Int Surg
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Comparative Study
Comparison of the clinical presentations of ingested foreign bodies requiring operative and nonoperative management.
Foreign body ingestion is commonly seen in emergency departments. Although most cases have a clear history, foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract can be an unexpected finding after operations for other conditions. This study compares the clinical presentations and outcomes for patients requiring or not requiring operations. ⋯ Most group 2 patients had no known history of foreign body ingestion, and diagnoses generally were established during surgery. Neither group of patients displayed any mortality. Nonoperative management of foreign body ingestion usually can succeed in asymptomatic patients with a clear history; however, ingested foreign bodies can cause serious problems for those patients without a clear history of foreign body ingestion.
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The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyze 5 years' experience of cervico-mediastinal goiters (CMG) management. Twenty-five patients with cervico-mediastinal goiters underwent surgery between January 1998 and December 2002. The group consisted of 16 females and 9 males (mean age, 48.2 years; range, 42-74 years). ⋯ There were no postoperative deaths; overall morbidity rate was 28.0%. One patient with a severe life-threatening hematoma required surgical re-exploration. Surgery for CMGs shows a low morbidity rate; total thyroidectomy is the treatment of choice to prevent recurrences or re-surgery for malignancy.