Annals of plastic surgery
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Annals of plastic surgery · Dec 2009
Case ReportsReconstruction of cicatricial microstomia and lower facial deformity by windowed, bipedicled deep inferior epigastric perforator flap.
We performed simultaneous facial scar repair and oral aperture open with a windowed, bilateral, bipedicled deep inferior epigastric perforator flap (DIEP flap) in a 20-year-old male patient who had suffered from severe postburn scar of the face and neck in association with serious cicatricial microstomia. DIEP flap is a typical perforator flap that has less donor site morbidity because of a minimal sacrifice of muscles. ⋯ From our challenging case, we learned that bilateral, bipedicled DIEP flap is an excellent option for the repair of large faciocervical defects. Bilateral, bipedicled DIEP flap, which can produce an excellent esthetic and functional outcome, has reliable blood perfusion, provides soft and pliable tissue, and causes the minimal donor-site morbidity.
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Annals of plastic surgery · Dec 2009
Association between research sponsorship and study outcome in plastic surgery literature.
Financial and other competing interests have recently received increasing attention. In particular clinical research in plastic surgery attracts for-profit organizations, thus, explaining the increasing number of financial sponsorships. However, research articles often lack sufficient description of study design as well as disclosure of the source of funding. ⋯ Authors' conclusions were found to be positively associated with financial competing interests. However, trial funding is rarely declared in the plastic surgery literature. Thus, the quality of reporting needs to be improved to be able to investigate these relationships in greater detail and draw more representative conclusions.