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The study demonstrated that while patients with complicated gallstone disease frequently exhibit bactibilia, patients with uncomplicated cholelithiasis have aseptic bile. The findings would suggest that prophylactic antibiotics should be limited to patients with risk factors for bactibilia.

This study has shown that, using conventional definitions, the imaging of popliteal arteries during screening for AAAs does not detect any popliteal aneurysms and is thus of limited value. However, if a definition of popliteal aneurysm of > or = 1 cm (based on mean+2 SD) is used then 39/898 (4.3%) of arteries would be regarded as having abnormal diameters and may require surveillance.

Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is a common manifestation of atherosclerosis and is said traditionally to be significantly more prevalent in males than females.1,2 Haimovichi assessed 321 lower limbs using angiography and noted a male predominance at 3:1.1 He also noted isolated tibial disease as the most frequent distribution at 23.9%, with extensive disease in all segments from iliac to tibial in 3% being the least common. A tendency to a distal distribution of PVD has also been well characterised for certain subgroups such as patients with diabetes.1-4 However, no studies to date have assessed the distribution of PVD in relation to patient gender.The aim of this study was to compare the distribution of angiographically detected stenoses in male and female patients presenting with symptomatic peripheral vascular disease. MethodsThe study group consisted of 500 new vascular patients undergoing lower limb digital subtraction angiography following presentation to the vascular unit with symptomatic atherosclerotic disease. All patients included in the study were bipeds and had complete arteriograms from aorta to pedal vessels. None had undergone previous surgery or angioplasty. Patients with no evidence of PVD in either limb were excluded.The gender and age at presentation were noted and the case notes were reviewed to obtain details of concurrent cardio-and cerebrovascular disease. The presence or absence of atherosclerotic risk factors including smoking, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hyperlipidaemia were also recorded. Hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia and diabetes mellitus were defined as the need for medication to control these factors, namely antihypertensive medications, lipid-lowering agents and hypoglycaemic (oral or insulin) respectively. Patients who had quit smoking following a review in clinic prior to their arteriograms were regarded as smokers for the purposes of the study.The angiograms were reported by one of two consultant vascular radiologists and the presence of uni-or bilateral disease was noted, as were the number of segments affect- Radiology, Royal Glamorgan Hospital, Ynysmaerdy, Llantrisant, UK ABSTRACT baCKGRoUnd While large epidemiological studies have suggested that the male gender is more frequently afflicted with intermittent claudication, there is little data whether there are gender differences in the distribution of peripheral vascular disease (PVd). The aim of this study was to clarify this issue on the basis of angiographic findings in patients presenting with claudication. PaTiEnTS and mEThodS The radiology department computerised database was used to identify all lower limb angiograms performed for investigation of PVd. Patients undergoing incomplete assessment and those with normal angiograms were excluded. demographic details for each patient were collected together with details of uni-or bilaterality of disease, the number of lesions present and their anatomical distribution according to the major named vessels. only lesions reported as radiologically significant we...

Surgery for severe lymphoedema improved QoL at early assessment. This, however, may not be sustained. Genital reduction appeared to provide greater benefit than limb reduction.