Does partial expander deflation exacerbate the adverse effects of radiotherapy in two-stage breast reconstruction?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The optimum protocol for expander volume adjustment with respect to the timing and application of radiotherapy remains controversial.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Eighteen New Zealand rabbits were divided into three groups. Metallic port integrated anatomic breast expanders of 250 cc were implanted on the back of each animal and controlled expansion was performed. Group I underwent radiotherapy with full expanders while in Group II, expanders were partially deflated immediately prior to radiotherapy. Control group did not receive radiotherapy.</p> <p>The changes in blood flow at different volume adjustments were investigated in Group II by laser Doppler flowmetry. Variations in the histopathologic properties of the irradiated tissues including the skin, capsule and the pocket floor, were compared in the biopsy specimens taken from different locations in each group.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A significant increase in skin blood flow was detected in Group II with partial expander deflation. Overall, histopathologic exam revealed aggravated findings of chronic radiodermatitis (epidermal atrophy, dermal inflammation and fibrosis, neovascularisation and vascular changes as well as increased capsule thickness) especially around the lower expander pole, in Group II.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Expander deflation immediately prior to radiotherapy, may augment the adverse effects, especially in the lower expander pole, possibly via enhanced radiosensitization due to a relative increase in the blood flow and tissue oxygenation.</p

Lower eyelid reconstruction in a paediatric face: A one-stage aesthetic approach using the versatile temporoparietal fascia flap

There are many different lower eyelid reconstruction techniques defined in the literature. Almost all of the published techniques have been described on elderly patients and use upper eyelid, periorbital or facial tissues as donor sites. However, in case of a paediatric patient or a young adult who has a crease-free and scarless face, camouflage of the facial donor-site scar is usually impossible. In order to avoid possible facial donor-site scars and upper eyelid deformities, a technique which uses the temporoparietal fascia (TPF) flap as the framework of a new eyelid was used for the reconstruction of an adolescent patient's post-oncologic defect. The inner side of the flap was covered with nasal septal chondromucosal graft and the external side was covered with a retroauricular full-thickness skin graft. Eighteen months of unproblematic follow-up of this overlooked usage of the versatile TPF flap indicates that our technique has proved successful in terms of good functional and cosmetic outcome that is obtained at one stage. (C) 2012 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Major Donor Area Complication After a Mandibular Reconstruction With an Osseous Fibular Free Flap: Pseudo-Compartment Syndrome

The popularity of the fibular free flap in mandibular reconstructions is persisting, and major donor area complications rarely occur after fibular free flap operations. Still, we have observed a pseudo-compartment syndrome in a 52-year-old patient on the 12th postoperative day after a mandibular reconstruction with a fibular free flap. When an obstruction in the deep venous system (deep vein thrombosis) was observed in the Doppler ultrasound-guided imaging, the patient has been taken to the operating room for an emergency surgery and the donor area has been completely reopened (in the manner of a fasciotomy). After this procedure, the circulation in the foot appeared to return to normal. The exposed muscles of the patient, who was started on a low-molecular-weight heparin treatment for the deep vein thrombosis, have been closed with skin grafts on the 10th day. No functional loss was observed during the 2-month follow-up period

A practical approach for the correction of iatrogenic penile skin loss in children: Scrotal embedding technique

The aim of this particular study is to determine the efficacy of scrotal embedding technique in children with overly deficient penile shaft skin, which takes advantage of the rich vascular supply of the scrotal layers and provides adequate tissue coverage. We give the operative and clinical details of two consecutive cases for which we preferred scrotal embedding technique to replace deficient penile skin. The mean operative time for the first and second stages was 72.5 and 52.5 min, respectively. Intraoperative and postoperative courses and convalescences were uneventful. The patients were hospitalized for a mean duration of 2 days. After a mean follow-up of 29 months, cosmetic and functional results were satisfactory. Scrotal embedding technique should be considered as a feasible surgical alternative while reconstructing the penile shaft in iatrogenic cases with overly deficient shaft skin

PSEUDOANGIOMATOUS STROMAL HYPERPLASIA (PASH) OF THE BREAST IN AN ADOLESCENT: A CASE REPORT AND LITERATURE REVIEW

Pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia (PASH) is a benign proliferative lesion of the breast stroma characterized by slit-like pseudovascular spaces lined by endothelial-like spindle cells. It is frequently found as incidental microscopic foci in the female breast and in gynecomastia of the male breast, but it rarely presents as a clinical problem. We report a case of bilateral extreme breast enlargement caused by PASH in an adolescent girl who was treated with subcutaneous mastectomy and reconstruction with breast implants following a recurrence after treatment with free nipple graft breast reduction

A practical approach for the correction of iatrogenic penile skin loss in children: Scrotal embedding technique.

The aim of this particular study is to determine the efficacy of scrotal embedding technique in children with overly deficient penile shaft skin, which takes advantage of the rich vascular supply of the scrotal layers and provides adequate tissue coverage. We give the operative and clinical details of two consecutive cases for which we preferred scrotal embedding technique to replace deficient penile skin. The mean operative time for the first and second stages was 72.5 and 52.5 min, respectively. Intraoperative and postoperative courses and convalescences were uneventful. The patients were hospitalized for a mean duration of 2 days. After a mean follow-up of 29 months, cosmetic and functional results were satisfactory. Scrotal embedding technique should be considered as a feasible surgical alternative while reconstructing the penile shaft in iatrogenic cases with overly deficient shaft skin

Electrothermal Bipolar Vessel Sealer in Endoscope-Assisted Latissumus Dorsi Flap Harvesting

LigaSure (TM) is a new bipolar vascular sealing system commonly used in various fields of surgery. However, no reports have been published about its use in plastic surgery, particularly for endoscopic flap harvesting. In this study, we present the use of LigaSure in endoscope-assisted latissimus dorsi (LD) flap harvesting for breast reconstruction. Between 2006 and 2008, 11 female patients with the mean age of 33.4 (range, 20-49 years) who had previously undergone mastectomy operations were included in the study. First stage of reconstruction was performed with the ipsilateral LD harvested by the help of LigaSure and a tissue expander placed beneath the LD and pectoralis major muscles. Secondary reconstruction was done by a definitive silicon gel-filled implant placed after an average of 6.6 months of expansion (range, 6-9 months). Data concerning the hospitalization and operation times, drainage amounts, complications, etc., were recorded. Mean follow-up was 13 months (range, 8-18 months). Mean flap harvesting time was recorded as 74.2 minutes (range, 50-125 minutes), which shortened as the surgeon got used to the procedure. Patients were hospitalized for 3-7 days, with a mean hospitalization period of 5.5 days. The total mean drainage amount postoperatively was found to be 950mL (range, 725-975 mL), which is relatively lower than the previously reported values. LigaSure use in endoscope-assisted LD harvesting is easy, safe, and time sparing with almost no complications observed in this small initial series. Although more controlled studies with larger number of patients need to be done to verify its effectiveness in terms of hospitalization, drainage amounts, etc., it holds promise for a wide spectrum of operations in the field of plastic surgery