Background: R0 resection rates (complete tumour removal with negative resection margins) in pancreatic cancer are 70-80 per cent when a 0-mm margin is used, declining to 15-24 per cent with a 1-mm margin. This review evaluated the R0 resection rates according to different margin definitions and techniques. Conclusion: Margin clearance definitions affect R0 resection rates in pancreatic cancer surgery. This review collates individual studies providing an estimate of achievable R0 rates, creating a benchmark for future trials. * Co-authors can be found under the heading Collaborators.

There is a higher incidence of negative appendicectomies in women compared with men, which is similar to other published studies. Faecoliths and worms are a known cause of appendiceal colic and in our series were identified mostly in the absence of histological evidence of appendicitis.