Lack of effect of a high-fiber cereal supplement on the recurrence of colorectal adenomas. Phoenix Colon Cancer Prevention Physicians' Network.

BACKGROUND: The risks of colorectal cancer and adenoma, the precursor lesion, are believed to be influenced by dietary factors. Epidemiologic evidence that cereal fiber protects against colorectal cancer is equivocal. We conducted a randomized trial to determine whether dietary supplementation with wheat-bran fiber reduces the rate of recurrence of colorectal adenomas. METHODS: We randomly assigned 1429 men and women who were 40 to 80 years of age and who had had one or more histologically confirmed colorectal adenomas removed within three months before recruitment began to a supervised program of dietary supplementation with either high amounts (13.5 g per day) or low amounts (2 g per day) of wheat-bran fiber. The primary end point was the presence or absence of new adenomas at the time of follow-up colonoscopy. Subjects and physicians, including colonoscopists, were unaware of the group assignments. RESULTS: Of the 1303 subjects who completed the study, 719 had been randomly assigned to the high-fiber group and 584 to the low-fiber group. The median times from randomization to the last follow-up colonoscopy were 34 months in the high-fiber group and 36 months in the low-fiber group. By the time of the last follow-up colonoscopy, at least one adenoma had been identified in 338 subjects in the high-fiber group (47.0 percent) and in 299 subjects in the low-fiber group (51.2 percent). The multivariate adjusted odds ratio for recurrent adenoma in tile high-fiber group, as compared with the low-fiber group, was 0.88 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.70 to 1.11; P=0.28), and the relative risk of recurrence according to the number of adenomas, in the high-fiber group as compared with the low-fiber group, was 0.99 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.71 to 1.36; P=0.93). CONCLUSIONS: As used in this study, a dietary supplement of wheat-bran fiber does not protect against recurrent colorectal adenomas.

The distally based sural artery flap.

The sural artery flap is a distally based fasciocutaneous flap. It is based on a reverse flow through anastomoses between the peroneal artery and the communicating vascular network of the medial sural nerve. In the difficult area of defects in the lower leg and the ankle and heel region, it has a wide variety of indications, even in vascularly compromised patients. It has the largest arc of rotation of all flaps that have been described in this region. The most important advantage is that it does not compromise a major artery. Furthermore, it is simple to dissect and has a low donor morbidity. A series of 15 patients is described in which we covered defects in the lower leg, malleolar, and heel regions. Seven patients were vascularly compromised seriously. Twelve flaps survived completely, two survived partially, and one flap failed.

Fowler's tenotomy for mallet deformity.

35 patients with established mallet finger deformities were treated with Fowler's tenotomy of the central extensor tendon. The mean lack of extension before operation was 45 degrees. 26 patients regained full extension, eight patients had a residual deformity of 10-20 degrees and one patient of 30 degrees.

The correction of breast ptosis with the expander mammary prosthesis.

The major disadvantage of breast ptosis correction using the standard mastopexy procedure is the visible scarring. The use of an implant alone is often inadequate, especially in the more ptotic breast. A technique employing a submuscular expandable mammary prosthesis together with release of the breast tissue from the underlying muscle is described. This method enables correction of greater degrees of ptosis than is possible with implant placement alone.

Intraneural lipofibroma of the median nerve.

A case of an intraneural lipofibroma of the median nerve is described. The patient was first seen with an enlarging mass on the flexor side of the wrist and in the palm. After interfascicular dissection of the tumor there was a permanent loss in sensibility and motor function. In most cases decompression of the nerve will suffice; resection by means of interfascicular dissection is rarely justified.

The result of breast reconstruction after mastectomy for breast cancer in 109 patients.

One hundred and eleven breast reconstructions after a mastectomy for carcinoma in 109 patients are reported. Depending on the quality of muscle and skin coverage, reconstructions were performed either with a latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap or a subpectoral prosthesis (including expander prosthesis). The follow-up involved 90 patients. The purely aesthetic results as well as the very positive result of reconstruction with regard to appearance in clothing, participation in sports, and self-esteem were of great importance to the patients. The difference in ptosis, the most obvious shortcoming in our reconstructions, is discussed. Attention is given to the importance of flap planning and the restoration of the anterior axillary fold in the latissimus dorsi flap reconstructions. The disappointing results of tissue expansion and the shortcomings of the nipple-areola reconstructions are discussed.

Results of microsurgical treatment of nerve injuries of the wrist.

A retrospective study was made of 62 patients with sharp, total transection of the ulnar and/or median nerves, operated on with use of microsurgical techniques. The results were evaluated in 44 patients. Following primary repair of the median nerve, eight patients achieved a reasonable result (8/25, 32%) and 13 a good result (13/25, 52%). In contrast, after secondary nerve grafting in six patients, only one patient achieved a reasonable result (1/6, 17%) and three a good result (3/6, 50%). After primary repair of the ulnar nerve, four patients (4/10, 40%) achieved a reasonable result, and five a good result (5/10, 50%). In contrast, after secondary nerve grafting in five patients, four achieved a reasonable result (4/5, 80%) and none a good result. The age of the patients appeared to determine the quality of recovery; in all patients younger than 20 years reasonable or good function of the nerve returned.