[Surgical management of spinal deformity in a patient with Escobar syndrome: review of the literature]. / Manejo quirúrgico de la deformidad vertebral en un paciente con síndrome de Escobar: revisión de la literatura.

BACKGROUND: The non-lethal variant of the Escobar or multiple pterygium syndrome is an entity of autosomal recessive inheritance linked to the X chromosome; it is characterized by multiple pterygia (hence its name) located mainly in the neck (95%) and armpits (55%), as well as other orthopedic malformations such as a vertical talus, congenital hip dislocation, and congenital scoliosis. OBJECTIVE: To present an optional surgical technique for the management of severe spinal deformities. CASE REPORT: Twelve-year-old female diagnosed with Escobar syndrome with severe scoliosis which conditions malformations of the chest with lung involvement, producing mechanical ventilatory restriction and increasing the risk of severe lower respiratory tract infection. We performed a hands-free posterior instrumentation with PASS LP system and Smith-Petersen osteotomies. CONCLUSIONS: The Cobb angle improved from 62° to 23° and the sagittal balance from 125 mm to 73 mm.

El síndrome de Escobar o de pterigium múltiple en su variante no letal es una entidad con tipo de herencia autosómica recesiva ligada al cromosoma X; se caracteriza por presentar múltiples pterigiones de ahí su nombre, principalmente localizados en cuello (95%) y axilas (55%), así como otras malformaciones de tipo ortopédico como astrágalo vertical, luxación congénita de cadera y escoliosis congénita.

[Adrenocortical function in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis]. / Función adrenocortical en pacientes con tuberculosis pulmonar activa.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess adrenal function in patients with acute pleuropulmonary tuberculosis (APT) and compare it with that function in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). PATIENTS: Over a period of 6 months all consecutive patients 18 years of age or older with newly diagnosed APT and CAP were entered into the study. MEASUREMENTS: The whole patients had the following investigations: 1) Serum Na+, K+ and glucose concentrations 2) Systolic and diastolic blood pressures. 3) An ultrasonographic study of the adrenal glands. 4) A standard ACTH stimulation test. RESULTS: There was no significative difference in the serum cortisol level between the two groups at any time of the ACTH stimulation test (basal, 30 and 60 minutes), neither when taking into account the increments between basal and 60 minutes after stimulation serum cortisol levels. All patients in both groups had normal ACTH stimulation test with a peak stimulated cortisol level at 60 minutes > 504 nmol/L. CONCLUSIONS: We did not find evidence of adrenal cortical dysfunction in patients with acute pleuropulmonary tuberculosis or with community-acquired pneumonia in our hospital.

[Biliopancreatic ascariasis: an infrequent disease in our environment]. / Ascariasis biliopancreática: una entida infrecuente en nuestro medio.

Ascariasis is one of the most frequent helminthic diseases in man. Most cases follow a subclinical form but may show symptoms related to pulmonary hypersensitivity or digestive complications. Although biliopancreatic complications have been widely described in endemic areas, references in Western countries are scarce. The authors therefore report their experience in 3 cases of this infrequent disease which were recently attended in their hospital over a brief period of time.