Carotid endarterectomy at Wellington Hospital.

Aim: To evaluate the morbidity and mortality of carotid endarterectomy at Wellington Hospital.

Method: A retrospective study of all patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy at Wellington Hospital in the four year period from June 1987 to June 1991 was performed. Data was collected from chart review.

Femoral neuropathy following renal transplantation.

Femoral neuropathy is an uncommon complication that can occur subsequent to a number of abdominal and/or pelvic procedures. The neuropathy is usually evident immediately after the operation, but there may be some delay in diagnosis of the clinical problem. The neuropathy generally resolves completely after a period of time, but in some instances there may be a residual deficit.

Endstage renal failure due to polycystic kidney disease managed by continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

Over a five and one half year period, four of nine patients with endstage renal failure due to polycystic kidney disease managed by continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) developed peritonitis following intestinal perforation. Two patients had colonic perforation associated with diverticular disease, one necrosis of the terminal ileum, and one acute appendicitis. Two of the patients died subsequent to these complications.

Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and acute appendicitis.

Peritonitis in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis while usually due to contamination of the dialysis line by skin organisms may also be due to intra-abdominal pathology. Three cases are described in whom peritonitis was due to acute appendicitis. The recognition of an intra-abdominal source of infection in patients on CAPD is discussed, and surgical management stressed.