[Septic shock with multiple organ failure after returning from Southeast Asia]. / Choc septique avec défaillance multiviscérale au retour d'Asie du Sud-Est.

For a patient recently returned from a tropical country in intensive care, the leading hypothesis for a fever leading to multiple organ failure is evidently malaria. Nonetheless, many other causes are possible and should be considered: parasites, viruses, and bacteria. A multidisciplinary discussion between specialists in emergency medicine, radiology, pathology, and infectious diseases is essential to start appropriate treatment as quickly as possible without impairing the patient's prognosis.

[Fatal surgical extraction of cardiac resynchronisation therapy defibrillator leads in a context of endocarditis due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis. A case report and review of literature]. / Extraction chirurgicale fatale de sondes de défibrillateur cardiaque triple chambre dans un contexte d'endocardite à Staphylococcus epidermidis méthicilline-résistant. À propos d'un cas et revue de la littérature.

A 82-year-old man equipped with a cardiac resynchronisation therapy defibrillator for dilated cardiomyopathy with normal coronary arteries, in complete atrioventricular block, develops six months after a change of the generator-pocket a severe endocarditis due to a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis with a large lead vegetation. After 4 days of adapted antimicrobial therapy, a surgical device removal is realised with unfortunately a fatal end during extraction. This observation points out the severity of cardiovascular device infections in old and weak population, as well as the difficulty of treatment choices because of both infectious and rhythmic constraints. The lead extraction is a strong recommendation but the modality and timing of extraction are not consensual, especially in cardioverter defibrillator-dependent patients. Surgical removal remains an alternative to percutaneous lead extraction but with a higher operative risk.

[Contribution of information technologies to assess and improve professional practice: example of management of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis]. / Apport de l'outil informatique dans l'application de protocoles : exemple de l'antibioprophylaxie chirurgicale.

INTRODUCTION: Information technologies appear to be interesting tools to assess and improve professional practices. In that setting, the management of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis represents an appropriate clinical area for using and evaluating such a tool. Despite the existence of guidelines in one hand and the demonstrated interest for a strict application of recommendations in the other hand, some irregularities in the management of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis remain in France in 2010. OBJECTIVES: Since we have had computer systems in our department for several years, we performed an evaluation of practice to assess the impact of both the computer-based help and the updating of knowledge in physicians as tools to improve the application of guidelines for surgical antibiotic prophylaxis. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical audits. METHODS: Three clinical audits have therefore been performed before an implementation of computer-based help for clinical decisions and a clinical update for physicians, immediately after, and two years after this combined procedure (2322, 2678 and 2863 patients, respectively). RESULTS: There was an enhancement of clinical practices and compliance to guidelines secondary to the beginning of computer-based prescription (55 to 81%, P<0.05). However, a weaning effect was observed with longer intervals between clinical update and surgical procedure, in association with increased omissions of antibiotic prophylaxis. CONCLUSION: Computer-based help for clinical decision and prescription seems to be a useful tool for surgical antibiotic prophylaxis but it should be accompanied by direct regular educational measures to update protocols and databases.

[Pulmonary hypertension and femoral neck fracture: interest of continuous spinal anaesthesia]. / Hypertension pulmonaire et fracture du col fémoral : intérêt de la rachianesthésie continue.

Anaesthetic management of patients with pulmonary hypertension is challenging and alternatives to general anaesthesia are encouraged. We report anaesthetic management of two patients with pulmonary hypertension admitted for femoral neck fracture. In order to reduce the risk of right-sided heart failure and systemic hypotension, it was decided to operate the patients under continuous spinal anaesthesia. Anaesthesia was induced with excellent hemodynamic tolerance. Quality and extension of the block was correct and allowed surgery. No postoperative complication was observed. These cases suggest that continuous spinal anaesthesia may be considered for the management of patients with pulmonary hypertension undergoing femoral neck fracture surgery.

[Acute obstructive epiglottitis in intensive care unit: which airway management strategy?]. / Epiglottite aiguë obstructive en réanimation : stratégie pour une intubation à haut risque.

Acute epiglottitis is an infection of supraglottic structures, with a high risk of life-threatening respiratory obstruction. We report a case of a 52-year-old patient who presented with a prehospital hypoxic respiratory arrest caused by obstructive oedema with a successful resuscitation. Laryngoscopy after a sudden unplanned extubation permits diagnosis of acute obstructive epiglottitis. The growing threat of laryngeal dyspnea prompts emergency tracheal airway protection, by means of the combined preparation of transtracheal oxygenation access and the use of fiber-optic laryngoscopy. This case report emphasises the airway management strategy successfully used in this patient.

[Acute renal failure related to urinary retention following haemorrhoidectomy performed under general anaesthesia and bilateral pudendal nerve block: a case report]. / Insuffisance rénale obstructive dans les suites d'une chirurgie hémorroïdaire réalisée sous anesthésie générale et bloc pudendal bilatéral: à propos d'un cas.

Anorectal surgery is associated with significant postoperative pain. Pudendal nerve blocks, formerly performed by surgeons, provides effective postoperative analgesia and allow a quicker recovery, which is quite important in the current concept of fast-track postoperative care. However, even for benign surgery with a safe anaesthetic technique, serious adverse events may occur. We report a case of acute renal failure related to urinary retention. Hidden by a prior history of urination difficulties, recognition of symptoms, following haemorrhoidectomy performed with bilateral pudendal block, was late. After complete recovery, electrophysiologic investigations found hypotonic, hypocontractile bladder.Therefore, before performing haemorrhoidectomy with regional anaesthesia, prior history of urination difficulties should be searched. The risk of urinary retention due to surgery and anaesthesia may be increased, as observed in this original case report.

[Nefopam by continuous intravenous injection and adverse drug reactions: which causality assessment?]. / Néfopam en perfusion continue et effets secondaires indésirables: quelle imputabilité ?

We report the case of a 77-year-old man, with nefopam postoperative analgesia, who developed subacute neurological symptoms, whereas he had profound hypoprotidemia and acute renal failure. Chronological, semiological and bibliographical criteria are in favour of causality assessment. The plasma nefopam concentration (135 ng/ml) during the neurological symptoms is another argument.