Impact of drains on nausea and vomiting after thyroid and parathyroid surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: Nausea and vomiting are common side effects following thyroid and parathyroid surgery. In a prospective controlled randomized trial, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and the number of episodes of vomiting were defined as two primary endpoints. We analysed whether the placement of drains after thyroid or parathyroid surgery enhances PONV and/or influences vomiting.

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) facilitated by video-assistance and anal insertion of a single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS(®))-port: preliminary experience.

Objective: Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) is an established method for the resection of benign and early malignant rectal lesions. Very recently, TEM via an anally inserted single incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS(®))-port has been proposed to overcome remaining obstacles of the classical TEM equipment.

Methods: Nine patients with a total of 12 benign or early stage malignant rectal polyps were operated using the SILS(®)-port for TEM.

Timing of rectosigmoid resection for diverticular disease: the patient's view.

Aim: The study aimed to determine the patient's view on the timing of elective resection for sigmoid diverticulitis.

Method: A questionnaire was answered by 162 (69%) of 236 consecutive patients who had a resection of the rectosigmoid for diverticulitis from July 2002 to August 2005. Patients (n=45) having resection at or after the first inflammatory attack were excluded, leaving 117 eligible for analysis.

Ischemic colitis: clinical presentation, localization in relation to risk factors, and long-term results.

Background: Ischemic colitis is commonly thought to occur most often in the left hemicolon close to the splenic flexure owing to insufficient blood supply near Griffith's point. This study investigates the colorectal localization pattern, the risk factors, and the long-term outcome of histologically proven ischemic colitis.

Methods: Between 1996 and 2004, a total of 49 patients with a median age of 69 years (range 26-94 years) with colonoscopically assessed and histologically proven ischemic colitis were identified on behalf of the pathology database.