laryngeal nerves, the recurrent nerves and the collateral ramification were then totally isolated. The anastomotic loop in question links the two recurrent nerves at the crossing of the oesophagus-tracheal virtual space. It appears to originate on the right as well as on the left side, respectively at the cervicodiastinal junction level and in the thorax. The anastomosis was isolated in each specimen. Its constant presence and its morphology should be proof enough of its being an anatomical and surgical reality. Only in one case did the loop pass in front of trachea instead of crossing the oesophagus-tracheal space, while maintaining, however, the same inclination and morphology. A future, wider study should focus on the understanding of the loop's function, as well as of its possible utilization in surgicalA flare-up of tuberculosis due to war in Congo Brazzaville.
Congo Brazzaville, a country with a population of 3 million, experienced a period of war from 1997 to 1999. Before this time the annual increase in numbers of tuberculosis cases was on average 20%; in 2000 it was 84%. This situation had a considerable impact on the activities of the National Tuberculosis Programme. Before the war the diagnostic and treatment centres had notified nearly 100% of new cases of tuberculosis; in 2000 this had dropped to 76.19%, whereas the number of tuberculosis patients had almost doubled, from 5125 in 1999 to 9436 in 2000. New cases of smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis represent 45% of cases, in comparison with an average of 55% before the war, and extrapulmonary tuberculosis 30% versus