Inpatient hospice triage of 'after-hours' calls to a community palliative care service.

This article reports on a retrospective study of the provision of 'after-hours' telephone support by a community palliative care service during 1996 and 1997. Calls received outside of normal office hours were triaged through an inpatient hospice unit located in the same building as the community team. During the study period, 629 patient or carer calls were received, predominantly between 5pm and 11 pm.

[Preparation for elective colon surgery using the mannitol-ceftriaxone method].

The study includes 450 patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery. Patients were divided in three groups. 140 patients were prepared with conventional enema and purgatives and a Neomycin-metronidazole prophylaxis.

The "Mannit-Ceftriaxon" preparation for elective colorectal surgery.

Authors report their experiences with evaluating the clinical course of 45 patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery. Patients were divided into three groups, depending on the type and method of preparation to operation. The 140 patients in the first group received according to the "traditional" preparation purgatives, enemas, and mycerine + metronidazole prophylaxis.