[Six surgery cases]

Abstract

The six cases which follow will illustrate that, although surgery often does not influence the underlying process of disease, it can, if not always cure, at least improve the quality of life of those to whom it is offered. Indeed, in a number of situations prompt surgical intervention is life- saving.The first group of three cases have been used as backgrounds against which to consider some current information on aspects of the aetiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of adenocarcinoma of the rectum, inflammatory bowel disease and lesions of the cerebellopontine angle respectively. The second, shorter, group of three cases addresses more specifically some examples of the problems in diagnosis which surgeons can be faced with.