Hakala T et al. Randomized multicenter trial comparing glue fixation, self-gripping mesh, and suture fixation of mesh in Lichtenstein hernia repair (FinnMesh Study). Ann Surg 2015; 262: 714-720. The duration of surgery was 34 min with glue, 32 min with self-gripping and 38 min with sutured mesh (P < 0⋅001). There were no differences in postoperative pain, analgesic requirement, complications or quality of life. Gough AE, Chang S, Reddy S, Ferrigno L, Zerey M, Grotts J et al. . Periprosthetic anesthetic for postoperative pain after laparoscopic ventral hernia repair. A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Surg 2015; 150: 835-840. Eighty patients were allocated to saline or long-acting local anaesthetic injected between the mesh and the peritoneum. Postoperative pain was reduced by the local anaesthetic for up to 12 h (P = 0⋅01). Czarnetzki C, Elia N, Frossard J-L, Giostra E, Spahr L, Waeber J-L et al. Erythromycin for gastric emptying in patients undergoing general anesthesia for emergency surgery. A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Surg 2015; 150: 730-737.Some 137 patients were allocated randomly intravenous erythromycin 15 min before endotracheal intubation. Erythromycin improved the chance that the stomach was empty on intubation (as assessed by endoscopy): 80 versus 64 per cent. It also increased gastric pH from 2 to 6 (P = 0⋅002).