La Revue de médecine interne
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Tetanus is a serious disease, which could be potentially lethal. All cases are observed in patients inadequately immunized. The immunochromatographic tests (including Tetanos quick Stick(®) [TQS]) have demonstrated their efficiency in emergency setting. The aim of our study was to assess the usefulness of these tests in elderly outpatients seen in ambulatory settings. ⋯ Elderly patients accumulate several risk factors regardless of age and lifestyle. While physicians are familiar with the vaccine recommendations, they are often faced with the difficulty of assessing patient's status based only on the patient's interview, which is frequently not reliable. The implementation of immunochromatographic tests in general practice could help physicians in the management of patients at risk for tetanus.
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Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality during or early after pregnancy. Prior VTE or family history of VTE, clinical or biological risk factors increased the risk of pregnancy-related VTE. ⋯ However, the management is not standardized between physicians, centres and countries. Current guidelines for prophylaxis and treatment of VTE are discussed in this review.
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Isolated spontaneous dissection of the superior mesenteric artery is the most common digestive artery dissection. It is a rare cause of acute abdomen. Only a few hundred cases have been reported in the literature. ⋯ Based on this case report, we discuss the etiology of this vascular lesion and the contribution of computed tomography in the diagnosis, the therapeutic strategy and the follow-up of spontaneous dissection of superior mesenteric artery.