Reconstruction of Pretibial Defect Using Pedicled Perforator Flaps

BackgroundCoverage of defects of the pretibial area remains a challenge for surgeons. The difficulty comes from the limited mobility and availability of the overlying skin and soft tissue. We applied variable pedicled perforator flaps to overcome the disadvantages of local flaps and free flaps on the pretibial area.MethodsEight patients who had the defects in the anterior tibial area were enrolled. Retrospective data were obtained on patient demographics, cause, defect location, defect size, flap dimension, originating artery, pedicle length, pedicle rotation, complication, and postoperative result. The raw surface created following the flap elevation was covered with a split thickness skin graft.ResultsPosterior tibial artery-based perforator flaps were used in five cases and peroneal artery-based perforator flaps in three cases. The mean age was 54.3 and the mean period of follow-up was 6 months. The average size of the flaps was 63.8 cm2, with a range of 18 to 135 cm2. There were no major complications. No patients had any newly developed functional deficit of the lower leg.ConclusionsWe suggest that pedicled perforator flaps can be an alternative treatment modality for covering pretibial defects as a simple, safe and versatile procedure

Oral propranolol therapy in 23 infants with infantile hemangioma

Background Infantile hemangioma (IH) is a common vascular tumor in pediatric patients, and is commonly treated with propranolol. We describe our experiences with dosage, response to treatment, and side effects in 23 IH patients treated with propranolol. Methods For this nonrandomized comparative cohort study, the authors enrolled 23 patients treated with propranolol. Photographs were taken before propranolol administration and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after treatment. Treatment responses were objectively analyzed with a computer program. Results There were three male and 20 female patients. Common tumor locations were the head and neck (13 cases, 56.5%), trunk (four cases, 17.4%), extremities (three cases, 13.0%), and combined locations (three cases, 13.0%). The response to propranolol was significantly lower in patients with two or more lesions than in patients with a single lesion in terms of both color fading (P<0.001) and size reduction (P<0.001). In male patients (42.2±3.9), the change in a-values, indicating coloration, was higher than in female patients (19.8 ±13.8)(P<0.001). In patients who started treatment before 6 months after birth, the size reduction was greater than in their counterparts (62.3%; range, 3.0%–93.0% vs. 15.8%; range, 1.0%–79.0%; P<0.001). Conclusions Propranolol is an efficacious treatment with a good safety profile. In patients with a single lesion, the response to treatment was better in terms of color fading and size reduction. Furthermore, male patients responded better to propranolol treatment in terms of color fading than female patients, and starting treatment before 6 months after birth was more advantageous for size reduction

Development of an easy-to-handle murine model for the characterization of radiation-induced gross and molecular changes in skin

Background Radiation-induced skin injury is a dose-limiting complication of radiotherapy. To investigate this problem and to develop a framework for making decisions on treatment and dose prescription, a murine model of radiation-induced skin injury was developed. Methods The dorsal skin of the mice was isolated, and irradiation was applied at single doses of 15, 30, and 50 Gy. The mice were followed for 12 weeks with serial photography and laser Doppler analysis. Sequential skin biopsy samples were obtained and subjected to a histological analysis, immunostaining against transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), and Western blotting with Wnt-3 and β-catenin. Increases in the levels of TGF-β, Wnt, and β-catenin were detected after irradiation. Results All tested radiation doses caused progressive dermal thickening and fibrosis. The cause of this process, however, may not be radiation alone, as the natural course of wound healing may elicit a similar response. The latent appearance of molecular and histological markers that induce fibrosis in the 15 Gy group without causing apparent gross skin injuries indicates that 15 Gy is an appropriate dose for characterizing the effects of chronic irradiation alone. Thus, this model best mimics the patterns of injury that occur in human subjects. Conclusions This animal model can be used to elucidate the gross and molecular changes that occur in radiation-induced skin injury and provides an effective platform for studying this adverse effect without complicating the process of wound healing

Lower Extremity Reconstruction Using Vastus Lateralis Myocutaneous Flap versus Anterolateral Thigh Fasciocutaneous Flap

BackgroundThe anterolateral thigh (ALT) perforator flap has become a popular option for treating soft tissue defects of lower extremity reconstruction and can be combined with a segment of the vastus lateralis muscle. We present a comparison of the use of the ALT fasciocutaneous (ALT-FC) and myocutaneous flaps.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed patients in whom free-tissue transfer was performed between 2005 and 2011 for the reconstruction of lower extremity soft-tissue defects. Twenty-four patients were divided into two groups: reconstruction using an ALT-FC flap (12 cases) and reconstruction using a vastus lateralis myocutaneous (VL-MC) flap (12 cases). Postoperative complications, functional results, cosmetic results, and donor-site morbidities were studied.ResultsComplete flap survival was 100% in both groups. A flap complication was noted in one case (marginal dehiscence) of the ALT-FC group, and no complications were noted in the VL-MC group. In both groups, one case of partial skin graft loss occurred at the donor site, and debulking surgeries were needed for two cases. There were no significant differences in the mean scores for either functional or cosmetic outcomes in either group.ConclusionsThe VL-MC flap is able to fill occasional dead space and has comparable survival rates to ALT-FC with minimal donor-site morbidity. Additionally, the VL-MC flap is easily elevated without myocutaneous perforator injury

Dieulafoy's Lesion of Jejunum: Presenting Small Bowel Mass and Stricture

Dieulafoy's lesion is an uncommon cause of gastrointestinal bleeding. Hemorrhage occurs through mucosal erosion from an abnormally dilated submucosal artery. Although Dieulafoy's lesion is usually located in the stomach, it may occur anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract. We report here on a case of jejunal Dieulafoy's lesion presenting as a mass and short segment stricture on CT and enteroclysis

Impact of Side Chains in 1-n-Alkylimidazolium Ionomers on Cu-Catalyzed Electrochemical CO₂ Reduction

This study presents the impact of the side chains in 1-n-alkylimidazolium ionomers with varying side chain lengths (CnH2n+1 where n = 1, 4, 10, 16) on Cu-catalyzed electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). Longer side chains suppress the H2 and CH4 formation, with the n-hexadecyl ionomer (n = 16) showing the greatest reduction in kinetics by up to 56.5% and 60.0%, respectively. On the other hand, C2H4 production demonstrates optimal Faradaic efficiency with the n-decyl ionomer (n = 10), a substantial increase of 59.9% compared to its methyl analog (n = 1). Through a combination of density functional theory calculations and material characterization, it is revealed that the engineering of the side chains effectively modulates the thermodynamic stability of key intermediates, thus influencing the selectivity of both CO2RR and hydrogen evolution reaction. Moreover, ionomer engineering enables industrially relevant partial current density of –209.5 mA cm−2 and a Faradaic efficiency of 52.4% for C2H4 production at 3.95 V, even with a moderately active Cu catalyst, outperforming previous benchmarks and allowing for further improvement through catalyst engineering. This study underscores the critical role of ionomers in CO2RR, providing insights into their optimal design for sustainable chemical synthesis