[Severe type 7 Adenovirus pneumoniae in an immunocompetent adult]. / Pneumopathie sévère à Adénovirus type 7 chez un adulte immunocompétent.

We report a case of severe Adenovirus type 7 pleuropneumonia in an immunocompetent adult. The treatment required a mechanical ventilation with tracheostomy. The sequelae was a restrictive respiratory insufficiency. Adenovirus is a common cause of pneumonia in children, in military recruits or in immunocompromised adults. However, it is an infrequent cause of such a severe complication in a healthy adult.

[Thromboembolic complications in surgery of the spine in children and adolescents]. / Complications thromboemboliques de la chirurgie du rachis chez l'enfant et l'adolescent.

A retrospective analysis by 34 surgical teams from 1981 to 1990 revealed 15 cases of deep vein thrombosis of the lower limb and one pulmonary embolism in children aged 16 or less. The various prophylactic methods used by the different teams led us to undertake a prospective study the aim of which was to determine the risk of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in teenager rachis surgery. The purpose of our study was to recognize congenital or acquired factors predisposing to thrombosis and to detect without delay any deep vein thrombosis by ultrasound examination and doppler study. The preliminary results were obtained in 19 teenagers.

Intrapleural bupivacaine analgesia after thoraco-abdominal incision for oesophagectomy.

Intrapleural bupivacaine administration is said to produce good analgesia for the pain induced by a subcostal incision. However, reports of its efficacy after thoracotomy are conflicting. The goal of this study was to compare the analgesia produced by intrapleural administration of bupivacaine after oesophagectomy using a thoraco-abdominal incision with that obtained from intrapleural saline. After informed consent and institutional approval were obtained, 20 patients were randomly assigned to two groups of 10 patients each. Subjects received intrapleurally 10 ml of either 0.25% bupivacaine with 1:200,000 adrenaline or normal saline, every 8 h, beginning on the first post-operative day and lasting for 4 days. Pain was evaluated using a visual-analogue scale 2 h after the first daily treatment at rest and during physiotherapy. Pain scores were significantly lower in the bupivacaine group than in the saline group. Additionally, PaO2 was significantly higher in the bupivacaine group than in the saline group on Day 1 (P less than 0.05). The plasma bupivacaine concentration never reached the level of toxicity. Plasma bupivacaine concentrations on Day 1 after the first intrapleural bupivacaine injection were less than 350 ng ml-1; on Day 4 after the last injection they were less than 1300 ng ml-1. In conclusion, intrapleural administration of bupivacaine produces effective analgesia after oesophagectomy performed with a thoracoabdominal incision. The technique is easy to perform and is safe.

[Iatrogenic tracheal and left bronchial stenoses. Uncommon complication of Carlens tube. Apropos of a case surgically treated in a single stage]. / Sténoses iatrogènes trachéale et bronchique gauche. Complication exceptionnelle d'une sonde de Carlens. A propos d'un cas opéré en un temps.

Independent synchronized ventilation of each lung is a new form of management of severe predominantly pulmonary lesions unaliteral. Mechanical ventilatory assistance is also used via a cuffed double lumen tube (Carlens tube). Tracheal stenosis and bronchial stenosis may result from injury caused by respiratory assistance given via this tube. The etiology of the lesion appears to be direct pressure erosion of the tracheal and bronchial walls by the cuff with subsequent repair by scarformation. These lesions were present in a young man. This report describes the surgical treatment: the double stenosis was treated by resection with end-to-end anastomosis with an excellent result.

[Antibiotic prophylaxis using a combination of pefloxacin and fosfomycin in heart surgery with CEC (extracorporeal circulation) in patients allergic to beta-lactams]. / Antibioprophylaxie utilisant l'association péfloxacine-fosfomycine en chirurgie cardiaque avec CEC chez les patients allergiques aux bêta-lactamines.

This study conducted for 15 months, was carried out in 34 patients with beta-lactam allergy scheduled for open heart surgery. In the study, pefloxacin was given orally an hour before the induction of anaesthesia and then as a short infusion following induction. When the bypass was stopped, pefloxacin (400 mg) and fosfomycin (60 mg.kg-1) were given in association by two separate slow intravenous infusions just before sternal closure and repeated in intensive care unit postoperatively. The antibiotic kinetics was observed in blood and cellular concentrations (atria, sternum and mediastinal part of pleura). The antibiotic level analysis showed a good diffusion during the surgical procedure, particularly during the bypass. The pefloxacin given orally was found to achieve satisfactory plasma levels of 5.4 to 6.9 mg.l-1 during sternotomy and always higher than 3 mg.l-1 during bypass. At the sternal closure, the residual plasma level was about 2.8 mg.l-1 before the reinfusion. The kinetic evaluation of fosfomycin has also shown same effective levels. Hence, the clinical potency of these antibiotics was confirmed as predicted by their excellent tissue diffusion. Thus, clinical evaluation was in favour of this antibiotic-association in most cases, except the two following ones. The first case had a lethal bronchiolar and lung reinfection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans germs which appeared at the 6th postoperative day. The second patient is a case of antibiotic prophylaxis failure. He had developed an acute suppurating mediastinal infection at the seventh postoperative day with a methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus which had become pefloxacin fosfomycin resistant. However, the evolution was ultimately good after surgical disinfection of sternotomy and 30 days of drainage and irrigation with antiseptic solution associated with well adapted antibiotic treatment: vancomycin, pristinamycin and rifamycin. In fact, the choice of pefloxacin and fosfomycin for prophylaxis against staphylococcus in cardiac surgery is the right choice for patients having beta-lactam allergy. Their spectral activity and pharmacokinetics give us satisfactory results. But it is not the absolute solution as the bacteria responsible for nosocomial infection (hospital borne infection) may be found resistant to this association.

[Modification of the intraocular pressure during induction and intubation with propofol]. / Modifications de la pression intra-oculaire lors de l'induction et de l'intubation sous propofol.

The authors have compared intraocular pressure in during induction and intubation mode. All measures were made with an aplanation tonometer (Schiotz), before induction, after induction, and immediately after intubation. Both NNLA and propofol induced an important decrease of the IOP, more with propofol (45.6%) than with NLA (28.1%). It increased again during intubation, but less with propofol (-26.8%) than with NLA (+9%).

[Antibiotic prophylaxis in cardiac surgery: 12-hour cefazolin versus 36-hour cefazolin]. / Antibioprophylaxie en chirurgie cardiaque: céfazoline "12 h" versus céfazoline "36 h".

A prospective randomized study was carried out to assess two protocols of antibiotic prophylaxis in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary by-pass. Each patient of the first group received four intravenous injections of 1 g cefazolin over a period of 12 h, whilst in the second group each one received twelve doses over a period of 36 h. Between May 1983 and April 1984, 159 patients scheduled for cardiac surgery entered the study. Those who underwent emergency surgery, or weighed less than 20 kg, or received antibiotics in the week before surgery, or had a previous history of anaphylaxis to cephalosporins were not included in the study. Both groups were similar in their distribution of age, weight, height, sex, past history of infectious disease, surgery and iatrogenic factors. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the number of minor infections and bacterial floral changes. There were no major infections either (septicaemia, mediastinitis, endocarditis). Temperature charts were the same on the first four days. The length of stay at hospital was the same in both groups. Since the efficacy of the two protocols in preventing major infections was the same, the authors recommend the short prophylaxis with cephazolin for cardiac surgery patients.

[Contribution of autologous blood transfusion in cardiac surgery in the adult]. / Apport de l'autotransfusion sanguine en chirurgie cardiaque de l'adulte.

The use of autologous blood transfusion in cardiac surgery is still controversial. This study was prospectively designed to evaluate the haemodynamic and haematological benefits of this method, with special attention to its impact on reducing bank blood requirements. Between November 1983 and October 1984, 160 patients underwent cardiac surgery with extracorporeal circulation and were randomly assigned to two groups: group I (81 patients) was the control group and group II (79 patients) received autologous transfusion following extracorporeal circulation. Blood was withdrawn immediately after the induction of anaesthesia via a jugular catheter and stored in CPD solution at room temperature. The volume of blood removed was replaced with gelatin solutions; after bypass, blood was returned to the patient. There was no difference in systolic, diastolic or mean blood pressures between the two groups. Right atrial pressure and heart rate were not statistically different in both groups. Myocardial perfusion and myocardial oxygen consumption remained unchanged in group II compared with group I. Complete haematological evaluation was carried out before and during bypass, and thereafter daily for the first twelve days of the postoperative period. There was no significative difference between the two groups in platelet counts, fibrinogen levels, prothrombin and partial thromboplastin times. During extracorporeal circulation, mean haematocrit was 22.9 +/- 0.4% in group II and 25.3 +/- 0.5% in group I (p less than 10(-3)). The mean haematocrit time course was similar in both groups during the postoperative period and returned to preoperative value at discharge.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Multiple-organ procurement for transplantation]. / Les prélèvements multiples d'organes en vue de transplantation.

In the last few years, the tremendous growth of clinical transplantations has greatly increased the need for grafts. Combined heart, liver and kidney harvesting in a same donor could provide an answer. The results are presented of multiple organ retrieval (MOR) carried out in an University hospital located in an area with 1,350,000 inhabitants. In addition to the usual problems of donor maintenance and legal aspects, it was necessary to carry out a specific work-up for each organ to be harvested. The job of the local coordinator was extremely important in the search for potential recipients and the organization of the procedure (time-table, air transport) in order to give optimal conditions. The priority given to retrieving the heart and in situ cooling of the liver and kidneys guaranteed the good quality of the harvested organs. Over a period of three years, 28 MOR have been carried out. Of the 94 organs harvested, 88 were transplanted in France or another European country (49 kidneys, 23 hearts, 16 livers); 75 are still functioning (47 kidneys, 19 hearts, 9 livers). As a result of this experience, and taking into account the need for organs, all brain dead patients should be considered as potential multiple organ donors, and not just as kidney donors. The intervention of several teams, often quite distant from the site of retrieval, requires careful planning. The surgical procedure, even when performed by a trained team, is often complex, perfect synchronization of the surgical steps of the operation being the most important point.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Preventive antibiotics in cardiac surgery: cefazolin versus cefamandole]. / Antibioprophylaxie en chirurgie cardiaque: céfazoline versus céfamandole.

A prospective, randomized study was carried out to evaluate two antibiotic prophylactic regimens for patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Each patient of the first group (cefazolin) received four intravenous injections of 1 g cefazolin during 12 hours, patients of second (cefamandole), four doses of 750 mg. 155 patients scheduled for cardiac operation were included in the study. (May 1983 to April 1984). Patients were not admitted to the study in case of emergency, if their weight was less than 20 kg, if they had received antibiotics during the week before surgery or if they had a history of anaphylactic reactions to cephalosporins. There were no differences between the two groups on age, weight, height, sex, previous history of infectious disease, surgery and intensive care. There were no significant differences between the two groups in minor infections. The rate of urinary tract infection by streptococci was significatively higher (p less than 0.02) in the cefamandole group (38.3%) than in the cefazolin group (17.6%). There were no major infections (septicemia, mediastinitis, endocarditis). Patients temperature was the same during the first four postoperative days. Hospital stay was the similar in the two groups. The two antibiotics are similarly effective to prevent major infections in cardiac surgery. However cefazolin was preferred for antibiotic prophylaxis in cardiac surgery because of the higher rate of streptococcal urinary infections in patients given cefamandole.