Papillary carcinoma of the thyroid in two brothers after chest fluoroscopy in childhood.

perhaps be added, and a number of doses given after operation. This practice was followed by nearly a third of surgeons, although a similar proportion began antibiotic treatment only at the time of operation for a gangrenous or perforated appendix. Applying povidone-iodine to the wound is a simple measure that confers some protection against wound infection and was used occasionally by nearly half of the surgeons in the survey. The available evidence is against peritoneal drainage (which was used by 77%), but a wound drain may be advantageous, although only 56% of the surgeons ever inserted one. It is possible that topical agents and surgical drainage may be largely abandoned by those who are confident of the efficacy of the systemic antibiotic prophylaxis used.