Retention of radiotranslucent foreign bodies in the oesophagus as a cause of stridor

Two infants who presented with stridor were found to have radiotranslucent plastic objects impacted in the oesophagus at the level of the cricoid cartilage. From these 2 cases the lessons to be learnt are that oesophageal foreign bodies retained for even a short period may be a cause of stridor and that when these foreign bodies are not radiographically visible investigation must include the swallowing of contrast medium in which the foreign body should be visible as a translucency.S. Afr. Med. J., 48, 831 (1974)

Banding of the pulmonary artery

No Abstrac

Lymphomatoid granulomatosis A report of 4 cases

Only 1 case of lymphomatoid granulomatosis has previously been reported from South Africa. Experience with 4 such adult patients (2 blacks and 2 whites) is described. These patients were followed up for 15 - 48 months and none developed evidence of a lymphoma during this period. Fever, weight loss, cough and breathlessness were prominent symptoms in all patients. One patient, a black woman, with a diffuse interstitial paUern of lung involvement, had digital clubbing - a rare accompaniment that resolved after therapy. Dilated congestive cardiomyopathy was found in association with pulmonary nodules in a black male patient. All 4 patients were treated with cytotoxic regimens. The 2 patients treated with oral cyclophosphamide and prednisolone responded favourably. The possible explanation for paucity of reports of lymphomatoid granulomatosis from South Africa could be under-reporting, underdiagnosis or a true geographic/ethnic variation in the incidence of this condition