[Subfascial endoscopic supplementary surgery of perforating veins. Experiences with the first 100 procedures]

INTRODUCTION

Leg ulcers following varicose veins and incompetent perforators have been treated by supplementary surgery of the perforators, originally by open operation, from the early eighties by endoscopic techniques.

METHODS

The endoscopic operation is carried out through a short incision of the skin and fascia well above the skin changes, and consists of subfascial electro-cauterization and cutting of the incompetent perforators.

RESULTS

100 consecutive procedures were performed 1995-1999. Totally, the frequency of complications was 28%, mostly minor and self-limiting: Haematoma/haemorrhage 6%, infection 9%, deep vein thrombosis 1%, sural and saphenous nerve affection 9% and others 3%. With a median follow-up of 10 months, 94% of the patients were satisfied with the treatment, 5% experienced unchanged symptoms, 1% became worse. In 30 ulcer-cases, 80% were without recurrency after a median follow-up of 16 months, the rest having recurrent, but smaller ulcers.

CONCLUSION

The present results are similar to the experience reported by others. It is suggested that the technique may be developed in centers for advanced varicose vein surgery.

Trichodina sp. (Ciliophora: Peritrichida) in eel Anguilla anguilla in recirculation systems in denmark: host-parasite relations

Farmed eel cultured in recirculation systems in Denmark were found infected by Trichodina jadranica Raabe, 1958. Associations between parasite abundance and fish size was examined in 2 different production systems. In one system, stocked with relatively well-nourished eels (3 to 31 g), most of the parasites (66%) were found on the dorsal part on the skin and relatively few were found on the gills (approx. 8%). The infection level was significantly positively correlated both with fish weight and length. In the other system, stocked with relatively malnourished small eels (0.5 to 4 g), significantly more parasites (0.06 +/- 0.02 [SD]) were present on fish with a low condition factor than on fish with a higher condition factor (0.13 +/- 0.01 [SD]). In this eel stock the vast majority of the trichodines were found on the gills.

[Incisional hernia. A study of morbidity, mortality and bed utilization in a Danish county]

Four hundred and four patients operated for ventral hernia during a five year period were reviewed with special emphasis on morbidity, mortality and number of days in hospital. The patients were divided into 357 patients who had been operated for ventral hernia only once (A) and 47 patients who had been operated more than once for ventral hernia (B). There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding to ages or preoperative condition. The postoperative complications were 21% in group A and 12% in group B, although this was not statistically significant. Of those who suffered a complication after the operation, 76% had a competing illness prior to the operation. The overall mortality was 0.5%. The patients were hospitalized for a total of 4846 days. In view of the results of this material and of the high recurrence rate demonstrated in the literature, a restrictive attitude towards operations for ventral hernia is recommended.