A comparative analysis of advanced techniques for skin reconstruction with autologous keratinocyte culture in severely burned children : own experience

Introduction: The local treatment in burns larger than 50% of total body surface area is still the great challenge for surgeons. Aim: This paper presents a review of different solutions for deep burn wound healing in children and the early outcomes of treatment with combined autologous cell culture technique. Material and methods: For this study, 20 children aged between 4 and 12 years with 55–65% of TBSA III grade burn injury were analyzed. A skin sample, 1 cm × 1 cm in size, for keratinocyte cultivation, was taken on the day of the burn. After necrotic tissue excision, the covering of the burned area with an isolated meshed skin graft was carried out between day 4 and 7. After 7 days of keratinocyte cultivation, the mentioned areas were covered with cells from the culture. We divided the burned regions, according to the way of wound closure, into 3 groups each consisting of 15 treated regions of the body. We used meshed split thickness skin grafts (SSG group), cultured autologous keratinocytes (CAC group), and both techniques applied in one stage (SSG + CAC group). Results: In the SSG group, the mean time for complete closure of wounds was 12.7 days. Wounds treated with CAC only needed a non-significantly longer time to heal – 14.2 days (p = 0.056) when compared to SSG. The shortest time to heal was observed in the group treated with SSG + CAC – 8.5 days, and it was significantly shorter when compared to the SSG and CAC groups (p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study suggests that cultured keratinocytes obtained after short-time multiplication, combined with meshed autologous split thickness skin grafts, constitute the optimal wound closure in burned children

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy as additional treatment in deep sternal wound infections : a single center's experience

INTRODUCTION: Deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) is one of the most serious complications after cardiac surgery procedures, observed in 5% of patients. Current standard medical therapy for DSWI includes antibiotics, surgical debridement, resuturing or negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). Unfortunately, in some cases these methods are insufficient, and additional therapeutic options are needed. AIM: To assess the effects and usefulness of additional hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO2) in patients with DSWI after cardiac surgery procedures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 10 patients after cardiac surgery who developed DSWI in the period 2010–2012 was performed. After 3 months of ineffective conventional therapy including targeted antibiotic, surgical sternal debridement and NPWT, patients were qualified for additional HBO2 therapy. A total of 20 sessions of HBO2 therapy were performed, each 92 minutes long. RESULTS: After 4 weeks of HBO2 treatment, 7 patients presented complete wound healing with fibrous scar formation. One patient was qualified for the another cycle of HBO2 therapy with 20 additional sessions, and complete wound healing was observed. In 2 cases, after 5 and 19 sessions, HBO2 was interrupted because of improper qualifications. CONCLUSIONS: The HBO2 as an additional therapy in DSWI was successful in 80% of cases, and no complications were observed. However, due to the small number of published studies with a small number of patients, randomized, clinical trials are needed to assess the clinical results of HBO2 in DSWI after cardiac surgery procedures

The transverse facial artery anatomy : implications for plastic surgery procedures

BACKGROUND:The transverse facial artery (TFA) perfuses the lateral face. Knowledge of topographical anatomy of the lateral face is crucial for safe procedural performance in aesthetic and plastic surgery, especially the face lift flap and face transplant. The aim of the present study was to assess detailed TFA morphometrical features. PATIENTS AND METHODS:One-hundred computed tomography head angiographies were analyzed. TFA numbers and origins were recorded bilaterally (200 cases). TFA diameters and lengths in addition to their positions in relation to neighboring vessels and the zygomatic arches were measured. RESULTS:TFA was present in 96% of cases (192/200, left = 97, right = 95). A single TFA was present in 95.3% and double TFAs were present in 4.7% of cases. In 91.7%, the TFA originated from the superficial temporal artery, and in 3.1%, it originated from the external carotid artery. One left TFA originated from the maxillary artery. The TFA was significantly longer on the right than on the left side (56.6±26.0 versus 47.3±22.2 mm; p = 0.03). The TFA mean diameter was 1.0±0.4 mm (range: 0.4-2.2 mm) with no difference between face sides. TFA length correlated with its diameter (r = 0.46, p <0.05). The TFA always originated below the zygomatic arch, and it should be found in the 8.8 mm wide area beginning 17.0mm below the lower border of the zygomatic arch. CONCLUSIONS:The TFA has a significant role in lateral face vascularization, and absence of this vessel is very uncommon

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in treating a poorly healing wound following cardiac surgery in a patient with congenital connective tissue defect : case report

Niniejsza praca przedstawia przypadek pacjentki wielokrotnie operowanej z powodu tętniaka aorty. W celu zaopatrzenia tętniaka aorty wstępującej, łuku aorty oraz tętnic odchodzących od łuku zastosowano procedurę debranchingu. Po operacji wystąpiło zakażenie rany pooperacyjnej i utrudnione gojenie mostka, które wyleczono za pomocą celowanej antybiotykoterapii oraz terapii w komorze hiperbarycznej.We hereby present the case of a female patient with recurrent aortic aneurysms. In order to treat aneurysms of the ascending aorta, aortic arch and aneurysms of the aortic arch branches, the debranching procedure was used. Following the surgery, a deep sternal wound infection occurred characterised by impaired healing. The infection was treated with targeted antibiotic therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Burn Wound Management

Mesenchymal stem cells have a known regenerative potential and are used in many indications. They secrete many growth factors, including for fibroblasts (FGF), endothelium (VEGF), as well as 14 anti-inflammatory cytokines, and they stimulate tissue regeneration, promoting the secretion of proteins and glycosaminoglycans of extracellular matrices, such as collagen I, II, III, and V, elastin, and also metalloproteinases. They secrete exosomes that contain proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and enzymes. In addition, they show the activity of inactivating free radicals. The aim of this study was an attempt to collect the existing literature on the use of stem cells in the treatment of a burn wound. There were 81 studies included in the analysis. The studies differed in terms of the design, burn wound model, source of stem cells, and methods of cellular therapy application. No major side effects were reported, and cellular therapy reduced the healing time of the burn wound. Few case reports on human models did not report any serious adverse events. However, due to the heterogeneity of the evidence, cellular therapy in burn wound treatment remains an experimental method