Prevention of incisional hernia with prophylactic onlay and sublay mesh reinforcement versus primary suture only in midline laparotomies (PRIMA): 2-year follow-up of a multicentre, double-blind, randomised controlled trial.

Background: Incisional hernia is a frequent long-term complication after abdominal surgery, with a prevalence greater than 30% in high-risk groups. The aim of the PRIMA trial was to evaluate the effectiveness of mesh reinforcement in high-risk patients, to prevent incisional hernia.

Methods: We did a multicentre, double-blind, randomised controlled trial at 11 hospitals in Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands.

A modified Chevrel technique for ventral hernia repair: long-term results of a single centre cohort.

Purpose: To evaluate the short- and long-term results after a modified Chevrel technique for midline incisional hernia repair, regarding surgical technique, hospital stay, wound complications, recurrence rate, and postoperative quality of life. These results will be compared to the literature derived reference values regarding the original and modified Chevrel techniques.

Methods: In this large retrospective, single surgeon, single centre cohort all modified Chevrel hernia repairs between 2000 and 2012 were identified.

Randomized clinical trial comparing self-gripping mesh with a standard polypropylene mesh for open inguinal hernia repair.

Background: The introduction of mesh for open inguinal hernia repair has reduced the rate of recurrence, allowing research to focus on prevention of postoperative pain. In an effort to reduce chronic pain, a semiresorbable, lighter and self-gripping mesh was developed.

Methods: A double-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted comparing the self-gripping mesh with a standard polypropylene mesh repair.

Short-term results of a randomized controlled trial comparing primary suture with primary glued mesh augmentation to prevent incisional hernia.

Background: Incisional hernia is one of the most frequent postoperative complications after abdominal surgery. Patients with an abdominal aortic aneurysm and patients with a body mass index of 27 or higher have an increased risk to develop incisional hernia. Primary mesh augmentation is a method in which the abdominal wall is strengthened to reduce incisional hernia incidence.

Mesh Or Patch for Hernia on Epigastric and Umbilical Sites (MORPHEUS trial): study protocol for a multi-centre patient blinded randomized controlled trial.

Background: Evidence is accumulating that, similar to other ventral hernias, umbilical and epigastric hernias must be mesh repaired. The difficulties involved in mesh placement and in mesh-related complications could be the reason many small abdominal hernias are still primary closed. In laparoscopic repair, a mesh is placed intraperitoneally, while the most common procedure is open surgery is pre-peritoneal mesh placement.

A consecutive series of 235 epigastric hernias.

Background: Epigastric herniation is a common, though not always symptomatic condition. It is likely, that in accordance to the tension-free principles for other hernias, epigastric hernia repair should be mesh based.

Methods: Patients from two large hospitals were investigated retrospectively if they were operated on an epigastric hernia for the past 6 years.

[Control of bovine hypodermosis in Switzerland; looking back].

For many years, hypodermosis control - which started in the 1920's - was unsatisfactory, partly due to a lack of efficacy or a too high toxicity of the available products. An improved control became possible with the introduction (1957) of the organophosphate Metrifonate (Neguvon®, Bayer AG). Subsequent large-scale campaigns according to the Federal Ordinance on epizootic diseases (1967) quite reduced hypodermosis in Switzerland.

Delayed primary closure of the septic open abdomen with a dynamic closure system.

Background: The major challenge in the management of patients with an infected open abdomen (OA) is to control septic peritonitis and intra-abdominal fluid secretion, and to facilitate repeated abdominal exploration, while preserving the fascia for delayed primary closure. We here present a novel method for closure of the infected OA, based on continuous dynamic tension, in order to achieve re-approximation of the fascial edges of the abdominal wall.

Methods: Eighteen cases with severe peritonitis of various origin (e.

Repair of giant midline abdominal wall hernias: "components separation technique" versus prosthetic repair : interim analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Reconstruction of giant midline abdominal wall hernias is difficult, and no data are available to decide which technique should be used. It was the aim of this study to compare the "components separation technique" (CST) versus prosthetic repair with e-PTFE patch (PR).

Method: Patients with giant midline abdominal wall hernias were randomized for CST or PR.

Abberant sex habits leading to acute limb ischemia and hematuria.

We report a case of a 42 year-old man suffering from an acute limb ischemia. Upon urokinase treatment he developed gross hematuria. Finally, CT scanning revealed a self-inserted foreign body not only causing thrombosis of the external iliac artery, but also forming an arteriovesical fistula.

[Cannabis use and untreated HIV-infection: unknown risk factors for premature peripheral artery disease].

A 32-year-old woman presented with a painful leg and a gangrenous big toe. Her medical history included HIV-infection that had remained untreated for 8 years. In addition, she had smoked about 10 cannabis-cigarettes daily during the previous 15 years.

[The Balanced Scorecard: quality management in aide associations/foundations and home care services].

In order to improve and defend quality of care, the foundation for help and home care in the canton de Vaud called upon modern instruments and methods of management, which proved their value in managing quality and innovation in world famous firms. The Balanced Scorecard developed by Kaplan and Norton belongs to these tools. This article summarise the setting up of this instrument by a non-profit organisation in health care, and illustrates its benefits and limits.

Randomized study comparing cardiac response in endovascular and open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

Background: The aim was to compare the cardiac response and the incidence of adverse cardiac events during and after endovascular (EVAR) and open (OR) repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs).

Methods: Seventy-six patients with an AAA suitable for EVAR, and in a general condition allowing open surgery were randomized to EVAR (57 patients) or OR (19 patients). The analysis was on an intention-to-treat basis.

Cardiac response and complications during endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms: a concurrent comparison with open surgery.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess and to compare perioperative changes in left ventricular function and the incidence of adverse cardiac events in two groups of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms, one during endovascular aneurysm repair (EAR) and the other during open aneurysm repair (OAR).

Methods: One hundred twenty consecutive patients who underwent EAR (49 patients) or OAR (71 patients) were prospectively studied. During the operation, the left ventricular function was assessed by the recording of the left ventricle stroke work index (SWI) and the cardiac index (CI) with a pulmonary artery catheter.

[Recent data on the treatment of bovine hypodermyiasis using metrifonate (Neguvon) and ivermectin (Ivomec) in microdoses].

Large scale preventive treatments against bovine hypodermosis have been performed in the Canton of Grisons and in different Jura areas. Either Metrifonate (Neguvon 10% spot-on, Bayer AG) or Ivermectin "microdoses" (i.e.

[Epidemiology of bovine hypodermyiasis in canton Vaud: comparison of two methods of mapping the infestation with a view to strategic treatment].

The geographic distribution of bovine hypodermyiasis in the canton Vaud/Switzerland has been investigated in two ways: By direct examination of the animals by the livestock officers at the 1993 annual census and by ELISA on bulk milk sampled in January 1994. The efficacy of the two methods is compared and the distribution of hypodermyiasis presented on a map. The serological analyses have revealed a highly satisfactory degree of sensitivity and specificity (92.

Cellular reactions in the small intestine of rats after infection with Fasciola hepatica.

Groups of five rats each were infected with metacercariae of Fasciola hepatica according to two experimental procedures. In the first experiment, they received 20 metacercariae 0, 1, 2 or 3 times at intervals of 4 weeks. In the second, both the inoculation dose and the interval between doses were varied.

[Intestinal cellular reaction of cattle after infection by Fasciola hepatica].

Defence reactions of cattle against Fasciola hepatica take place not only in the liver but also on a prehepatic level. The aim of the present experiments is to identify and quantify the cellular response in the small intestine. Five groups of two bulls (Simmental x Red Holstein, 6 months old) were infected by oesophageal probe with metacercariae of F.

Abdominal pain as a first symptom of iliac vein thrombosis.

Two patients are described with abdominal pain as a first symptom of primary iliac vein thrombosis. This phenomenon can be regarded to be analogous to the calf tenderness when thrombosis arises from the venous sinusoids in the calf muscles which is the usual localisation. When one is aware of this clinical entity, thrombotic occlusion will be recognized as the cause of the complaints, instead of being regarded to be a complication of another, yet unknown disease.