Colonic self-expanding metal stents (SEMSs) are commonly used to treat large bowel obstruction due to gastrointestinal malignancy with great success. While mortality is negligible, morbidity from both early and late complications can be significant. Stent perforation, erosion and migration are the most feared complications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Hypothermia has been associated with an increase in the rate of infectious complications following colectomy. We hypothesized that a substantial fraction of temperature loss in patients undergoing elective colectomy occurs prior to operation.
Methods: Temperature data were collected from 105 consecutive patients undergoing elective colectomy at a single institution.
Background: Auscultation for bowel sounds has been advocated by some clinicians as a method to determine the resolution of postoperative ileus.
Objective: Our primary aim was to prospectively evaluate the relationships between bowel sounds and the ability to tolerate oral intake in patients after major abdominal surgery. Secondarily we aimed to evaluate relationships among bowel sounds, flatus and bowel movement, and oral intake.
Purpose: Endoscopically unresectable apparently benign colorectal polyps are considered by some surgeons as ideal for their early laparoscopic colectomy experience. Our hypotheses were: (1) a substantial fraction of patients undergoing laparoscopic colectomy for apparently benign colorectal neoplasia will have adenocarcinoma on final pathology; and (2) in our practice, we perform an adequate laparoscopic oncological resection for apparently benign polyps as evidenced by margin status and nodal retrieval.
Methods: Data from a consecutive series of patients undergoing laparoscopic colectomy (on an intention-to-treat basis) for endoscopically unresectable neoplasms with benign preoperative histology were retrieved from a prospective database and supplemented by chart review.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the normal biomechanical properties of the passive capsuloligamentous structures about the finger metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints subjected to dynamic varus/valgus loading and to equate these findings to the clinical situation.
Methods: The finger MCP joints from 9 fresh-frozen cadaver hands were tested in a custom-designed testing apparatus that applied a varus/valgus force in each direction. Testing was performed at 0 degrees, 30 degrees, 60 degrees, and 90 degrees of MCP joint flexion.