Is the abdominal repair of rectal prolapse safer than perineal repair in the highest risk patients? An NSQIP analysis.

Background: Although the perineal approach in the surgical management of rectal prolapse has a higher recurrence, it is the accepted approach for higher-risk patients because of its lower morbidity.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine outcomes of abdominal versus perineal approaches to rectal prolapse repair. DESIGN SETTINGS: A retrospective study was performed comparing outcomes of patients undergoing different types of surgical approaches (open abdominal, laparoscopic, perineal) for rectal prolapse.

Does sodium hyaluronate- and carboxymethylcellulose-based bioresorbable membrane (Seprafilm) decrease operative time for loop ileostomy closure?

Background: Adhesions can result in serious clinical complications and make ileostomy closure, which is relatively simple procedure into a complicated and prolonged one. The use of sodium hyaluronate and carboxymethyl cellulose membrane (Seprafilm) was proven to significantly reduce the postoperative adhesions at the site of application. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence and severity of adhesions around a loop ileostomy and to analyze the length of time and morbidity for mobilization at the time of ileostomy closure with and without the use of Seprafilm.

Alcohol drinking pattern and subjective health in a population-based study.

Aims: Some patterns of alcohol consumption (e.g. binge drinking, drinking outside of meals) have been associated with detrimental effects on health outcomes.

Does hemodynamic instability predict positive technetium-labeled red blood cell scintigraphy in patients with acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding? A review of 50 patients.

Purpose: Technetium-99m-labeled red blood cell scintigraphy, commonly used in the evaluation of acute lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage, often fails to demonstrate a source of bleeding. It would be helpful to characterize a subset of patients more likely to have a positive scan. This study was undertaken to determine whether hemodynamic instability can predict tagged red blood cell scan positivity.

Treatment of hemorrhagic radiation proctitis with 4 percent formalin.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to review our results in patients undergoing treatment with 4 percent formalin for radiation-induced injury to the rectum.

Methods: A retrospective review of office charts was performed, identifying all patients undergoing formalin treatment. Patient gender, initial malignancy, prior treatments, response to treatment with formalin, complications, and length of follow-up were reviewed.

Redesigning clinical office practices to improve performance levels in an individual practice association model HMO.

Independent Health, a large health maintenance organization in western New York, is participating in a national initiative to redesign the way healthcare is delivered in the clinical office setting. The Idealized Design of Clinical Office Practices (IDCOP) project aims to initiate profound change in the ways physicians deliver care and treatment in the office; the focus is on demonstrating improvements in access to care, patient care, patient and staff satisfaction, and financial performance. Two clinical prototype test sites have successfully implemented an "open access policy," which enables most patients to see their physician on the day an appointment is requested.

Annular colon lipoma: a case report and review of the literature.

Colonic lipomas are generally mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic pedunculated or sessile polyps, although they have been reported to cause intussusception or significant bleeding. The difficulty in differentiation is primarily with adenomatous polyps. We describe the unique case of a symptomatic annular colon lipoma simulating an annular colon carcinoma.

Elevated superoxide dismutase in Bloom's syndrome: a genetic condition of oxidative stress.

We have found that Bloom's syndrome (BS) cells exhibit elevated levels of superoxide dismutase activity. Since SOD activity has been shown to reflect the intracellular superoxide (O2-) content, these results indicate that BS cells exhibit oxidative stress which ultimately results in DNA damage. Elevated sister chromatid exchange, the major cytological characteristic of BS, and superoxide dismutase induction were simulated in normal lymphoblastoid cells by treatment with compounds that increase the steady-state concentration of O2(-.

The interaction of hemispheric preference, laterality, and sex in the perception of emotional tone and verbal content.

Twenty male and 20 female subjects, divided into those who showed a right or left hemispheric preference, listened to auditory messages with conflicting verbal content and emotional tone. The messages were presented to each ear to determine whether the effect of hemisphere of input on the evaluation of the messages was modified by hemispheric preference. Except for left preference males, subjects responded on the basis of preference rather than laterality.