Necrotizing Fasciitis of the Upper Limb: Optimizing Management to Reduce Complications

Background: Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a severe, potentially life-threatening condition. The aim of this study is to identify strategies aimed at reducing complications in patients with NF of the upper limb. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study on patients admitted to our Unit for suspected NF of the upper limb. The analyzed data included patient characteristics, delay before primary care, clinical and biological signs upon arrival, pathogens involved, and the rate of amputations and mortality. Results: A total of 21 patients presented with confirmed necrotizing bacterial dermohypodermitis-NBDH with NF (NBDH-NF) affecting the upper limb. The mean delay between the onset of symptoms and the clinical examination in the Emergency Dermatology Unit was 48 h (range: 6 to 72 h). The mean delay between admission and primary surgery was 150 min (range: 60 min to 280 min). No amputations were performed. All patients were alive one year after the first surgical procedure. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that it is possible to reduce mortality and morbidity rates in NF of the upper limb. Timely diagnosis and early treatment and a multidisciplinary medico-surgical dedicated team providing care can significantly modify the outcomes. Early surgical debridement is the most important factor affecting the prognosis of these infections

The Objective Buttocks Assessment Scale (OBAS): a new and complete method to assess the gluteal region

Introduction: New treatment methods to improve and enhance buttocks appearance require globally accepted scales for aesthetic research and patient evaluation. The purpose of our study was to develop a set of grading scales for objective assessment of the gluteal region and assess their reliability and validity. Materials and methods: Twelve photonumeric grading scales were created. Eleven aesthetic experts rated photographs of 650 women in 2 validation sessions. Responses were analyzed to assess inter-rater and intra-rater reliability. The Rasch model was used as part of the validation process. Results: All the scales exceeded criteria for acceptability, reliability and validity. Overall inter-rater reliability and intra-rater reliability were both “almost perfect” (p=0.15 and p=0.16 respectively). Conclusion: Consistent outcomes between raters and by individual raters at 2 time points confirm the reliability of the Objective Buttocks Assessment Scale in female patients and suggest it will be a valuable tool for use in research and clinical practice

Tissue Induction in Plastic and Maxillo-facial Surgery

Tissue induction is defined as the activation of cell regeneration to restore damaged tissue, which involves stimulating cell signaling and modifying the microenvironment. Tissue inducers therefore have the advantage of acting quickly and durably on treated tissues, alone or in combination with surgical procedures, in order to reduce iatrogeny and potentiate surgical results. The aim of this review was to detail the various current techniques for tissue regeneration in the field of plastic and maxillo-facial surgery. We conducted a systematic search on Pubmed, Google Scholar and Science Direct. Articles in English and French, published after 2012 and focusing on facial tissue induction were searched. Only prospective comparative studies assessing as many cases as possible were analyzed. The following keywords were used: “skin rejuvenation”, “skin regeneration”, “collagen induction”, “skin enhancer”, “aging rejuvenation”, “oral mucosa rejuvenation”, “oral mucosa regeneration”, “buccal mucosa rejuvenation”, “buccal mucosa regeneration”, “oral bone regeneration”, “alveolar bone regeneration”. Fifty innovative articles published since 2012 dealing with tissue induction techniques with an interest in plastic and maxillo-facial surgery were identified and then selected. The most effective tissue inducers for skin and mucosal regeneration were lasers, radiofrequency, pulsed light, hyaluronic acid and PRP. Tissue induction allows collagen self-production leading to tissue regeneration. Many techniques can be used for tissue induction that represent an additional tool in the therapeutic arsenal available to plastic and maxillofacial surgeons to improve patient management.These inducers can be used alone or in combination to achieve synergistic effects and better clinical outcomes

Stahl's ear deformities treated with auricular splinting

Stahl's ear deformities treated with auricular splintin

Spontaneous Lymph Flow Restoration in Free Flaps: A Pilot Study

Background: Oncologic excision and trauma can be responsible for major defects and lymphedema. Free flaps are commonly used for reconstruction. We aimed to determine if lymphatic flow between flap and recipient site can be restored without lymphatic surgery. Methods: 15 free flaps were performed in different patients in our center. Infrared-based lymphography was used to plan surgery. Indocyanine green (ICG) was injected in the flap’s subdermal tissue and also at the edges of the skin defect. Circumferential lymphatic channels were marked 5 min after the ICG injection. Fluorescent images were recorded with an infrared camera system. The flap inset was obtained by putting side to side the flap markings and the recipient site markings. Infrared-based lymphography was performed on every patient one year after surgery. Spontaneous lymph flow restoration was judged positive if lymphatic connections were observed between the flap and the recipient site. Results: seven free ALT and eight DIEP flaps were performed. All ALT flaps were designed following the limb axis which is the lymphatic axiality. Spontaneous lymph flow restoration was observed for the seven ALT flaps. Eight DIEP flaps were designed upside down and one was designed following the lymph axiality. Spontaneous lymph flow restoration was only observed for the one designed following the lymph axiality. Conclusions: designing reconstructive free flap regarding lymph axiality seems to improve spontaneous lymph flow restoration between flap and recipient site without any specific lymphatic surgery

Effect of corticosteroids on ischemia-reperfusion injury of deep inferior epigastric perforator flap after re-exploration for anastomosis thrombosis: A prospective randomized trial

Patients undergoing breast reconstruction with the deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap are at risk of arterial and venous thrombosis, necessitating flap salvage surgery. However, this carries the risk of ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and potential significant partial or complete flap loss. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential benefit of corticosteroids in reducing IRI related complications in DIEP flaps that are returned to the operation theater for attempted salvage after venous or arterial failure. A double-blinded prospective randomized study was conducted between January 2012 and January 2023 on patients scheduled for secondary unilateral breast reconstruction using the DIEP flap technique. Patients were included if they developed post -operative venous or arterial flap thrombosis and experienced DIEP flap IRI following operative take-back and anastomosis revision. The treatment group (TG) received a 5-day course of corticosteroids, while the control group (CG) did not receive any specific treatment. Forty-six patients were enrolled in the study. In the CG, two cases of total flap loss and eight cases of partial flap necrosis were observed, while the TG had only 1 case of partial flap necrosis (p < 0.05). The complete resolution of clinical signs of IRI occurred within 13 +/- 2.1 days for the TG and 21 +/- 3.5 days for the CG (p = 0.00001). The TG had a significantly shorter hospital stay (11.13 +/- 0.38 days) compared with the CG (15.47 +/- 1.27 days; p < 0.0001). Targeted corticosteroid therapy following a salvage procedure for vascular thrombosis in DIEP flaps has shown promise as an effective treatment for subsequent IRI. This approach may be considered as a viable option for managing IRI in free flaps. However, further studies involving a larger number of patients are required to substantiate our hypothesis. (c) 2024 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Face Transplant: Indications, Outcomes, and Ethical Issues—Where Do We Stand?

Background: The addition of face allotransplantation (FT) to the head and neck reconstructive surgery arsenal has started a true revolution. This study is aimed at providing an extensive analysis of the current practice of composite tissue allotransplantation. Moreover, a thorough description of pre-procedural, intra-operative, and post-procedural settings, indications, contraindications, outcomes, ethical considerations, and future perspectives is provided. Methods: The authors’ experience was supplemented with a literature review performed by using the PubMed, MEDLINE, and Embase databases on 21 February 2022. The search terms used were “face transplantation indications”, “face transplantation complications”, and “face transplantation ethical issues”. Results: The most recent achievements and long-term clinical sequelae of FT are classified and summarized. A large number of records (4435) were identified. Seventy-five articles were assessed for eligibility. Publications without new data and reports with a patient follow-up < 5 years were excluded. Nineteen articles met the criteria for inclusion. Conclusions: The most recent achievements in the field of FT may be combined with cutting-edge regenerative medicine procedures and innovative immunological processing. It is paramount to build strong international networks between the world FT experts in order to achieve higher-level outcomes and reduce the complication rate. Nevertheless, the utmost caution is required in patient selection, clinical assessment, strict follow-up, and rejection management