[Ileo-sigmoid knot. 16 cases]. / Le noeud iléo-sigmoïdien (ileo-sigmoid knot). 16 cas.

A retrospective study of 16 cases of ileo sigmoid knot, treated at Treichville Hospital in Abidjan Côte-d'Ivoire, is reported by the authors between 1970 and 1989. This pathology is not so seldom and concerned 14 men and 2 women from 14 years old to 61 years old with an average of 42 years. The more precise description of the physiopathology of this occlusion allows to classify this pathology as an independent entity from the other types of volvulus. The physiopathologic knowledge described allow a more precise diagnostic approach and a better codified therapeutic attitude.

[Pheochromocytoma in black Africa. Report of 9 cases]. / Le phéochromocytome en Afrique noire. A propos d'une série de 9 observations.

Pheochromocytoma exists in black African countries with the same frequency observed in other places. The characteristics of our series of nine patients are the followings: an average age of 19, 6 years old, a sex-ratio of 1, 25, a paroxysmal high blood pressure for six patients, no MEN neither malignant tumors, the measures of V.M.A. done positively eight times, a retropneumoperitoneum scan, seven arteriographies, three echographies which were consistently positive, one death post surgery by collapsus consecutive to tumor excision, only one contralateral recurrence and positive followings in all other cases.

[Surgical treatment of hepatosplenic bilharziosis in the Ivory Coast. Apropos of 34 cases]. / Traitement chirurgical de la bilharziose hépato-splénique en Côte d'Ivoire. A propos de 34 cas.

Portal hypertension due to hepato-splenic bilharziasis is common in Abidjan, where we operated on 34 cases in 15 years. The indications for surgical intervention include gastrointestinal haemorrhage due to rupture of esophageal varices, a very bulky enlarged spleen and, more, rarely, recurrent ascites. Simple splenectomy (9 cases) suppresses discomfort and pain, corrects the hypersplenism and brings about a moderate reduction of portal pressure. Spleno-renal anastomosis (19 cases) remains the operation of choice. The long-term results, difficult as these are to assess under ill-regulated African conditions, appear satisfactory on the whole, due to less serious damage to the hepatocyte than in the cirrhoses (62% Child A and 29% Child B). We therefore continue to advocate splenectomy followed if possible by a spleno-renal shunt in bilharzial portal hypertension.