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Three boys with achalasia of the cardia were treated with balloon dilatation, with relief of obstruction and weight gain in all cases. Symptoms recurred in one patient, who then underwent myotomy rather than further dilatation. We recommend dilatation as the primary procedure in childhood achalasia.

Skin closure using continuous nylon sutures was compared with closure using interrupted nylon sutures in 105 consecutive patients undergoing laparotomy. Particular note was made of wound healing and wound infection. The incidence of wound infection was similar (3.9 per cent and 3.7 per cent respectively) and all wounds healed satisfactorily. The continuous method was quicker and cheaper.

A case is described of an unusual combination of polypois and inflammatory bowel disease of a granulomatous type. A striking feature is the complexity of the polypoidal lesions. The relationship between these lesions and the granulomatous colitis which is probably a variant of Crohn's disease is discussed.

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