[Acute upper limb ischemia in a young adult without cardiac disease. Value of transesophageal echocardiography]. / Ischémie aiguë des membres supérieurs chez une adulte jeune sans cardiopathie. Intérêt de l'échographie transoesophagienne.

The authors report the case of a 34-year old woman with no previous cardiovascular disease who was admitted to hospital for acute ischaemia of the right arm due to embolism, preceded by two episodes of pain and tingling of the left arm related to subacute ischaemia. After right embolectomy, with no possibility of controlateral disobliteration an effective anticoagulation, no cardiac source of embolism could be found; However, transoesophageal echography showed a large mobile thrombus in the aortic arch implanted just before the origin of the left subclavian artery. The only explanation for embolism to the right arm was a retro-oesophageal subclavian artery which was confirmed by scanner. Doppler and arteriography. These investigations, however, did not allow visualisation of the aortic thrombus. In view of the risk of recurrent embolism, a thrombectomy was performed without cardiopulmonary bypass, associated with correction of the vascular abnormality with no complications. This case shows that oesophageal echography is a useful investigation in the work up of acute arterial obstruction in young patients with no cardiac disease.

[Mobile thrombus of the right heart and pulmonary embolism: diagnostic and therapeutic problems. Apropos of 12 cases]. / Thrombus mobile du coeur droit et embolie pulmonaire: problèmes diagnostique et thérapeutique. A propos de 12 cas.

The objectives of this report were to analyse clinical presentation, echocardiographic features and diagnostic and therapeutic problems posed by an unusual form of thrombo-embolic disease: mobile right heart thrombosis. Systematic echocardiography in 170 cases of severe pulmonary embolism identified mobile right thrombi in 12 cases. The auscultatory findings were abnormal in 6 cases, 3 showing signs of tricuspid obstruction. Two-dimensional echocardiography showed an extremely mobile right atrial mass, sometimes prolapsing across the tricuspid valve, which was variously spheric, ovoid or worm-like; dilatation of the right heart chambers and echocardiographic signs of cor pulmonale were observed in all cases. The differential diagnosis with other embolic masses of the right atrium and, above all, with well-developed Chiari networks, may be difficult and requires transoesophageal echocardiography. Pulmonary angiography is contra-indicated because of the risk of embolism. Embolectomy under cardiopulmonary bypass was carried out in 8 patients, immediately after echocardiography in 6 cases. The thrombus was recovered from the right atrium in 6 cases and from the pulmonary artery in 2 cases: there was one operative death. Medical treatment was administered to 3 inoperable patients. The clinical and echocardiographic outcome was good in 2 of these but the third patient died; autopsy revealed thrombi in the right atrium and pulmonary artery. One patient died before any treatment could be given and autopsy showed the thrombus in the pulmonary artery. These results confirm the extreme instability of this type of thrombus and the risk of death due to its embolism.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Late complication of blunt injuries of the thorax: acute pericarditis. Apropos of a case]. / Une complication tardive des traumatismes fermés du thorax: la péricardite aiguë. A propos d'un cas.

The authors report a case of closed trauma of the thorax, complicated after a symptom-free period by acute pericarditis, combined with pleural effusion. The clinical outcome was favorable and the pericardial effusion, which was considerable at the first ultrasound scan, spontaneously recovered fully. The incidence of this delayed complication of closed trauma of the thorax is unknown. Its mechanism, related to that of the Dresler syndrome and post-pericardiotomy syndrome differs from that of initial hemopericardium which is of mechanical origin. This case highlights the capital importance of ultrasound in the diagnosis and assessment of cardiac complications of thoracic trauma.

[Anaphylactic shock complicated by myocardial infarction: side effect of glaphenine?]. / Choc anaphylactique compliqué d'un infarctus du myocarde: effet indésirable de la glafénine? A propos d'un cas.

The authors report a case of anaphylactic shock complicated by coronary spasm and infarction attributed to glafenine medication in a 43-year-old male patient. The outcome was positive and coronary angiography showed healthy coronary vessels. The ergonovine maleate was negative. A review of the literature confirms the rarity of this complication of anaphylactic shock and study the ECG changes induced by this type of reaction and to analyze the mechanisms responsible for this coronary spasm in this situation. These consists basically of histamine release and prostaglandin-synthesis inhibition.

[Hydatid cyst of the interventricular septum. Contribution of magnetic resonance imaging]. / Kyste hydatique du septum interventriculaire. Apport de l'imagerie par résonance magnétique.

Cardiac localisation of hydatid cysts is rare representing 0.5 to 2% of all clinical forms of this condition. Hydatid cysts are usually observed in the left ventricle and involvement of the interventricular septum is exceptional. The principal diagnostic and preoperative investigations are serology and imaging by echocardiography and computed tomography, which can give conflicting results. The authors report a case of hydatid cyst of the interventricular septum in which computed tomography was non-contributory whereas echocardiography (the key investigation in all cases of hydatid cyst) associated with nuclear magnetic resonance imaging provided particularly accurate preoperative information. The latter investigation also allowed diagnosis of pulmonary, hepatic, splenic and renal involvement of the disease.

[Diagnosis and evaluation of mitral endocarditis complicating obstructive cardiomyopathy using cardiac echo-Doppler]. / Diagnostic et bilan d'une endocardite mitrale compliquant une cardiomyopathie obstructive par écho-Doppler cardiaque.

The authors report a case of mitral endocarditis diagnosed by cardiac echo-Doppler and complicating an obstructive cardiomyopathy (OCM) in a 37-year-old woman. Despite the high degree of sub-aortic obstruction and the existence of an apparently severe mitral leak by Doppler analysis, the patient remained totally asymptomatic and the outcome was favourable with appropriate antibiotics. A review of the literature revealed 11 cases of endocarditis in a context of OCM, documented by echocardiography. Echo-Doppler enables precise evaluation of this grave and often poorly tolerated complication of OCM.

[Quantification of chronic aortic insufficiency. Comparison between Doppler ultrasonic diagnosis and the radiocardiogram]. / Quantification de l'insuffisance aortique chronique. Comparaison de l'échographie Doppler et du radiocardiogramme.

The objective of this study is to quantify aortic insufficiency by comparing pulsated Doppler ultrasonography and radiocardiography used as reference test. Since february 1986, 23 patients were tested with both techniques within 15 days. The Doppler ultrasonography enabled to quantify aortic insufficiency in 4 stages by semi-quantitative mapping of the regurgitation flow of the left ventricle (LV). Radiocardiography (RCG) has enabled the determination of the regurgitation fraction (RF), for each patient. A mean RF was calculated on RCG, for each Doppler stage. The FR difference between each Doppler stage is significant, especially between minimal and severe aortic insufficiency. RCG is the first stage of an isotopic examination, at rest and during stress; it may be followed by Doppler ultrasonography in monitoring patients with aortic insufficiency.

[The treatment of recent myocardial infarction by prolonged infusion of trinitrin (author's transl)]. / Traitement de l'infarctus myocardique récent par perfusion prolongée de trinitrine.

Seventy four clinically comparable cases of myocardial infarction, admitted on average at the 10th hour were divided at random in two groups: thirty nine were treated with a prolonged intravenous infusion of trinitrin lasting for 24 hours in 12 cases and during 5 at 7 days in 27 cases: 35 served as controls. The results showed the following: a) the good tolerance of the drug used in this way; b) on the basis of precordial cartography, a reduction of 56.2 +/- 14.5% to 30 +/- 7.3% in the index of secondary extension of necrosis; c) clinical signs of left ventricular failure developed in 60% of the controls as compared with 45.8% of the treated group; d) the prevalence of rhythm disturbances was also lower in those treated; e) overall mortality during the first 4 weeks was 8 amongst the 35 controls and 2 of the treated patients (p less than 0.05).