Skin oncoplasties: O-to-Z technique a technique of choice in situation of limited resources? Case of Burkina Faso.

BACKGROUND: In developing countries, the long delays in consultation lead to a delay in diagnosis and management of the skin tumors. The lesions are often large and bring the problem of skin coverage after their resections. Several reconstruction techniques allow skin coverage. The objective of this study is to describe the place of O-to-Z technique in the surgical treatment of skin cancers in Ouagadougou. We hypothesized that O-to-Z technique reduces healing times and the number of dressings compared with directed wound healing. PATIENTS AND METHODS: It was a two-center, retrospective, descriptive study on O-to-Z technique in skin cancers. It included patients who underwent surgery between January 1st, 2013 and March 30th, 2021 in Ouagadougou. Scar quality and healing time in Z-plasty were compared with those of secondary healing. We used the Student's t test. RESULTS: In 8 years and 3 months, 171 skin cancers were identified. The mean time to consultation was 13.6 months. The average size of the tumors was 9 cm. An O-to-Z technique was performed in 42 cases, being 58.3% of the patients operated on. The average healing time was 15 days. It was four and a half times shorter in O-to-Z technique than in secondary healing. Ischemic necrosis of the Z-corner was noted in 7 cases. The recurrence rate in O-to-Z technique and secondary healing was 7.1% and 9.1% respectively. Hypertrophic or keloidal scars were noticed in 7 cases and hypochromia in 2 cases. CONCLUSION: O-to-Z technique is a technique of choice for skin coverage after large resections in surgical oncology. It reduces the healing time and the cost of postoperative care without increasing the risk of tumor recurrence.

Retroperitoneal GIST: An exceptional location of a rare tumour. A case report from Ouagadougou and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: GIST can occur in all segments of the gastrointestinal tract with a predilection for the stomach. Retroperitoneal localization remains exceptional. We report a case to describe our diagnostic and therapeutic approach. CASE PRESENTATION: A 55-year-old patient was admitted with borborygms and a sensation of lumbar swelling for 6 months. He was diabetic and hypertensive. The clinical examination noted a right lumbar mass with perception of bowel sound anterior to the mass, with minimal discomfort and mobility. Ultrasound revealed a hypervascularised, encapsulated, well-limited retroperitoneal tissue mass in contact with the right psoas muscle. Abdomino-pelvic CT scan showed a large, hypervascularized, encapsulated, calcified tissue mass measuring 147 × 106 mm in close contact with the outer edge of the right psoas muscle, suspected of being malignant. MRI noted a suspicious process developed at the expense of the right psoas muscle in its lumbar and iliac portion suggestive of a psoas rhabdomyosarcoma. The patient underwent laparotomy with a retroperitoneal approach by lumbar incision. Histology and immunohistochemistry revealed a GIST expressing CD117. The patient was put on imatinib for 6 months. He is complaint-free after 4 months. DISCUSSION: Despite the rarity of retroperitoneal GIST, it should be considered in the presence of any retroperitoneal mass. This will allow for early management. CONCLUSION: Retroperitoneum is an exceptional location for GIST. Surgery remains the mainstay of curative treatment. Adjuvant imatinib reduces the risk of recurrence. The prognosis is usually good.