Literature search is a key step in performing good authentic research. It helps in formulating a research question and planning the study. The available published data are enormous; therefore, choosing the appropriate articles relevant to your study in question is an art. It can be time-consuming, tiring and can lead to disinterest or even abandonment of search in between if not carried out in a step-wise manner. Various databases are available for performing literature search. This article primarily stresses on how to formulate a research question, the various types and sources for literature search, which will help make your search specific and time-saving.

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Adhesion formation after abdominal and pelvic operations remains a challenging problem. Role of adjuvant barriers have been studied but there is no comparative study between liquid paraffin and hyaluronic acid as a barrier method. Hence, we planned to compare the effectiveness of 0.4 % hyaluronic acid and liquid paraffin in the prevention of postoperative intraperitoneal adhesions in rats. This prospective, randomized and controlled study was conducted in 60 adult Wistar albino rats. Surgical trauma by caecal abrasion and 1 g talcum powder was used in the rat model to induce adhesion formation. After trauma, 3 ml normal saline was instilled in the peritoneal cavity in control group ( = 20), 3 ml liquid paraffin was instilled in experimental group A ( = 20) and 3 ml 0.4 % hyaluronic acid was instilled in experimental group B ( = 20). Two weeks after laparotomy, repeat laparotomy was performed and the adhesions were scored according to Zuhlke classification. Liquid paraffin and hyaluronic acid both reduce the extent and grade of adhesions both macroscopically ( = 0.018, = 0.017) and microscopically ( = 0.019, = 0.019) respectively. Although there was significant reduction in adhesions by hyaluronic acid at certain specific sites as compared with liquid paraffin, its overall effectiveness in preventing postoperative intraperitoneal adhesions is not significantly different from liquid paraffin ( = 0.092, = 0.193) respectively. The presence of liquid paraffin and hyaluronic acid in the peritoneal cavity reduce postoperative intraperitoneal adhesions significantly in rats. However, there is no overall significant difference in the effectiveness of two groups. Dosage and safety of these chemicals in human beings remains to be established.

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Amebiasis is common in tropical and developing countries with variable symptoms. Ameboma of the colon occurs rarely due to the annular growth of granulation tissue and can present as mass lesion simulating colonic carcinoma in elderly individuals. Due to diagnostic dilemma or in case of complications, for example, acute intestinal obstruction, perforation, or bleeding per rectum, the patient requires urgent surgical exploration and final diagnosis is made on histopathological examination.

Knowledge of the use of a nasogastric tube (NG) is integral in medical practice as a whole and more so in gastrointestinal diseases because of its wide range of uses. Accidental fixation of the nasogastric tube during surgery is a rare complication. Various methods have been described for retrieval of an entrapped, retained or stapled nasogastric tube. We describe here a novel technique in which an endoscopic needle knife sphincterotome using a side-view endoscope was used successfully to cut the knots and release the entrapped NG tube. Although stress should always be laid on prevention, the flexible endoscopic approach is a small-duration procedure, a minimally invasive, cost-effective technique for the removal of a nasogastric tube that avoids the need of redo surgery and unnecessary exposure to anaesthesia.

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