[Hydatic cyst of the fallopian tube]

Hydatic cyst of the Fallopian tube is an exceptional localization, the diagnosis of which is frequently confirmed preoperatively. A 44-year-old woman was addressed for pelvic mass with fortuitous discovery. The diagnosis preoperatively confirmed by the extemporaneous histological study was hydatic cyst of the Fallopian tube. Salpingectomy was required. The pelvic hydatic cyst, particularly in the Fallopian tube, is a rare complaint. Clinics and biology were very important for diagnosis but only anatomopathology can confirm diagnosis of hydatic cyst. The treatment of Fallopian tube hydatic cyst is surgival and often radical (salpingectomy).

Captopril renography as a prognostic factor in obstructive hydronephrosis with preserved renal function

Hydronephrotic kidney with a differential renal function greater than 55% is defined as supranormal. The signification of this finding remains controversial. In this article, the authors reported a case of supranormal function in obstructive hydronephrosis. Differential renal functions were evaluated after administration of captopril and after pyeloplasty. The role of captopril renography as a prognostic factor for surgery is discussed.

Role of the peritoneopleural pressure gradient in the genesis of hepatic hydrothorax. An isotopic study

SUMMARY

Hepatic hydrothorax is defined as the development of significant pleural effusion in a patient with cirrhosis without primary pulmonary or cardiac disease. This complication is seen in 4-10% of patients with cirrhosis. The pleural effusion is a result of a direct passage of ascitic fluid into the pleural cavity through a defect in the diaphragm. We report two patients with posthepatitis cirrhosis presenting with a significant pleural effusion. The peritoneopleural communication was demonstrated by peritoneal scintigraphy. The role of the peritoneopleural pressure gradient is discussed.

[What are the alternative criteria for fine needle aspiration biopsy of a thyroid nodule?]

OBJECTIVES

To identify the clinical and paraclinical factors of thyroid nodule malignancy (in absence of ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy data).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This retrospective study was conducted on a cohort of 282 patients admitted for management of a thyroid nodule disease. All patients had undergone surgery and the specimen had been analyzed anatomically and pathologically. Forty-four patients had malignant disease. Epidemiological, clinical, and paraclinical data, as well as the anatomical and pathological characteristics of the specimen were collected for each patient.

RESULTS

We showed that the epidemiological data (sex and age), the nodule's characteristics (consistency, irregularities of the edges and fixity to underlying structures, and size), the presence of adenopathies, signs of compression, and the presence of calcifications were the predictability criteria of malignant disease. However, the scintigraphic aspect, the echostructure, and the hormonal status were not significant.

CONCLUSION

This study underscores that a relevant clinical and paraclinical analysis remains highly contributive in the presurgical identification of factors predictive of malignancy of a thyroid nodule, notably in countries where technological tools are not always available.

[Severe maternal morbidity]

OBJECTIVES

Severe maternal morbidity remains a public health issue in developing countries. We report in this retrospective study, patients' characteristics and frequency of pathologies responsible of severe maternal morbidity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between January 1999 and December 2003, 119 cases of severe maternal pathologies of pregnancy and delivery occurred among 19,736 live births.

RESULTS

Severe maternal morbidity was 602.95 per 100,000 live births and obstetrical haemorrhages were the most frequent cause (39%) followed by hypertensive disease (25%). Maternal mortality rate was 30.4 per 100,000 live births, and hypertensive disease represents the first cause of mortality in our study, contrary to all Tunisian data where haemorrhage remains the first one.

CONCLUSION

Improvement of prognostic of high risk pregnancies has allowed diminution of maternal mortality. Instead of this diminution, efforts must be done in the management of severe obstetrical pathologies responsible of high maternal morbidity notably complications of hypertensive disease.

L’hématome sous-périosté de l’orbite au cours de l’accouchement

Spontaneous subperiosteal hematoma of the orbit is uncommon and only five cases have been reported in literature. The aim is to report a new case of this exceptional complication of labour and delivery. A 28-year-old woman developed immediately after delivery exophthalmia, chemosis and diplopia. CT scan showed a subperiosteal hematoma of the orbit. Spontaneous evolution was good. For her second pregnancy, caesarean section was decided because of the risk of recurrence. Since no etiology is found, venous hyperpression occurring during labor could be the lone origin.

Association d'un adénocarcinome du col de type endométrioïde à un cystadénocarcinome mucineux de l'ovaire

The authors report the case of a 40-year-old woman, who was operated for an ovarian mucinous cystadenocarcinoma. The pathologic findings of the hysterectomy specimen with bilateral salpingoophorectomy showed an ovarian mucinous cystadenocarcinoma associated with an endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix. The mucinous cystadenocarcinoma represents the third most common type of ovarian carcinoma. In the literature, this tumor had been found in association with endocervical adenocarcinoma or with minimal deviation adenocarcinoma (adenoma malignum) of the uterine cervix. However, its association with an endometrioid adenocarcinoma, to our knowledge, has not been reported.

[Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma presenting as cervical lymph node metastasis. Interest of tetrofosmin scintigraphy and lymph node thyroglobulin measurement]

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

Thyroid microcarcinoma presenting as cervical lymph node metastasis is common and it is associated in most cases with the papillary variety. Diagnosis of lymph node metastases from a thyroid microcarcinoma is not always easy, because a thyroid nodule may not be palpable.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

In this work, the authors report two cases of papillary microcarcinoma presenting as cervical lymph adenopathy.

RESULTS

The diagnosis was made preoperatively by Tetrofosmin scintigraphy and thyroglobulin measurement in the lymph node.

CONCLUSION

Tetrofosmine scintigraphy is a performing exam but with a poor specificity. Lymph node thyroglobulin is a simple exam which is very sensitive and specific.

[Bronchopulmonary dysplasia and corticosteroid therapy]

Inflammation plays a major role in the pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia of preterm infants. Having a strong anti-inflammatory effect, corticosteroids have been proposed in the management of this disease. Antenatal steroids protect the newborn against its development. Postnatal systemic administration of steroids reduces the duration of mechanical ventilation and oxygen therapy, but is associated with short term and long term adverse effects. Early administration of dexamethasone (before 7 days of life) reduces the incidence and the severity of chronic lung disease at 28 days of life and 36 weeks of post-conceptional age. Inhaled steroids are associated with less adverse effects than dexamethasone administration, but they are also less effective.

[Surveillance system of maternal mortality in the Tunis region]

In the framework of a national strategy of reduction of the maternal mortality rate. Tunisia has set up a follow up system of maternal deaths occurring in public facilities to analyse their causes, the levels of deficiency and to propose solutions for preventing them. This note aims at describing the system, its results, its efficiency and its limitations in the Tunis region for the years 1999 and 2000. The results show a maternal mortality rate estimated at 80 for 100,000 births in public facilities of the region: the main causes being haemorrhage (42.1%) followed by infection (13.2%). The proportion of avoidable deaths is 87%:74% possibly avoidable and 13% certainly avoidable, factors related to women behaviour have also contributed to 45% of cases. The system flows are however intricated, and related to organization: an underestimation of risk by the patient (33%), an inadequate watch during the postpartum period (25%), a late hospitalisation (22%) and not enough reanimation equipment. Nevertheless, this control system has achieved part of its objective by starting up a quality approach to obstetrical cares and by warning health professionals such as obstetricians, anaesthetists, blood banks in charge, hospital managers and other medical teams. The limitations of the system are tied to the follow up of the real implementation of recommendations stated in reports at a local as well as central levels.

[Value of early oral feeding after a cesarean section]

In order to evaluate the advantages and possible disadvantages of early oral realimentation following cesarean section, the authors undertook a randomized prospective study involving 100 patients divided into 2 groups: A, in which oral feeding remained forbidden until the spontaneous restoration of intestinal function; and B, in which oral feeding was restarted as early as 6 hours postoperatively. The results of the study indicate the usefulness of early realimentation after cesarean section which, in particular, enabled a 4 hour decrease in the time before which flatus was passed and a 5-fold decrease in gastrointestinal problems.

[Association of Takayasu arteritis, Crohn disease and pregnancy]

The authors report a case of a pregnant woman with Takayasu's arteritis and Crohn's disease. The course of pregnancy was uneventful. It is suggested that these two inflammatory diseases may be immunologically related. A brief review of the literature confirm that fetal and maternal prognosis are generally excellent.

[Factors influencing the length of hospitalization after a cesarean. Statistical study on 645 cesareans]

The duration of hospitalization after a caesarean section is still a current topic, but it remains very scarcely documented. We have undertaken a research through a statistical analysis of the factors influencing the duration of hospitalization after a caesarean. The results are collated with the literature. Our retrospective study concerned 645 cesareans performed at the gyn. obst. department at Charles-Nicolle Hospital between June 1989 and May 1990. The average length of hospitalization after a caesarean was of 4.7 (+/- 2.2 days). The age of the patient, the type of incision, the state of the child or the antibiotherapy have no influence on the length of hospitalization after a caesarean. However, the latter increases significantly with the following factors: un married mothers, multiparity, medical maternal previous history, and per and post operative complications.

[Compared course of clinical, biologic, echographic and speedometric parameters in retroplancetal hematoma]

The authors have studied 27 cases of Abruptio Placentae (A.P.) (for an observation time of 15 months). These 27 patients where divided into 3 groups: 6 patients without pregnancy follow-up, 5 with a regular follow-up and 16 with an intensive pregnancy follow-up. In this last group following parameters were studied: blood pressure, proteinuria, uricemia, hematocrit, platelet count, FDP, plasma volume, Fetal (umbilical artery) and Maternal (uterine artery velocities with doppler reclude Fetal heart Rate. The total number of intra uterine death and post natal death remained very high: 15 over 27 cases. However this rate was lower in the intensive group, where 10 fetuses with were delivered safely. Studying the evolution of clinical, biological and ultrasonic parameters during the last month before the AP we tried to establish curves of their mean value (every week for the last 4 weeks and every day for the last week). Almost all parameters showed a late significant variation (in the last week). Two of them were modified in the last two days: (FDP and Fetal heart rate acceleration). Two of them were "positive" (in 60 p. 100 of cases) 3 of 4 weeks before the AP: Maternal Plasma volume decrease, Presence of a Notch on the uterine artery doppler curve. In conclusion fetal or neonatal death after AB remains high and even with an intensive follow-up 30 p. 100 of the cases cannot be predicted.

[Subcapsular hematoma of the liver secondary to pregnancy toxemia]

We are reporting a case of spontaneous liver rupture, occurring in a para V, and secondary to gravidic toxemia.