Clinical evaluation of techniques used in the surgical treatment of progressive hemifacial atrophy

We critically review 13 patients with progressive hemifacial atrophy treated with three basic surgical procedures (free flap transplantation, alloplastic implants, micro-fat injections ‘lipofilling’) and further ancillary techniques. In spite of the satisfactory results achieved with the procedures, with the exception of alloplasts, we feel that lipofilling may be considered an interesting solution for soft tissue augmentation of the face especially for moderate adipose defects, due to its repeatability, no donor site morbidity, no complications at the recipient site such as lesions resulting from dissection, bleeding, necrosis, etc. This technique can be performed in a day-hospital with short surgery time, at low cost and without a highly skilled team. For severe grades of adipose atrophy, because of the low blood supply to these tissues which interferes with take of any type of autograft, we think that free flaps actually represent one of the best solutions for soft tissue augmentation

Report on the 9th National Congress AICPE (Associazione Italiana di Chirurgia Plastica Estetica) Held in Sorrento, Italy, 22–24 April 2022

The annual congress of the Italian Association of Plastic Aesthetic Surgery (AICPE) is one of the most relevant conference meetings in Europe concerning aesthetic plastic surgery due to the number of participants and as parterre of invited speakers chosen for their renowned scientific value [...

Early or Late Recurrences of Breast Carcinoma Are to Be Researched in Relation to Fat Grafting

Local relapse after mastectomy is sporadic for early breast cancer (stage 1 or 2) adequately treated [...

Breast Operative Technique for Single-Stage Reconstruction after Conservative Skin Sparing and Nipple Sparing Mastectomies: A Preliminary Study

The Authors present a novel technique of immediate breast reconstruction with definite implants after mastectomy conserving the nipple- areola complex and, less frequently, in skin-sparing mastectomy. The increase of indications for both oncologic and prophylactic nipple-sparing mastectomy has induced the research for a single-stage technique that could replace the two-stage reconstruction with expanders and/or autogenous reconstructions with flaps. The new techniques introduce modifications of the pocket coverage for the implants occurring in two ways: (i) autologous adaptation of muscle-fascia-fat-skin layers, (ii) application of alloplastic materials as the meshes. A series of 124 immediate reconstructions were performed from 2008 to 2011 using a continuous composite pocket made of pectoralis maior and serratus anterior muscle above, and skin-fat flap below. The innovation is represented by an extended electrosurgical scoring of the lower pole of the mammary pocket at two levels. The first is the deep-fascia and muscle layer; the second is the superfiacial fascial system. This operative technique represents an advancement of a prior procedure described by the Authors in 1998. This preliminary study would primarily describe the technique step by step. Discussion debates about alternative techniques in terms of either surgical details of technique or cosmetic results are still to be reached

One Stage Implant-Based Reconstruction of the Breast in a Single Patient: Comparison between Mesh and Modified Dual Plane Technique

Acellular dermal matrix and similar meshes are used in breast reconstruction to cover the inferior implant pocket. We considered whether using a modified dual-plane technique in immediate breast reconstruction could improve the outcome when compared with mesh reconstruction. The paper presents a case of a patient who underwent one-stage bilateral immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) with 470 g implants, using alloplastic mesh in one side and the composed dual-plane pocket in the other. In the case described, the composed dual plane technique gave a better result in terms of absence of rippling and smoother surface at the palpation; the mesh coverage gave a better inframammary contour. Our case suggests that the modified dual-plane technique gives a satisfactory cosmetic outcome. It also reduces costs and avoids mesh-related complications. This technique should therefore be considered as an option to the mesh in implant-based breast reconstruction