Colonic metastasis of breast carcinoma.

Metastasis of breast carcinoma to the colon is a rare occurrence. We report here the case of a 65-year-old patient who presented a stenosing tumor of breast origin, located in the right colon. Some of the regional lymph nodes were infiltrated but no distant metastasis were detected. The primary breast lesion was a 4-cm infiltrating adenocarcinoma, operated 4 years earlier. Surgical removal of the lesion was followed by Endoxan-Epirubicin and 5-Fluororacil chemotherapy and the patient remained disease-free during the 3 years of follow-up. We could find only 2 similar cases reported in the world literature until now. Profound anemia in a patient with a past history of breast carcinoma may indicate colonic metastasis; treatment should be surgery followed by chemotherapy.

[Role of emergency subtotal colectomy in neoplastic obstructions of the left colon]. / Place de la colectomie subtotale en urgence dans les occlusions néoplasiques du côlon gauche.

From 1984 to 1990, 60 patients underwent emergent surgery for a neoplastic obstruction of the left colon. We performed 19 colostomies without initial exeresis and 41 immediate tumoral resections. In the latter group, five subtotal colectomies (S.T.C.) were performed, including four with immediate mechanical anastomosis. Two patients had synchronous cancers and three had pre-perforating cecal lesions. Three patients had an associated general peritonitis. Three of the patients treated with STC died. These were these patients with general peritonitis, two of whom also had hepatic metastases. The data found in the literature on neoplastic obstructions of the left colon treated with STC with immediate anastomosis (227 cases are published) show an overall mortality rate of 8.4% with 24% morbidity, a complication of the anastomosis occurring in 4.5% of all cases.

[Antropyloric lithiasic obstruction. A variant of Bouveret's syndrome]. / Obstruction lithiasique antro-pylorique. Une variante du syndrome de Bouveret.

We report about one case of cholecystoduodenal fistula complicated by antropyloric lithiasic obstruction, which was treated surgically with gastrotomy and extraction of the calculus, in an 82-year-old woman. This case represents an anatomic variant of Bouveret's syndrome, which is classically defined as a duodenal lithiasic obstruction. On the basis of this case, the authors discuss the diagnostic and possibly therapeutic merits of digestive endoscopy and define the main clinical, anatomical and evolutive characteristics of this unfrequent complication of biliary lithiasis.

[Surgical treatment of infectious aneurysm of the popliteal artery. Description of a case caused by Campylobacter jejuni and a review of the literature]. / Le traitement chirurgical des anévrysmes infectieux de l'artère poplitée. Présentation d'un cas dû à campylobacter jejuni et revue de la littérature.

The authors describe a case of mycotic aneurysm of the popliteal artery secondary to Campylobacter jejuni-derived infectious endocarditis treated by excision and in situ femoro tibial venous bypass, and take the opportunity to review 14 literature cases of infectious aneurysm of popliteal artery. This diagnosis is most frequently evoked by the development in an infectious setting of a throbbing inflammatory mass in the popliteal fossa. Management is aimed at controlling the infection and insuring proper distal vascularization. Eradication of the infection rests with the excision of the aneurysm and adequate antibiotherapy for at least 6 weeks. Distal vascularization is best provided (2 cases) by extra-anatomical bypass. However, in situ bypassing (9) is possible provided apyrexia and negative blood cultures have been obtained by preoperative antibiotherapy. The material used must be a venous autograft, whenever possible.

[Carotid surgery under locoregional anesthesia]. / Chirurgie carotidienne sous anesthésie loco-régionale.

Eight-five carotid endarterectomies were performed in 77 patients, under regional anaesthesia using 2 different techniques: cervical epidural anaesthesia (35 cases) and cervical plexus block (50 cases). The patients' mean age was 71 years; 80 per cent had arterial hypertension and 41 per cent coronary disease. Transoperative cerebral ischaemia was detected by a 5-minute carotid clamping test, the occurrence of a neurological event indicating that shunting was required. In 62 patients this test was combined with measurement of carotid back pressure. None of the patients needed general anaesthesia. Intraoperative neurological events occurred more frequently (P less than 0.01) when the carotid back pressure was 25 mmHg or less, and 12 temporary shunts were installed for that reason (14.1 per cent). Three neurological events occurred at the end of endarterectomy: no shunt was installed and complete recovery was observed immediately after declamping. No complications ascribable to the anesthetic techniques were recorded. Mortality was nil, and the only neurological morbidity was a brachio-facial deficit which left few sequelae. The frequency of intra- or postoperative arterial hypertension was similar in both groups. Intraoperative hypotension, frequent under epidural anaesthesia, was observed in only one patient who had brachial plexus block (P less than 0.01). The analgesia obtained was equally good with both anaesthetic techniques, but cervical plexus block anaesthesia is easier to perform, had less haemodynamic repercussions and therefore tends to be preferred to cervical epidural anaesthesia. The lack of mortality, low morbidity and absence of systemic complications in this series despite the high number of patients at risk are in favour of this type of anaesthesia, notably for such patients. Moreover, because vigilance is preserved attention can be paid to the quality rather than the rapidity of endarterectomy, which is the best way of preventing embolism.

[Surgical treatment of perforated diverticular sigmoiditis. A retrospective study apropos of 45 cases]. / Traitement chirurgical des sigmoïdites diverticulaires perforées. Etude rétrospective à propos de 45 cas.

The authors report their experience with 45 cases of perforated diverticular sigmoiditis (10 cases of mesocolic abscesses, 13 cases of localised peritonitis and 22 cases of generalised peritonitis). The mean age of the patients was 69 years and a previous history of diverticulosis was found in 26.6% of patients. 18% were taking steroids or anti-inflammatories. The often atypical symptomatology only suggested sigmoid perforation in 50% of cases. Surgical procedures consisted of 33 immediate resections (group 1) and 12 conservative procedures (group 2). Overall mortality was 17.8%, and was 13% at the abscess and localised peritonitis stage, and 22.7% at the generalised peritonitis stage (difference not significant). 12% of patients died after resection in comparison with 33.3% after conservative surgery (difference not significant). Mortality was significantly higher when there was evidence of shock, pre-operative leucopenia and pyostercoral peritonitis. In group 1, the surgical morbidity was 24% with 9% reinterventions, while in group 2, there was a 50% complication rate and 25% reintervention rate. Intestinal continuity was reestablished in 67.5% of surviving patients with zero mortality. In view of the results obtained and after review of the literature, immediate resection would appear to give better results than conservative treatment.

[Obstructive left colonic cancer. Retrospective analysis of the therapeutic attitude in a series of 40 recent cases]. / Cancers du côlon gauche en occlusion. Analyse retrospective de l'attitude thérapeutique adoptée dans une série de quarante observations récentes.

In a series of 40 cancers involving the descending and sigmoid colon and producing true acute obstruction, the following were performed: 16 colostomies of first intention (including 11 palliative); 14 resections with colostomy (Hartmann type); 9 resection-anastomoses (including 3 protected); 1 attempt at laser treatment for non consent to surgery. Only 22 patients were theoretically suitable for anastomosis (18 contraindications due to invasive cancer or peritonitis); this was in fact carried out in 9 cases. Thus, if single stage surgery represents the ideal, it cannot be systematically applied; on the other hand, tumor resection can often be performed. It would seem that the use of per-operative colonic lavage can increase the percentage of single stage surgery, though there will always be a place for Hartmann or Bouilly-Volkmann type procedures, future reestablishment of continuity being facilitated by the use of surgical staples (EEA type).

[Primary malignant teratoma of the thyroid in adults. Report of 1 case and review of the literature]. / Les tératomes malins primitifs de la thyroïde de l'adulte. Rapport d'un cas et revue de la littérature.

Malignant teratomas of the thyroid gland are exceptional in adults. One case is presented. It brings to 11 the total number of cases reported in the literature. The histological diagnosis of these lesions raises few problems, but their histogenesis remains controversial. Their very poor prognosis justifies total thyroidectomy with lymphadenectomy associated with cervical and mediastinal radiotherapy and combination chemotherapy. In the case reported here, this triple therapeutic combination has allowed the disease-free survival of the patient for 27 months after surgery.