Guidelines for the diagnosis of thyroid carcinoma.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to C Bernardi.
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Serum reactivities towards individual U1 snRNP proteins were determined by immunoblotting in 32 patients with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD). Time persistence of immunoblot profiles and clinical significance of anti-(U1)RNP antibody specificities were also investigated. IgG anti-(U1)RNP antibodies were found in the sera of 29 out of 32 patients (90.6%): 21 (65.6%) reacted with the 70-kD protein, 25 (78.1%) with A, 23 (71.9%) with C and 20 (62.5%) with B/B' proteins. None were reactive with the Sm-D peptide. Seventy kilodalton antibody specificity was strongly associated with a higher antinuclear antibody titre (> 160) and slightly associated with disease activity; anti-B/B' specificity was associated with lymphadenopathy. Anti-A, -C and -B/B' antibodies were negatively associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) skin rashes. Two types of anti-(U1)RNP blotting patterns were selected: "full spectrum" (53.1% of cases) and a "partially/no reactive" one (46.9%). Such patterns were unchanged over time in 14 out of 16 cases prospectively examined (87.5%), while the pattern shifted from "full spectrum" to "partially/no reactive" in 2 cases (12.5%): in 1 after a prolonged clinical remission (> or = 4 years) and in the other following immunosuppressive therapy. The anti-(U1)RNP antibody immunoblot profile in MCTD patients consisted of various reactivities and remained unchanged over time in most cases. Antibody reactivity against the 70-kD protein represented the major U1 snRNP specificity. The various anti-(U1)RNP specific reactivities demonstrated poor clinical significance within MCTD. Thus, MCTD seems to be characterized by a longstanding serological heterogeneity whose reactivities do not apparently correspond to distinct features within the broad clinical spectrum of MCTD.
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.
An antenatal echography performed at 32 weeks of amenorrhoea revealed a formation in the liver. Other tests during the antenatal period were unable to provide an exact diagnosis which was only established after exploratory laparotomy after birth. A review of the literature showed that this hepatic tumour has been diagnosed in 3 reported cases antenatally. Haemangioendothelioma occurring during the antenatal period is difficult to diagnose and the severe forms discovered by echography have a poor prognosis.
Microglandular adenosis (MGA) recognizes a benign proliferative lesion of the breast that can mimic adenocarcinoma histologically. We describe the fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy cytology of MGA in two female patients. Smears were characterized by sparse cellularity, and the harvest consisted of a monotonous population of medium-sized cells, with vacuolated clear cytoplasm and round and uniform nuclei with small nucleoli. Clear cells appeared isolated or clustered with spindly fibroblasts. No naked nuclei of myoepithelial origin were present in the background. The differential diagnostic considerations included several breast lesions composed of clear cells. Subsequent surgical histology of lumpectomy revealed MGA. Further studies are needed to determine whether these cytologic features permit the specific identification of MGA, but our observations show that FNA is a sensitive method in recognizing the benign nature of the lesion.
The authors having studied retrospectively 23 pregnancies that were complicated by haemorrhagic proctocolitis or Crohn's disease, try to define by following the literature as well, how these diseases react on fertility and on pregnancy, and how pregnancy reacts on the diseases and the treatments that are available during pregnancy. As far as we know at present, the patients are sub-fertile in cases on ulcerative colitis and normally fertile in cases of Crohn's disease. These illnesses are not exacerbated by pregnancy, but pregnancies are affected by flare-ups of the condition, and therefore should be planned if possible for when the illness is in remission. Previous bowel resection does not alter the course of the pregnancy nor change the methods of delivery. These is no abnormal effect on the fetus or infant due to the treatment, but it is wiser to avoid using Azathioprine during embryogenesis.
The authors report a case of a patient who in the 24th week of a twin pregnancy became sero-positive for toxoplasmosis. This was diagnosed by cordocentesis as being infected, and the treatment was therefore started with pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine and folic acid at the 28th week of pregnancy. At 35 weeks, the patient had an acute medullary aplasia due to the absence of the folates. The mother's state was improved rapidly by giving her folinic acid and the twins were normal haematologically. In this case, the authors point out how important the folates are in a pregnancy, especially in twin pregnancies, and point out the precautions that have to be taken when treatment with pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine is started for congenital toxoplasmosis.
Sevellar cellular types are involved together in the cyclical functioning of the ovary. Regulating this co-operation between cells are intercellular systems of communication both autocrine and paracrine. The immune system that is present in the ovary seems to have an important role among the regulatory factors. Cytokines are the vectors of intercellular communication. The authors after studying the recent literature show how the immune system elements undergo cyclical variations corresponding to the ovulatory cycle. Reciprocal co-operation between the different cells is brought in to play at all stages of growth and of atrophy of the follicle. The knowledge of these networks for regulation make it possible to understand what is going on better and to work out a more appropriate treatment for certain pathologies such as premature menopause and unforeseen responses to certain forms of stimulation of ovulation.
The authors present a case of partial trisomy 12q associated with chylothorax, diagnosed at 30 weeks of pregnancy. Cordocentesis for the karyotype as well as thoracocentesis were carried out. In spite of the administration of tocolytic drugs the patient delivered a girl with multiple clinical abnormalities, who died at 7 days of age. From this case, the authors report 6 other cases of partial trisomy 12q in the literature, and, in the discussion they suggest the management after the diagnosis of hydrothorax has been made by ultrasound.
AIM: A review of the literature concerning the very rare anti-PP1Pk isoimmunisation with a personal case. CLINICAL MATERIAL: Anti-PP1k antibody gives rise to the high risk of abortion in the first and the second trimester (in a different series the risk is 50-70%). A 19-year-old patient who had this antibody was helped by a plasmaphoresis repeatedly between the 6th and the 25th week of pregnancy. Cordocentesis was carried out to estimate fetal haemoglobin from the 25th week onwards. A set caesarean section was carried out at 36 weeks because of intrauterine growth retardation and the development of fetal anaemia. DISCUSSION: The authors suggest research based on the known immunohaematological factors concerned with this isoimmunisation and on the main treatments available (plasmaphoresis, cordocentesis, and delivery at a set time). CONCLUSION: Until now there have been very few cases and only four similar cases to ours have been reported in the literature. That is why it is so difficult to suggest a well defined strategy for treating these patients.
We report our experience concerning the laparoscopic treatment of ectopic pregnancy (EP). One-hundred and nine women with EP were treated in our department over a 4 year period, between February 1988 (date of our first laparoscopic surgery for EP) and December 1991. Twenty-two of these women underwent laparotomy and the remaining 87 laparoscopic surgery alone. Four therapeutic failures were noted in women treated by laparoscopy. Our results are compared with those of other series and the indications, as well as the modalities of laparoscopic treatment are detailed. It is concluded that laparoscopic surgery of EP is a reliable method which must always be considered, except for a few rare indications.
The outcome of 87 pregnancies obtained by fertilisation in vitro and progressing beyond 20 weeks of amenorrhea monitored in the Victor-Olivier Ward (Prof. Monnier, Lille Teaching Hospital Group) was analysed. Results were compared with those in the literature. The group was characterised by three features: age, the number of primipara and above all the multiple pregnancy rate. One quarter of FIV pregnancies are multiple pregnancies and almost two newborn out of live are the result of multiple pregnancies. Almost 70 per cent of clinical pregnancies progressed beyond six months. Pregnancy pathology was represented by a marked worsening of the prematurity rate and by a slightly increased risk of fetal under-development. The cesarean section rate was very markedly increased. Sex ratio, and perinatal mortality, malformation and chromosomal aberration rates were similar to those for spontaneous pregnancies. Results are reassuring overall, the pathology being encountered in pregnancies of this type being only partially explained by age, the number of primipara and the multiple pregnancy rate. This pathology could possibly be explained by the underlying situation in which sterility occurred.
Endometriosis is thought to result from implantation of endometrial tissue swept back into the pelvic cavity during menstruation, or from coelomic metaplasia of the peritoneum. Yet not all women with menstrual reflux develop endometriosis. The authors present and analyse the arguments in favour of immune system involvement in the physiopathology of this frequent disease. A knowledge of the antigens that have been recognized and of the operative mechanisms will probably make it possible to understand better the repercussions of endometriosis on fertility, to develop diagnostic methods less traumatic than those available at present and to modulate treatments and improve their effectiveness.
The authors report a case of severe post-transfusion anti-Duffy (Fya) allo-immunization which required a treatment of four intrauterine exchange transfusions. The child was born at 32 weeks of amenorrhoea and he benefited from an exchange perfusion at birth. The outcome was fully satisfactory. On the basis of this case, the authors present a review of immuno-haematology concerning the Duffy system. This system holds fourth rank, after the ABO, rhesus and Kell systems, on the clinical importance scale of group systems. It concerns two alleles, Fya and Fyb, located on the first chromosome. The anti-Duffy antibodies are IgG immune antibodies; they may be responsible for haemolytic accidents, sometimes lethal, during transfusions, and they are an occasional cause of haemolytic disease of the newborn. A review of the literature yielded only 25 cases of haemolytic disease of the newborn, thereby showing that this allo-immunization is very rare, and it demonstrated its potential danger. Finally, the authors present the therapeutic methods used to treat the haemolytic disease of the newborn caused by anti-Duffy antibodies. Plasmapheresis and intrauterine exchange perfusion have dramatically improved the prognosis of this disease.
Giant cell reparative granuloma is an infrequent nontumoral lesion affecting particularly the maxillary and mandibular bones and only rarely the cranial bones. The etiopathogenesis is still controversial and differential diagnosis, especially from giant cell tumors of bone, is arduous. We report a case of giant cell reparative granuloma of the middle cranial fossa which behaved like an intracranial tumor and which we followed up for 15 years. We discuss the relevant literature and describe the essential features of this controversial lesion.
The study is based on 51 observations of fibromas of diameter 3 cm or more associated with pregnancy. The authors report the characteristics of this pathology, which occurs at a frequency of one in two in women over 35 years of age, half of whom are primiparae. The frequency varies with the size of the fibroma and falls between 0.3 and 2%. The circumstances of detection vary but echography both improves detection and allows the development of the fibroma to be monitored. The only frequent complication is aseptic necrobiosis (25% of cases), but it is usually latent or moderate. Abortions, low insertions of the placenta and faulty presentations are more frequent, especially where large fibromas are involved, but nonetheless 3/4 of such pregnancies come to term without any serious problems. Fetal prognosis is, therefore, excellent and perinatal mortality is close to that of a control population. The proportion of cesarean sections is high (30 to 75%) and depends on the circumstances, the size of the fibroma and the occurrence of dystocias. Myomectomy should remain exceptional during pregnancy but will be frequently used towards the end of a cesarean section; indications for hysterectomy on the other hand remain very limited.
Three criteria for the withdrawal of Hansen's disease patients of unknown whereabouts from the active record are presented, based on patients' age, number of years they have been out of control, and probability of their being alive, calculated according to a regional mortality table. In the first criterion, patients who have been lost and who according to their life table have a lower than 50% mathematical probability of being alive were given "statistical discharge." In the second and third criteria, Mitsuda-negative patients who had been lost for more than 20 years and Mitsuda-positive patients who had been lost for more than ten years and who had not been included in the first criterion were given "statistical discharge." During the six years in which the method was used in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, 506 patients of unknown whereabouts were withdrawn from the active record, four of whom were found to be alive with the disease in progress. The results that have been achieved suggest an accuracy rate of about 100% for the first criterion of "statistical discharge" and about 98% for the other two criteria.
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