Colorectal stent placement resulted in successful palliation of acute colonic obstruction in patients with disseminated neoplastic disease.

Background Although appropriate perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis has significantly reduced wound infection rates in clean‐contaminated head and neck surgical procedures, controversy still remains regarding the optimal antibiotic regimen. Methods In this prospective, double‐blind clinical trial, 159 patients were randomized to receive amoxicillin‐clavulanate, clindamycin plus gentamicin, or cefazolin intravenously up to ½ hour before surgery and at 8‐hour intervals for an additional three doses. Results An overall wound infection rate of 23% was observed. Thirteen (22.8%) infections occurred in the amoxicillin‐clavulanate‐treated group, 11 (21.2%) in the clindamycin plus gentamicin‐treated group, and 13 (26%) in the cefazolin‐treated group, which was not statistically significant. Only prior medical illnesses, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes mellitus, correlated with an increased wound infection rate (p = 0.018). Conclusions Amoxicillin‐clavulanate, clindamycin plus gentamicin, and cefazolin seem to have similar efficacy when administered prophylactically in clean‐contaminated head and neck surgical procedures. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Head Neck 19: 188–193, 1997.

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The purpose of the study is to present our experience and compare the results of the three types of ports used as a central venous access and performed in the radiology suite. Between March 1989 and November 1993 we performed 288 implantations (100 Implantofix Seldinger, 100 plastic Hickman port, and 88 stainless steel Port-a-cath) for chemotherapeutic treatment on the same number of patients diagnosed as having cancer. In all cases access was obtained via a subclavian vein (the left one in 185 cases and the right one in 103). All the system ports were implanted in the radiology suite. In all cases the procedure was successfully performed. Complications occurred in 26.3% of cases, most notably thrombosis in 13 cases (4.5%) and infection in 12 cases (4.1%). Duration of the port systems placement varied between 17 and 1467 days (a mean of 315 days). A total of 133 systems have been removed to date, 80 (60.%) due to termination of chemotherapy, and 53(40%) for treatment of complications. Significant differences (complications and port duration time) were not observed between the three types of reservoir used. Subcutaneous ports are safe, comfortable, and effective devices for central venous access.