Journal of the American College of Surgeons
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Surgical hemorrhoidectomy has a reputation for being a painful procedure. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of a new procedure for surgical treatment of hemorrhoid disease. ⋯ Treatment of hemorrhoids with a circular stapler appears to be safe, effective, and rapid, causing few postoperative complications and minimal postoperative pain. At 18 months, 95.7% of the patients were fully satisfied with the results.
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The most effective treatment for traumatic injuries is to prevent them from occurring. Currently, few surgeons receive any formal training in injury' control and prevention. This study was designed to test the knowledge of injury prevention principles among practicing surgeons, in order to identify areas in need of intensified educational efforts. ⋯ The majority of practicing surgeons and nurses, including those working at trauma centers, are unaware of the basic concepts of injury prevention. Advancements in the field of injury control will require efforts to educate medical professionals and the public.
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Despite the fact that repair of an inguinal hernia is one of the most common operations performed in general surgery, we have very little information on the natural history of the untreated hernia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between hernia symptoms and the duration the patients had their hernias before presentation to a surgical outpatient department for an elective or emergency operation. ⋯ Because many patients with an inguinal hernia are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, prospective clinical trials to assess the role of operations for such hernias are required.
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CT has proved to be helpful in patients with acute pancreatitis for differentiating between mild and severe forms. Followup of acute pancreatitis with CT has been advocated but rarely studied. The aim of this study was to determine if late CT performed at day 7 might be helpful in establishing the prognosis or the type of complications, and to select a subgroup of patients in whom CT could be beneficial. ⋯ Our study showed that in acute pancreatitis: 1) there is little justification for systematic early CT, especially in patients with Ranson score <2, and 2) late CT does not need to be performed routinely, but only in cases of clinical or biologic worsening.