Surgery

So you think you need . . . a blood transfusion - If you must have a blood transfusion

* Discuss with your doctor whether he will accept a lower ‘transfusion trigger’ of haemoglobin in the blood more »

So you think you need . . . a blood transfusion - What to do instead

* Opt for autologous blood deposit and transfusion. Your own blood can be taken and stored, ready to be given back to you as and when you need it. more »

So you think you need . . . grommets - If you must have the operation

* It should only be in cases of prolonged hearing loss, affecting speech development. Some studies advocate a three-month waiting period, though one suggests that a delay of even six months more »

So you think you need . . . grommets

Otitis media (OM) - inflammation of the middle ear - is a common childhood affliction the world over. Every year, there are about 1.5 million cases in the UK, and 2.2 million cases in the US. more »

So you think you need . . . grommets - What to do instead

* Monitor the ears for signs of acute infection. As well as effusion, the sufferer will have fever, pain, irritability and poor appetite, among others. The ear will be very red and hot, with a bulging... more »

So you think you need . . . a hernia operation - What to do instead

Wear a truss. Such a supportive garment will push an inguinal hernia back into its proper position. This is a viable option if the hernia is reducible, and should remain in place more »

So you think you need . . . a hernia operation

One of the most common bread-and-butter treatments within the surgical profession is the hernia operation. Some 20 million groin hernia repairs are performed each year - 100,000 in the UK more »

So you think you need . . . circumcision - New kinds of surgery

Y-V-plasties is the latest of a number of procedures to preserve the foreskin in adults with phimosis. Performed under local anaesthesia, a number of incisions are made in the outer layer of skin and... more »

So you think you need . . . circumcision - What to do instead

Trauma (trapping the foreskin in a zipper). Apply mineral oil to the zipper, so that it simply slips off (Pediatr Emerg Care, 1993; 9: 90-1) or break the zipper with a pair of bone-cutting pliers (J U... more »

So you think you need . . . circumcision

What is circumcision? Circumcision is the removal of the loose fold of skin, the prepuce or foreskin, at the head of the penis. Many cultures remove the foreskin for religious reasons, but at least 1... more »

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