Comparison between delayed-absorbable polydioxanone and non-absorbable [prolene] suture material in abdominal wound closure

The objective of this study was to compare Polydioxanone [PDS] and Prolene suture material for abdominal fascial closure regarding morbidity in terms of post-operative wound complications. Cohort comparative ramdomized study. Dept of surgery Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi from January 2002 to December 2003. A series of 100 patients presenting in the General Surgical OPD and requiring midline laparotomy were studied. In group "A" all the midline abdominal wounds were closed with Prolene 1 and in group "B" PDS 1 was used. In both the groups the data was collected, based on post-operative wound complications including post-operative wound pain, wound infection, wound dehiscence, suture sinus formation, stitch granuloma and incisional hernia. All the post-operative wound complications were then compared between the two groups. Our results show that the post-operative wound infection, wound dehiscence, suture sinus formation, stitch granuloma and chronic wound pain were significantly lower with PDS 1 as compared to Prolene 1, without any significant increase in incisional hernia formation. Slowly absorbable suture material [PDS] appears to be superior than non-absorbable suture material [Prolene] in midline abdominal fascial closure

Comparison between pain relief achieved by Diclofenac alone and the combination of Diclofenac and Hyoscine in the short-term treatment of ureteric colic

This study aims to determine whether the combination of diclofenac and hyoscine gives superior pain relief than diclofenac sodium alone. A prospective, non-randomized comparative study. The study was conducted in the Emergency Department of Surgical Unit III at Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi from October 31, 2004 to May 01, 2005. A total of 100 patients were included in the study and distributed between two equal groups. Assessment of pain relief was done at 30 and 60 minutes after the administration of drugs. The diagnosis of ureteric colic was confirmed using urine analysis, plain radiography and ultrasonography. It was a prospective non-randomized comparative trial without blinding. A quasi-experimental study. A significantly [p < 0.05] greater number of patients treated with a combination of diclofenac and hyoscine achieved pain relief after 30 minutes as compared to those treated with diclofenac alone. No significant difference was found between the treatment groups after 60 minutes of drug administration. The combination of diclofenac and hyoscine gave a faster pain relief as compared to diclofenac alone in patients of ureteric colic

Circumcision - a comparative study

This quasi-experimental study was conducted in department of surgery in Military Hospital Rawalpindi from September 2003 to January 2004 with the aim to compare the results of one of the most commonly performed surgical procedure, circumcision, by open and bone-cutter method in terms of complications such as trauma to glans, bleeding and infection alongwith cosmetic outcome. Total 200 patients were selected from Out Patients Department on the basis of non-probability convenient sampling. After careful history taking and physical examination, patients fulfilling the criteria were identified into two equal groups, one underwent open method circumcision and the other bone cutter circumcision. Parents were instructed to follow up in the surgical OPD after seven days for assessment and earlier in case of any complication. There was insignificant different in terms of bleeding, superficial infection, cosmetic appearance and trauma to glans [P-value > 0.05]. Both methods proved to be safe and effective techniques with reproducible results but it is important to emphasize that trauma to glans; a well known and catastrophic complication is more common with bone cutter circumcision especially in the hands of an inexperienced operator