Current role of sentinel lymph node biopsy in the management of cutaneous melanoma: A UK consensus statement.

Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) has been at the forefront of the surgical staging of melanoma patients for the past 15 years. The high accuracy of this prognostic staging procedure is now recognised in all international guidelines for melanoma. However during this period there have been a number of important changes in the management of melanoma, many occurring within the past five years.

The pain of surgery: pain experienced by surgeons while operating.

Introduction: The operating theatre can be a dreaded experience not only for the patient but also occasionally for the surgeon. We sought to investigate the prevalence of pain experienced by surgeons while operating.

Methods: One hundred and thirty anonymous questionnaires were sent to surgical consultants in the Britain.

Squamous cell carcinoma in bilateral untreated syndactyly.

We present an 81-year-old man with untreated bilateral syndactyly. Hand function and cosmesis did not concern him but long-term use of the hand resulted in chronic skin changes from friction, and the subsequent development of a squamous cell carcinoma.

Differences in cephalometric reference values between five centres: relevance to the Eurocleft Study.

Cephalometric data from five different geographical areas (Oslo, Manchester, London, Nijmegen, and Michigan) were compared. The angles SNA, SNB, and ANB were taken from published tables in the form of mean, standard deviation (SD) and number in the sample, divided up by age and sex. Angles SNA and SNB were significantly different among centres on univariate analysis.

Phenolic household disinfectants--further precautions required.

Phenolic disinfectants (e.g. Meytol, Dettol, etc.

Hand ischaemia following radial artery cannulation.

Digital ischaemia following radial arterial cannulation is uncommon. It is usually the result of thrombotic occlusion of a dominant radial artery. However, factors other than arterial thrombosis per se may operate in the critically ill patient to produce digital ischaemia.

Experience of a chemical burn due to 3,5-dichloro 2,4,6-trifluoropyridine.

An example is reported of a burn caused by cutaneous exposure to 3,5-dichloro 2,4,6-trifluoropyridine (DCTFP) involving 25 per cent of the body surface. A striking feature was the development of the appearance of the burn over the first 72h postinjury. Healing was nevertheless spontaneous.