[Medical and legal aspects of genital mutilation and circumcision. Part II: Male circumcision].

In the last few years, male circumcision has become the subject of controversial discussion. On the one hand, medical and hygienic arguments, ideology, freedom of religion, cultural identity and social adequacy are claimed by those supporting male circumcision. On the other hand, the justification of this practice also has to be critically scrutinized just as the question whether the parents have the right to consent to the operation.

[Medical and legal aspects of genital mutilation and circumcision part I: female genital mutilation (FGM)].

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is considered to be against the law and against morality not only in Western countries, although a woman of age and able to consent may sometimes think differently. The procedure may have serious physical and emotional consequences for the girl or woman. Nevertheless there are attempts to justify the procedure with medical and hygienic pseudoarguments, ideology, freedom of religion, cultural identity and social adequacy.

Impact of general versus local anesthesia on early postoperative cognitive dysfunction following carotid endarterectomy: GALA Study Subgroup Analysis.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the influence of either general (GA) or local (LA) anesthesia on the postoperative neurocognitive outcome in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in a randomized study. Therefore, we performed a subgroup analysis of the multicenter GALA study.

Methods: A total of 40 patients were enrolled and randomized to receive either LA (n = 17) or GA (n = 23) anesthesia.