[Risk management to control increased and more costly malpractice suits].

Considerable increase of premium for risk-insurance demands now risk management (RM) in German hospitals. RM is more than quality management and has other goals. The method we are using to analyse the risk in hospitals is given in detail.

[Intra-abdominal cystic lymphangioma and mesenteric cysts as a cause of abdominal discomfort].

Although intra-abdominal lymphangioma and mesenteric cysts are rare benign tumours, they have to be considered in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain. Differentiation of these lesions is important, because lymphangiomas may follow a proliferative and invasive course. From 1979 to 1993 four patients with intra-abdominal cystic lymphangiomas and two with mesenteric cysts underwent operations in our surgical department.

[Splenectomy--a strictly aseptic intervention?].

To determine the factors causing wound infections after splenectomy, 211 patients undergoing surgery during 1982-1991 were studied in two groups:--Patients with clean-contaminated or contaminated operations with additional splenectomy in the same session;--Patients with elective splenectomy only. While in the first group the rate of disorders of wound healing (DWH) was 31.6%, the second group had a rate of 8.

[Do abuse of nicotine and alcohol have an effect on the incidence of postoperative bacterial infections?].

In a prospective study we evaluated patients with the diagnosis of 1. groin hernia (n1 = 57), 2. gall bladder stones (n2 = 80) and 3.

[Do nicotine and alcohol abuse effect the occurrence of postoperative bacterial infections?].

In a prospective study we evaluated patients with diagnoses of (1) inguinal hernia (n = 57), (2) gall bladder stones (n = 80), and (3) carcinoma of the colon (n = 76). The whole group included 213 patients who underwent clean, clean-contaminated or contaminated operations. All wound infections and postoperative bacterial infections such as pneumonia or urinary infection, were recorded.