the best diagnostic tool.

[Spontaneous remission of congenital leukemia cutis]. / Lésions cutanées à type de leucémie congénitale "aleucémique" de rémission spontanée.

BACKGROUND: Aleukaemic leukaemia--without blasts in the blood or the bone marrow--with isolated cutaneous manifestations has been very rarely reported since only seven patients have been described to date. The prognosis is variable, and the indications for an aggressive treatment such as polychemotherapy are currently unclear. We report a case of spontaneously remitting aleukaemic leukaemia in a newborn child and compare it with other cases in the literature. CASE REPORT: A male newborn presented diffuse, violaceous skin nodules reminiscent of the so-called "blueberry muffin syndrome" present since birth. Blood and marrow examinations did not show any blasts and karyotype was normal. Biopsy of a nodule established the diagnosis of acute myeloid leukaemia type 5. The course was spontaneously favourable despite the absence of specific therapy and the boy was asymptomatic after one year of follow-up. DISCUSSION: Of the eight reported infants (including ours), three died, including two through acute transformation of the leukaemia. The prognosis seems to be highly dependent on cytogenetic features with the 11q23 rearrangement being at higher risk of acute transformation, prompting recourse to aggressive chemotherapy. Our case further illustrates the favourable prognostic value of a normal karyotype, a situation in which therapeutic abstention seems possible, and is even recommended.

Herpes gestationis and anti-HLA immunization.

The lymphocytotoxicity technique at +15 degrees C and +37 degrees C was used to identify anti-HLA and cold lymphocytotoxic antibodies in sera from two women with herpes gestationis. The degree of severity of the illness was different in the two cases. The more serious case (widespread cutaneous involvement, repeated fetal deaths) had a very powerful anti-HLA-A9 +anti-HLA-B5 antibody (titre 1/1000); the other had less severe skin lesions; she had an anti-HLA-B13 antibody (titre was 1/256). Both cases had cold lymphocytotoxic auto-antibodies.

[Papulo-vesicular endogenous eruptions induced by methyldopa and clofibrate (author's transl)]. / Eruptions papulo-vésiculeuses endogènes a la méthyldopa et au clofibrate.

3 induced eczemas during systemic drug administration are reported: 2 were caused by methyldopa, 1 by clofibrate. The relationship is established either by patch-tests or by administration of the drug.