[Supportive, palliative care in lung cancer]. / Les soins de support dans les cancers bronchopulmonaires (CBP).

BACKGROUND: Despite recent advances, the prognosis of lung cancer (LC) remains poor and justifies the early introduction of palliative care (PC) and supportive care (SC). The objective of this paper is to describe the published data in this field. METHODS: After definitions of PC and SC, the different types of study are depicted: randomized clinical trials (RCT) and observational studies. RESULTS: All the RCT (most often performed in the USA) have emphasised the importance of the early introduction of PC and SC (less aggressive treatments at the end of life, better quality of life). Observational studies are scarce. The one performed in France (ETOBSUP study) showed that PC and SC, in real life, have not reached the objectives of the National Cancer Institute. CONCLUSION: All the studies agreed that PC and SC should be introduced as early as possible in patients with LC.

[About safety parameters for patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) devices]. / À propos des paramètres de sécurité des pompes d'analgésie contrôlée par le patient (PCA).

During the course of preparation of an opioid prescription, the nurse in charge became aware that the patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) syringe driver did not permit programming for the delivery as required: a maximum bolus number (Bmax) was indicated but only a maximum cumulative dose (Dcmax) could be programmed. The prescription dose criteria were consistent with the guidelines of the French societies of palliative care, anesthesiology, and reanimation (Société française d'accompagnement et de soins palliatifs [Sfap] and Société française d'anesthésie réanimation [Sfar]). A Dcmax dose simulation was programmed and used in order to test this problem. This highlighted the following four defects: bolus delivery is not controlled, leading to potential overdose. When Dcmax is reached, the continuous flow stops, triggering an end dose failure and a new programming step is needed to restart infusion, increasing the risk of programming errors. Human intervention is required to stop the alarm, identify and solve the problem. Finally, Dcmax leads to random dose delivery in place of the predictability of dose delivery expected for opioid administration. On the other hand, Bmax is a limited dose, administered only as a bolus and regulated by the lockout interval. When the Bmax dose is reached, no alarm is triggered, the basal flow continues, but no additional doses can be delivered. Bmax and Dcmax systems are not interchangeable. No comparative study between Bmax and Dcmax could be found, and Sfap and Sfar guidelines are not precise and did not take into consideration the safety aspects of dose delivery however some facts tend to prefer that Bmax. Most of the syringe driver devices are configured for the Dcmax, but not all of them, and the physician is often forced to use the parameter of the available device restricting the choice between Bmax and Dcmax. This is not justified, whether by scientific evidence, industrial, manufacturing or commercial standards. It becomes only a technical option that does not promote standardization of dose delivery and compromises the main safety feature of PCA.

[Locoregional analgesia in palliative care: a 4-year survey]. / Analgésie locorégionale en soins palliatifs : bilan de quatre années d'utilisation.

UNLABELLED: It could append that patient pain relief in palliative care is not achieved despite the use of opioids and the multimodal approach. Therefore, regional techniques are used in the palliative care unit of the Limoges University Hospital since four years. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From October 2006 to September 2010, every patient under regional technique was followed with a specific form. The items collected were demographic characteristics, underlying disease, and associated treatments. The efficacy of regional techniques on pain was scored. RESULTS: Sixty-three patients, 39 males and 24 females, mean age 59 years, were treated by 104 regional procedures. There were 49 neuroaxial analgesia (40 spinal and nine epidural), 39 peripheral nerve blocks including 25 iliofascial blocks and 16 blocks for nerves of the scalp, face and neck. In 67.5% of the cases, the regional techniques provided adequate pain relief. For 24% of the cases, the results were uncompleted. Regional techniques were unsuccessful in 8.5%. CONCLUSION: Despite this underperformance in terms of pain control, a multicenter study is ongoing to evaluate the improvement of quality of life induced by the regional techniques.

[The prospective multicenter study on standard photopatch tests by the French Society of Photodermatology from 1991-2001]. / Etude prospective multicentrique 1991-2001 de la batterie standard des photopatch-tests de la Société Française de Photodermatologie.

INTRODUCTION: To develop a standard panel of photopatch tests, the French Society of Photodermatology conducted a prospective study from 1991 to 2001 on the frequency of photoallergens encountered in France and on the relevance of the choice of the various photoallergens. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirteen photobiology centers participated in the study from 1991 to 1995, and ten centers from 1995 to 2001. A set of 3 samples of photopatch tests was applied on any patient suspected of photoallergy. On Day 2, two sets were irradiated with ultraviolet A (UVA) and total spectrum (DEM 0.75); with the third set being used as control. Readings were made on D3 and D4. RESULTS: Two thousand sixty-seven patients were tested. Eight hundred fifty-six, i.e., 41% exhibited one or several positive tests. In the majority of cases it was a photoallergy (39.7 to 60% of cases) and eczema (29.5 to 45.6%). Photoaggravation was infrequent (7.9 to 10.3%). Cases of phototoxicity were rare. Sesquiterpenic lactones constantly provoked photoallergy, with 12 cases in 10 years. Although phenothiazines were the most photosensitizing allergens up until 1995, they were then overridden by ketoprofen in 1996 with 107 cases of UVA photosensitive reactions (75 cases) and total spectrum (32 cases). These were followed closely by sun screens, benzophenone (notably Eusolex 4360 with 54 pertinent cases of photoallergy) and dibenzoylmethane (with 31 cases due to Eusolex 8020). UVB filters were all potentially photosensitizing but to a lesser degree from 1 to 5 cases). DISCUSSION: Our results differ from those of Anglo-Saxon teams in the appearance of a new photoallergen, ketoprofen, which provoked numerous photosensitivities in both UVA and UVB. This justifies the systematic addition of this substance in our prospective set. Photoallergy was relatively rare, with around 100 cases reported within 10 years. Total spectrum irradiation of the photopatch tests revealed photoallergies that would not have been found with UVA alone. CONCLUSION: Study of photopatch tests has permitted the uniformization of the methodology in France, an overview of the frequency of the photoallergens tested and the development of a new standard set.

Influence of propofol concentrations on multipulse transcranial motor evoked potentials.

BACKGROUND: Motor evoked potentials can be affected by propofol anaesthesia. We studied how increasing target concentrations of propofol altered transcranial motor evoked potentials (tcMEP) during scoliosis surgery. METHODS: Fifteen patients undergoing surgery for scoliosis were anaesthetized with remifentanil and propofol without nitrous oxide or neuromuscular blocking agents (BIS<60). tcMEP were elicited by transcranial electric multipulse stimulation of the motor cortex and recording of compound action potentials from the anterior tibialis muscle. tcMEP were obtained before surgery with propofol target values set from 4 to 8 mg litre(-1), and then during surgery. Arterial propofol concentrations were measured for each tcMEP recording. RESULTS: Before surgery, increasing propofol reduced tcMEP amplitude in a dose-dependent manner, with no effect on latency. During surgery, at equivalent propofol concentrations, tcMEP were not statistically different from those obtained before surgery. In all except one patient, tcMEP signals were present during the entire procedure. In this patient the loss of tcMEP was unfortunately related to an anterior spinal cord lesion, which was confirmed by a wake-up test. CONCLUSION: We found that, although propofol had a dose-dependent effect on tcMEP amplitude, anaesthesia could be maintained with remifentanil and propofol to allow recording and interpretation of tcMEP signals.

Clustered cases of leptospirosis in Rochefort, France, June 2001.

Five clustered cases of leptospirosis were diagnosed in the area of Rochefort, France, in June 2001, among teenagers who had swum in the Genouillé canal. The symptoms included fever, headache, abdominal pain and vomiting, chills and myalgia. Three cases were confirmed by PCR and serology. The mean cumulative duration of bathing was significantly higher in cases (23.8 hours) compared to controls (14.4 hours). No other particular risk factor was observed. The environmental investigation revealed the presence of rodents excreting of leptospires near the bathing area. For all antigens considered, the occurence of seropositive rodents was 30.8%, L. icterohaemorrhagiae being the predominant serogroup (23,1%).

[The major phases of medical imaging]. / Les grandes étapes de l'imagerie médicale.

In this article, we give an insight into the historic developments of radiology, evoking some of the milestones which from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the third millennium have marked the way of one of the most rapidly growing fields in medicine.

Anaesthesia for laparoscopic procedures in infants and children: indications, intra- and post-operative management, prevention and treatment of complications.

This paper reviews the main physiological consequences of the creation of a pneumoperitoneum in neonates, infants and young children. Validated indications of laparoscopic surgery are reported and the main adverse effects of this type of management are detailed as well as the preventive or therapeutic measures recommended to limit their negative consequences. Anaesthetic precautions and recommendations are developed, both for intra- and post-operative management of paediatric patients.

Laparoscopic fundoplication in children: our first 30 cases.

We report our experience performing 30 laparoscopic fundoplications in children (24 using the Nissen Rossetti technique and 6 using the Toupet fundoplication). Special instruments adapted to the young children are used: first, a miniature parietal suspender to decrease the intra-abdominal pressure and to provide more space; second, a retractable losenge-shaped liver retractor; and third, a Babcock forceps articulated at 60 degrees. In the Nissen Rossetti procedure, the wrap is fixed to the anterior face of the esophagus, the anterior wall of the fundus, and the upper right crus. In the Toupet procedure, the wrap is a retroesophageal partial fundoplication: the first suture attaches the wrap to the right crus, the second attaches the wrap to the esophagus, and the third recreates the oesogastric angle. We do not use gastrostomy. Patients have no gastric tube after the intervention. Thirty children from 2 to 15 years have undergone laparoscopic fundoplications. One conversion to open procedure was necessary. An average follow-up of 12 months was observed for 18 children with 3 complications: dysphagia for a psychotic girl, intrathoracic valve without any trouble, and recurrent episodes of digestive bleedings during 6 months. Laparoscopic fundoplication is a feasible extension of minimally invasive surgery in the hands of experienced surgeons; however limitations must be recognized to do a safe operation.

Extramucosal pyloromyotomy by laparoscopy.

Since 1990, we have performed extramucosal pyloromyotomies by laparoscopy in 70 infants presenting with congenital hypertrophic pyloric stenosis. Ever since the first cases, the technique and the instruments have been adapted. The surgical technique and the precautionary measures are here explained again. This technique is beneficial for infants with a better postoperative course and avoidance of any skin scar.