BACKGROUND Inguinal hernia repair is one of the most common operations in general surgery. The Lichtenstein tension-free operation has become the gold standard in open inguinal hernia repair. Despite the low recurrence rates, pain and discomfort remain a problem for a large number of patients. The aim of this study was to compare suture fixation vs. fibrin sealing by using a new monofilament PT...

Foot ulcers in patients with diabetes lead to infections, amputations, and high costs, and their prevention is a stated goal of the American Diabetes Association. To assess the benefits of various interventions on the prevention of future diabetic foot ulcers, we searched for and reviewed all randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on the prevention of diabetic foot ulcers and evaluated their efficac...

clinical assessment of distal symmetric polyneuropathy (dpn) involves the evaluation of symptoms and signs. although there are numerous tools to evaluate dpn, there is still a need to determine the most sensitive, specific, and accurate tests to detect dpn in a busy outpatient clinical setting. a total of 107 patients with type 2 diabetes were examined using michigan neuropathy screening instru...

Background: Pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) is a complex procedure with a relatively high risk of complications. There is an increasing trend showing that the success of pancreato-enteral anastomosis depends on surgical skill and the material used. Methods: We present four cases of pancreato-enteral anastomosis resected 37 114 days after primary surgery and the analysis of the healing process, i.e.,...

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of monochromatic infrared energy (MIRE) on plantar sensation in subjects with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 39 subjects with diabetic peripheral neuropathy completed the 8-week study. Subjects received 30 min of active or placebo MIRE three ...

Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate whether quantitative sensory testing with Von Frey monofilaments can be used for the quantification of allodynia in patients with chronic neuropathic pain, and how the pain threshold of affected skin differs from healthy skin. Methods: Using Von Frey monofilaments, we aimed to determine the pain threshold in 22 patients suffering from allodyni...

BACKGROUND Patients with diabetes and peripheral neuropathy are at higher risk for falls. People with diabetes sometimes adopt a more conservative gait pattern with decreased walking speed, widened base, and increased double support time. The purpose of this study was to use a multivariate approach to describe this conservative gait pattern. METHODS Male veterans (mean age = 67 years; SD = 9....

OBJECTIVE Chronic venous insufficiency in the lower legs may directly contribute to tissue damage, and there is increasing evidence that neuronal damage may be involved. This study was carried out to determine the feasibility of using a simple neuropathy screening test in the community to diagnose sensory neuropathy in the feet of patients with chronic venous insufficiency. METHOD We tested 1...

PURPOSE To compare the complications and success rates of hand-made sling with commercial sling used in transobturator tape (TOT) surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS From 2008 to 2010, hand-made slings were used in TOT surgery, whereas commercial slings were used from 2010 to 2013 in our clinic. Overall 102 patients were included in the study. Patients were categorized into 2 groups: group 1 had h...

This report describes an innovative suture and needle clinical evaluation program jointly designed by hospital representatives of Consorta, Inc., a healthcare resource management and group purchasing organization, and United States Surgical/Davis & Geck Sutures (USS/D&G), manufacturer of surgical biomaterials. Nineteen Consorta shareholder hospitals enrolled 699 surgeons to participate in Phase...