The rise of affectivism

Research over the past decades has demonstrated the explanatory power of emotions, feelings, motivations, moods, and other affective processes when trying to understand and predict how we think and behave. In this consensus article, we ask: has the increasingly recognized impact of affective phenomena ushered in a new era, the era of affectivism?

Complete surgical excision versus Penrose drainage for the treatment of elbow hygroma in 19 dogs (1997 to 2014)

OBJECTIVES

To report results of surgical excision and Penrose drainage for the treatment of elbow hygromas in dogs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Retrospective review of the clinical records of 19 dogs with elbow hygromas treated with Penrose drainage or surgical excision between 1997 and 2014. The data retrieved from the records included breed, gender, age, duration of clinical signs, weight, historical data, complete blood count and serum biochemistry, physical examination findings, diameter of the hygroma, cytology of needle aspirates, method of treatment, histological findings, postsurgical complications and their management and outcome.

RESULTS

Twenty-one hygromas were treated in 19 dogs. Eleven were right-sided, six were left-sided and four were bilateral. First-line treatment was Penrose drain placement in 12 and complete surgical excision in nine. Bilateral hygromas were addressed simultaneously. Four of the 12 hygromas managed with Penrose drain recurred and one developed ulceration over the olecranon. Recurrent hygromas were treated by surgical excision. The ulceration was surgically excised and reconstructed with a thoracodorsal axial pattern flap. No further complications developed. All the dogs were clinically healthy after a median follow-up of 16 months.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Surgical excision of canine elbow hygroma is an effective technique that appears to have fewer postoperative complications than Penrose drain placement.

Electric fly swatter: potentially harmful not only for insects?

The electric fly-swatter is a household device used widely in Greece to kill mosquitoes. It consists of a racket-shaped electrical screen which is free of toxic and other chemicals. When the screen touches the insects, the contact generates an electric flash of light and the insects are incinerated. We present the case of a 15% flame burn caused by the flash of light produced by an electric fly-swatter. According to our review of the literature, this is the second case of burn injury caused by an electric fly swatter.

The use of a detachable anvil enables an easier and safer stapled hemorrhoidopexy

Following the excision of hemorrhoidal nodes during hemorrhoidectomy, intense pain is reported to be the main postoperative problem, which can last for several weeks. Hemorrhoidopexy, an alternative treatment for hemorrhoids introduced in the late nineties, replaced hemorrhoid excision by a reduction of the hemorrhoids to their normal anatomical position, via an excision of a mucosal ring above the internal hemorrhoidal cushions. The latter excision results in minimal or no postoperative pain. In 2010, a new variant of the hemorrhoidopexy set was introduced in the European market. The variations of this set, including a detachable anvil and a lined proctoscope, aid the surgeon in performing an easier and safer hemorrhoidopexy.