David Tuerlinckx

Early skin sensitization to aeroallergens.

Background Early detection of aeroallergen sensitization is important as a prognosis factor but may be more difficult in young children.

Pneumomédiastin spontané chez un adolescent: une cause sous-estimée de douleurs thoraciques

A case of mediastinal emphysema occurring without etiologic factor except a Valsalvas manoeuvre a few hours before admission in a 15-year-old boy is reported. Symptoms were cervical and chest pain,with moderate dysphagia. Diagnosis was confirmed by palpating subcutaneous air in the neck region and mediastinal air on a chest roentgenogram. A CT scan was performed to exclude a concurrent pneumothorax. The patient recovered with bed rest. Conclusion. - Spontaneous pneumomediastinum results from nontraumatic, mediastinal air leakage, without underlying lung disease. It should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chest pain, especially in healthy adolescents and young adults; it is certainly underdiagnosed in this population

Chronic respiratory failure due to toxic epidermal necrosis in a 10 year old girl.

Abstract Toxic epidermal necrosis is a severe mucocutaneous disease with a high mortality rate. A third of the patients surviving the acute phase will develop pulmonary complications. The most frequent complication is bronchiolitis obliterans. Despite well-conducted treatment, in most cases, lung injury often leads to chronic respiratory failure. We describe here the case of a young patient that presented a toxic epidermal necrosis at the age of 3 years. Poor therapeutic compliance result in chronic respiratory failure and after 7 years of follow-up, pulmonary transplant remains the only long-term alternative. Close monitoring of respiratory symptoms in the course of toxic epidermal necrosis, intense treatment as soon as they appear and a long-term follow-up are essential to postpone chronic respiratory failure.