Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J Chateau.
The authors report a case of non-reversing acute renal failure following a carbon monoxide poisoning in a 28-year-old woman with a previous history of pyelonephritis. The renal biopsy reveals an IgA nephropathy with interstitial and tubular changes. The mechanism of this exceptional complication is discussed.
The use of high thoracic epidurals for post-thoracotomy pain relief in 156 patients is reviewed. Analgesia was maintained with a continuous infusion of a local anaesthetic, bupivacaïne 0.5% 40 ml, mixed with a narcotic, fentanyl 10 ml (perfusion rate between 3 and 7 ml/h). There was successful analgesia in 92%, with efficient ventilation, effective cough, no respiratory distress and only 8 cases of fibroaspiration. Only two significant respiratory complications occurred, due to incorrect management of the peridural route: the analgesic mixture was too concentrated and was injected by bolus instead of by continuous infusion. Other complications occurred, 8 cases of nausea or pruritus, 4 hallucinations, 10 cases of urinary retention lasting more than 24 h, 14 superior limb palsies and 22 Horner's oculopapillary syndrome. All of these complications were minor, easy to manage, and resolved after stopping peridural infusion. In conclusion, peridural analgesia is highly effective and improves the atmosphere in post-thoracotomy wards.
Ultrafiltration, a method of extra renal filtering, which accomplishes an iso-osmotic removal of water an sodium from the plasma, was used in twelve patients. It is reserved for terminal persistent heart failures. In one case, it preceded a heart transplant. Simple to carry out, this technique is well tolerated when the pulmonary pressure is elevated, respecting an ultrafiltration output inferior or equal to 500 ml/h. Immediate improvement of the patients is spectacular. A new treatment failure may impose long-term ultrafiltration sessions. Failure of the medical treatment, impossibility of heart transplant, must be an indication for ultrafiltration which improves the comfort, and most likely the life expectancy of patients with persistent heart failure.
A case of toxic shock syndrome occurring during a menstrual period, and associated with severe hypophosphataemia, is reported. The patient was a 21-year old woman using tampons. On the fourth day, she developed encephalopathy with decreased consciousness and hyperventilation. Severe hypophosphataemia was noted. A phage-group-1 Staphylococcus aureus, producing TSST-1 and enterotoxin A, was isolated from vaginal, pharyngeal and skin sites. Pathogenesis and role of hypophosphataemia in toxic shock syndrome are emphasized.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Two groups of 20 patients scheduled for major abdominal surgery or thoracic surgery received analgesia by thoracic peridural route: 850 and 837 micrograms.kg-1 of bupivacaine, plus 4.30 and 4.20 micrograms.kg-1 of fentanyl. Anaesthesia was induced and maintained with either infusion of propofol 0.2% or infusion of methohexital 0.1% and patients were intubated and ventilated. The quality of induction was good in the two groups (3.48 mg.kg-1 in 4 min with propofol and 2.76 mg.kg-1 in 5 min with methohexital). But only 4 of propofol group needed vecuronium for intubation; they were 19 in the other group. Maintenance was extremely smooth with propofol (0.088 mg.kg-1.min-1) in 18 cases. In contrast, poor anaesthetic control was obtained with 14 methohexital patients and had to be abandoned. Hemodynamic data show fc, Pa and Ppa decreased with propofol but increased with methohexital in response to laryngoscopy and intubation. In this study, the onset of 5 sinusal bradycardias was noted with propofol. Two of them were severe 39 and 38 b.min-1 with major decrease of LVSWI to 32.45 and 24.47 g.mm-2. The role of hypovolemia (Bainbridge reflex) or vagomimetic effect of propofol is discussed. Nevertheless, this study shows that propofol given by infusion can better achieve adequate anaesthesia than methohexital.
The authors report a new case of necrosing angeitis similar to those individualised by Churg and Strauss in 1951. After a persistent rhinitis, the patient developed serious asthma, left hemiplegia 8 months later (secondary to an intracerebral hemorrhage) polyneuritis and extensive necrosis of the small intestine. There was no renal or cardiac involvement. Anatomopathological examination of the small intestine revealed an arteriolitis with periarterial granuloma and severe inflammation. Complementary investigations revealed a hypereosinophilia, an inflammatory syndrome, a reduction in the hemolytic 50 complement and of the C4 fraction. Corticosteroid therapy associated with cyclophosphamide formed the basis of treatment. Plasmapheresis have been a useful aid. The follow-up is too short to assess the long term prognosis. A familial immune deficiency, disseminated lupus erythematosis in a sister, and rheumatoid purpura in one of the patient's children are interesting features of this text.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.