Interfascial pressure - predictor of wound healing complications in head and neck surgery

Introduction: Wound healing complications: healing by secondary intention, wound dehiscence, pharyngo cutaneous fistula etc. in the course of surgical treatment of patients with advanced head and neck malignancies are not rare. Capillary perfusion plays an important role in tissue healing and is influenced negatively by high interfascial pressure. We sought to ascertain the extent to which pressure within a defined neck compartment could be used as predictor for wound healing.Methods: Prospectively 30 patients were considered, all having various head and neck malignancies that were treated surgically. In the course of surgery a pressure microsensor was implanted into the defined neck compartment and data was collected over the first 48 hours postoperatively. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the strength of IP as predictor for wound healing.Results: The majority, 23 patients (76.6%), had good healing of the surgical wound and seven patients (23.4%) suffered late wound complications: these resulted in healing by secondary intention, requiring prolonged antibiotic administration and nasogastric feeding tube insertion. Mean IP in these two groups were 6.12 mmHg (95% CI 5.9, 6.4) and 11.8 mmHg (95% CI 10.9, 12.8) respectively. The mean IP was found to be higher during the whole period of 48 hours in the group of bad healed patients (P<0.001).Conclusions: This study demonstrates the feasibility of IP measurement in the neck, verifies it in a human clinical experiment and highlights its potential in the prediction of wound healing complications. The study seems to suggest that for high probability of good wound healing (greater than 90%) the IP values should be monitored and maintained below the risk levels

Evaluation of an Electro-Pneumatic Device for Artificial Capillary Pulse Generation used in a Prospective Study in Animals for Surgical Neck Wound Healing

The paper examines the development and testing of an electro-pneumatic device for wound healing therapy after surgery in the neck area. The device generates air pressure values in a miniaturized cuff using electronic circuitry to drive an electro-valve and air compressor. The device works in two distinct modes: continuous pressure mode and pulsating pressure mode. The pressure value setting can vary from 3 to 11 mmHg, and the pulsating pressure mode’s operating frequency range is approximately 0.1 to 0.3 Hz. Laboratory measurements were conducted to evaluate the device’s correct functioning in both continuous and pulsating pressure modes. A four-day prospective study with animals (n = 10) was also conducted to evaluate neck wound healing therapy using the electro-pneumatic device. Out of the twelve histological parameters analysed to reveal the differences between the experimental and control wounds, only one demonstrated a significant difference. Out of the ten animals treated with the device, three showed a significant difference in terms of benefit after therapy. We can therefore conclude that the device potentially improves the wound healing process in the neck area if the pre-set air pressure value does not exceed 8 mmHg

Liver Transplantation for Neuroendocrine Tumors in Europe-Results and Trends in Patient Selection: A 213-Case European Liver Transplant Registry Study.

OBJECTIVE:: The purpose of this study was to assess outcomes and indications in a large cohort of patients who underwent liver transplantation (LT) for liver metastases (LM) from neuroendocrine tumors (NET) over a 27-year period. BACKGROUND:: LT for NET remains controversial due to the absence of clear selection criteria and the scarcity and heterogeneity of reported cases. METHODS:: This retrospective multicentric study included 213 patients who underwent LT for NET performed in 35 centers in 11 European countries between 1982 and 2009. One hundred seven patients underwent transplantation before 2000 and 106 after 2000. Mean age at the time of LT was 46 years. Half of the patients presented hormone secretion and 55% had hepatomegaly. Before LT, 83% of patients had undergone surgical treatment of the primary tumor and/or LM and 76% had received chemotherapy. The median interval between diagnosis of LM and LT was 25 months (range, 1-149 months). In addition to LT, 24 patients underwent major resection procedures and 30 patients underwent minor resection procedures. RESULTS:: Three-month postoperative mortality was 10%. At 5 years after LT, overall survival (OS) was 52% and disease-free survival was 30%. At 5 years from diagnosis of LM, OS was 73%. Multivariate analysis identified 3 predictors of poor outcome, that is, major resection in addition to LT, poor tumor differentiation, and hepatomegaly. Since 2000, 5-year OS has increased to 59% in relation with fewer patients presenting poor prognostic factors. Multivariate analysis of the 106 cases treated since 2000 identified the following predictors of poor outcome: hepatomegaly, age more than 45 years, and any amount of resection concurrent with LT. CONCLUSIONS:: LT is an effective treatment of unresectable LM from NET. Patient selection based on the aforementioned predictors can achieve a 5-year OS between 60% and 80%. However, use of overly restrictive criteria may deny LT to some patients who could benefit. Optimal timing for LT in patients with stable versus progressive disease remains unclear