Background: Approximately nine percent of all acute appendectomies are unintentionally performed on a normal appendix. Failure of treatment (negative appendectomy or missed appendicitis) is associated with higher morbidity and mortality when compared to appendectomy for uncomplicated appendicitis. The Laparoscopic APPendicitis (LAPP) score was developed in order to systematically evaluate the appendix for the presence of inflammation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The use of intra-peritoneal polypropylene mesh (PPM) to repair incisional hernia carries the risk of adhesions and damage to the intra-abdominal viscera. Polyglactin 910 mesh (PGM) is advocated to avoid contact between PPM and the intra-abdominal viscera. An experimental study in rats was performed to determine if interposition of a resorbable prosthesis between the PPM and viscera alters biocompatibility, adhesion formation, and herniation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPresacral venous hemorrhage is a severe complication in low rectal surgery. This complication was encountered in 5 of 165 patients (3 percent) who underwent a presacral dissection for rectal mobilization. Conventional hemostatic measures often are ineffective to arrest this hemorrhage, and a number of alternative hemostatic techniques have been proposed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF