The spectrum of cardiac anomalies in trisomy 18 typically includes septal defects and polyvalvular disease and only rarely complex malformations. We report the first case of trisomy 18 with truncus arteriosus type II.

Chromosome Aberrations↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Failure of balloon dilatation in mid-cavity obstruction of the systemic venous atrium after the Mustard operation.

Mid-cavity obstruction of the systemic venous atrium developed after the Mustard operation in a child with transposition of the great arteries. Balloon dilatation (BD) was performed twice, to a maximum theoretical transverse diameter of 18 mm. Each time obstruction was initially relieved, but recurred within months. The usefulness of balloon dilatation therapy requires long-term follow-up. Results from currently reported experience do not suggest a major therapeutic role for this procedure in children.

Angioplasty, Balloon↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Health education goes Hollywood: working with prime-time and daytime entertainment television for immunization promotion.

This article presents an entertainment education strategy used to influence Hollywood prime-time and daytime television programs to add storylines on the importance of immunizations to their shows. Rather than giving information about immunizations to show producers, directors, actors, and writers, we furnished "log lines" and true stories about immunizations that could be used to inspire scripts that included immunization themes. By working through personal contacts within the entertainment television industry's closed system of networks, we were able to gain entree and some airtime for our campaign agenda. Embedded messages aired on eight popular shows in the 1996-1997 broadcast season, with five scheduled to air in the 1997-1998 season. These efforts were evaluated qualitatively, focusing on issues of personal networks, content of aired messages, and comparative costs for paid airtime. The strategy developed can be adapted for a range of entertainment education interventions.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma: a report of two cases.

We report two cases of a recently isolated variety of astrocytoma, pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma, affecting the cerebral cortex and meninges of children and young adults. The first tumor was localized in the left frontal lobe of a 9-year-old girl. The second appeared in the right parietal lobe of a 14-year-old girl. Both tumors displayed a pleomorphic cellular proliferation, with spindle-shaped and bizarre multinucleated giant cells, some positive for neutral lipids, with a prominent reticulin network and areas highly suggestive of malignant fibrohistiocytomas (fibroxanthosarcomas). The glial fibrillary acidic protein was demonstrated by the immunoperoxidase method in the cytoplasm of the giant and the spindle cells. Ultrastructural studies confirmed the glial nature of the tumor. This type of tumor seems to carry a much better prognosis than other tumors from which it has to be separated, e.g., glioblastoma and meningeal sarcomas.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The prevalence of actinomycetes-like organisms found in cervicovaginal smears of 300 IUD wearers.

The association of Actinomyces with IUD wearers has been widely documented and the possibility of the recognition of actinomycetes-like organisms in routine Papanicolaou-stained cervicovaginal smears has been reported. We conducted a retrospective study of IUD wearers to determine the prevalence and significance of actinomycetes-like organisms found in such smears. Three hundred smears from current IUD wearers were rescreened for actinomycetes-like organisms. Of this group, 200 patients were from a public health family planning clinic, and 100 were private patients. The incidence for the public health group was 25.5% and for the private patient group, 8%. A case history of actinomycosis is included. Findings such as other infectious agents, abnormal cytology and symptoms are also discussed. Although the presence of Actinomyces probably represents an opportunistic infection, the threat of pelvic actinomycosis with serious complications poses a management problem to the clinician when Actinomyces is reported in a routine Papanicolaou smear. Our findings lead us to question the practicality of the earlier recommendations of IUD removal and antibiotic therapy.

Actinomyces↗