[Seventeen years of haemovigilance in France: assessment and outlook]. / Dix-sept ans d'hémovigilance en France: bilan, perspectives.

Since 1994, the French haemovigilance network has not stopped evolving. Based initially on the reporting of informations and incidents related to recipients, it quickly became interested in the procedures and other activities related to blood component transfusion, in order to improve blood safety. Despite some failures (under reporting, heavy declarative management), the French haemovigilance network is going to continue working on improving blood safety, both at the level of the recipients and the donors, and participate to the global improvement of quality of care.

[Hypotension and adverse transfusion reactions: from the associated clinical signs to the hypotensive transfusion reaction]. / L'hypotension artérielle dans les effets indésirables receveurs: du signe clinique associé à la réaction transfusionnelle hypotensive.

OBJECTIVE: The first aim of this study was to confirm the presence of hypotension blood transfusion reactions and to assess the part of hypotension as a principal event, as defined by the literature but not characterized in French haemovigilance data. As well, recent series of several cases led us to consider a possible incidence increase. STUDY DESIGN: Using a retrospective observation, the haemovigilance data from 2000 to the end of 2007 of two French regions were reviewed. During this period, 1159657 blood units were transfused by nearly 100 hospitals and 3727 adverse reactions observed. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-eight adverse reactions with hypotension were noticed and analyzed, representing 4.5% of all transfusion reactions and revealing an incidence of 14.5 for 100000 blood units transfused. It turned out to be mostly male recipients, severe reactions and appearing rather in the beginning of transfusions. Although platelets having greater incidence, all types of blood products may be involved. The clinical diagnosis was the following: 40 to 47% were classified as febrile reactions, 13 to 17% were allergic reactions, 8 to 9% were due to immunologic and/or haemolytic reactions, 5 to 7% resulted of cardiologic disorders, 5% resulted of hypovolemic contexts and 22% were unexplained hypotensive transfusion reactions. CONCLUSION: In about three cases out of four, transfusion-induced hypotension was associated with other clinical reactions. Indeed, hypotensive transfusion reactions were identified, having an incidence of 3.2 for 100000 blood units transfused. Furthermore, there was no explanation found for the incidence increase in our region during 2007. A national study was suggested to analyse the national data as well as a prospective study to clear out this type of transfusion reactions.

[Needle exsufflation could be the first line treatment of complete primary spontaneous pneumothorax at emergency room]. / L'exsufflation à l'aiguille peut être le traitement de première intention d'un pneumothorax spontané aux urgences.

Primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) is associated with a low attributable morbidity-mortality because of absence of acute respiratory consequences in young and health subjects with normal baseline respiratory functions. In opposite, intercostal tube drainages, first-line surgical drainage or chemical pleurodesis are associated around 5% of complications or adverse effects. Guidelines were controversial, primary exsufflation becomes recommended, from now on. We report a case of a complete PSP coursed from four days in a current smoker patient. Needle exsufflation was first and once performed with mural suction associated with high-oxygen treatment allowed denitrogenation. Pneumothorax was resolved. Re-expansion oedema and subcutaneous emphysema occurred consecutively aspiration, immediately. Simple and favourable outcome occurred, secondarily. Because of simplicity, safety, immediate efficacy and its reproducibility, needle aspiration could be first purposed in complete PSP in absence of haemodynamic or gasometrical consequences even if several days delay is present.