SHORT REPORTS Assessment of severity of paraquat poisoning Gramoxone (20%/ paraquat) causes death in 700' of patients who take it by mouth. In contrast, Weedol (3%/' paraquat) causes death in
A prospective, randomized trial of inpatient vs. outpatient bowel preparation for elective colorectal surgery was performed in 100 consecutive patients. Bowel preparation was standardized for both groups and consisted of 4 liters of Colyte (Reed & Carnrick, Piscataway, NJ) and oral neomycin and Flagyl (G. D. Searle & Co., Skokie, IL) the day before surgery. Patients were randomized into four subcategories: ileocolostomy, colocolostomy, abdominal perineal resection, and other. Tap water enemas were administered on the morning of surgery to ensure and adequate mechanical preparation. Ninety-six percent of the inpatient group and 97 percent of the outpatient group were able to drink three-fourths or more of the oral lavage preparation (P = 0.789, Fisher's exact text). A mean of 2.26 tap water enemas was required to achieve clear returns for the inpatient group, compared with 2.28 tap water enemas for the outpatient group (P = 0.221, Fisher's exact test). The adequacy of the bowel preparation as graded by the primary surgeon was good (84 percent), fair (12 percent), and poor (4 percent) in the outpatient group (P = 0.673, Fisher's exact test). Wound infection developed in 4 percent of the inpatient group and 4 percent of the outpatient group (P = 1.0, Fisher's exact test). Anastomotic leak of intra-abdominal abscess was seen in one patient in each group (P = 1.0, Fisher's exact test). We conclude that outpatient bowel preparation is as effective as inpatient bowel preparation for elective colorectal surgery and offers the advantage of cost savings and shorter hospitalization.
A prospective study of fifty-two patients undergoing fibreoptic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was carried out in order to determine whether bacteraemia was a significant risk. Aerobic and anaerobic blood cultures were performed before, during and after endoscopy. Cultures were also taken from lesions (if any found) in the oesophagus, stomach or duodenum. No significant bacteraemia was identified, and bacterial growth was found in only one upper gastrointestinal lesion.
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