Harefuah
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Subcutaneous venous catheter devices were implanted in 104 patients between January 1989 and June 1991. In 90% the implantation was performed under local anesthesia as an ambulatory procedure. In 85% the catheter was implanted for long-term chemotherapy and in 15% for intravenous feeding, antibiotic treatment or dialysis. ⋯ Venous thrombosis, cutaneous necrosis and catheter occlusion were observed in only 5%. The main advantages of the method are its convenience for the patient, ease of installation and low rate of complications. From our experience we conclude that the implanted subcutaneous venous catheter is a simple and effective procedure for prolonged intravenous treatment.
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Surgical diathermy is widely used in modern operating rooms, although explosion in the gastrointestinal tract is a known serious complication. We report a case of colonic explosion following use of diathermy. Based on our experience and the available data, it is recommended that in cases of gastrointestinal tract obstruction, poor bowel preparation or following use of oral mannitol for bowel preparation, diathermy should be avoided in opening the gastrointestinal lumen.