Scalp reconstruction with large dorsal muscle-free flap after dog bite scalping

Introduction: Scalping is characterized by trauma in the scalp region, which can be classified as partial or total. Scalping trauma is extremely mutilating and stigmatizing, especially when exposing the bone without periosteum, leading to chronic osteomyelitis and external table erosion. When there are extensive scalp lesions above 200cm2, and with periosteum, the lesion is required a large amount of tissue with microsurgical flap, which is not available in all centers. This work aims to report a case of a 69-year-old female patient who suffered trauma due to total avulsion of a big scalp of 550cm2 with exposure of a skull cap without periosteum and total unviability of the scalp after a dog bite. Due to the total unviability of the avulsed scalp, we opted to transplant a large dorsal muscle free flap with microvascular anastomosis of the thoracodorsal pedicle with the superficial temporal vessels. The flap evolved with good perfusion, and partial grafting was performed in the bloody area. Methods: Retrospective analysis of the medical records of the patient in question. This paper follows the Declaration of Helsinki's standards and the approval of the Ethics and Research Committee. Conclusion: The free flap of the large dorsal muscle proved effective in this case of reconstruction of the scalp's extensive lesion (550cm2) with partial periosteum lesion due to scalping. The flap recovered the shape of the skull and the protective function of the skull cap

Scalp reconstruction with expanded flap

Introduction: The presence of extensive scalp defects is a major reconstructive challenge for the plastic surgeon. These defects have a vast etiology, such as traumatic, thermal or electrical burns, benign and malignant or congenital tumor resections, radiotherapy treatments sequelae, and infections. Noting that injuries such as scalping and burns (thermal or electrical), generate significant repercussions such as severe tissue loss, chronic osteomyelitis or minor sequelae such as scar alopecia. This study aims to report a case of late scalp reconstruction with a tissue expander and posterior advancement flap, due to cicatricial alopecia, in an 11-year-old female, victim of scalding by hot water in the right frontotemporal region. Methods: It was performed a retrospective analysis of the patient's medical record. The present work follows the standards of the Helsinki ethics committee. Conclusion: The scalp tissue expansion technique by stages and subsequent scalp advancement flap performing proved to be effective in restoring the patient's hair structure and hairline with minimal local distortion, restoring the scalp's shape and aesthetics of the patient

Experimental study of double muscle innervation technique in rats

A contração muscular gerada por impulsos elétricos provenientes de duas fontes nervosas distintas pode ser alternativa no tratamento de lesões do plexo braquial e na paralisia facial. O objetivo desta tese foi avaliar e comparar diferentes técnicas de reinervação dupla com a técnica de reinervação única do músculo gastrocnêmio em ratos. Cinquenta ratos Wistar adultos, após terem seu nervo fibular direito seccionado, foram divididos em cinco grupos com relação ao procedimento realizado no nervo tibial: controle (C); seccionado (S); neurorrafia término-terminal (TT); neurorrafia primária associada à transferência nervosa fibular para tibial de maneira término-lateral (TL); e neurorrafia término-terminal convergente entre os cotos proximais dos nervos tibial e fibular com o coto distal do nervo tibial (TTC). Os resultados foram avaliados 12 semanas após o experimento por meio do teste da marcha, eletromiografia, índice de massa do músculo gastrocnêmio e contagem axonal no coto distal do nervo tibial. Os grupos de reinervação dupla (TL e TTC) revelaram maiores resultados funcionais (p 0,705). A análise histológica revelou maior densidade axonal no grupo TTC em relação ao grupo TT (p=0,001) e ao grupo TL (p=0,002). Ambas técnicas de dupla reinervação revelaram recuperação funcional do músculo gastrocnêmio mais precoce e maior quando comparadas à técnica de reinervação única (TT). Os animais do grupo TTC apresentaram maior número de axônios regenerados no coto distal do nervo tibial do que os do grupo TT e TLMuscle contraction generated by electrical impulses simultaneously originating from two different neural sources may be an interesting treatment alternative for facial palsy and brachial plexus injury. The purpose of this thesis was to evaluate and compare distinct double reinnervation techniques with single reinnervation technique of gastrocnemius muscle in rats. Fifty adult Wistar rats underwent transection of their right peroneal nerve and were divided into five groups related to tibial nerve procedure: the control group (C), tibial nerve section group (S), tibial nerve end-to-end neurorrhaphy (EE) group, tibial nerve primary repair associated with end-to-side peroneal-to-tibial nerve transfer (ES) group, and tibial nerve repair by convergent end-to-end neurorrhaphy between the proximal stumps of the tibial and peroneal nerves to the distal stump of the tibial nerve (CEE) group. The outcomes were assessed 12 weeks after the experiment by use of a walking track, electromyography, gastrocnemius muscle mass index, and histomorphometric analysis of the distal tibial nerve. The double reinnervation groups (ES and CEE) showed greater functional recovery (p 0.705). Histologic analysis revealed greater axonal density in the CEE group than EE group (p=0.001) and ES group (p=0.002). The double reinnervation techniques showed earlier and greater functional recovery of the gastrocnemius muscle than did the single reinnervation technique. The CEE group showed a higher number of regenerated axons in the distal tibial nerve stum

Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network

International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora