Antibiotic prophylaxis and preoperative colorectal cleansing: are they useful?

The utility of antibiotic prophylaxis for colorectal surgery has been assessed and largely confirmed worldwide. There is homogeneous consensus that the antibiotic chosen for prophylaxis must cover both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, that the toxicity should be minimal and it should be cost effective. Recent studies have questioned the role of preoperative bowel cleansing, which is considered by many surgeons as a widely established practice prior to elective colorectal procedures. New clinical trials are needed to resolve these key questions such as the efficacy of bowel preparation and how to obtain effective timing of antimicrobial prophylaxis.

Infectious complications in colorectal surgery.

Postoperative infectious complications still represent a relevant problem in colorectal surgery. They always results in suffering for the patients and often prolonged hospitalization. Furthermore, they result in additional expenses to cover the cost of antibiotics, blood derivates, total parenteral nutrition, nursing and additional surgical procedures. Prevention and control of hospital infections start with surveillance, which is an important means to constantly evaluate the local bacterial epidemiology. An infection surveillance program finalized to minimize the incidence of postoperative infections through the respect of available techniques leads to a better quality of work in each surgical unit, to a decrease in postoperative hospital stay and to cost reduction.

[Erectile dysfunction: a missed opportunity?]. / Disfunzione erettile: un'occasione mancata?

The increasing of andrological valuation for erectile dysfunction (ED), happened in the last ten years, and induced chemical industries and sanitary system to supply correct answers from cultural, diagnostic and therapeutic views. All these events allowed the people to approach easily to uro-andrological valuations. This situation is perhaps a unique way to involve a great number of men in a wide uro-andrological screeening, that is useful, with a total patient and couple involvement, not only for a ED causes research, but also for incidental pathology screening (neoplastic or dismethabolic). Even if more expensive than a simplified diagnostic ED protocol (95% of the patients accept it, if there is a good counseling), this way of diagnostic valuation permit to hit the targets and to add permanently andrology to scientific specialty, as the science that studies the sexuality behaviour of the man and all its pathology.