[Apropos of a mediastinal teratoma invading the lung]. / A propos d'un cas de tératome médiastinal rompu dans le poumon.

Mediastinal mature teratomas are rare in children. Diagnosis is often made in the presence of a complication. We report a case of a mature mediastinal teratoma, complicated by its opening in the lung. The patient was a four-year-eight-month-old girl. She was admitted for fever, cough and dyspnea. The chest radiography showed a large mediastinal mass with calcifications. The CT scans and MRI aided in establishing the diagnosis. Biological tests (alpha-foetoproteins and beta-HCG) confirmed the benignity of the tumor. The child was operated on with full success.

[Paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis: 2 pediatric cases]. / Encéphalites limbiques paranéoplasiques de l'enfant : à propos de 2 observations.

The term "paraneoplastic neurologic disorders" refers to a group of syndromes mediated by immune responses triggered by tumors that express neuronal proteins or by immunological disturbances caused by the tumor. In most cases, limbic encephalitis is a disorder of adulthood, particularly in association with small-cell lung cancer or a testicular germ-cell tumor. The clinical picture of this disorder includes anxiety, depression, confusion, delirium, hallucinations, short-term memory loss and sometimes seizures. We report on 2 new pediatric cases from a single hospital: in the first case, limbic encephalitis revealed Hodgkin lymphoma; it heralded meningeal relapse of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the other. Despite its extreme rarity, this syndrome is a possible diagnosis in childhood.

[Ecstasy poisoning in a 10-month-old infant]. / Intoxication par ecstasy chez un nourrisson de 10 mois.

UNLABELLED: We describe an accidental ecstasy poisoning in a 10-month-old girl. CASE REPORT: A 10-month-old infant suddenly exhibited behavior disorders with restlessness, hypertonia, and repetitive movements. She was immediately taken to the Emergency Department. Cardiovascular (tachycardia and hypertension) and neurological disorders (major agitation, mydriasis, and nystagmus) were the predominating clinical features. The most common differential diagnoses including febrile convulsion, cranial trauma, or encephalitis were progressively ruled out. The urinary toxicological screen was positive for methamphetamine. MDMA, its main metabolite, and caffeine were subsequently detected in the infant's urine using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The child had completely recovered the next morning. COMMENT: Pediatric poisoning with ecstasy remains uncommon. To date, about 10 cases have been reported. All were due to accidental ingestion. Today, the use of ecstasy is no longer restricted to recreational purposes (rave parties, etc.) and it seems to be developing in private parties and in the home. The intrusion of this amphetamine-like drug into the domestic environment may expose young children to the accidental ingestion of ecstasy tablets.