Annals of plastic surgery
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Annals of plastic surgery · Apr 2018
An Evaluation of the Choice for Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy and Patient Concerns About Recurrence in a Reconstructed Cohort.
Rising contralateral prophylactic mastectomy rates are a subject of national concern. This study assessed (1) factors critical to patients when deciding on contralateral prophylactic mastectomy and (2) patients' quality of life related to concerns about recurrence after unilateral or bilateral breast reconstruction. ⋯ Despite no proven survival benefit, women chose contralateral prophylactic mastectomy primarily to optimize oncologic outcomes. Among breast reconstruction patients, women who underwent contralateral prophylactic mastectomy had greater anxiety and overall fear of breast cancer recurrence compared with those who chose unilateral mastectomy. These findings are important to consider when counseling women contemplating contralateral prophylactic mastectomy.
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Annals of plastic surgery · Apr 2018
Comparative StudyUse of FLIR ONE Smartphone Thermography in Burn Wound Assessment.
Forward-looking infrared (FLIR) thermography technology uses a handheld camera that measures skin infrared emissivity, captures photographs, and can be analyzed through specialized software. Forward-looking infrared images can be used to analyze and correlate burn wound temperature with burn depth, burn progression, and the number of days needed for healing. FLIR ONE is a miniature, smartphone-compatible thermal imaging camera that has been used to assess inflammation in diabetic foot ulcers, as well as locating perforators in flap surgery. However, FLIR ONE's reliability in burn wound assessment has not been evaluated. This case series investigates the accuracy of FLIR ONE in comparison with the widely used indocyanine green (ICG) angiography in assessing burn wounds. ⋯ There is a strong correlation between FLIR ONE and ICG when assessing salvageable tissue in third-degree burn wounds. FLIR ONE maximizes the convenience and cost-effectiveness of infrared thermography technology but may overestimate unsalvageable tissue area. FLIR ONE is promising as an adjunct to current imaging modalities such as ICG but requires further study for comparison.
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Annals of plastic surgery · Apr 2018
Factors Associated With Late Surgical Cancellations in Pediatric Plastic and Oral Surgery.
Surgical cancellations that occur within 1 day of the procedure (ie, late cancellations) disrupt the efficiency of the operating room. The aim of the present study was to identify the factors associated with late cancellations in a tertiary pediatric surgical practice. ⋯ In our study, most late surgical cancellations were preventable or possibly preventable. The timing of the cancellation is important because those that occur near the scheduled procedure time disallow adequate and timely redistribution of operating room resources and personnel. Analyzing and addressing the preventable and possibly preventable causes outlined in this study will significantly improve efficiency and patient access.
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Annals of plastic surgery · Apr 2018
Literacy Analysis of Spanish Online Resources for Breast Reconstruction.
Health literacy studies indicate that literacy skills are linked to access to information and health outcomes, potentially contributing to health disparities. In the United States, minority and immigrant populations are more likely to have lower literacy skills than are other population groups. The aim of this study is to evaluate web-based health information prepared in Spanish for Hispanic women considering breast reconstruction surgery. ⋯ Available breast reconstruction online resources for the Spanish-speaking population are rated too high for readability. Suitability, understandability, and cultural sensitivity scores are adequate; however, actionability scores are low, indicating potential areas for improvement. These findings demonstrate an opportunity to correct disparities in the literature on breast reconstruction for the Spanish-speaking population.