Providing clear information about when patients can return to work after inguinal hernia repair has successfully reduced the typical time off work from six weeks to two. Information leaflets urging an early return to work and to sporting activities were given to patients and their doctors two weeks before the operations took place. Of the 78% of patients who were in paid employment, 82% returned to work within two weeks, and 89% of those who drove were driving again by the end of the second week (Journal of One-Day Surgery 2005;15: 15-7.

Synthetic tooth enamel developed by Japaese scientists may do away with the type of fillings typically used to treat dental caries, especially for very early lesions. The crystalline white paste of modified hydroxyapatite is chemically and structurally similar to natural tooth enamel and repairs early lesions by nanocrystalline growth. Not only does this remove the need to dig out the surrounding healthy tooth first, but it also prevents further lesions developing by strengthening the natural enamel (Nature 2005;433: 819).

A staggering 38% of women who die in childbirth in the US state of Maryland cannot be identified from death certificates. An analysis of data …