[Peripheral neuropathy in severe mixed cryoglobulinemia syndrome]

A syndrome of polyneuropathy and cryoglobinemia is reported in a 76-year-old woman. Nerve biopsy showed severe demyelination and vascular involvement was demonstrated in a muscle biopsy. Peripheral neuropathy is discussed in the context of the Gougerot-Sjögren syndrome, associated with cryoglobins in the blood. Prompt treatment of this disease should be initiated and consists mainly of plasmapheresis.

[Recurrent herpes with neuralgia and zones of cutaneous hypoesthesia]

A 52-year old man presented with recurrent Herpes simplex of the thigh and buttock of 30 years duration. The skin eruption was preceded by pain and sciatica. Surgical excision of the skin area involved modified the site of recurrence. During an attack, the patient developed severe pain and hypoaesthesia in the left half of his chest. The skin lesions were unmodified, and a type 2 Herpes simplex virus was isolated from a vesicle. A clinical examination performed 5 weeks later showed reduced sensitivity to pin prick in the previously painful D5 to D12 territory. Three points are of interest in this case: the site of recurrence moved after surgical excision, pain extended over a wide area and, most of all, persistent hypoaesthesia occurred during a recurrence.

[Apparently primary hematoma of the sylvian fissure in an infant]

A 7 month-old infant presented suddenly in coma with left hemiplegia and hemorrhage on ophthalmoscopy. No vascular anomaly was found at surgery; however, examination of the clot showed an abnormal vessel. This case calls for a review of the diagnostic attitude in cases of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage in infants.