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Solitary rectal ulcer is a curious and uncommon condition of contentious aetiology. Six patients seen at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital during 5 years have been studied. In 4 self-interference was certain and likely in one other; no information was available concerning the sixth. Our evidence suggests that the disease is self-induced.

Two hundred and eight consecutive patients undergoing surgery were allocated randomly in a trial of the use of a plain catgut subcutaneous fat stitch, compared with no fat suture. There was no appreciable difference between the two trial groups in wound infection rate following either clean (4 out of 74 with and 1 out of 68 without a fat stitch) or contaminated operations (4 out of 27 with and 4 out of 41 without). Likewise, there were no differences in haematoma rates. There is therefore no appreciable benefit to be derived from the use of this stitch.