[Postoperative sciatica from epidural fibrosis and lumbar arachnoiditis. Results of 38 repeat operations]. / Sciatiques post-opératoires par fibrose épidurale et arachnoïdite lombaire. Résultats de 38 réinterventions.

Lumbar epiduro-arachnoiditis is a well-known complication of surgery of the intervertebral disc. The epidural fibrous scar is the normal outcome of inflammatory activity secondary to the mechanical tissue disturbance resulting from surgery. In certain individuals, perhaps genetically predisposed as excessive quantity of fibrous tissue is deposited in the epi and/or nitradural space. This abnormal situation, comparable to cheloid cutaneous scars, is perhaps at the origin of the clinical symptoms. The authors report the clinical and radiological signs observed in 38 patients having had at least one operation for discal hernia, and who underwent further operations in the aim of freeing the roots and the dural sack from fibrous compression. Results of excision of the epidural "cheloid" were good in 13 cases, and average in 8 others. There was a complete failure in 17 other patients. Three explanations were offered to explain the frequency of the failures: 1) formation of a new cheloid, 2) difficulty of neurolysis of the arachnoiditis, 3) possibility of intrinsic lesions of the nerve associated with the epiduro-arachnoiditis.

[Sulindac suppositories: treatment of pain in osteoarthritis (author's transl)]. / Etude du suppositoire de sulindac dans le traitement de la douleur arthrosique.

Thirty one patients with osteoarthritis (29 hips, 16 knees) were submitted to a treatment with sulindac at a daily dose of 200 mg bid suppositories during four weeks. This trial showed that the treatment brought relief of pain in the majority of patients. Compared with others previously prescribed drugs, sulindac was more effective (72%). Sulindac suppositories were well tolerated; only three drop-out because side-effects (gastro intestinal tract: 2, skin 1) have been reported. Sulindac suppositories tolerance was reported as good.

[Long-term therapy of osteoarthritis of the hip and the knee by sulindac (a cooperative trial in general practice) (author's transl)]. / Traitement au long cours de la coxarthrose et de la gonarthrose par le sulindac. Une étude coopérative en médecine générale.

Long-term trial of sulindac (in general practice): 2,040 patients with osteoarthritis of the hip or of the knee been treated, 86,5% of them have been following the treatment for one year. This trial let us pointing out the non-improverishment of effectiveness of sulindac and the keepint of its good tolerance for long term. Some epidemiological data have been collected, among which: the importance of ponderal overload in patients studied and the prevalence of the right joints diseases on the left one's.