Acute left colonic obstruction: a new nonsurgical treatment.

Acute obstruction of the left side of the colon is traditionally treated by colostomy, which entails two or three surgical procedures usually in a high-risk group of patients. We present a new nonsurgical approach by which decompression of the bowel is achieved with a tube introduced proximal to the obstruction with the aid of a flexible sigmoidoscope. This procedure was successful in six of nine patients with left-sided large-bowel obstruction, thus avoiding staged surgery and allowing one definitive operation.

Breast milk and adipose tissue fatty acid composition in relation to maternal dietary intake.

The fatty acid (FA) relative concentration (g/100g) of human milk triglyceride (TG) was compared to that of adipose tissue (AT). A high concentration of linoleic acid (C-18:2) was present in AT, probably reflecting long term high linoleic acid dietary intake. Linoleic acid was slightly lower in colostrum and transitional milk.