Surgical practice in a maximum security prison - unique and perplexing problems.

The practice of general surgery in a prison population differs considerably from that in a general surgical practice. We audited surgical consultations at the Mangaung Correctional Centre from December 2003 to April 2009. We found a high incidence of foreign object ingestion and anal pathology. Understanding the medical and social aspects of prison life facilitates the treatment of inmates with surgical problems.