Endoluminal brachytherapy: Bronchus and oesophagus

Endobronchial brachytherapy could be proposed in case of endoluminal tumours either as a palliative or a curative treatment. As a curative treatment, endobronchial brachytherapy could obtain a high local control rate in case of limited disease. In palliative setting, endobronchial brachytherapy improved thoracic symptoms in more than 80% of cases, but it is less efficient than external beam radiation therapy for palliation. It could be also proposed to maintain the airway open after laser therapy. Oesophageal brachytherapy is a valuable option as a palliative treatment, underused at this time. It causes less side effects and a better quality of life compared to self-expanded metallic stents. For a curative aim, there is today no demonstration that a combination of external beam radiotherapy and oesophageal brachytherapy give better results than external beam radiotherapy alone in locally advanced tumours. For superficial diseases, the combination of external beam radiotherapy and oesophageal brachytherapy seems, on the contrary, promising.

Prévention et prise en charge de l’infection herpétique au cours de la grossesse et de l’accouchement : recommandations pour la pratique clinique – texte des recommandations (texte court)

OBJECTIVE

Identify measures to diagnose, prevent and treat genital herpes infection during pregnancy and childbirth and neonatal infection.

METHODS

Bibliographic search from Medline, Cochrane Library databases and research of international clinical practice guidelines.

RESULTS

Genital herpes lesion is most often due to HSV2 (LE2). The risk of HSV seroconversion during pregnancy is 1 to 5% (LE2). Genital herpes ulceration during pregnancy in a woman with history of genital herpes corresponds with a recurrence. In this situation, there is no need for virologic confirmation (grade B). In case of genital lesions in a pregnant woman that do not report any genital herpes before, it is recommended to perform a virological confirmation by PCR and HSV type specific IgG (Professional consensus). In case of first episode genital herpes during pregnancy, antiviral treatment with acyclovir (200mg 5 times daily) or valacyclovir (1000mg twice daily) for 5 to 10 days is recommended (grade C). In case of recurrent herpes during pregnancy, antiviral therapy with acyclovir (200mg 5 times daily) or valacyclovir (500mg twice daily) can be administered (grade C). The risk of neonatal herpes is estimated between 25% and 44% in case of initial episode (LE2) and 1% in case of recurrence (LE3) at the time of delivery. Antiviral prophylaxis should be offered for women with first episode genital herpes or recurrent genital herpes during pregnancy from 36 weeks of gestation and until delivery (grade B). In case of a history of genital herpes without episode of recurrence during pregnancy, it is not recommended routinely offer a prophylactic treatment (professional consensus). A cesarean section should be performed if there is a suspicion of first episode genital herpes at the onset of labor (grade B), in the event of premature rupture of the membranes at term (professional consensus), or in case of first episode genital herpes less than 6 weeks before delivery (professional consensus). In case of recurrent genital herpes at the onset of labor, cesarean delivery will be all the more considered if the membranes are intact and vaginal delivery will be all the more considered in case of prolonged rupture of membranes (professional consensus). Neonatal herpes is rare and mainly due to HSV-1 (LE3). In most of the case of neonatal herpes, the mothers have no history of genital herpes (LE 3). In case of suspicion of neonatal herpes, different samples (blood and cerebrospinal fluid) for HSV PCR must be carried out to confirm the diagnosis (professional consensus). Any newborn suspected of neonatal herpes should be treated with intravenous acyclovir (60mg/kgs/day 3 times daily) (grade A) prior to the results of HSV PCR (professional consensus). The duration of the treatment depends on the clinical form (professional consensus) CONCLUSION: There is no formal evidence that it is possible to reduce the risk of neonatal herpes in genital herpes during pregnancy. However, appropriate care can reduce the symptoms associated with herpes, the risk of recurrence term and the cesarean rate performed to decrease the risk of neonatal herpes.