Christine Kirkpatrick

Successful medical management of multifocal psoas abscess following cesarean section: report of a case and review of the literature

The psoas abscess is a rare complication in obstetric and gynaecology. Two types of psoas abscess are recognized. The primary psoas abscess is generally following haematogenous dissemination of an infectious agent and the source is usually occult. The most frequently isolated pathogen is Staphylococcus aureus. On the other hand, the secondary abscess is the result of local extension of an infectious process near the psoas muscle. We report the case of a patient who develops a bacteremia from an infected cesarean section wound. The complications were thigh and psoas abscesses with left sacroiliitis. Medical management with prolonged antibiotherapy permit clinical, biological and radiological improvement. Although it required a long hospital stay, medical treatment alone was effective. More experience is required to determine which therapeutic option: medical treatment and/or surgery, is the best choice for this type of complication.

Selective uterine artery embolization in the treatment of cervical pregnancy: two case reports

Two patients presenting a cervical trophoblastic implantation were treated with selective uterine artery embolization associated with dilatation and curettage. This interventional radiological maneuver helped greatly in the management of the bleeding caused by the ectopic pregnancies.

Biological response of endothelial cells and its modulation by cytokines: prospects for therapy and bioprocesses.

Endothelial cells are involved in important pathological situations. They could be the target for infectious processes as for example in Cowdriosis, an important disease in cattle due to the rickettsia Cowdria ruminantium prevalent in the south of the Sahara. They are also connected to angiogenic processes related to tumor invasion.Our results indicate that AIDS related Kaposi sarcoma cells may be of endothelial origin. We conclude from our data the mobility of those cells, related to the expression of the metalloproteinases (especially the 92 kD form of the enzyme), is an important factor in Kaposi saroma dissemination and is the main factor limiting the scale up of Cowdriosis vaccine production in Bovine Umbilical Endothelial Cell line. We showed that PMA and TNF increased the 92 kD Metallaproteinase and that TGFβ, produced in an inactive form in cultures of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells, is a potential inhibitor of Kaposi sarcoma spreading, and could also be useful in improving our process for Cowdria ruminantium vaccine production, since it reduces the sensitivity of the cells to mechanical stress without affecting significantly the overall infectious process.

BIOLOGIC RESPONSE OF ENDOTHELIAL CELLS : MODULATION OF ADHESION AND MULTIPLICATION BY CYTOKINES AND PROSPECTS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A VACCINE AGAINST THE RICKETTSIA Cowdria ruminantium.

Endothelial cells play a crucial role in a number of pathological conditions and in their regulation. Angiogenesis mechanisms are particularly relevant to the understanding of these different situations (1–2). Cytokines play also an important role in the regulation of pathophysiological responses of endothelial cells and in their overall behaviour.