Basic Principles in Microvascular Anastomosis and Free Tissue Transfer

Free tissue transfer pursues the best functional and aesthetic results in reconstructive surgery. As these techniques completely maximise the donor tissues’ disposability, these treatments have become a first-line option in many situations. When the donor site is taken form the same patient, these surgeries are often referred to as autotransplants. Free tissue transfer sustains in microvascular anastomosis, which are defined by a vessel lumen diameter inferior to 3 mm. Particular attention to some details is important in these techniques, as, for example, to preclude any damage to the vessel walls or any leakage in the microvascular anastomosis. But the success of these techniques does not only depend on an adequate vascular suture, but also on a constellation of details that must be taken into account. These go from the availability of a trained team, to the ergonomics of the surgeon, through the scrupulous cleanliness of the surgical field

Management of Open Fracture

Open fractures are common and their prevalence is increasing in elderly people. The burden of open fractures is high because of economic and social costs. Most open fractures occur in lower limbs. The use of validated protocols, will optimize our outcomes when treating open fractures. The first step began with the proper identification of the fracture characteristics and the hidden soft tissue injury. The use of an adequate and early antibiotic prophylaxis is mandatory and then, we have to perform adequate irrigation and debridement. Finally, we have to decide to temporally fix the fracture or proceed with the definitive fixation method. Recently, the creation of dedicated “orthoplastic” units has increased the outcomes in high-energy tibial fractures. These fractures should be managed in adequate trauma centers that should be used to face all the complications that will appear during the reconstruction procedure because complications can be as high as 50% in high-energy open fractures

Moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma of the palm: An extremely infrequent tumour

Squamous cell carcinoma of the palm is a very infrequent malignancy. Its unusual presentation can produce a delay in the final diagnosis with serious consequences as far as morbidity and mortality are concerned. This article summarises the case of a patient who was referred to our department presenting a squamous cell carcinoma on his left palm and a clinically positive axillar lymphadenopathy. He had previously been wrongly diagnosed on several occasions