Bone Regenerative Effect of Injectable Hypoxia Preconditioned Serum-Fibrin (HPS-F) in an Ex Vivo Bone Defect Model.

Biofunctionalized hydrogels are widely used in tissue engineering for bone repair. This study examines the bone regenerative effect of the blood-derived growth factor preparation of Hypoxia Preconditioned Serum (HPS) and its fibrin-hydrogel formulation (HPS-F) on drilled defects in embryonic day 19 chick femurs. Measurements of bone-related growth factors in HPS reveal significant elevations of Osteopontin, Osteoprotegerin, and soluble-RANKL compared with normal serum (NS) but no detection of BMP-2/7 or Osteocalcin. Growth factor releases from HPS-F are measurable for at least 7 days. Culturing drilled femurs organotypically on a liquid/gas interface with HPS media supplementation for 10 days demonstrates a 34.6% increase in bone volume and a 52.02% increase in bone mineral density (BMD) within the defect area, which are significantly higher than NS and a basal-media-control, as determined by microcomputed tomography. HPS-F-injected femur defects implanted on a chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) for 7 days exhibit an increase in bone mass of 123.5% and an increase in BMD of 215.2%, which are significantly higher than normal-serum-fibrin (NS-F) and no treatment. Histology reveals calcification, proteoglycan, and collagen fiber deposition in the defect area of HPS-F-treated femurs. Therefore, HPS-F may offer a promising and accessible therapeutic approach to accelerating bone regeneration by a single injection into the bone defect site.

Negative Pressure Wound Therapy in Free Muscle Flaps-Risk or Benefit?

BACKGROUND: Application of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) on free flaps not only reduces edema but also increases the pressure from outside. The impact of these opposite effects on flap perfusion remains elusive. This study evaluates the NPWT system's influence on macro- and microcirculation of free flaps and edema reduction to better assess the clinical value of this therapy in microsurgical reconstructions. METHODS: In this open-label, prospective cohort study, a total of 26 patients with free gracilis muscle flaps for distal lower extremity reconstruction were included. Flaps were covered with an NPWT (13 patients) or a conventional, fatty gauze dressing (13 patients) for 5 postoperative days (PODs). Changes in flap perfusion were analyzed by laser Doppler flowmetry, remission spectroscopy, and an implanted Doppler probe. Flap volume as a surrogate parameter for flap edema was evaluated by three-dimensional (3D) scans. RESULTS: No flap showed clinical evidence of circulatory disturbances. The groups showed significant differences in the dynamic of macrocirculatory blood flow velocity with an increase in the NPWT group and a decelerated flow in the control group from PODs 0 to 3 and PODs 3 to 5. No significant differences in microcirculation parameters were observed. 3D scans for estimation of edema development demonstrated significant differences in volume dynamics between the groups. Flap volume of the controls increased, while the volume in the NPWT group decreased during the first 5 PODs. The volume of NPWT-treated flaps decreased even further after NPWT removal from PODs 5 to 14 and significantly more than the flap volume in the control group. CONCLUSION: NPWT is a safe form of dressing for free muscle flaps that enhances blood flow and results in a sustainable edema reduction. The use of NPWT dressings for free flaps should therefore be considered not only as a pure wound covering but also as a supportive therapy for free tissue transfer.

The Rise of Facial Palsy on Social Media Over the Last 5 Years.

BACKGROUND: Social media (SoMe) has become a powerful platform for distributing health information. Facial palsy (FP) results in functional and social impairment and lowers quality of life. Social media may help to raise awareness of FP sequalae. This study aims to determine the FP information growth on SoMe platforms and parameters that influence user engagement on FP content. METHODS: Five commonly used SoMe platforms (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Reddit) were analyzed. Data on 18 FP hashtags and their social interaction parameters (posts, likes, reaches, comments, shares, language, and country of origin) over the past 5 years (July 31, 2016, to July 31, 2021) were collected. In-depth account analysis was performed on the 5 most popular Instagram profiles associated with FP. RESULTS: The annual growth curve was positive on each platform. Facial Palsy Awareness Week 2021 trended best on TikTok. Facebook accumulated 315,411 likes and 1,922,678 reaches on 8356 posts. On Instagram, 24,968 posts gathered 4,904,124 likes and 9,215,852 reaches. TikTok users interacted on 3565 posts, accumulating 4,304,155 likes and 4,200,368 reaches. The implementation of reels ( P <0.001) and the profile host interacting with their followers by liking ( P <0.001) and replying ( P <0.001) to users' comments significantly increased the engagement rate. CONCLUSIONS: Facial palsy is of increasing interest on SoMe. Facial palsy surgeons may post reels, interact with their community, and engage into FPAW to promote user engagement.

Thinking like a Lawyer-Human Rights and Their Association with the Plastic Surgeon of Today.

Plastic surgeons are trained to perform a wide repertoire of surgeries-ranging from standard local procedures to highly specialized operations. Therefore, plastic surgeons treat a plethora of clinical presentations and address multiple patient needs. Their daily workflow is increasingly entwined with legal topics. The concrete legal interpretation falls within the remit of legal experts. However, by understanding the legal basics of selected surgical procedures, plastic surgeons may generate synergies in patient care and clinical practice. The legal situation is to be elucidated based on the German Basic Law (GBL) and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). LEVEL OF EVIDENCE V: "This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 ."

In Vitro Comparison of Lymphangiogenic Potential of Hypoxia Preconditioned Serum (HPS) and Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP).

Strategies for therapeutic lymphangiogenesis are gradually directed toward the use of growth factor preparations. In particular, blood-derived growth factor products, including Hypoxia Preconditioned Serum (HPS) and Platelet-rich Plasma (PRP), are both clinically employed for accelerating tissue repair and have received considerable attention in the field of regenerative medicine research. In this study, a comparative analysis of HPS and PRP was conducted to explore their lymphangiogenic potential. We found higher pro-lymphangiogenic growth factor concentrations of VEGF-C, PDGF-BB, and bFGF in HPS in comparison to normal serum (NS) and PRP. The proliferation and migration of lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) were promoted considerably with both HPS and PRP, but the strongest effect was achieved with HPS-40% dilution. Tube formation of LECs showed the highest number of tubes, branching points, greater tube length, and cell-covered area with HPS-10%. Finally, the effects were double-validated using an ex vivo lymphatic ring assay, in which the highest number of sprouts and the greatest sprout length were achieved with HPS-10%. Our findings demonstrate the superior lymphangiogenic potential of a new generation blood-derived secretome obtained by hypoxic preconditioning of peripheral blood cells-a method that offers a novel alternative to PRP.

Hypoxia Preconditioned Serum (HPS) Promotes Proliferation and Chondrogenic Phenotype of Chondrocytes In Vitro.

Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) for the treatment of articular cartilage defects remains challenging in terms of maintaining chondrogenic phenotype during in vitro chondrocyte expansion. Growth factor supplementation has been found supportive in improving ACI outcomes by promoting chondrocyte redifferentiation. Here, we analysed the chondrogenic growth factor concentrations in the human blood-derived secretome of Hypoxia Preconditioned Serum (HPS) and assessed the effect of HPS-10% and HPS-40% on human articular chondrocytes from osteoarthritic cartilage at different time points compared to normal fresh serum (NS-10% and NS-40%) and FCS-10% culture conditions. In HPS, the concentrations of TGF-beta1, IGF-1, bFGF, PDGF-BB and G-CSF were found to be higher than in NS. Chondrocyte proliferation was promoted with higher doses of HPS (HPS-40% vs. HPS-10%) and longer stimulation (4 vs. 2 days) compared to FCS-10%. On day 4, immunostaining of the HPS-10%-treated chondrocytes showed increased levels of collagen type II compared to the other conditions. The promotion of the chondrogenic phenotype was validated with quantitative real-time PCR for the expression of collagen type II (COL2A1), collagen type I (COL1A1), SOX9 and matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13). We demonstrated the highest differentiation index (COL2A1/COL1A1) in HPS-10%-treated chondrocytes on day 4. In parallel, the expression of differentiation marker SOX9 was elevated on day 4, with HPS-10% higher than NS-10/40% and FCS-10%. The expression of the cartilage remodelling marker MMP13 was comparable across all culture conditions. These findings implicate the potential of HPS-10% to improve conventional FCS-based ACI culture protocols by promoting the proliferation and chondrogenic phenotype of chondrocytes during in vitro expansion.

Comparison of the Effect of Different Conditioning Media on the Angiogenic Potential of Hypoxia Preconditioned Blood-Derived Secretomes: Towards Engineering Next-Generation Autologous Growth Factor Cocktails.

Hypoxia Preconditioned Plasma (HPP) and Serum (HPS) are regenerative blood-derived growth factor compositions that have been extensively examined for their angiogenic and lymphangiogenic activity towards wound healing and tissue repair. Optimization of these secretomes' growth factor profile, through adjustments of the conditioning parameters, is a key step towards clinical application. In this study, the autologous liquid components (plasma/serum) of HPP and HPS were replaced with various conditioning media (NaCl, PBS, Glucose 5%, AIM V medium) and were analyzed in terms of key pro- (VEGF-A, EGF) and anti-angiogenic (TSP-1, PF-4) protein factors, as well as their ability to promote microvessel formation in vitro. We found that media substitution resulted in changes in the concentration of the aforementioned growth factors, and also influenced their ability to induce angiogenesis. While NaCl and PBS led to a lower concentration of all growth factors examined, and consequently an inferior tube formation response, replacement with Glucose 5% resulted in increased growth factor concentrations in anticoagulated blood-derived secretomes, likely due to stimulation of platelet factor release. Medium substitution with Glucose 5% and specialized peripheral blood cell-culture AIM V medium generated comparable tube formation to HPP and HPS controls. Altogether, our data suggest that medium replacement of plasma and serum may significantly influence the growth factor profile of hypoxia-preconditioned blood-derived secretomes and, therefore, their potential application as tools for promoting therapeutic angiogenesis.

The Declining Number of Finger Replantations in Germany.

INTRODUCTION: Data from the United States have shown that finger replantation numbers have declined significantly in recent years. It is unclear whether this is due to a decrease in amputation injuries or other reasons. MATERIALS METHODS: Since 2005, all German hospitals have been required to produce structured quality reports. Based on these reports, we analyzed finger and hand replantation development and the incidence of amputation injuries between 2006 and 2018. RESULTS: Replantations decreased by 30%, whereas amputation injuries increased slightly. In 2018, only 17 centers carried out more than 10 replantations. Most hospitals had replanted less than 4 times a year. The majority of residents participated in fewer than 1 replantation per year. Most specialists performed fewer than 1 replantation per year. The reasons for the decline in replantation remain speculative. CONCLUSIONS: However, a reduction in amputation injuries was not observed. A change in medical indications, technical skills, and economic motivations needs to be considered. A further loss of specialized technical skills and experience with replantations might be a future consequence of this trend.

Impaired Retinal Vessel Dilation Predicts Mortality in End-Stage Renal Disease.

RATIONALE: Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are characterized by increased cardiovascular (CV) and all-cause mortality due to advanced remodeling of the macro- and microvascular beds. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether retinal microvascular function can predict all-cause and CV mortality in patients with ESRD. METHODS AND RESULTS: In the multicenter prospective observational ISAR (Risk Stratification in End-Stage Renal Disease) study, data on dynamic retinal vessel analysis (DVA) was available in a sub-cohort of 214 dialysis patients (mean age 62.6{plus minus}15.0; 32% female). Microvascular dysfunction was quantified by measuring maximum arteriolar (aMax) and venular dilation (vMax) of retinal vessels in response to flicker light stimulation. During a mean follow-up of 44 months, 55 patients died, including 25 CV and 30 non-CV fatal events. vMax emerged as a strong independent predictor for all-cause mortality. In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, individuals within the lowest tertile of vMax showed significantly shorter three-year survival rates than those within the highest tertile (66.9{plus minus}5.8% vs 92.4{plus minus}3.3%). Uni- and multivariate hazard ratios for all-cause mortality per SD increase of vMax were 0.62 [0.47;0.82] and 0.65[0.47;0.91], respectively. aMax and vMax were able to significantly predict nonfatal and fatal CV events (HR 0.74[0.57;0.97] and 0.78[0.61;0.99], respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide the first evidence that impaired retinal venular dilation is a strong and independent predictor of all-cause mortality in hemodialyzed ESRD patients. DVA provides added value for prediction of all-cause mortality and may be a novel diagnostic tool to optimize CV risk stratification in ESRD and other high-risk CV cohorts. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01152892.

Donor Defect Morbidity of Intrinsic Flaps in the Posttraumatized Hand.

INTRODUCTION: There are many types of intrinsic flaps to cover wound defects on the hand, which have been well described in scientific literature. However, the donor sites are often neglected in such studies. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate donor site morbidity for homodigital island flaps, cross-finger flaps, Foucher's pedicle flaps, and flaps of the dorsal metacarpal artery system (DMCA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 106 intrinsic flap procedures were performed on 106 patients (16 women, 90 men). The donor sites were retrospectively followed up after an average of 3.4 years by a questionnaire, a Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand score, and clinical examination. Donor sites of different flap types were compared for aesthetic outcome, trophic level, and sensation, including 2-point discrimination, temperature, sharp/dull discrimination, the Semmes-Weinstein monofilament test, pain (visual analog scale), and functionality. RESULTS: In general, primarily closed donor sites showed more favorable results than did grafted donor sites. Satisfaction among patients regarding aesthetics of the donor site was highest in patients who had received homodigital island flaps. Grip strength and pain at the operated hand were very heterogeneous and rather influenced by the primary trauma than the type of flap. Homodigital island flap donor sites demonstrated the best results for 2-point discrimination and sharp/dull discrimination, and those for DMCA flaps in the Semes-Weinstein test. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, intrinsic flaps demonstrated low donor site morbidity with reliable coverage of the defects. Of these, the DMCA (especially after primary closure) and homodigital island flaps seemed to produce the best donor site results.

Bacterial bioburden of wounds: influence of debridement and negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT).

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the role of microbiological swabs in surgical decision-making, we investigated the effect of negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) and serial surgical debridement on bacterial bioburden in hard-to-heal wounds and ultimately correlated them with the success of surgical closure. METHOD: All patients were treated with surgical debridement, jet lavage and NPWT before their wounds were finally closed. The treatment effect was assessed by correlating microbiological swabs obtained immediately after intervention with those obtained after removal of the dressings during the following surgical procedures. The result of the last microbiological swab taken before definitive surgical closure was correlated with the requirement for revision surgery. RESULTS: We included the results of 704 microbiological swabs from 97 patients in 110 wound localisations in this monocentric, retrospective study. NPWT did not improve bacterial bioburden in 77% of cases and the duration of NPWT did not affect the result. Furthermore, no significant effect of NPWT could be found for either anaerobic (p=0.96) or aerobic bacteria (p=0.43). In contrast, surgical debridement decreased bacterial load in approximately 60% of cases. If sterile wound swabs could be obtained at all, it was during the first four surgical debridements in 60% of patients; after that only 10% became sterile. CONCLUSIONS: Sterile microbiological wound swabs before surgical closure were associated with lower rates of revision surgery, while low or medium bacterial loads did not increase revision rates.

18F-FDG PET/MRI compared with clinical and serological markers for monitoring disease activity in patients with aortitis and chronic periaortitis.

OBJECTIVES: We compared the diagnostic value of fully integrated 18F-FDG PET/MRI to that of clinical and serological markers for monitoring disease activity in patients with aortitis/chronic periaortitis (A/CPA) during immunosuppressive therapy. METHODS: Patients positive for A/CPA at the initial and at least 2 consecutive PET/MRI studies were included for retrospective analysis. Imaging (qualitative and quantitative analysis), clinical, and serologic (C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate) assessments were determined at each visit, and their findings compared. Differences in various PET/MRI parameters, clinical symptoms, and serologic markers during therapy between first and second visits were tested for statistical significance. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was calculated to relate imaging to serologic marker changes between the first 2 visits. RESULTS: Serial assessments were performed in 12 patients with A/CPA, over 34 visits. PET/MRI suggested active disease in 22/34 (64.7%) studies, whereas clinical assessment and serological analysis were positive in only 18/34 (52.9%) and 17/34 (50%) cases, respectively. Disease activity assessment differed between PET/MRI, and clinical and serological markers, in 8/34 (23.5%) and 9/34 (26.5%) cases, respectively. Imaging and serologic parameters (p < 0.009) and clinical symptoms (p = 0.063) predominantly improved at the second visit. Changes from the first to the second visit were not correlated between PET/MRI and serologic markers. CONCLUSIONS: Fully integrated 18F-FDG PET/MRI provides a comprehensive imaging approach with data on vascular/perivascular inflammation that is complementary to clinical and laboratory assessments. This highlights the potential value of imaging-based disease activity monitoring, which might have a crucial impact on clinical management in patients with A/CPA.

The Usage of Pedicled or Free Muscle Flaps Represents a Beneficial Approach for Periprosthetic Infection After Knee Arthroplasty.

INTRODUCTION: Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a severe complication after a total knee replacement that is primarily associated with soft tissue defects. Finding an appropriate therapy for PJI is a major challenge because of the lack of guidelines and research comparing treatment options. METHODS: In this study, we retrospectively compared 78 patients who had a knee prosthetic infection within a mean follow-up period of 24 months. Group A received a soft tissue coverage in addition to orthopedic surgical therapy with or without a component replacement (CR) of the prosthesis. Group B received the same orthopedic treatment without plastic surgery for soft tissue coverage. RESULTS: Only 21% of the patients in group A received a CR compared with 70% in group B (P = 0.0001). In group A, 83% did not have a recurrent infection, and in group B, 57% of the patients had no further infection and regained joint function (P = 0.0376). In group A, only 15% of the patients who received a CR had a significant complication within the follow-up period of 2 years, whereas in group B, 75% of patients exhibiting a major complication (P = 0.0048*). CONCLUSIONS: Soft tissue coverage improves the outcome after PJI of the knee with soft tissue defects. Patients who simultaneously needed plastic surgery for defect coverage and orthopedic surgery for CR had the lowest number of complications overall. Based on the results of this study, a therapy algorithm could be identified considering the soft tissue defect grade leading to the lowest major complication rates and maximizing the outcome of knee prosthesis infection therapies.

Comparison of 24-hour and Office Pulse Wave Velocity for Prediction of Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients.

BACKGROUND: Mortality in hemodialysis patients still remains unacceptably high. Enhanced arterial stiffness is a known cardiovascular risk factor, and pulse wave velocity (PWV) has proven to be a valid parameter to quantify risk. Recent studies showed controversial results regarding the prognostic significance of PWV for mortality in hemodialysis patients, which may be due to methodological issues, such as assessment of PWV in the office setting (Office-PWV). METHOD: This study cohort contains patients from the "Risk stratification in end-stage renal disease - the ISAR study," a multicenter prospective longitudinal observatory cohort study. We examined and compared the predictive value of ambulatory 24-hour PWV (24 h-PWV) and Office-PWV on mortality in a total of 344 hemodialysis patients. The endpoints of the study were all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Survival analysis included Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: During a follow-up of 36 months, a total of 89 patients died, 35 patients due to cardiovascular cause. Kaplan-Meier estimates for tertiles of 24 h-PWV and Office-PWV were similarly associated with mortality. In univariate Cox regression analysis, 24 h-PWV and Office-PWV were equivalent predictors for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. After adjustment for common risk factors, only 24 h-PWV remained solely predictive for all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 2.51 [95% CI 1.31-4.81]; p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Comparing both measurements, 24 h-PWV is an independent predictor for all-cause-mortality in hemodialysis patients beyond Office-PWV.

A complex pattern of autonomic dysfunction in familial Mediterranean fever. Results from a controlled cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Autonomic dysfunction (AD) has been described in various chronic inflammatory diseases. Studies of AD in patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) are inconclusive. We aimed to assess AD in a cohort of FMF patients. METHODS: Signs and symptoms of AD were investigated in patients with FMF and compared to age and gender matched healthy controls. Symptoms of AD were assessed by COMPASS-31, a validated questionnaire to evaluate orthostatic, vasomotor, secretomotor, gastrointestinal, pupillomotor and bladder function domains. Assessment of objective AD comprised heart rate variability during deep breathing, skin conductance changes during mental arithmetic, blood pressure response to pain and dynamic infrared pupillometry. RESULTS: 25 patients and 25 healthy controls were included and evaluated by COMPASS-31 and objective testing of AD. FMF patients had higher median COMPASS-31 total scores than controls (23.7 vs. 1.6, p=0.024). Significant differences were also found in the secretomotor and gastrointestinal sub-domains (4.2 vs. 0.0; p<0.001 and 8.0 vs. 0.0; p=0.004, respectively). Symptoms of autonomic dysfunction were correlated with patient reported global disease activity (r=0.71; p<0.001) and pain level (r=0.68; p<0.001). There were no differences in heart rate variability (HRV), skin conductance, blood pressure response to pain or sympathetic pupillomotor function between patients and controls. FMF patients revealed impaired parasympathetic pupillomotor function that was not associated with clinical parameters. However, patients that were on IL-1-blocking therapy had better parasympathetic pupillary function than patients on conventional treatment. CONCLUSIONS: FMF patients have AD in terms of symptoms and parasympathetic pupillomotor function. Dynamic pupillometry can provide additional information on autonomic regulation in patients with FMF.

Mortality prediction in stable hemodialysis patients is refined by YKL-40, a 40-kDa glycoprotein associated with inflammation.

Chronic inflammation contributes to increased mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. YKL-40 is a novel marker of inflammation, tissue remodeling, and highly expressed in macrophages inside vascular lesions. Elevated levels of YKL-40 have been reported for HD patients but how it integrates into the proinflammatory mediator network as a predictor of mortality remains elusive. We studied serum YKL-40, Interleukin-6 (IL-6), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), and interferon-gamma induced protein-10 (IP-10) in 475 chronic hemodialysis patients. Patients were followed for mortality for a median of 37 [interquartile range: 25-49] months and checked for interrelation of the measured mediators. To plot cumulative incidence functions, patients were stratified into terciles per YKL-40, IL-6, MCP-1, and IP-10 levels. Multivariable Cox regression models were built to examine associations of YKL-40, IP-10, and MCP-1 with all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Net reclassification improvement was calculated for the final models containing YKL-40 and IL-6. Increased YKL-40 was independently associated with age, IP-10, and IL-6 serum levels. After adjustment for demographic and laboratory parameters, comorbidities, and IL-6, only YKL-40 significantly improved risk prediction for all-cause (hazard ratio 1.4; 95% confidence interval 1.1-1.8) and cardiovascular mortality (hazard ratio 1.5; 95% confidence interval 1.03-2.2). Thus, in contrast to other biomarkers of aberrant macrophage activation, YKL-40 reflects inflammatory activity, which is not covered by IL-6. Mechanistic and prospective studies are needed to test for causal involvement of YKL-40 and whether it might qualify as a therapeutic target.

Eculizumab as salvage therapy for recurrent monoclonal gammopathy-induced C3 glomerulopathy in a kidney allograft.

BACKGROUND: Monoclonal gammopathy causes several kinds of renal pathology. A rare and special form is monoclonal gammopathy-induced C3 glomerulopathy (MG-C3G). Like idiopathic C3G, MG-C3G frequently leads to end-stage renal disease. MG-C3G frequently recurs after renal transplantation, leading to graft failure in most of the patients. While there is some evidence for successful treatment of recurrent idiopathic C3 glomerulopathy with eculizumab after renal transplantation, nothing is known about its efficacy in the setting of recurrent MG-C3G. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a patient with recurrent MG-C3G in a renal allograft that was successfully treated with eculizumab in addition to standard immunosuppression. He had early recurrence of MG-C3G 2 months after transplantation. His graft function successively declined despite high dose steroids and plasmapheresis. Only after therapy with three cycles of bortezomib and continuous therapy with eculizumab, his graft function stabilized. He was still in clinical remission after 28 months of follow-up without having experienced major infectious complications. CONCLUSIONS: Eculizumab may be a safe and effective treatment of recurrent MG-C3G. Because of the high and early recurrence risk, renal transplantation should be reviewed carefully for every individual patient. Subsequent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation may ameliorate long-term renal allograft survival. Eculizumab might serve as a bridging therapy until stem cell transplantation.

Lipofilling of Fingertips for Volume Defects after Fingertip Injuries.

INTRODUCTION: Regardless of the good outcomes of conservatively treated fingertip injuries, many patients complain about volume defects and hypoesthesia. Injection of autologous fat into the defect zone may resolve the volume problem and stimulate digital nerve regeneration by adipose derived stem cell transplantation. METHODS: We analyzed 5 volume defects resulting from conservatively treated fingertip injuries in 4 patients (male to female ratio, 2:2), 6 months after the injection of autologous abdominal fat into the defect zone retrospectively. The fat transplantation was performed after complete wound healing was achieved (2.5-13.5 months; mean, 6.5 months). Assessment of 2-point discrimination; finger pulp circumference; the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score; visual analog scale score; and a questionnaire regarding the treatment satisfaction were carried out both preoperatively and at a 6 month follow-up according to the standard of our clinic. RESULTS: In 3 patients, one session of lipofilling was sufficient to correct the contour, whereas 1 patient with 2 fingertip injuries was treated a second time. There was no significant change in finger pulp circumference, in the 2-point discrimination values and the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score results. There was a significant improvement in the visual analog scale scores in 4 of 5 cases, and all patients were very satisfied with the results of the procedure regarding the improvement in hand function in sports, at work and their daily routine. CONCLUSIONS: Lipofilling can be performed with little operative risks, might alleviate the patient's symptoms and reduce pain after conservative treatment of fingertip injuries.