Review of general surgery 1985 Harold

Nineteen eighty-five has been an interesting year in general surgery and I have picked out some of the highlights that I have found of special value. They reflect the present trend to critical review of patient management, scientifically conducted prospective trials and the application of modem technology to patient care. This year I review abdominal emergency surgery (including appendicitis, pancreatitis, peritonitis and abdominal trauma), gall stone surgery, diverticula, inflammatory disease and cancer of the large bowel and the urogenital tract (urinary stone, urothelial cancer, testicular disease and prostatectomy). I make no excuse for dealing extensively with breast cancer, where important progress is being made in assessing the value of screening, adjuvant cytotoxic therapy and conservative surgical treatment. Finally, I review some interesting problems in the diagnosis of pulmonary emboli, wound healing and wound closure. The great majority of the papers quoted have been published in 1985.