Radiopaedia Helpers

Adjectival Hyphens

error

"If an anastomotic leak occurs within 30 days post-operation, it is termed an "early" anastomotic leak, while those that occur after 30 days are termed a "late" anastomotic leak ⁵."

Line 3:49 · Only use medical adjectival hyphens where the letters at the end and start of the compound word are the same, e.g. post-transplant. In this case, don't use the hyphen: 'post-operation,'.

"The incidence of anastomotic leakage varies from 1% to 19% and is more common after rectal cancer surgery ^1,4. The median development of generalised leak is 4 days postoperatively, whilst a contained leak develops at 15 days post-operation ⁴."

Line 10:247 · Only use medical adjectival hyphens where the letters at the end and start of the compound word are the same, e.g. post-transplant. In this case, don't use the hyphen: 'post-operation'.

EG List And

warning

"Free leakage can present with abdominal pain, fever, leucocytosis, hypotension, altered mental status ⁴, and/or faecal discharge through a surgical drain ⁵. The clinical features of contained leakage are non-specific, e.g. perianal pain, scrotal swelling, intestinal obstruction, perirectal, rectovaginal or rectovesical fistula ⁴, and/or pelvic abscess near the anastomosis ⁵."

Line 12:244 · An e.g. list gives selected examples, so it should not end with 'and' or 'or': 'e.g. perianal pain, scrotal swelling, intestinal obstruction, perirectal, rectovaginal or rectovesical fistula 4, and/or'.

Commas

suggestion

"Free leakage can present with abdominal pain, fever, leucocytosis, hypotension, altered mental status ⁴, and/or faecal discharge through a surgical drain ⁵. The clinical features of contained leakage are non-specific, e.g. perianal pain, scrotal swelling, intestinal obstruction, perirectal, rectovaginal or rectovesical fistula ⁴, and/or pelvic abscess near the anastomosis ⁵."

Line 12:242 · More than 5 commas in a single sentence might make it more difficult to read.

Lint: colonic-anastomotic-leak