Impact of intraoperative administration of local vancomycin on inguinal wound complications.

OBJECTIVE: Local vancomycin treatment has been shown to decrease sternal wound complication rates. Whether a similar effect can be achieved at other surgical sites is unknown. This study investigates the effect of local vancomycin on inguinal wound complication rates after vascular procedures. METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed on 454 patients who underwent open aortofemoral or infrainguinal vascular procedures between 2006 and 2011. Patients received preoperative systemic antibiotics either alone (group A) or in conjunction with intraoperative wound application of vancomycin powder and irrigation (group B). Inguinal wound infection and dehiscence over a 30-day period were recorded. Fisher exact test and multivariate regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: There were 211 patients in group A and 243 patients in group B. Both groups had similar demographics and operative characteristics. There was a small but statistically significant decrease in the 30-day incidence of overall wound infections (25.1% vs 17.2%; P = .049) for group B patients. This was primarily due to a decreased rate in superficial infections (18.9% vs 11.5%; P = .033). No significant difference in the incidence of deep wound infections (6.1% vs 5.7%; P = .692) or overall dehiscence rates (22.2% vs 17.7%; P = .239) was detected. On multivariate analysis, history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and increased body mass index significantly increased risk of both infection and dehiscence. Medically optimized coronary artery disease was associated with less risk for dehiscence. CONCLUSIONS: Addition of intraoperative local vancomycin did not improve the rates of inguinal wound dehiscence or deep infections but had a positive impact on superficial wound infections.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Underweight Children.

OBJECTIVES: To determine predictors of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in underweight children and to describe the demographic, clinical, and polysomnographic characteristics of an ethnically diverse population of underweight children with OSA. STUDY DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Children's Medical Center of Dallas. METHODS: Underweight children aged 2 to 18 years who underwent a polysomnogram for suspected OSA between January 2014 and December 2020 were included. Underweight was defined as body mass index <5th percentile per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Children with apnea-hypopnea index <1.0 served as a control group. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of OSA. Significance was set at P < .05. RESULTS: An overall 124 children met inclusion criteria: mean age, 6.4 years; 50% female; 44% Hispanic, 31% African American, and 18% Caucasian. A total of 83 children had OSA (apnea-hypopnea index ≥1.0). Height was negatively correlated with OSA (odds ratio, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.88-0.99; P = .02) while allergic rhinitis (odds ratio, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.24-7.08; P = .01) and tonsillar hypertrophy (odds ratio, 3.38; 95% CI, 1.42-8.02; P = .01) were predictors for the presence of OSA. No demographic or clinical characteristics were predictors for severe OSA. CONCLUSION: Underweight children with OSA, as compared with those without OSA, are more likely to have decreased height, tonsillar hypertrophy, and allergic rhinitis. There are no predictors of severe OSA in underweight children. We recommend polysomnography for the diagnosis of OSA in symptomatic underweight children with large tonsils, especially when they have a history of allergies.

Noninvasive intraoperative angiography for reconstruction of head and neck defects.

Reconstruction of head and neck defects after cancer resection involves the use of local, pedicled musculocutaneous, and free flaps. Flap failure is often caused by vascular insufficiency, and it is associated with the presence of cardiovascular or peripheral vascular disease, a history of smoking, and previous radiation and/or surgery. Failure rates may be reduced by the use of indocyanine green near-infrared fluorescence laser angiography, which detects perfusion deficits intraoperatively. Although this technology has been validated in other fields, there is limited experience in the head and neck region. We present 3 cases in which different head and neck flaps were used along with this technology in patients at high risk for flap failure. All flaps were successfully implanted without perioperative or long-term complications. The increasing complexity, age, and comorbidities of the head and neck cancer population pose significant reconstructive challenges. This report demonstrates the feasibility of employing intraoperative angiography for local, pedicled, and free flaps. This noninvasive tool optimizes intraoperative planning and assesses viability, potentially lowering failure rates in high-risk patients. Identification of patients who most benefit from this technology warrants further investigation.

Residual nodal disease in patients with advanced-stage oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma treated with definitive radiation therapy and posttreatment neck dissection: Association with locoregional recurrence, distant metastasis, and decreased survival.

BACKGROUND: Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is increasing in frequency. We reviewed patients with advanced-stage OPSCC treated with chemoradiation to assess the impact of residual neck disease on survival. METHODS: We reviewed 202 patients with OPSCC between 1990 and 2010 treated with primary chemoradiation followed by neck dissection. Imaging was analyzed using RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors) 1.1 criteria. Survival was evaluated using both univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Overall survival at 5 years was 89%. Forty-two patients (21%) had residual disease in the neck (pN+). pN+ was associated with greater locoregional recurrence (LRR) and distant metastasis (DM) and decreased survival. No clinicopathologic factors were predictive of pN+. Contrasted posttreatment CT had low sensitivity and specificity. CONCLUSIONS: In advanced OPSCC pN+, patients have higher rates of LRR and DM. Neither clinicopathologic factors nor posttreatment imaging was predictive of pN+, although increased use of modern imaging may reduce the rate of negative neck dissections.