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L'anévrysme de l'ampoule de Galien est une malformation vasculaire congénitale rare et complexe de la ligne médiane dont le pronostic est grave, le plus souvent lié à un tableau d´insuffisance cardiaque réfractaire. Cette affection se révèle essentiellement au cours de la période néonatale et chez le nourrisson et est caractérisée par un polymorphisme clinique en fonction de l'âge de découverte. Le diagnostic est radiologique notamment grâce à l'angiographie cérébrale qui joue un rôle diagnostic et thérapeutique. A l´heure actuelle, le traitement de choix repose sur l´embolisation endovasculaire qui a amélioré le taux de survie. Nous rapportons un cas d´une malformation anévrysmale de l´ampoule de Galien chez un petit enfant de 3 ans révélée par des crises convulsives.

Abstract Background Despite its rich vasculature, the penis is rarely involved by metastasis. Since the first description of penile metastasis in 1870, fewer than 500 cases have been reported in the literature. The pelvic organs are the main source of primary tumors that metastasize to the penis. Case presentation We report a case of a 46-year-old Arabic man who presented with erectile dysfunction and painful induration of the penile root. Eight months ago, he had undergone abdomino-perineal resection for rectal adenocarcinoma after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. The histological evaluation of the resected specimen disclosed a ypT3N0 tumor with a poor therapeutic response (around 5%). An adjuvant chemotherapy by XELOX (oxaliplatin plus capecitabine) regimen has been prescribed for the patient. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed tumoral infiltration of penile structures and a biopsy of the corpora cavernosa was performed. The histological examination disclosed a penile metastasis from the patient’s previous rectal adenocarcinoma. The patient is still alive and continues his adjuvant therapy. Conclusion Penile secondary tumors are very rare and usually occur in patients with advanced tumor stages. A diagnosis of penile metastasis should be considered in patients with a history of malignancies who present with genitourinary symptoms. These patients have a dismal prognosis as they often die in the year after the diagnosis.

Abstract Background Composite pheochromocytoma/paragangliomas are very rare tumors composed of ordinary pheochromocytoma paragangliomas associated with neurogenic tumors. Several hereditary susceptibility disorders are known to be associated with pheochromocytoma/paragangliomas such as multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (2A or B). To the best of our knowledge, only four cases of composite pheochromocytoma/paragangliomas associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 have been reported. Case presentation A 40-year-old Arabic woman presented with headache, palpitations, paroxysmal hypertension, and weight loss, which she had had for the last 3 years. She had a familial history of diabetes and multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2. A radiological examination revealed thyroid lesions and bilateral adrenal medulla tumors. Our patient had undergone bilateral adrenalectomy, total thyroidectomy with cervical lymphadenectomy, and parathyroidectomy. A pathological examination confirmed the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A consisting of left medullary pheochromocytoma, right medullary composite pheochromocytoma-ganglioneuroma, medullary carcinoma of the thyroid with lymph node metastasis and parathyroid hyperplasia. A genetic analysis also revealed that our patient had a RET germline mutation. Conclusion Composite pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 is a very rare occurrence, as the current literature provides only a few cases. Further reported cases are needed in order to understand the behavior and the pathogenesis of this uncommon entity.

An understanding of the variability of snake venom composition is of high relevance for adequate treatment of snakebites. Clinical observations of bite victims are considered as a first step in the study of venom variability. The present paper suggests the study of local clinical observations made by healers as an anthropological contribution to the interdisciplinary research of venom variability on a species and subspecies level. Such an anthropological contribution will take into account cultural particularities of a region. In order to illustrate his approach, the author describes his ethnozoological and ethnomedical fieldwork among Zarma and Tuareg in western Niger where he studied envenomation by Echis leucogaster. This species is of particular interest, as no medical descriptions of envenomation resulting from its bites seem to exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]