The optimal administration regimens of low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) have not yet been established. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of 2500 and 5000 XaI units of the LMWH dalteparin in patients undergoing elective general surgery for malignant and benign abdominal disease. Prophylaxis was started in the evening before surgery and given once-daily every evening thereafter. The study was designed as a prospective, randomized, double-blind, multicentre trial. Some 66.4 per cent of patients were operated on for a malignant disorder. The primary endpoint was deep vein thrombosis (DVT) detected with the fibrinogen uptake test. Bleeding complications were recorded and classified. Analysis was made both on an intention to treat basis and in patients given correct prophylaxis (86.3 per cent). A total of 2097 patients were randomized and 27 excluded after randomization. A technically correct fibrinogen uptake test was obtained in 1957 patients. The incidence of DVT was significantly lower in patients given 5000 XaI units, this being true for both correct prophylaxis (6.8 versus 13.1 per cent, P < 0.001), on an intention to treat basis (6.6 versus 12.7 per cent, P < 0.001), and in patients with malignant disease (8.5 versus 14.9 per cent, P < 0.001). Sixty-seven patients (3.2 per cent) died within 30 days with no difference between the groups. There were two cases of fatal pulmonary embolism. The frequency of bleeding complications in the whole series was higher in patients randomized to 5000 XaI units (4.7 versus 2.7 per cent, P = 0.02), although this was not the case in those operated on for malignant disease (4.6 versus 3.6 per cent, P not significant). Dalteparin in the dose of 5000 XaI units started in the evening before surgery has a good thromboprophylactic effect in high-risk general surgery at the cost of a small bleeding risk. In patients with malignant disease there was no increased risk of bleeding. The overall frequency of fatal pulmonary embolism with dalteparin is extremely low, even in this high-risk group of patients.

Preliminary results in this small series demonstrate favorable outcome with IGS grafts used to treat infection in abdominal aortic grafts and aneurysms caused by organisms with low virulence. Larger series and longer follow-up will be required to compare the role of IGS grafts with other treatment options in infected fields.

A prospective randomized double-blind trial was performed comparing conventional low-dose heparin with a low molecular weight heparin fragment for thromboprophylaxis in elective general abdominal surgical patients. The first dose of the heparin fragment was given the evening before surgery, and further doses were given thereafter every evening. There were 1002 analysable patients, 826 having received correct prophylaxis. Of these 1002 patients, 64 per cent were operated on for malignant disease. A total of 20 patients died, 10 in each group. The frequency of deep vein thrombosis was significantly reduced among patients with correct prophylaxis with the heparin fragment (9.2-5.0 per cent, P = 0.02) [corrected]. The frequency of bleeding was 6.7 per cent among the heparin fragment patients and 2.7 per cent among the patients given conventional heparin (P = 0.01), but all bleeds were of minor degree and there was no difference in the reoperation rate for bleeding, or in the transfusion requirements. Local pain at the injection site was reported significantly less often among patients given the heparin fragment.

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This study compares monofilament continuous absorbable sutures with multifilament interrupted absorbable sutures for abdominal closure. Before closure of an abdominal incision, 988 patients were randomized to receive either a monofilament polyglyconate (Maxon) or a multifilament polyglactin 910 (Vicryl) suture. At 1 year after operation, 684 patients (69 per cent) were examined for the presence of incisional hernia, sinus and other wound-healing problems; 179 (18 per cent) had died and 125 (13 per cent) did not attend for follow-up. Incisional hernia occurred in 8 per cent of patients receiving monofilament continuous sutures compared with 6 per cent of those having multifilament interrupted closure (P not significant). Wound dehiscence occurred in 1 per cent of both groups. The mean time for suturing was 7.1 min for monofilament continuous and 8.7 min for multifilament interrupted sutures (P < 0.001). It is concluded that closure of an abdominal incision can be effected by a monofilament continuous absorbable suture more quickly than by multifilament interrupted absorbable sutures without an increased risk of wound dehiscence or incisional hernia.