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Biomedical subjects

J F Prolongeau

Publications and source records attributed to J F Prolongeau.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

[Appendicitis and pregnancy. Seven case reports].

OBJECTIVES: Determiner optimal diagnosis and therapeutic management of pregnant women with suspected appendicitis. METHOD: Among over 9,000 patients who delivered in our obstetrics ward over a 4-year period, 7 (1/1, 285) underwent appendectomy during their pregnancy. Based on these observations and a review of the literature, an attempt was made to determine the best diagnostic approach in this rare situation. RESULTS: The frequency observed here was in agreement with data reported in the literature (1/1,000 to 1/2,000). Premature delivery occurred eight days after appendectomy at 29 months gestation in one woman. There was no complication in the 6 other pregnancies. Positive diagnosis, difficult during pregnancy, was based on clinical, biological and echographic findings. Laparoscopy improved not only diagnosis but also treatment and prognosis before 20 weeks gestation. CONCLUSION: Clinical presentation of appendicitis is modified during pregnancy rendering diagnosis difficult. The gravity of the appendicitis as well early diagnosis and management influence the maternal and fetal prognosis more than its association with pregnancy.

Adult

Immunological aspects of ovarian function: role of the cytokines.

Interaction between the immune system and reproduction is multiple. Either directly or indirectly through their products, immune cells are associated with the regulation of every level of the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian axis. Immune cells are present in the ovaries and their numbers increase during the cycle. During the follicular development cytokines assist granulosa cell growth while inhibiting their differentiation. During the LH peak, an influx of immune cells occurs and several cytokines are released. The rupture of the follicle is considered as an inflammatory reaction. IL-1, TNF-alpha are the main cytokines involved in this process. During the luteal phase, the installation of the corpus luteum needs the setting up of neovascularization. Cytokines are probable candidates for this function, but they also promote cellular differentiation resulting in steroid synthesis. In the absence of pregnancy T lymphocytes and eosinophils are involved in corpus luteum regression. Their products are directly cytotoxic for the luteal cells. They attract macrophages which are locally activated to phagocytose the damaged luteal cells. They can induce apoptosis of endothelial and luteal cells through gene expression. Cytokines are members of a larger regulatory network residing in the ovary and involving hormones and growth factors. The various stages of ovarian cycle will be shown from an immunological point of view. Understanding the role of the cytokines should enable us to go beyond a purely descriptive stage, and allow us to envisage new ovulation induction therapy and treatment in certain cases of premature menopause.

Animals

[Physiopathology of pre-eclampsia: the role of immunology].

Preeclampsia complicating 3% of all births is an important cause of maternal death and is associated with an increased risks of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Among the numerous theories proposed to explain this syndrome, the concept of placental ischaemia resulting in a generalized disturbance of endothelial physiology is receiving increasing support. Maternal immunological systems is often solicited during normal pregnancy. Most likely the immunological system is implicated in preeclampsia. Its responsibility is protean. Trophoblastic antigens may not be properly recognized by maternal immunologic system, resulting in a defect of trophoblastic invasion of the myometrial segment of the spiral arteries. Preeclampsia does not seem to be accompanied with trophoblast immunological rejection by the mother. Some cases of preeclampsia are associated with autoimmune phenomena. The autoantibodies could be directed against phospholipids or/and trophoblastic membrane components. Activated neutrophils release a variety of substances, capable of mediating vascular damage. An imbalance between the protective antioxidant activity and aggressive oxidant mechanisms could initiate the endothelial lesions. Preeclampsia could be one presentation of immunodystrophism with local excess of harmful cytokines. The immunologic system is probably not the initiator of preeclampsia, but its role is ambiguous: either the protective immunologic mechanisms usually operating during pregnancy can be surpassed, or immunologic responses are inadequate and directly aggressive. A better understanding of the underlying immunologic anomalies will improve the nosologic classification of preeclampsia syndrome.

Autoimmune Diseases

Pregnancy after myocardial infarction.

UNLABELLED: The occurrence of pregnancy in a patient after myocardial infarction remains a dilemma for both the cardiologist and the obstetrician. The majority of obstetricians and cardiologists are very reticent about pregnancy in a woman suffering from coronary disease. AIMS: The aims of this study are to evaluate the risks, the prognosis of pregnancy for women who had suffered from myocardial infarction and to propose guidelines for pre-pregnancy counselling and medical supervision of the pregnancy and delivery. METHODS: A review of literature has revealed 30 cases, 14 of which are sufficiently documented. Only one of these patients requested pre-pregnancy counselling. We add to this experience the case of a patient who, having had an infarction, was authorized to begin pregnancy. RESULTS: Most of the pregnancies in these patients evolve satisfactorily if the more frequent cardiovascular complications are diagnosed and treated rapidly. During the pregnancy, rest is the rule and any situation which risks to increase the myocardial work-load should be avoided. Normal vaginal delivery with epidural anesthesia is the preferred method. CONCLUSION: The maternal and fetal prognosis is good on condition of performing a pre-pregnancy examination and of setting up a multi-discipline surveillance of the pregnancy. The review of the literature does not confirm the surrounding pessimism concerning the patients becoming pregnant after myocardial infarction.

Adult

[Laparoscopically-prepared vaginal hysterectomy. Our personal experiences (apropos of 35 cases)].

We report our personal experience with 35 laparoscopically prepared vaginal hysterectomies performed over a 3 year period, for January 1990 to January 1993. We give our indications for this new technique present our results. We compared our results with those reported in the literature evaluating indications, technique and complications and demonstrate the numerous advantages of this new technique. Finally, a decision protocol has been prepared in order to chose the optimal approach according to the preoperative work-up.

Decision Support Techniques

[Ovarian cysts. Diagnostic and therapeutic aspects].

The methods used to carry out exeresis of ovarian cysts by celioscopy are now familiar. Today, the main concern is the selection of annexial tumors appropriate for celiosurgical treatment in order to limit their use to benign organic cysts only. By comparing the results of a sery of 200 cysts which were treated surgically with cases in the literature, the authors conclude that the three-pronged use of clinical, ultrasound and macroscopic data in the diagnosis of malignant tumors is reliable. Progress remains to be made however in identifying functional cysts which are sometimes mistaken for an organic structure and all too often are still dealt with surgically. In order to reduce the incidence of such errors, new perspectives are envisaged, knowing that diagnostic error is often related to change in their ultrasound structure or their persistence despite conventional estro-progestogen treatment.

Adult

[Uterine rupture after twenty-two weeks of amenorrhea due to placenta praevia percreta. A case report].

The authors report a case of rupture of the uterus 22 weeks after the LMP, due to placenta praevia percreta and requiring emergency hysterectomy to arrest bleeding, followed by urinary complications. With the predisposing factors of the scars of 4 previous cesarean sections and the low anterior insertion of the placenta, this exceptional case--in terms of its rarity and gravity--led the authors to undertake a review of the literature seeking other cases of this greatly feared obstetric complication. They review the clinical, ultrasonographic (notably the use of color Doppler) and paraclinical (MRI, cystoscopy) diagnostic approach necessary to make an accurate diagnosis of placenta percreta (if possible before any hemorrhagic complications). This situation virtually invariably requires hysterectomy to arrest bleeding, under very difficult conditions because of the massive hemorrhage involved. Mortality remains high and morbidity principally concerns the urinary complications frequently encountered.

Adult