Acta Chir Belg
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Topical negative pressure therapy (TNP) is an established part of modern wound healing. With an increasing choice in TNP providers, understanding the differing modes of action, the biochemical and biophysical effects on the wound at a microscopic and macroscopic level, plus the role of the interface dressings, will aid the clinician in planning a clear goal of therapy. This article reviews the scientific evidence for TNP to date and explores each mechanism of action and the implications for wound healing and patient outcomes.
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Comparative Study
Analysis of surgical errors in malpractice claims in Belgium.
The relative importance of the different factors that cause surgical error is unknown. Malpractice claim file analysis may help to identify leading causes of surgical errors and identify opportunities for prevention. We retrospectively reviewed 427 surgical malpractice claims from 3202 malpractice liability cases in which patients alleged error between 1996 and 2006. ⋯ On the other hand, they were less likely to have been caused by failure of vigilance/memory (16% vs. 58% Fisher's Exact Test < 0.001), breakdown (19% vs. 50%, Fisher's Exact Test < 0.001), lack of supervision (2% vs. 34%, Fisher's Exact Test < 0.001) and lack of clear lines (1% vs. 22%, Fisher's Exact Test < 0.001) in university hospitals than in non-university hospitals. System factors play an important role in most surgical errors, including technical errors and some non technical errors. Malpractice claims analysis could encrypt the leading areas for intervening to reduce errors.
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Internal hernia is a visceral protrusion through a defect or aperture, either mesenteric or peritoneal and is an uncommon cause of intestinal obstruction. Within this group, the congenital mesenteric (transmesenteric) hernia is extremely rare, being more common in the pediatric population. ⋯ Congenital mesenteric hernias are an infrequent pathology that may cause intestinal obstruction, predominantly in the pediatric population. Occurrence in adults is extremely rare.