[Repeated electrical cardioversions and amiodarone for recurrent neonatal atrial flutter]. / Réduction d'un flutter atrial néonatal récidivant par chocs de cardioversion et amiodarone.

Perinatal atrial flutter is a serious arrhythmia. Its management continues to pose a challenge during the fetal period but also, in rare intractable cases, during the postnatal period. This report describes the case of a neonate who required multiple electrical external cardioversions and amiodarone to resolve a recurrent atrial flutter. This case report suggests that neonatal atrial flutter may be recurrent at short term, that repeated electrical cardioversions with low energy are safe for a neonate, that amiodarone is effective as a premedication before cardioversion and in maintaining sinus rhythm afterward, and finally that the long-term prognosis is good, even when the arrhythmia is initially refractory to therapy.

Aortopulmonary window: a rare congenital heart disease.

We report the case of a 3,5 month-old infant presented at cardiology consultation of our institution for investigation of a heart murmur associated with failure to thrive and respiratory distress. Echocardiogram showed dilatation of left heart cavities, patent foramen ovale, small muscular ventricular septal defect and pulmonary hypertension. Angio-CT was performed on a 64-slice CT to better characterize the congenital heart disease. Aortopulmonary window was diagnosed and surgically corrected. Patient evolution was good with discharge 10 days after surgery. The authors review the literature and stress the importance of angio-CT in pre-operative evaluation.

[Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis associated with strongyloidiasis]. / Aspergillose broncho-pulmonaire allergique associée à une anguillulose.

We report the case of a 58-year-old woman who suffered from progressive respiratory distress syndrome. Strongyloides stercoralis was disclosed in tracheal aspirations. A high serum level of antibodies directed to Aspergillus fumigatus was also found. Diagnosis, prevalence, microbiology, clinical consequences and treatment of strongyloidiasis are discussed. We also revisit to the diagnose criteria of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and his differential diagnosis. The puzzling aspect of this case was the association of two different diseases and the concern about the prevalence of strongyloidiasis in our regions.

An assessment of legal measures to trace, freeze and confiscate the proceeds of drug crimes in France: the Customs viewpoint.

Well-organized drug traffickers and their associates use sophisticated methods, such as banking transactions, to conceal their illegally acquired assets under the cloak of quasi-legitimate operations. The Customs Code contains provisions that govern French Customs officials in their fight against drug crimes and the proceeds of such crimes. In any customs offence relating to illicit drugs, legal action is directed against all those associated with the offence. When convincing information is received on drug trafficking and the proceeds derived from it, customs officials are authorized, in conjunction with the police, to make house searches anywhere in the country, even if no court procedure has been initiated. The confiscation of property derived from drug crimes can be ordered only by a court of law. Once sentence has been pronounced, any illegally acquired property that has been seized is confiscated. The Customs check all financial movements, searching for any exchange infractions, and banking secrecy is not allowed to obstruct the performance of this function. Although legal provisions in France have proved effective, the results obtained in respect of confiscation of the proceeds of drug crimes have generally been limited. Insufficient international co-operation seems to a certain extent to account for this unsatisfactory situation and the author pleads for more effective co-operation between Governments in tracing and securing the confiscation of property derived from drug trafficking.