[Facial diplegia as the presenting feature of Lyme disease]. / Diplégie faciale révélatrice d'une maladie de Lyme.

INTRODUCTION: Diagnosis of neuroborreliosis may be difficult. Neuroborreliosis mainly results in lymphocytic meningitis and in meningoradiculitis (67-83% of cases). CASE REPORT: We report the case of a patient who developed a sudden facial diplegia, revealing neuroborreliosis proved by positive blood and cerebrospinal fluid serology. The patient had no previous history of tick bite and migrans erythema. The patient was given ceftriaxone therapy (2 g/day for 21 days), leading to resolution of all clinical symptoms. CONCLUSION: Our report underscores that neuroborreliosis should be considered in patients exhibiting facial diplegia. Thus, Lyme serology should be performed systematically in these patients. Altogether, early management is crucial, before the onset of neurological manifestations at late stage, leading to disabling sequelae despite antibiotic therapy.

[Lightning strike and lesions outside the brain: Clinical cases and a review of the literature]. / Les atteintes extra-cérébrales de la foudre : vignettes cliniques et revue de la littérature.

INTRODUCTION: Every year, 240,000 people are struck by lightning worldwide, causing injuries leading to significant handicaps. Most of the symptoms involve brain lesions; neuromuscular sequelae and myelopathy are less common. OBSERVATIONS: We describe five cases of patients struck by lightning with various clinical presentations. The first patient presented painful paresthesias in both upper limbs that disappeared 18 months later; the injury was a plexopathy. The second patient developed proximal weakness in the upper-left limb due to a myopathy. Two patients presented with various motor weaknesses in the lower limbs due to motor neuron disease and myelopathy. The last patient had a transient tetraplegy, which resolved in 5minutes; the diagnosis was keraunoparalysis. DISCUSSION: Lightning injuries can have many consequences depending on the different mechanisms involved. The clinical presentation is often due to a very focal lesion without any secondary extension. Motor neuron disease probably results from post-traumatic myelopathy. We discuss the ALS-electrocution association, frequently described in the literature. CONCLUSION: Various peripheral nerve and spinal cord lesions can be seen in lightning strike victims involving myelopathy, motor neuron, muscle and plexus. Clinical syndromes are often atypical but outcome is often favorable.

[Primary urethral carcinoma. Epidemiology, diagnosis and pathology. Guidelines from the French Urological Association Cancer committee]. / Tumeurs primitives de l'urètre. Epidémiologie, diagnostic et anatomopathologie. Recommandations du comité de cancérologie de l'Association française d'urologie.

Primary urethral carcinomas are unusual. The most frequent histology is the epidermoid carcinoma in both sex, followed by the urothelial carcinoma in men and adenocarcinoma in women. The diagnosis is often late. It is based on a clinical examination under anesthesia and biopsies. MRI is the best imaging modality for the local stadification.

In vivo retroviral mediated gene transfer into bladder urothelium results in preferential transduction of tumoral cells.

OBJECTIVES: Superficial bladder tumours are at high risk for recurrence, relapse after resection, escape to intravesical immunotherapy and they may become invasive. New therapeutics are therefore needed to achieve cure. Thus, gene therapy is an attractive new treatment modality for malignant bladder tumours. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and the efficiency of retroviral mediated reporter gene transfer into malignant urothelial cells both in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: We evaluated the feasibility of the transfection of bladder tumour with direct intravesical instillation of a defective retrovirus. The vector was derived from LXSN. The efficiency of transduction with the Moloney Leukaemia Murine virus-based vector, amphotrophic retroviral vector, was monitored through the expression of two marker genes (nls-LacZ and NeoR). The canine animal was chosen since it can present with spontaneous bladder carcinomas mimicking human pathology. Primary cultures of two normal canine bladder urothelium and two canine primary bladder tumours were first studied. We then investigated in vivo, in two normal and two spontaneous tumour bearing dogs, the transduction of urothelial cells following direct intravesical instillation of 2.10(4) to 3.10(6) of the retroviral vector. RESULTS: Transduced cells were evidenced in all primary cultures of canine normal urothelium and transitional cell carcinoma. Bladder biopsies from sound dogs instilled with the viral solution showed long lasting transduction up to 60 days long. Bladder cryosections from tumour-bearing dogs displayed transduction of superficial layers of urothelial cancer cells without passing through lamina propria. In vivo transduction was evidenced in 1 to 15% (mean 5%) of the cells in the tumours and preferentially addressed malignant cells. Normal epithelium either originating from sound or tumour-bearing animals was not transduced. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate for the first time the feasibility of in vivo retroviral transduction of bladder cancer using a clinically relevant procedure.

[Protocol for the pathologic examination of cystectomy and cystoprostatectomy specimens. Proposal for a standardized form]. / Protocole d'étude anatomopathologique des pièces de cystectomie et de cystoprostatectomie.

We present practice guidelines for the examination of bladder specimens removed for bladder cancer and propose an example of standardized form for their reporting. This approach takes place in looking for better quality and facilitates use of the morphologic data.

[Recommendations for reforming prostatic specimens. Les Membres du Sous-Comité Prostate du Comité de Cancerologie de l'Association Française d'Urologie]. / Recommandations pratiques pour les prélèvements prostatiques. Les Membres du Sous-Comité Prostate du Comité de Cancerologie de l'Association Française d'Urologie.

The purpose of these recommendations proposed by the members of the <>, is to provide an informative report for the clinician and the pathologist, in the management of patients with prostate cancer. These recommendations are common to the ADSAP and UICC recommendations on prostate cancer. Standardized forms are recommended to be included in every report.

Variability of immunohistochemical reactivity on stored paraffin slides.

AIMS: To investigate the effects of slide storage on immunohistochemical staining, since recent reports have indicated that storage of unstained paraffin slides for up to 12 weeks may lead to false negative immunostaining of tumour markers. METHODS: 11 antibodies (anti-cytokeratin, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), vimentin, smooth muscle actin, PS100, chromogranin, CD45, CD20, CD3, CD30, and oestrogen receptor (OR) were tested on unstained paraffin slides of breast carcinomas, lymphomas, and neuroendocrine tumours that had been stored for three to 10 years. All the paraffin blocks were recut less than one week before immunostaining. Immunostainings of years old slides were compared with those of recent slides in at least five cases for each antibody. For three antibodies (antichromogranin, anti-CD3, and anti-OR) we also tested one year old and three months old slides. RESULTS: Intensity of staining on years old slides was strikingly reduced for chromogranin and CD3 in several cases and was slightly stronger for vimentin. In some cases a significant decrease of OR positivity was observed after three months storage, and a complete loss of OR immunostaining after 12 months. No significant difference was noted with the other antibodies. CONCLUSIONS: Immunohistochemical detection of some antigens located either in the nucleus, in the cytoplasm, or on the cytoplasmic membrane could be impaired by storage of paraffin slides as short a time as three months. One should be cautious of doing retrospective immunohistochemical studies on stored unstained slides.

[Can the prostatic capsule be preserved during cystectomy for bladder tumors: a study of urethral and prostatic involvement in the cystectomy specimens]. / Peut-on préserver la coque prostatique au cours des cystectomies pour tumeur de vessie: étude de l'atteinte urétrale et prostatique sur les pièces de cystectomie.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the frequency of urethral and prostatic lesions on cystectomy specimens for bladder tumour. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective histological study was based on 260 specimens: radical cystectomies performed in 7 operative sites. The prostate and urethra were analysed in 3 planes (upper, middle and lower thirds). The apex was studied separately. Urethral invasion was identified by continuity of the tumour or by the presence of vesical CIS. RESULTS: Urethral involvement is frequent (30.6% cases) essentially due to contiguous invasion (43/80). CIS is the second pathological association (44 urethral CIS/75 bladder CIS). Prostatic adenocarcinoma was present in 17.8% of cases with a Gleason score > 6 for 30% of lesions. CONCLUSION: The high frequency of urethral and prostatic involvement does not justify preservation of the prostate during cystectomy. A serial prospective study should define the precise criteria able to minimize the risk of conservative surgery.

Renal chromophobe cell carcinoma and oncocytoma. A comparative morphologic, histochemical, and immunohistochemical study of 124 cases.

BACKGROUND: Renal oncocytoma has several features that overlap with other renal neoplasms, including the eosinophilic subtype of chromophobe cell carcinoma. In fact, strict criteria for renal oncocytoma have not been well defined and remain a matter of controversy. Ultrastructural studies or sophisticated methods such as flow cytometry and cytogenetic techniques can be of great use in distinguishing the two tumors, but are difficult to propose as routine methods because of their limited availability. OBJECTIVE: To further characterize the histologic criteria of these tumors, we undertook a retrospective study to define the utility of routinely available histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques. DESIGN AND SETTING: Twenty-one cases of chromophobe cell carcinoma, eosinophilic subtype, and 103 cases of oncocytoma were tested with histochemical (Perls, periodic acid-Schiff, and Hale's colloidal iron) and immunohistochemical (peanut agglutinin antigen and UEA-1 for lectins; cytokeratin KL1, epithelial membrane antigen, vimentin, S100 protein, and lysozyme) staining. RESULTS: The antibodies tested and the histochemical staining using Hale's colloidal iron allowed eosinophilic chromophobe cell carcinoma to be distinguished by its characteristic reaction pattern. Seventy-six percent of the chromophobe cell carcinomas showed a microvacuolated pattern, and 89% of the renal oncocytomas showed an apical positivity with Hale's colloidal iron staining (P < .01). Peripheral cell accentuation reactivity for cytokeratin KL1 was observed in 66% of the chromophobe cell carcinoma cases, and apical cytoplasmic positivity was observed in 37% of the renal oncocytoma cases (P = .01). Significant patterns were observed with anti-epithelial membrane antigen and anti-peanut agglutinin antigen antibodies (P = .05 and P = .01, respectively). Positive reactions for vimentin, S100 protein, lysozyme, and UEA-1 were not significant characteristics. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that a precise morphologic description associated with simple histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques provides sufficient criteria for a high level of discrimination between the eosinophilic subtype of chromophobe cell carcinoma and renal oncocytoma.

[The role of endoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of keratinizing and desquamating malpighian metaplasia of the kidney pelvis]. / Place de l'endoscopie dans le diagnostic et le traitement de la métaplasie malpighienne kératinisée et desquamante du bassinet.

Keratinized squamous cell metaplasia of the renal pelvis (KSMRP) is a rare lesion, difficult to differentiate from urothelial tumour on the basis of the usual morphological examinations. It is therefore usually diagnosed retrospectively, on histological examination of a nephroureterectomy specimen. However, as its benign nature justifies conservative treatment, preoperative recognition of this lesion is essential. Upper urinary tract endoscopy, which allows diagnosis and treatment of this disease, is therefore very important in this context. Endoscopy is indicated when KSMRP is suspected clinically in a doubtful case of urothelial tumour of the upper urinary tract, in a context of passage of soft stones or a history of renal stones or upper urinary tract infection. Ureteroscopy constitutes the first step to confirm the diagnosis. It must be completed by a percutaneous procedure to eradicate any residual lesion, which could be responsible for recurrence. We report a case of KSMRP in a solitary kidney treated by retrograde and percutaneous endoscopic surgery.

[Non-seminomatous germ cell tumors of the testis: histological prognostic factors. Use of an analytical assessment form of the orchidectomy specimen]. / Tumeurs germinales non séminomateuses du testicule: facteurs pronostiques histologiques utilisation d'une fiche d'évaluation analytique de la pièce d'orchidectomie.

25 pathologists have used an analytical assessment-form in order to study 78 orchidectomies. An histological pattern of more than 50% embryonal carcinoma appears to be in accordance with the rate of embols, which are the main risk factor even if exclusively intratesticular. This form might be useful for multicentric studies.

[Embryonal carcinoma and anaplastic seminoma of the testis: diagnostic difficulties]. / Carcinome embryonnaire et séminome anaplasique du testicule: difficultés diagnostiques.

In this case report concerning a testicular tumor, the difficulty of discriminating between embryonic carcinoma with granulomatous reaction and anaplastic seminoma is described. According to the literature and the findings of the present case, the value of immunohistochemical investigations is emphasized, especially the use of anti cytokeratin antibody in the diagnosis of embryonic carcinoma. Therapeutic issues stress the importance of such a diagnosis. Furthermore the immunohistochemical identification of embryonic carcinoma in every case should lead to a new classification of the so-called anaplastic seminoma's entity.

[Nephroblastoma in adults. Apropos of two cases with immunohistochemical study of one case]. / Néphroblastome de l'adulte. A propos de deux cas dont un avec étude immunohistochimique.

The authors report 2 cases of adult Wilm's tumor, one biphasic, the other triphasic, and briefly discuss anatomoclínical features and differential diagnosis with benign tumors such as nephrogenic nephroma.

[A case of primary signet ring cell adenocarcinoma of the bladder]. / Un cas d'adénocarcinome primitif de la vessie à cellules en bague à châton.

A case of primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder. This case of adenocarcinoma of the bladder including immunohistochemical study and autopsy demonstrates the diagnostic problems and the bad prognosis of these rare tumors.

[Total extended ++urethrectomy and transureteral continent cystostomy in the treatment of urethral melanoma in women. Report of a case]. / Uréthrectomie totale élargie et cystostomie continente trans-urétérale dans le traitement du mélanome de l'urèthre chez la femme. A propos d'un cas.

Malignant melanoma of the urethra is one of the rare urethral tumours which can be controlled by total urethrectomy with preservation of the bladder. The authors report the first case of melanoma of the urethra treated by total urethrectomy and continent transureteric urinary diversion according to Mitrofanoff's principle.

[Carcinoma of Bellini's tubules]. / Le carcinome des tubes de Bellini.

Carcinoma of the papillary ducts of Bellini is a rare form of renal cancer. Patients are usually asymptomatic middle-aged men who frequently have metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis. The diagnosis is based on histological examination of the nephrectomy specimen with a precise immunohistochemical examination. Radical nephrectomy is the first-line treatment and adjuvant chemotherapy, recommended by certain authors, does not appear to improve the usually poor prognosis of these tumours.

Exploration and endoscopic treatment of unilateral primary haematuria: is non-specific diffuse pyelitis a real entity?

Chronic unilateral primary haematuria is rare and raises difficult problems of diagnosis and treatment as most of the knowledge in this field has been based on a very limited number of patients. This clinical entity needs critical reevaluation as recent progress in endourological investigations has revealed that lesions other than the classical submucosal haemangioma are just as frequently responsible for unilateral primary haematuria. These endoscopic lesions have generally been poorly defined up to now and our data based on a retrospective review of 8 patients emphasises the persistent gaps in our understanding of the pathophysiology of this disease. Among the lesions responsible for unilateral primary haematuria, diffuse petachiae of the renal pelvis and cavities represent the most frequent endoscopic lesion described in our experience (50% of cases). Histologically, these diffuse lesions correspond to non-specific pyelitis, consisting of simple oedema of the lamina propria. In addition to its diagnostic role, endoscopy can also be used to effectively treat the lesions responsible for unilateral primary haematuria, using either electrocoagulation or nitrate cautery, provided a retrograde approach can be completed by a percutaneous approach, with an overall success rate of 75% of cases with a mean follow-up of 16 months.