Solcoderm as alternative conservative treatment for acute anal fissure: a controlled clinical study.

Acute anal fissure is a common malady that results in morbidity. If a patient is not responsive to conservative treatment, the current recommended treatments are either anal dilatation or lateral internal sphincterotomy. Both operations promise relatively good results, but the recurrence rates are about 16 per cent and 7 per cent, respectively.

Postoperative infections in breast surgery.

The rate of infections in mastectomy wounds is apparently higher than normally allowed for in clean operations. A retrospective analysis of our results over two time periods shows a 6.4% infection rate for a one-step operation and 11.

Brown-bowel syndrome.

Extensive brownish discoloration of the small bowel is rare and has been described mainly in association with malabsorption disorders. It is related to deficiency of the fat soluble vitamin E. Vitamin E is an antioxidant substance that prevents peroxidation of unsaturated fatty acids.

Abdominal operations without nasogastric tube decompression of the gastrointestinal tract.

The routine use of nasogastric (NG) drainage during and after abdominal surgery was examined. One hundred and fifty patients who underwent various abdominal operations with a Levine tube served as a control group (retrospective group). The tubeless study group (prospective group) of 150 patients was randomly and blindly divided into three equal subgroups.

Peritonsillar abscess. A prospective evaluation of outpatient management by needle aspiration.

Outpatient management of peritonsillar abscess by needle aspiration and oral antibiotic therapy was evaluated for its effectiveness in providing rapid symptom relief and cure and in preventing recurrence. Between 1984 and 1987, 124 patients with peritonsillar infection were treated in our department, and 115 were included in this prospective study. Needle aspiration was not carried out in 11 patients because of young age, noncooperation, or severe trismus.