Annals of plastic surgery
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Annals of plastic surgery · Oct 2013
Recent trends in applicants and the matching process for the integrated plastic surgery match.
Matching into a plastic surgery (PS) residency program is a highly competitive process. Selection criteria are very stringent and may influence an applicant's candidacy and application strategy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate recent trends of applicants matching into integrated PS programs using published National Resident Match Program data. ⋯ The proportion of applicants ranking PS only is steadily rising. The ranking strategy used by US senior applicants is self-selecting into a more competitive (PS only) and less competitive (PS + other) applicant pool. If this continues, nearly 50% of applicants will not match and could be left scrambling for an alternative residency position. These findings therefore suggest that all candidates, regardless of their perceived application strength, should consider having a "backup plan."
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Annals of plastic surgery · Sep 2013
Clinical TrialChronic pain following abdominal free flap breast reconstruction: a prospective pilot analysis.
Chronic pain after breast reconstruction is an ill-defined process which can generate significant patient morbidity and disability. The purpose of this study was to examine chronic, persistent pain in a prospective study of free flap breast reconstruction patients, in an effort to identify possible points of intervention and counseling. ⋯ Factors contributing to chronic pain continue to be elusive and understudied. Our data demonstrate the importance of screening for chronic pain, as we determined that preoperative pain is linked to increased, moderately debilitating postoperative chronic pain. Persistent chronic pain, in turn, is associated with significant morbidity, disability, and dissatisfaction. Such patients with pain issues may benefit from additional preoperative counseling and early involvement of the pain service.
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Annals of plastic surgery · Sep 2013
Comparative StudyRadiation therapy and expander-implant breast reconstruction: an analysis of timing and comparison of complications.
The optimal timing of expander-implant exchange in the setting of postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) remains unclear with prior reports yielding inconsistent and variable results. The purpose of this study was to characterize complications associated with the sequencing of expander-implant breast reconstruction before or after PMRT and to compare the outcomes between early (<4 months) and late (>4 months) expander-implant exchange in the subset of patients who received PMRT before exchange. ⋯ Our findings suggest that neither the sequencing nor timing of expander-implant exchange in the setting of PMRT affects overall complication or reconstruction failure rate. However, the timing of exchange may impact the type of complication encountered. Further investigation is necessary to determine an optimal time for expander-implant exchange.
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Annals of plastic surgery · Sep 2013
Comparative StudyComparison of irradiated versus nonirradiated DIEP flaps in patients undergoing immediate bilateral DIEP reconstruction with unilateral postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT).
Patients with node positive or locally advanced breast cancer desiring deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap reconstruction frequently require postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT). To avoid the deleterious effects of PMRT, surgeons will often delay reconstruction until after PMRT is complete. Drawbacks to this approach include additional surgery, recuperation, cost, and an extended reconstructive process. Even if a tissue expander is used to preserve the skin envelope during irradiation, the post-PMRT breast pocket is often distorted or constricted necessitating some skin replacement, resulting in a compromised aesthetic outcome. Therefore, a systematic approach to mitigate the deleterious effects of PMRT was developed, and primary DIEP flap reconstruction was offered to patients requiring PMRT. This study evaluates the outcome of this approach in a cohort of patients undergoing immediate bilateral DIEP flap reconstruction with unilateral PMRT, allowing comparison between irradiated and nonirradiated flaps. ⋯ Primary reconstruction with DIEP flaps can be performed successfully in patients who require PMRT if steps are taken to ensure flap vascularity, minimize fibrosis, optimize contour, and modulate radiation dosing.
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Annals of plastic surgery · Sep 2013
Predictive factors of wound complications after sarcoma resection requiring plastic surgeon involvement.
The most effective management of a patient with sarcoma is surgical resection. Often the resection is performed, the wound is irradiated, adjuvant chemotherapy is administered, and the wound is closed without plastic surgery consultation. Wound complications, after these treatment protocols, often require plastic surgery involvement and the treatment may require more advanced reconstructive techniques with higher rates of complications than if involvement occurred earlier. ⋯ The most predictive factor of sarcoma complication is whether the procedure was a delayed or immediate reconstruction. The second most predictive factor is the amount of tissue excised, greater than 500 g of tissue excised was associated with significantly higher complication rates. Other aspects of sarcoma treatment that may be correlated with higher incidence of wound complications are radiation and the use of adjuvant chemotherapy. Early plastic surgery involvement can help with preoperative planning and reduce the complication rates in patients with sarcoma resection.