Plastic and reconstructive surgery
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Plast. Reconstr. Surg. · Mar 1988
Comparative StudyComparative evaluation of aloe vera in the management of burn wounds in guinea pigs.
An experimental study was designed using Hartley guinea pigs, who received full-thickness burns covering 3 percent of their body surface area by direct contact with a hot plate. A total of 40 animals were equally divided among four modalities of closed burn wound management as follows: group I: silver sulfadiazine (Silvadine); group II: aloe vera gel extract (Carrington Dermal Wound Gel); group III: salicylic acid cream (aspirin); and group IV: plain gauze occlusive dressing only. The dressings were changed daily, and the size and appearance of each burn wound were recorded until complete healing. ⋯ The average time to complete healing in the control group was 50 days, and the only significant difference was found in the aloe vera-treated animals, which healed on an average of 30 days (p less than 0.02). Wound bacterial counts were effectively decreased by silver sulfadiazine (p = 0.015) and by aloe vera extract (p = 0.015). From our data it appears that aloe gel extracts permit a faster healing of burn wounds.
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Plast. Reconstr. Surg. · Dec 1987
Case ReportsThe use of subcutaneous pedicle flaps in the treatment of postburn scar contractures.
Subcutaneous pedicle flaps, which were usually applied to repair small skin defects in the face or the fingertip, have been used with success in the treatment of 17 postburn scar contractures, with the exception of one partial flap necrosis. The results indicate the reliability and usefulness of this technique in the treatment of scar contractures, even in the extremities or the trunk. ⋯ When the skin tension across the contracture line is too great to use any local flap, such as a Z-plasty or V-Y plasty, the subcutaneous pedicle flap is particularly useful, because it can be freely designed in an area where the tension is small. When the flap contains some superficial scarring, the subcutaneous pedicle flap is preferred over other local flaps because of the superior vascularity and mobility.
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Plast. Reconstr. Surg. · Nov 1985
Case ReportsSeparation of craniopagus twins utilizing tissue expanders.
An example of craniopagus Siamese twins is presented. The methods used in their separation using skin expanders and scalp flaps to achieve primary closure of the wounds with hair-bearing scalp are outlined. A detailed discussion of the planning and the mathematical considerations of these skin expanders and scalp flaps is included.