Lower limb skin grafts are thought to have higher failure rates than skin grafts in other sites of the body. Currently, there is a paucity of literature on specific factors associated with lower limb skin graft failure. We present a series of 70 lower limb skin grafts in 50 patients with outcomes at 6 weeks. One-third of lower limb skin grafts went on to fail with increased BMI, peripheral vascular disease, and immunosuppressant medication use identified as significant risk factors.

Skin grafts were performed successfully in the majority of patients. Graft complication and failure rates compare well with the world literature. The use of prophylactic antibiotics was the only predictor of successful graft take.

Delay from the time of testicular pain until surgical exploration is important for the chances of testicular salvage and is made up mostly of pre-hospital delays. Patients under the age of 14 had longer delays pre-hospital.

This study compares the results of de Pezzer catheter drainage of anorectal abscess with the more traditional technique of incision and packing. A prospective study from this department in 1987 detailed the outcome of patients with anorectal abscess managed routinely by de Pezzer catheter drainage. Ninety-one patients were treated, 18 required general anaesthesia, the mean hospital stay was 1.4 days, and 24% subsequently required fistula surgery. A retrospective ~tudy has now been undertaken of all patients admitted to Wellington Hospital with anorectal abscess during the same period who were treated by incision and packing. Of 54 patients treated, all had general anaesthesia, the mean hospital stay was 4.5 days, 63% needed district nursing care after discharge and 25% required fistula surgery. Simple de Pezzer drainage is not only safe, convenient and well tolerated by patients, but it compares very favourably with the more traditional method of treating anorectal abscesses and, as a consequence of the minimal hospital care necessary, it must necessarily be a much cheaper method of treatment.

In all patients more than the age of 80 years admitted to General Surgery, Taranaki Base Hospital, morbidity and mortality results were acceptable when compared with published work. Risk-adjusted prediction of mortality compared favourably with observed outcomes, but more data are required to validate this tool in elective patients.