[Rapid development of mitral and aortic stenoses with chronic hemodialysis. A report of 2 cases]. / Sténoses mitrale et aortique de constitution rapide chez les hémodialysés chroniques: a propos de deux observations.

Chronic renal failure is associated with a high incidence of calcifications of the mitral anulus, which if severe enough may result in mitral stenosis or regurgitation. Aortic valve calcifications, though less frequent, may also occur and cause aortic valve stenosis, as observed in two patients. In hemodialysed patients, identification of valvular aortic stenosis might be difficult on a clinical basis since the systolic ejection murmur might be attributed to aortic sclerosis or a high output state and left ventricular hypertrophy to previous hypertensive disease. Calcific aortic stenosis may easily be detected using echocardiography combined with the continuous Doppler technique.

[Aneurysm of the interauricular septum]. / Anévrysme du septum interauriculaire.

In reference to three personal cases of interatrial septum aneurysm discovered on ultrasonography performed for the diagnosis of a cerebral embolism, the authors describe the positive diagnosis criteria, in mono- and bi-dimensional mode, of this abnormality, as well as related data obtained from catheterization, angiocardiography, and phonocardiography. This malformation, the frequency and pathogenesis of which still remain, today, difficult to evaluate, may be at the origin of complications, especially embolic migrations, systemic and also pulmonary, supraventricular rhythm disorders, interatrial shunt, reduced ventricular filling. Once established, the diagnosis is the subject of many controversies: if plain monitoring appears logical in asymptomatic forms, the occurrence of a systemic embolism makes it difficult to choose between surgical treatment and long-term anticoagulant therapy.