Annals of plastic surgery
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Annals of plastic surgery · Oct 2008
Case ReportsResurfacing hemipulp losses of the thumb: the cross finger flap revisited: indications, technical refinements, outcomes, and long-term neurosensory recovery.
Volar-oblique injuries of the thumb pulp are particularly disabling. Many methods have been described to treat these injuries and provide return of sensibility. The conventional cross finger flap is an established technique and is well suited for intermediate-sized partial pulp losses. ⋯ The last patient (DASH score, 61.67) complained of hypersensitivity and cold intolerance that affected his work. The conventional cross finger flap provides reliable coverage for volar-oblique hemipulp losses of the thumb, with patients regaining at least protective sensibility in the long term. The proximal and middle phalanges of both the index and long fingers may serve as donor sites, allowing the surgeon to best select skin cover based on defect size and options in finger positioning.
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Annals of plastic surgery · Oct 2008
Successful truncated osteomyelitis treatment for chronic osteomyelitis secondary to pressure ulcers in spinal cord injury patients.
Time-tested treatments for chronic osteomyelitis involve prolonged courses of costly antibiotic treatment. Although such treatment remains unquestioned in acute osteomyelitis, it is an excessive regiment for chronic osteomyelitis. With appropriate surgical debridement and careful operative care, antibiotic treatment can be truncated in diagnoses of chronic osteomyelitis. ⋯ The acute osteomyelitis group incurred longer hospital stays, greater incidence of wound breakdown, and statistically significantly greater ulcer recurrence (78.6 days, 13.2% and 17.0%, respectively). In cases of pressure ulcer management with bony involvement, bone pathologic diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitis allows for a shorter antibiotic course with better results when the offending tissue has been adequately debrided and closed with viable tissue flap coverage, than simple long-term (4-6 weeks) antibiotic treatment. Because of the extreme contaminated nature of these wounds, if such therapy works in these patients, it may be applicable to chronic osteomyelitis in more varied contaminated surgical cases involving bone.
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Lentigo maligna (LM) presents a challenge for complete surgical excision. Imiquimod is a topical immune-response modifier that acts on the immune system. We report our experience using imiquimod 5% cream as a surgical alternative for treatment of LM. ⋯ Side effects included erythema (86%) and crusting (71%), resulting in dose alteration in 71% of patients. Topical imiquimod therapy demonstrates a high response rate for treatment of LM, with tolerable side effects. Further investigation into its efficacy in the treatment of LM in controlled clinical trials is warranted.
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Annals of plastic surgery · Oct 2008
Spectrophotometric intracutaneous analysis: a novel imaging technique in the assessment of acute burn depth.
The noncontact spectrophotometric intracutaneous analysis scope (SIAscope) is a novel portable imaging device that rapidly produces images of the blood and melanin content of large areas of skin. The estimation of burn depth is often difficult in the clinical setting, and this pilot study was conducted to assess the potential for the SIAscope in aiding burn assessment. ⋯ Results showed that superficial partial thickness burns had increased hemoglobin and loss of melanin on SIAgraphs, whereas deep partial thickness burns had more pronounced hemoglobin concentrations and apparent melanin increases, helping to differentiate these 2 burn types. The SIAscope, a relatively inexpensive, portable device, has the potential to be a highly useful clinical adjunct in the bedside estimation of acute burn depth.
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Annals of plastic surgery · Oct 2008
Breast-feeding, self-exam, and exercise practices before and after reduction mammoplasty.
The current indications for reduction mammoplasty include the relief of painful physical symptoms of macromastia. Numerous studies have demonstrated not only improvement in physical symptoms following reduction mammoplasty, but postoperative psychological benefits as well, including increased ability to participate in physical activity as a result of pain relief and decreased breast mass. Reduction mammoplasty may have additional effects on the patient's ability to breast-feed and perform breast self-exam. ⋯ Eighty-nine percent of participants had no children following surgery, therefore effects on breast-feeding practices following reduction mammoplasty were not statistically significant. However, we suggest that when patients are seen in consultation or in the perioperative period, there is an opportunity to teach patients about the benefits of breast-feeding, and to assure patients that a pedicle flap reduction will likely allow breastfeeding. This is also a chance for physicians to teach patients how to perform breast self-examination and explain the importance of early breast mass detection.