[Giant aneurysm of the pulmonary artery: a case report]. / Anévrisme géant de l'artère pulmonaire: à propos d'un cas.

Pulmonary artery aneurysm is a rare condition accounting for less than 1% of all intra thoracic aneurysms. This paper reports a case of giant aneurysm of the trunk and branches of the pulmonary artery, which was discovered incidentally on a computed tomography angiogram in a 48-year-old man with a past history of pulmonary tuberculosis. Besides the aneurysm there was dilation of the pulmonary annulus with massive pulmonary regurgitation, a tight mitral stenosis and sequelae of pleural and pulmonary tuberculosis. The patient is being followed-up with medical treatment and has been stable clinically for the last ten months.

Giant pseudoaneurysm of the left axillary artery following a stab wound.

Axillary artery pseudoaneurysms are rare. We report on a 30-year-old patient with a 6.5-cm post-traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the left axillary artery two months after a knife stab wound of the shoulder. The patient showed axillary fullness and signs of severe brachial plexus compression. A surgical repair was undertaken. The aneurysm was excluded and a saphenous vein interposition was performed. The early and late postoperative periods were uneventful. This is probably not only the largest axillary artery pseudoaneurysm ever reported, but also the first secondary to a stab wound.

[Cardiac surgery in Cameroon. Results at one year of the pilot phase]. / Chirurgie cardiaque au Cameroun. Résultats à un an de la phase pilote.

In the framework of implementation of his national program for control and prevention of cardiovascular diseases, Cameroonian government has set up a cardiac surgery project. We report in this manuscript results of one year follow up of the patients operated during the pilot phase. From September 22 till 26, 2008, 11 patients have been operated in Cameroun. Surgical procedures were 5 mitral mechanic valve replacement, 2 aortic mechanic valve replacement, 1 atrial septal defect closure, 2 pace maker implantation. No intrahospital death was observed. One patient died at 11th month after the operation due to mitral valve thrombosis and attributed to lack of compliance. One patient presented low cardiac output, pneumonia and a pleural effusion. 2 patients presented 2 minor complications consisting of pericarditis and superficial wound infection. The results of the pilot phase of cardiac surgery in Cameroon are effective. However, the sustainability of the program require human, material capacity building, and funding mechanism as well.

[Acute abdomens of parasitic origin: retrospective analysis of 135 cases]. / Les abdomens aigus d'étiologie parasitaire: analyse d'une série rétrospective de 135 cas.

OBJECTIVE: To assess acute abdomens incidence of parasitic origin at Yaounde (Cameroon) and evaluate their different management modalities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective study from January 1973 to December 2002 of patients managed at Department of Surgery, Central Hospital, Yaounde (Cameroon). RESULTS: Among 3464 acute abdomens managed by laparotomy during this period, 135 patients (3.9%) had a parasitic origin. Ninety-seven patients (79%) were operated on before 1990. Among these 135 patients, 63 (47%) had peritonitis secondary to liver amoebic abscess intraperitoneal rupture, 24 (18%) had acute intestinal obstruction due to an ascaridioma, 21 (15%) had appendicitis of parasitic origin, 15 (11%) had amoebic typhlitis, 4 (3%) had pancreatitis and/or angiocholitis caused by the obstruction of ampulla of Vater by an adult ascaris worm, 4 (3%) had intestinal perforation by ascaris, and 4 (3%) had intussusception (tricocephalus). CONCLUSIONS: Incidence of abdominal emergencies of parasitic origin is unfrequent but not rare at Central Hospital, Yaounde, Cameroon. This incidence is decreasing over time. However, liver amoebic abscess intraperitoneal rupture is the most common cause of peritonitis and is still associated with postoperative high mortality rate. Preoperative diagnosis could lead to non-operative management that may be associated with better prognosis.