Gracilis Free Flap in a Patient with Sickle Cell Disease.

Introduction: Free tissue transfer in the sickle cell population presents many challenges to the reconstructive surgeon. There are few reported cases of successful free tissue transfers within the sickle cell population. The majority of successful cases involve fasciocutaneous free flaps with few successful muscle flaps. This case report describes the successful utilization of a gracillis free flap to reconstruct a multifocal soft tissue defect following a closed distal tibia fracture in a patient with sickle cell disease (SCD). Case Report: This is a 20-year-old female with past medical history significant for sickle cell anemia, cardiomyopathy secondary to a ventricular septal defect and multiple occurrences of osteomyelitis who underwent gracilis free flap transfer to reconstruct soft tissue loss around the ankle after surgical fixation of a left pathological tibia fracture. Conclusion: The use of free flaps in sickle cell patients has shown to be extremely challenging due to the high risks of sickling and subsequent pedicle thrombosis associated with this population. However, there have been an increasing number of successful cases of free tissue transfers with most of these flaps arising from muscular origins. Therefore, more cases regarding free flaps in the sickle cell population are needed to fully understand the best protocols to follow. The techniques utilized among successful cases, regarding protocols prior to the surgery along with successful graft location selection, can help advance future cases and shows promise for future sickle cell patients.

Comparing surgeon perception to publicly reported data using NSQIP.

Background: Past studies have demonstrated that surgeons' perceptions of their own postsurgical complications may not be accurate. The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database is a nationally validated, risk-adjusted, outcomes-based program created to measure and improve the quality of surgical care. Using information acquired through survey data, the purpose of this study is to determine how surgeons' perceptions of their own postoperative complications rates compare to the NSQIP database that tracks these outcome metrics. Hypothesis/purpose: We hypothesize that surgeons underestimate their rates of morbidity, readmission, and reoperation within thirty days postoperatively when compared to NSQIP data. Study design: Data elements such as perceived morbidity, readmission, and reoperation were collected through surveys distributed at a large level one trauma center. Survey respondents were asked how their rates compared to their peers and physician survey responses were then compared to institutional NSQIP data. Results: 87.5% of surgeons underestimated their rates of morbidity, 35.4% underestimated their rates of readmission, 22.9% underestimated their rates of reoperation. When comparing themselves to their departmental averages, 57.78% accurately estimated their morbidity rates, 75.56% accurately estimated readmission rates, and 86.67% accurately estimated reoperation rates. Conclusion: Surgeons are poor predictors of individual 30-day postoperative complication rates including morbidity, readmission, and reoperation. However, surgeons are more accurate in estimating these same outcomes when asked to compare to the average of their department.

Leiomyosarcoma of the inferior vena cava presenting with bilateral lower extremity edema with comorbid sarcoidosis: A case report.

We present a case of a 70-year-old female with Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) of the inferior vena cava (IVC). Although this is an extremely rare entity, in contradistinction, it is also the most common primary malignancy of the IVC [5]. The patient has a history of sarcoidosis, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type two, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). She presented with a complaint of bilateral lower extremity edema and was admitted where a computerized tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen and pelvis showed a large mass filling the IVC, a finding confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging. Radical resection of the retroperitoneal tumor was carried out including portions of the inferior vena cava with en bloc radical right nephrectomy and right adrenalectomy. The pathologic diagnosis of inferior venal caval leiomyosarcoma (IVC LMS) was made with positive immunostains for desmin, vimentin and smooth muscle actin. The rarity of this entity, clinical presentation along with concomitant sarcoidosis makes this an interesting case.