[Diagnostic value of a distinct rise in sedimentation rate]. / Valeur diagnostique d'une augmentation franche de la vitesse de sédimentation.

Among the 931 patients who were admitted, over a 9-month period, to an internal medicine department, a group of 84 patients (9 p. 100) whose erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was 70 mm or more at 1 hour was selected and compared to the remaining 847 patients whose ESR was below 70 mm at 1 hour. In most cases, a pathology likely to account for the distinct rise observed in ESR was found (infection in 42 p. 100 of the cases, malignant disease in 27 p. 100, inflammation in 20 p. 100), and only 5 p. 100 of these rises remained unexplained. This makes an ESR of 70 mm or more a good index of morbidity generally, without pointing at any specific disease. An ESR of 70 mm or more has very low sensitivity (always below 30 p. 100), so that no disease whatsoever can be excluded when the ESR is only slightly elevated. Moreover, in all but infectious diseases a distinctly high ESR is not an index of severity.

Design of FeBi nanoparticles for imaging applications.

A variety of imaging technologies are now routinely used in the medical field, their use being continuously enlarged through the development of contrast agents. Recently nanoparticles (NPs) proved efficient to improve imaging in vivo by increasing contrast and targeting capabilities. The current trend is now focused on the development of dual contrast agents combining two or more functionalities on the same NP. Motivated by this new challenge we developed FeBi NPs as new nanomaterials with potential application as a contrast agent for MRI and CT imaging. In addition to the well-known use of iron in the development MRI contrast agents, we chose Bi as a CT imaging agent rather than the more documented gold, because it possesses a larger X-ray attenuation coefficient and is much less expensive. Two sets of NPs, with sizes around 150 nm and 14 nm, were synthesized using organometallic approaches. In both cases, the NPs are spherical, and contain distinct domains of Fe and Bi, with the surface being enriched with Fe, and a hydrophobic coating. This coating differs from one sample to the other: the surfaces of the 150 nm large NPs are coated by amine ligands, while those of the 14 nm large NPs are coated by a mixture of an amine and its hydrochloride salt. Exchange of the surface ligands to afford water soluble NPs has been attempted. We show that only the larger NPs could be functionalized with water soluble ligands, which is in agreement with the lability of their initial surface coating. Colloidal aqueous solutions of FeBi NPs with glycoPEG ligands have been obtained.

Reparación de sección de arteria axilar por trauma vascular secundario a herida por arma blanca: a propósito de un caso / Repair of axillary artery section due to vascular trauma secondary to stab wounds: a case report

Objetivo: Presentar un caso clínico y discutir el manejo del trauma de arteria axilar y revisar la literatura actual. Caso Clínico: se presenta el caso de un paciente con lesión de arteria axilar, que es traído en shock hipovolémico al Servicio de Emergencias de nuestro hospital. En pabellón, se aprecia sección incompleta de la segunda porción de la arteria axilar. Se controla y repara con anastomosis primaria término-terminal. En su posoperatorio evoluciona de forma satisfactoria. Discusión: El manejo del trauma vascular debe ser metódico y multidisciplinario. Los signos duros de trauma vascular son indicación de exploración quirúrgica inmediata. Los pacientes con signos blandos pueden complementarse con imágenes. En una sección incompleta de arteria axilar, la anastomosis término-terminal ha mostrado buenos resultados. Conclusiones: las lesiones de arteria axilar en el contexto de traumas son infrecuentes. Su manejo necesita de un alto índice de sospecha, un enfoque multidisciplinario y un acceso quirúrgico adecuado al contexto.

Objective: To present a clinical case and discuss the management of axillary artery trauma and to review current literature. Clinical case: Male patient with axillary artery injury, who is brought in hypovolemic shock to the Emergency Department. Surgical findings demonstrated an incomplete section of the second portion of the axillary artery which was repaired with primary end-to-end anastomosis. Postoperatively, the patient evolves without pain and is discharged. Discussion: The management of vascular trauma should be methodical and multidisciplinary. Hard signs of vascular trauma mandate immediate surgical exploration. Patients with soft signs may need further evaluation with images. In an incomplete section of the axillary artery the end-to-end anastomosis has shown good results. Conclusions: Axillary artery lesions in the context of trauma are infrequent. Its management requires a high index of suspicion, a multidisciplinary approach and adequate surgical access.