From Kocher to Allgöwer: The International Society of Surgery/La Société Internationale de Chirurgie

Conclusion The saga of the Society—from Kocher to Allgöwer-rings with true accomplishment. As we near the end of our first complete century, we can look back with a sense of satisfaction. At the same time we must recognize that there still is much to do.I wish to paraphrase the words of Kocher's 1905 inaugural address:Presidential address to the opening of the Scientific Program of the International Society of Surgery/Société Internationale Chirurgie (ISS/SIC), August 23, 1993, Hong Kong.     

Haematology and biochemistry in healthy young pheasants and red-legged partridges and effects of spironucleosis on these parameters.

Plasma biochemical and haematological parameters were examined in 4-week-old to 12-week-old game birds. Healthy, uninfected pheasants and partridges had similar levels of total protein, albumin, osmolality, Na+, Cl-, K+, Mg2+ and glucose. Triglyceride, globulin and Ca2+ were significantly higher and PO43- was lower in the partridges. Pheasants carrying a light to moderate infection with Spironucleus had significantly lower total protein, albumin, osmolality, Na+, Cl-, Ca2+ and PO43-. In severely affected pheasants, the osmolality, Na+ and Cl- fell further. Triglyceride and glucose were significantly lower than in healthy birds, and Mg2+ was higher. Similar data were obtained from infected partridges. Red cell parameters rose significantly in pheasants severely affected by spironucleosis, and the percent of heterophils was significantly higher and lymphocytes and basophils lower in their blood smears. The breast and leg muscle wet weight from severely affected pheasants was 22.2 and 37.7% that of uninfected birds, although the water content of the breast muscle was significantly higher.     

A double-blind single dose comparison of intramuscular ketorolac tromethamine and pethidine in the treatment of renal colic

The efficacy of a single dose of intramuscular ketorolac 10 mg or 90 mg was compared with pethidine 100 mg in a randomized double-blind study in 121 patients reporting at least moderate pain due to renal colic. Pain was assessed before drug administration, and then at 1 hour and 12 hours after the dose. Sedation was also assessed at these times, and additionally at the 12 hour assessment the time of the next analgesic dose was recorded. At 1 hour after dosing, pain scores had decreased in all groups; the largest decrease was seen in the ketorolac 90 mg group. The difference in the decrease was significant between the two ketorolac groups, but the differences between ketorolac and pethidine were not significant. Fewer patients in the ketorolac 90 mg group (17%) required a further dose of analgesic within 10 hours than in either the ketorolac 10 mg group (39%) or the pethidine 100 mg group (47%). The difference between ketorolac 90 mg and pethidine 100 mg was statistically significant. At both assessment times the proportion of patients with no sedation was higher in the two ketorolac groups than in the pethidine group. The overall incidence of adverse events was low with all drugs, notably so for the occurrence of vomiting after ketorolac. The results of the study show that intramuscular ketorolac is efficacious in the treatment of renal colic.     

Transcervical Resection of the Endometrium Using Intracervical Block Only A Review of 278 Procedures

Summary: The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety aspects of performing transcervical endometrial resection (T.C.R.E.) on a selected group of 278 patients with menstrual disorders under local analgesia (intracervical block) only. Patient acceptance of the procedure was high, with only 3 cases not completed due to insufficient analgesia (1.07%), although a further 9 (3.2%) were completed with the help of intravenous sedation. Patient satisfaction at 4 months was 90%. There were 4 perforations (1.4%), but no laparotomy was required. Five cases (1.7%) of haemorrhage required a Foley catheter, with 1 needing a transfusion. There was no case of clinically evident glycine overload. Twelve patients required an overnight stay.
Patient acceptance of T.C.R.E. under local analgesia, and the incidence of major complications, compared favourably with other published series, including a series of 330 cases performed concurrently by the same operators under general anaesthesia.     

Cell surface accessibility of individual gangliosides in malignant melanoma cells to antibodies is influenced by the total ganglioside composition of the cells.

The reactivity of a panel of antiganglioside monoclonal antibodies with a number of melanoma cell lines having different ganglioside composition profiles was studied. One cell line synthesized only GM3, one produced both GM3 and GD2, 2 had GM3 and GD3 as their major gangliosides, and 2 others synthesized approximately equal amounts of GM3, GM2, GD3, and GD2 gangliosides. Antibody reactivity with viable cells was analyzed by: (a) flow cytometry on suspension cells; and (b) mixed hemagglutination assays or immune adherence assays on monolayer cells in culture. GM3 was efficiently detected only in the cell line having GM3 as its sole ganglioside. In the other cell lines, GM3 was difficult to detect even in cells in which it made up a high proportion (up to 50%) of the total ganglioside content. GM2 was easily detectable only in JB-RH melanoma cells (which contain only GM3 and GM2). GD3 was the most reactive ganglioside in 2 cell lines and GD2 in 2 other lines. In general, the most complex ganglioside present in a cell was the one most accessible to antibody. The differential exposure at the cell surface of specific gangliosides may have implications for antibody-directed tumor detection and therapy and for cell-protein or cell-cell interactions that involve glycolipids.