Acute Bilateral Blindness

Acute bilateral blindness is an emergent condition that may signal life-threatening disease. This article details an emergency medicine approach to the patient with acute bilateral blindness, and reports a case of an elderly woman whose sole presenting complaint was acute loss of vision. She was ultimately diagnosed as having pulmonary embolism. The approach focuses on identification of life-threatening disease processes, while differentiating between ocular. psychogenic, and cortical etiologies.     

Interviews of individuals diagnosed as anti-human immunodeficiency virus-positive through the screening of blood donations in the Paris area to 1994: reflections on the selection of blood donors

BACKGROUND: One of the aims of the medical interview routinely preceding each blood donation is the identification of individuals with a risk factor for infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). STUDY DESIGN and METHODS: Interviews were performed with individuals diagnosed as being seropositive for HIV through the systematic biologic screening of blood donations in the Paris area to establish, first, the circumstances allowing HIV-seropositive individuals to pass through the predonation medical interview and, second, the motivation of these individuals as blood donors. Risk factors of 30 HIV-infected donors identified between 1991 and 1994 were determined. RESULTS: When asked whether they recognized the eventual risk to recipients of donated blood, 14 (47%) of 30 answered positively. Fifteen (50%) admitted having given their blood to determine their HIV status. CONCLUSION: These individuals did not exclude themselves from blood donation and probably hid their risk factor(s) at the predonation interview in order to be accepted as blood donors.     

Lobular carcinoma in situ of the breast: mammographic features

Lobular carcinoma in situ (lobular neoplasia; LCIS) of the breast is most commonly an incidental microscopic finding in breast tissue removed for some other reason. The authors reviewed the clinical and mammographic features and surgical findings in 26 cases of LCIS not associated with other breast abnormalities. In 16 instances, needle localization was performed before removal of the tissue, which yielded LCIS on histologic examination. Calcifications were the most common reason for biopsy, although there were no distinctive mammographic features of LCIS.     

Retractable-barb needle for breast lesion localization: use in 60 cases

A needle system with a retractable barb was developed for localization of nonpalpable breast lesions. The system can be repositioned without major adjustments and strongly anchors to breast tissue, eliminating failure due to dislodgment or transection of the localizing wire. Its use may necessitate fewer confirmatory radiographs, resulting in decreased radiation exposure. In addition, the needle can be retracted during surgery, to ease extraction of the specimen.