A retained intra-abdominal foreign body is a common occurrence that is frequently underreported due to its medicolegal implications. Sponges, gauzes, surgical instruments, abdominal drains, etc. have been reported in the literature. The most common presentation for a retained intra-abdominal foreign body is postoperative abdominal infections or bleeding, frequently seen in the immediate postope...

Introduction: The effect of drain usage in laparoscopic cholecystectomy to decrease pain remains controversial. Drains have been reported to decrease pain, to have no effect on pain, and even to increase pain in various studies. When closely investigated, it was seen that the localization of the drains placed after cholecystectomy varied, and none of the studies in the literature considered the...

In this study the characteristics and extent of the smear zone are investigated using a large, undisturbed sample. The aim of using such a sample is to capture the realistic characteristics of the smear zone in relation to the in situ soil structure during the installation of prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs) using a mandrel. The extent of the smear zone for Bulli clay (New South Wales, Aust...

This paper presents a review of combined vacuum consolidation and surcharge preloading which is arguably more sustainable approach to soft-soil ground improvement than other strategies in reducing post-construction settlements. Vacuum consolidation has become more prevalent with technological developments in vertical drains, pumps and geosynthetics. Satisfactory vacuum pressures can be sustaine...

Pleural effusions are commonly drained with Seldinger intercostal drains. One uncommon but serious risk of drain insertion is that of a foreign body being retained in the pleural cavity following removal. We report a case in which the tip of the drain was retained in the pleural space following difficult insertion of a Seldinger intercostal drain in a district general hospital. Prompt recogniti...

BACKGROUND Dar es Salaam has an extensive drain network, mostly with inadequate water flow, blocked by waste, causing flooding after rainfall. The presence of Anopheles and Culex larvae is common, which is likely to impact the transmission of lymphatic filariasis and malaria by the resulting adult mosquito populations. However, the importance of drains as larval habitats remains unknown. METH...

[1] Land drainage is common in peatlands. Artificially drained blanket peat catchments have been shown to have a significantly greater soil pipe density than intact catchments. This paper investigates the role of surface land drains in the enhancement of soil piping in blanket peats. The density of piping was found to significantly increase in a linear fashion with the age of the drainage. Thir...