Annals of plastic surgery
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Annals of plastic surgery · Feb 2006
Case ReportsUse of the lateral intercostal perforator-based pedicled abdominal flap for upper-limb wounds from severe electrical injury.
Upper-extremity wounds can be covered with a variety of flaps. However, pedicled distant flaps still have a place in treatment, especially in the early stages of wound restoration after a severe electrical injury. The purpose of this clinical study was to present the use of the pedicled abdominal flap, using the blood supply of the lateral intercostal perforator vessel, to cover defects caused by severe electrical injury. ⋯ This flap is suitable for covering defects in hands, forearms, and elbows. The procedure was performed easily, safely, and reliably, and the flap has several advantages over other commonly used techniques for upper-limb wounds from severe electrical injury. We recommend this flap as the treatment of choice.
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Office-based surgery has become an important method of healthcare delivery, but there is controversy about its safety. Since 2000, a series of articles were published in the lay media emphasizing the hazards of office surgery, leading to the Florida Board of Medicine restricting office procedures. ⋯ Although the total number of office operations during the study period is unknown, the fact that 7 deaths were reported would suggest that the location in which these procedures were done was not as much of a factor as the regulators have suggested. However, better patient screening, sedation management, deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis, and clinical judgment may have prevented some, if not most, of these deaths. The most frequent cause of death after discharge was thromboembolism, and some of these might have been prevented with better prophylaxis. More detailed findings and recommendations are presented.
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Annals of plastic surgery · Dec 2005
Postarthroplasty "palsy" and systemic neuropathy: a peripheral-nerve management algorithm.
Postarthroplasty palsy, occurrence of dysfunction of the sciatic or peroneal nerve after total joint replacement of the hip or knee, is a complication that remains poorly understood. Characteristics of a series of 24 patients with postarthroplasty palsy are reviewed, with the finding that, overall, 58.4% of the patients had an underlying peripheral neuropathy. ⋯ This clinical problem is addressed from the perspective of peripheral nerve surgery, with an algorithm suggested for its management. The algorithm suggests that if a peroneal palsy is still present at 3 months after an arthroplasty and neurosensory testing fails to demonstrate a sensory reinnervation pattern in the territories of the deep or superficial peroneal nerve, then surgical neurolysis of the common peroneal nerve is indicated.
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Annals of plastic surgery · Nov 2005
Biobrane in the treatment of burn and scald injuries in children.
Eighty-four children with a burn (n = 7) or scald injury (n = 77), treated with Biobrane, were investigated in a retrospective and clinical study. In most patients (n = 71), the Biobrane was adherent and without any reactions or infections. An infection was seen in 10.7% (9 from 84 patients). ⋯ The skin quality of the scars was mostly hypopigmented with a softness between minimal and middle resistance, under 2-mm high, and of normal to pink skin color. Compared with other dressings, Biobrane is no more expensive than others. We conclude that when used on properly selected wounds, Biobrane is an effective and, for the children, less traumatic therapy for superficial partial-thickness burns without increasing the cost of outpatient burn care.
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Annals of plastic surgery · Oct 2005
Case ReportsTreatment concepts for idiopathic and iatrogenic femoral nerve mononeuropathy.
Femoral mononeuropathy has many etiologies and is often quite disabling, causing lower extremity paresthesia, anesthesia, pain, or paresis. Despite its morbidity, few therapies have been described to treat the femoral nerve palsy that does not resolve with conservative management or that is refractory to physical therapy. ⋯ In each case, symptomatic and objective improvement was achieved with femoral neurolysis. We suggest guidelines for the management of those patients who fail to respond to conservative therapy and indications for surgical intervention.