Unilateral chest wall paradoxical motion mimicking a flail chest in a patient with hemilateral C7 spinal injury.

After a lower hemi-cervical spinal cord injury, a patient presented with a left hemiplegia and on the same side a unilateral chest wall paradoxical motion mimicking a flail chest. X-rays demonstrated a left hemilateral C6 injury but no rib fractures. We demonstrated that the paradoxical motion was due to the action of the diaphragm acting on the rib cage with intercostal respiratory paralysis on the side of hemiplegia.

Severe hyperthermia during tetrabenazine therapy for tardive dyskinesia.

We recently observed a 45-year-old patient with a history of psychiatric illness who presented with severe hyperthermia (rectal temperature above 41 degrees C) with intense rhabdomyolysis and liver cytolysis during tetrabenazine therapy for neuroleptic tardive dyskinesia. In addition to tetrabenazine, this patient took lorazepam and two antidepressant drugs: clomipramine, a potent serotonin-reuptake inhibitor, and mianserin. Hyperthermia responded to parenteral sodium dantrolene and oral bromocriptine administration. The significant role of tetrabenazine (a central nervous system dopamine-depleting drug) and the contribution of antidepressants to the mechanism of this neuroleptic malignant syndrome - like hyperthermia are discussed.

Dose effect of caffeine on control of breathing and respiratory response to CO2 in cats.

The dose effect of caffeine (10-70 mg/kg iv) on pulmonary ventilation (VE), mean inspiratory flow (VT/TI), and tracheal pressure generated 0.3 and 0.5 s (P0.3 and P0.5, respectively) after the onset of inspiration against airway occluded at end expiration was studied in cats anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium (35 mg/kg ip) breathing various gas mixtures. With air and 50% O2 (balance N2), increasing doses of caffeine caused a progressive increase in VE that was associated with a reduction in end-tidal PCO2. When the latter was maintained at control (precaffeine) level by inhalation of CO2, the increase in VE was, at all caffeine levels, about three times that under nonisocapnic conditions. Both under isocapnic and nonisocapnic conditions the greatest incremental changes of VE were observed after administration of the first 10-mg/kg aliquot of caffeine, i.e., the current acceptable clinical dose. In all instances, the changes in VE were proportionally the same as the corresponding changes in VT/TI, P0.3, and P0.5, suggesting that caffeine did not appreciably alter either the shape of the inspiratory driving pressure waveform or the impedance of the respiratory system but simply acted by increasing the amplitude of the neuromuscular inspiratory output. An additive interaction between caffeine and end-tidal PCO2 was observed in the VE, VT/TI, and P0.3 responses at levels of CO2 at or below the eucapnic range.

Cardiac tamponade following penetrating thoracic trauma: unusual evolution.

We report a case of cardiac tamponade following a penetrating wound of the heart treated surgically. The patient developed later on a pericarditis of the immunologic type complicated by new tamponade. The clinical situation was only relieved by corticotherapy.

[Cardio-respiratory assistance with the extracorporeal membrane oxygenator for massive pulmonary embolism]. / Assistance cardio-respiratoire par oxygenateur a membrane extracorporel pour embolie pulmonaire massive

A 39 year old pneumectomized patient presents a massive pulmonary embolism, dies within 3 hours and is supported inefficiently by cardiac massage with recurrent mydriasis during 2 hours. At that time, under extracorporeal cardiopulmonary bypass with a membrane oxygenator, the cardiac activity recovers immediatly due to right decompression and coronary perfusion. The patient is conscious within 5 hours. The cardiopulmonary bypass with a membrane oxygenator appears to be the best therapy when the cardiac massage fails to restitute a normal myocardial function. No embolectomy was performed. The patient died when the bypass was stopped after 48 hours. We conclude that the prolonged peripheral extracorporeal bypass followed by embolectomy is the best therapy of pulmonary embolism.

[Pulmonary complications in burn patients and their functional repercussions]. / Les complications pulmonaires chez les brûlés et leur retentissement fonctionnel.

The authors review the literature about respiratory burns and their initial and late functional repercussions. Upper airway oedema induces initial upper airway obstructive impairment. Pulmonary parenchymal failure is characterised by the functional consequences observed with adult respiratory distress syndrome. Survivors may be free of functional impairment. Smoke inhalation syndrome leads to variable airway obstruction resolving usually within 5 months. Persistence of an obstructive impairment may be due to the development of polyposis and/or stenosis in large airways, bronchiolitis obliteration or bronchiectasis.

[Physiopathology of bedsores]. / Physiopathologie des escarres.

Pressure is the primary pathogenic factor in the development of decubitus ulcers. Other major factors are shearing forces, friction and moisture. Significant intrinsic risk factors are immobility, age-related diseases, nutritional status, medications and smoking. The morbidity and mortality related to the complications of pressure sores are quite significant. Prevention is essential and is best achieved by identification of high risk patients. The therapeutic approach is based on the grade of pressure ulcer.

Effect of ketamine on control of breathing in cats.

We studied minute ventilation, breathing pattern, end-tidal CO2 partial pressure (PACO2), and tracheal occlusion pressure in cats anesthetized with ketamine (40 and 80 mg/kg) before and after CO2 inhalation. Before CO2 administration ventilation was reduced and PACO2 increased relative to unanesthetized cats at both ketamine doses. Breathing pattern was of the "apneustic" type, being characterized by 1) prolonged inspiratory duration and relatively short expiratory time and 2) markedly curvilinear (convex upward) inspiratory volume-time profile. The latter reflected a similar curvilinearity in the tracheal occlusion pressure waveform. During CO2 inhalation, the ventilatory response to CO2 was similar to that in unanesthetized cats in spite of a depressed tracheal occlusion pressure response. This discrepancy was due to the fact that in the presence of a convex upward inspiratory volume-time profile, the shortening of inspiratory duration with increasing CO2 results in a marked increase of mean inspiratory flow, and hence the ventilatory response to CO2 remains high.

Ceftazidime as a single agent in the treatment of severe Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections.

Ceftazidime was administered intravenously in doses of 1 to 6 g/day to 21 patients with serious Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections (12 pulmonary, 6 septicaemias, 3 urinary tract infections). Mean MIC was 1.0 mg/l. Eighteen (86%) of the 21 patients responded satisfactorily (cured or improved). The selection or emergence of resistant organisms during treatment (mostly Candida, Staphylococcus aureus, and enterococci) was noted in 6 patients. Toxicity was minimal (eosinophilia and reversible mild liver function abnormalities).

Use of ceftazidime in the therapy of serious infections, including those due to multiresistant organisms.

Ceftazidime was administered intravenously or intramuscularly or both in doses of 1 to 6 g per day to 33 patients with serious gram-negative bacillary infections (12 pulmonary, 10 urinary tract, 4 soft tissue, 4 intraabdominal, and 3 miscellaneous infections). Twenty-one patients were septicemic. We identified 20 isolates of members of the family Enterobacteriaceae and 13 isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Seventeen patients had failed to respond to previous antimicrobial therapy. A total of 23 patients were clinically cured, 7 patients improved, and 3 patients failed to respond to therapy. The selection or emergence of resistant organisms during treatment (mostly Candida spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and enterococci) was noted in 11 patients. Toxicity was minimal (reversible mild liver function abnormalities and eosinophilia). The results of this study suggest that ceftazidime is an effective and well-tolerated new cephalosporin for the therapy of serious infections due to susceptible gram-negative organisms.

Pulmonary vascular tone improves pulmonary gas exchange in the adult respiratory distress syndrome.

Hemodynamics, blood gases, lung mechanics, and the distributions of ventilation-perfusion ratios (VA/Q) were studied before and after iv diltiazem, 0.5 mg/kg over 30 min, in 6 patients with pulmonary hypertension secondary to the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) ventilated with 7 to 20 cm H2O positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP). Diltiazem decreased systemic and pulmonary arterial pressures without changes in cardiac output and in filling pressures of the heart, and with a slowing of heart rate. Pulmonary vascular resistances decreased from 401 +/- 59 to 329 +/- 58 dyne.s.cm-5.m2 (mean +/- SEM), p less than 0.01. Arterial Po2 decreased from 87 +/- 10 to 80 +/- 11 mm Hg (p less than 0.02) without changes in arterial PCO2, mixed venous PO2, and O2 consumption. Lung compliance and airway resistances did not change. Diltiazem increased true shunt from 23 +/- 5 to 30 +/- 7% of total blood flow (p less than 0.02) without other modification in the pattern of VA/Q distribution as measured by the multiple inert gas elimination technique. These results suggest that pulmonary vascular tone contributes to the maintenance of VA/Q matching in patients with ARDS.

The mechanism of rapid shallow breathing due to histamine and phenyldiguanide in cats and rabbits.

In anaesthetized cats and rabbits we analyzed the rapid shallow breathing following exposure to histamine aerosol (mainly an irritant receptor stimulant) and i.v. injection of phenyldiguanide (mainly a J receptor stimulant). Both drugs caused a marked leftward displacement of the tidal volume (VT) vs inspiratory time (TI) relationship (Hering-Breuer threshold curve) without a corresponding increase in inspiratory flow rate so that inspiration was cut off at a lower VT and TI. The leftward displacement of the VT vs TI relationship occurred with a great shortening of the duration of inspiration during occluded breaths (T0I) accompanied by a shortening of the expiratory phase (T0E). These parameters monitored the central respiratory rhythm in absence of the phasic lung volume related vagal loop. It is suggested that the increased central respiratory frequency was due to the augmented firing of fibers from stimulated irritant and J receptors. Stimulation of these endings also caused the TE vs TI relationship to become steeper in cats and to be displaced downwards in rabbits.

Use of ceftazidime in severe Gram-negative infections--a preliminary study.

Ceftazidime was used to treat ten patients with serious Gram-negative bacillary infections. Seven patients had bronchopulmonary infections and three had urinary tract infections. In addition three patients were bacteraemic. Causative agents were: Pseudomonas aeruginosa 4, Escherichia coli 2, Proteus species 2, and Klebsiella pneumoniae 2. Doses ranged between 2 and 6 g/day. Nine out of ten patients responded favourably to ceftazidime (cure or improvement). Colonization with ceftazidime-resistant strains occurred in three cases. No evidence of nephrotoxicity was noted.

[Cefotaxime in the treatment of severe infections due to multiresistant Gram-negative bacilli (author's transl)]. / Le céfotaxime: traitement des infections sévères par bacilles à Gram négatif multirésistants.

Cefotaxime was used to treat 33 patients with serious Gram-negative bacillary infections. The dosage varied between 1.5 g and 4 g/day in patients without renal failure. Eighteen patients had urinary tract infections, 6 had pulmonary infections and 10 had miscellaneous infections. Sixteen patients were also bacteremic. Twenty-five infections were due to pathogens resistant to ampicillin, cephalothin, gentamicin and/or tobramycin, in vitro. Fifteen infections had failed to resolve during ampicillin, cefazolin, gentamicin or tobramycin therapy. Thirty-two patients responded favourably (cure or improvement). Four patients developed superinfection with cefotaxime-resistant bacteria. One patient developed mild reversible renal insufficiency. Cefotaxime is a very active cephalosporin with potential use in serious multi-resistant enterobacteria infections.