Breast reconstruction is a viable option for older patients.

PURPOSE: Breast cancer is diagnosed at a median age of 62 years in the USA. At the same time, mortality rates for breast cancer continue to decrease, falling by 40% from 1989 to 2016. In the coming decades, the number of elderly patients with breast cancer, potentially seeking reconstruction, is expected to increase. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of 309 patients, aged 60 years or older, undergoing immediate or delayed breast reconstruction, was conducted. Patient characteristics, clinical information and major complications requiring reoperation were evaluated. Multivariate analyses identified factors contributing to complications such as BMI, comorbidities, smoking status, history of previous breast conservation therapy (BCT), total expander volume, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. RESULTS: 26.7% of patients had at least one complication requiring reoperation, and 6.9% of patients suffered reconstructive failure. Logistic regression analysis of all patients (n = 309) found a statistically significant relationship between major complication and history of ipsilateral BCT (p = 0.026) and adjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.005). Logistic regression analysis in patients undergoing tissue expander (TE) reconstruction (n = 215) showed that major complications were related to BMI over 35 kg/m2 (p = 0.04), history of ipsilateral BCT (p = 0.048), and adjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.033). CONCLUSION: Breast reconstruction in women over 60 years old was not independently associated with higher major complication rates in our series.

A prospective cohort study to analyze the interaction of tumor-to-breast volume in breast conservation therapy versus mastectomy with reconstruction.

PURPOSE: We explored the impact of the relative volume of a tumor versus the entire breast on outcomes in patients undergoing breast conservation therapy (BCT) versus mastectomy and reconstruction (M + R). We hypothesized that there would be a threshold tumor:breast ratio (TBR) below which patient-reported outcomes (PRO) would favor BCT and above which would favor M + R. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) or invasive breast cancers undergoing BCT or M + R. A prerequisite for inclusion, analysis of tumor and breast volumes was conducted from three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging reconstructions to calculate the TBR. Three-dimensional photography was utilized to calculate pre- and postoperative volumes and assess symmetry. Oncologic, surgical, and patient-reported outcome data were obtained from relevant BREAST-Q modules administered pre- and postoperatively. RESULTS: The BCT cohort had significantly smaller tumor volumes (p = 0.001) and lower TBRs (p = 0.001) than patients undergoing M + R overall. The M + R group, however, comprised a broader range of TBRs, characterized at lower values by patients opting for contralateral prophylactic mastectomy. Postoperative satisfaction with breasts, psychosocial, and sexual well-being scores were significantly higher in the BCT cohort, while physical well-being significantly favored the M + R cohort 480.2 ± 286.3 and 453.1 ± 392.7 days later, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Relative to BCT, M + R was used to manage a broad range of TBRs. The relative importance of oncologic and surgical risk reduction, symmetry, and number of procedures can vary considerably and may limit the utility of TBR as a guide for deciding between BCT and M + R. Clinical Trial StatementThis study was registered with clinicaltrials.gov as "A Prospective Trial to Assess Tumor:Breast Ratio and Patient Satisfaction Following Lumpectomy Versus Mastectomy With Reconstruction", Identifier: NCT02216136.

Extended Central Artery Perforator Propeller Flap for Large Nasal Defects.

Various local flaps have been defined for small skin defects of the nose. However, the repair of large nasal defects is only possible with flaps allowing a large tissue transfer, such as a free flap, forehead flap, and nasolabial flap. In this study, large nasal defects were reconstructed with extended central artery perforator propeller (CAPP) flaps in an attempt to describe a single-stage procedure as an alternative technique to the median forehead flap. Thirteen large nasal skin defects, including dorsum and nasal sidewall and/or dome, were repaired with a CAPP flap between January 2015 and March 2018. A total of 13 patients aged 19 to 92 years were included. The mean follow-up period was 14.9 months. Pathological diagnoses were basal cell carcinoma in 5 patients, squamous cell carcinoma in 6 patients, and trauma in 2 patients. Defect size ranged between 3 × 3 and 4 × 5 cm. Flap size ranged between 3 × 7 and 5 × 10 cm. No major complications including total flap failure, hematoma, or infection were observed. However, a partial flap necrosis occurred in 1 patient. In 3 patients, scar revision surgery was performed at the postoperative period. In conclusion, CAPP flap use is a safe and reliable option to repair large nasal defects. This flap is able to cover large nasal defects including dorsal, dome, and nasal sidewall defects in a single-stage procedure. Requiring no pedicle separation, this flap is an alternative option to the conventional median forehead flap.

Subunit Reconstruction of Mid-Facial Defects With Free Style Facial Perforator Flaps.

INTRODUCTION: Reconstruction of facial defects is not only important for cosmesis but also for the function. Local flaps are considered the best reconstruction method for facial defects. The authors want to show the feasibility of free style facial perforator flap for the reconstruction of moderate sized mid-facial defects. METHODS: Free style facial artery and lateral nasal artery perforator flaps were performed in 22 patients (11 males and 11 females) who had removal of facial tumor between March 2015 and December 2016 RESULTS:: The median age of patients was 62 years (range: 35-84). The mean follow-up period was 12.6 months (range: 5-24). Pathology results were basal cell carcinoma in 13 patients, squamous cell carcinoma in 6 patients, and other skin tumors in 3 patients. The defect size ranged from 2 × 2 to 5 × 5 cm. No major or minor complication happened but 1 flap had venous congestion that healed without any intervention CONCLUSION:: Free style facial perforator flaps are highly reliable flaps with wide range of motion. In addition, they provide single-stage closure with esthetic subunit reconstruction. With the current knowledge of reconstruction and skills of microsurgery, they can be easily the first choice for the closure of mid-facial defects.

A Rare Case of Endochondral Pseudocyst of the Auricle.

Endochondral pseudocyst of the auricle is a very rare, benign, non-inflammatory cystic lesion. It most commonly develops in the scaphoid or triangular fossa of the ear. In this case report, we present a 46-year-old man with a painless lesion on the scaphoid fossa of the right ear. We removed the hypertrophic perichondrium forming the anterior wall of the pseudocyst, curetted the ear cartilage, and dressed it with compression. No complications, such as infection, seroma, or hematoma, occurred during the postoperative period. A good cosmetic result was ultimately obtained. The patient experienced no recurrence within a 14-month follow-up period. 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 .

Intramuscular myxoma: clinical and surgical observation notes on eleven cases.

PURPOSE: Intramuscular myxoma (IM) is a benign, soft tissue neoplasm of mesenchymal origin. We report our experience with this tumour. METHOD: This clinical study comprised 11 cases of IM that were operated on between March 2008 and June 2016. Tumour location and size, results of pre-operative radiological studies, preop-erative biopsies, pathology examinations, applied surgical method and post-operative complications were reported for all patients. RESULTS: In total, nine patients with 11 IMs with a mean age of 60.0 years were assessed. Mean follow-up was 39.2 months. Tumours were located in the right thigh (5 patients, 7 IM), left gluteal area (2 patients, 2 IM), right gluteal area (1 IM) and left thigh (1 IM) ranging from 2 × 1 cm to 10 × 17 cm Pre-operative radiological diagnoses were cystic lesion, abscess, bursitis, fibrosarcoma, fibroma, lipoma, malign mesenchymal tumour and IM. Pre-operative biopsy was performed for five cases. All tumours were removed via simple excision and were pathologically consistent with IM. No complication or recurrence was observed during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: IM is a relatively rare benign tumour, the pre-operative diagnosis of which using radiological and clinical methods is quite difficult, creating pre-operative diagnostic confusion. It is generally diagnosed by microscopic examination. Simple excision with a small margin of surrounding tissue is considered to be sufficient for its treatment.

Impact of Neoadjuvant and Adjuvant Chemotherapy on Immediate Tissue Expander Breast Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Delayed wound healing or infection leads to premature tissue expander (TE) explantation after immediate postmastectomy breast reconstruction. A large study with sufficient duration of follow-up focusing on the impact of chemotherapy (CT) on premature TE removal after immediate breast reconstruction is lacking. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients undergoing immediate TE reconstruction was conducted. Multivariate analyses identified factors contributing to premature removal of TEs including neoadjuvant and adjuvant CT, specific chemotherapeutic regimens, and other factors like cancer stage, body mass index, smoking, radiation, and age. Kaplan-Meier curves were plotted to study the timing of premature TE removal. RESULTS: Of 899 patients with TEs, 256 received no, 295 neoadjuvant, and 348 adjuvant CT. Premature removal occurred more frequently in the neoadjuvant (17.3 %) and adjuvant (19.9 %) cohorts than the no-CT (12.5 %) cohort (p = 0.056). Premature TE removal occurred earlier (p = 0.005) in patients who received no CT than those with adjuvant CT. Radiation in patients receiving neoadjuvant CT prolonged the mean time to premature removal (p = 0.003). In the absence of radiation, premature removal occurred significantly sooner with neoadjuvant than adjuvant CT (p = 0.035). DISCUSSION: Premature removal of a TE occurs more commonly in patients treated with neoadjuvant or adjuvant CT and is most commonly observed 2-3 months after placement-well after the follow-up period recorded by the American College of Surgeons National Surgery Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. These findings can be used to aid preoperative counseling and guide the timing of follow-up for these patients.

Internal mammary artery perforator propeller flap for contralateral mastectomy defect: A case report.

The internal mammary artery perforator (IMAP) flap can be used as either loco-regional or free flap, and provides thin flexible coverage for defects of the chest wall and cervical regions. In this report, we present a bilateral mastectomy case in which the left mastectomy defect was closed with an IMAP propeller flap harvested from the right breast. Our patient with a history of left breast conservation therapy was diagnosed invasive ductal carcinoma in her left breast 14 years later. On physical examination, the patient's left breast displayed the stigmata of radiotherapy including dark discoloration and firmness to palpation, compared to contralateral pendulous breast. After bilateral mastectomy, an IMAP flap with a size of 26 cm × 11 cm was harvested from right chest and was transposed 180 degrees clockwise in a propeller fashion to the left mastectomy defect without any tension. The flap survived without any complication and the patient was free of recurrence or metastases during the follow-up of 18 months. The patient was satisfied with the outcome. IMAP propeller flap could be harvested safely to the anterior axillary fold in the subcutaneous fat plane. It may provide a large skin paddle especially in large breasted women. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery 36:507-510, 2016.

Perfect Lighting for Facial Photography in Aesthetic Surgery: Ring Light.

INTRODUCTION: Photography is indispensable for plastic surgery. On-camera flashes can result in bleached out detail and colour. This is why most of the plastic surgery clinics prefer studio lighting similar to professional photographers'. In this article, we want to share a simple alternative to studio lighting that does not need extra space: Ring light. METHODS: We took five different photographs of the same person with five different camera and lighting settings: Smartphone and ring light; point and shoot camera and on-camera flash; point and shoot camera and studio lighting; digital single-lens reflex (DLSR) camera and studio lighting; DSLR and ring light. Then, those photographs were assessed objectively with an online survey of five questions answered by three distinct populations: plastic surgeons (n: 28), professional portrait photographers (n: 24) and patients (n: 22) who had facial aesthetic procedures. RESULTS: Compared to the on-camera flash, studio lighting better showed the wrinkles of the subject. The ring light facilitated the perception of the wrinkles by providing homogenous soft light in a circular shape rather than bursting flashes. The combination of a DSLR camera and ring light gave the oldest looking subject according to 64 % of responders. The DSLR camera and the studio lighting demonstrated the youngest looking subject according to 70 % of the responders. The majority of the responders (78 %) chose the combination of DSLR camera and ring light that exhibited the wrinkles the most. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest using a ring light to obtain well-lit photographs without loss of detail, with any type of cameras. However, smartphones must be avoided if standard pictures are desired. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: 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.

Fat Grafting with Tissue Liquefaction Technology as an Adjunct to Breast Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Tissue liquefaction technology (TLT) delivers warmed saline from the liposuction cannula tip at low pressure pulses to disaggregate adipocytes. This technology differs significantly from that used in other liposuction devices including water jet-assisted liposuction. Here we introduce our early experience with this technology in the setting of fat transfer for revision breast reconstruction. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of 136 consecutive patients who underwent fat harvest with TLT and subsequent transfer into 237 breast reconstructions was conducted at a single institution. This two-surgeon series examined donor and recipient site complication rates over a median follow-up of 143 days [87-233]. RESULTS: The overall complication rate was 28.7 %, of which the majority (22.1 %) was fat necrosis at the recipient site as documented by any clinical, imaging, or pathologic evidence. The abdomen served as the donor site for half of the cases. Donor site complications were limited to widespread ecchymosis of the donor site notable in 10.4 % of cases. Twenty-five percent of patients had received postmastectomy radiotherapy prior to fat transfer. Prior to revision with fat transfer, implant-based breast reconstruction was used in 75.5 % of cases, and autologous flaps in the remainder. Fat transfer was combined with other reconstructive procedures 94.1 % of the time. CONCLUSIONS: TLT can be used to harvest adipocytes for fat transfer with donor site morbidity and recipient site complications comparable to other modalities. The efficiency and quality of harvested fat makes this technology appealing for wide spread adoption during fat transfer. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that the 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 .

Histologic, Molecular, and Clinical Evaluation of Explanted Breast Prostheses, Capsules, and Acellular Dermal Matrices for Bacteria.

BACKGROUND: Subclinical infections, manifest as biofilms, are considered an important cause of capsular contracture. Acellular dermal matrices (ADMs) are frequently used in revision surgery to prevent recurrent capsular contractures. OBJECTIVE: We sought to identify an association between capsular contracture and biofilm formation on breast prostheses, capsules, and ADMs in a tissue expander/implant (TE/I) exchange clinical paradigm. METHODS: Biopsies of the prosthesis, capsule, and ADM from patients (N = 26) undergoing TE/I exchange for permanent breast implant were evaluated for subclinical infection. Capsular contracture was quantified with Baker Grade and intramammary pressure. Biofilm formation was evaluated with specialized cultures, rtPCR, bacterial taxonomy, live:dead staining, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Collagen distribution, capsular histology, and ADM remodeling were quantified following fluorescent and light microscopy. RESULTS: Prosthetic devices were implanted from 91 to 1115 days. Intramammary pressure increased with Baker Grade. Of 26 patients evaluated, one patient had a positive culture and one patient demonstrated convincing evidence of biofilm morphology on SEM. Following PCR amplification 5 samples randomly selected for 16S rRNA gene sequencing demonstrated an abundance of suborder Micrococcineae, consistent with contamination. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that bacterial biofilms likely contribute to a proportion, but not all diagnosed capsular contractures. Biofilm formation does not appear to differ significantly between ADMs or capsules. While capsular contracture remains an incompletely understood but common problem in breast implant surgery, advances in imaging, diagnostic, and molecular techniques can now provide more sophisticated insights into the pathophysiology of capsular contracture. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Therapeutic.

A local flap that never disappoints: V-Y rotation advancement flap.

BACKGROUND: There are lots of ways to close a defect according to the reconstruction ladder. In this article, we would like to share our experience with V-Y rotation advancement flap on different parts of the body. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 2006 and 2009, we performed V-Y rotation advancement flap on 68 patients (average age, 50 years). We performed this flap for decubitus and neuropathic ulcer on 33 patients, for defect reconstruction after tumor removal on 29 patients, and for trauma on 6 patients. RESULTS: The sizes of the defects ranged between 2 × 2 and 26 × 16 cm. All flaps survived without any major complications. Patients were satisfied with their scar appearance, and no sensory impairment was seen. CONCLUSIONS: V-Y rotation advancement flap restores the defect with a perfect color match and leaves an aesthetically acceptable scar. With its surgical flexibility and durability, this flap disappoints neither the surgeon nor the patient.

Scintigraphic and tomographic evaluation of biological activities of prefabricated free and vascularized bone allografts.

BACKGROUND: We performed an experimental study on rabbits to compare the biologic activities of free and vascularized cortical and corticocancellous solvent-dehydrated bone allografts by scintigraphy and three-dimensional computed tomography (CT). METHODS: Twenty New Zealand white rabbits (2500-3000 g) were divided into 2 groups each consisting 10 animals. In group 1, solvent-dehydrated human cadaveric cranium allografts (corticocancellous bone) were used. The grafts were divided into 20 pieces, approximately 10 × 10 × 5 mm. On the right ears, grafts were placed on dissected vascular bundles. On their left ears, allografts were implanted into subcutaneous pockets without dissecting any vascular bundle. The same procedure was performed in group 2 with solvent-dehydrated human cadaveric fibula bone allografts (cortical bone). No infection or any animal death occurred during 12 months of observation. At the end of the 12th month, implanted bone allografts were evaluated by 3-phase bone scintigraphy to observe the circulation and viability of the grafts and three-dimensional CT scans to measure their dimensions. RESULTS: Radioactive uptake by scintigraphy of grafts placed on vascular bundle was higher than grafts placed in pockets. t-Test was calculated for region of interest of right ear (vascularized) to left ear rate (nonvascularized) according to graft type. Rate for corticocancellous bone graft was 1.187 ± 0.179 (P = 0.038) and cortical bone graft was 1.055 ± 0.052 (P = 0.038). There was correlation between region of interest generated from arm and neck regions and graft regions (P = 0.001). Regarding the dimension measurement made by three-dimensional CT, all the grafts grew whether they were on vascular bundle or not. Mann-Whitney test was used to determine whether differences between preoperative and postoperative volumes of grafts and growth of all grafts were significant (P = 0.007 for vascularized cortical bone and P = 0.005 for others). Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was performed to evaluate the distribution of growth rate. Vascularized medullar-cortical and nonvascularized medullar bone grafts expanded more than nonvascularized cortical bone (P = 0.001, P = 0.005, P = 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Vascularized bone allograft combines the advantages of autogenous and allogenous grafts. Both scintigraphic and tomographic results overlapped that corticocancellous and cortical bones developed more on vascular bundle. Even though radioactive uptake was statistically higher in vascularized bone allografts, we determined that this small difference did not affect the overall late vascularity of the bone allografts. In conclusion, regardless their types or placement on vascular bundle, prefabricated bone allografts had similar metabolic function after 1 year of integration.

Supercharge End-to-Side Anterior Interosseous-to-Ulnar Motor Nerve Transfer Restores Intrinsic Function in Cubital Tunnel Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The supercharge end-to-side anterior interosseous nerve-to-ulnar motor nerve transfer offers a viable option to enhance recovery of intrinsic function following ulnar nerve injury. However, in the setting of chronic ulnar nerve compression where the timing of onset of axonal loss is unclear, there is a deficit in the literature on outcomes after supercharge end-to-side anterior interosseous nerve-to-ulnar motor nerve transfer. METHODS: A retrospective study of patients who underwent supercharge end-to-side anterior interosseous nerve-to-ulnar motor nerve transfer for severe cubital tunnel syndrome over a 5-year period was performed. The primary outcomes were improvement in first dorsal interosseous Medical Research Council grade at final follow-up and time to reinnervation. Change in key pinch strength; grip strength; and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire scores were also evaluated using paired t tests and Wilcoxon signed rank tests. RESULTS: Forty-two patients with severe cubital tunnel syndrome were included in this study. Other than age, there were no significant clinical or diagnostic variables that were predictive of failure. There was no threshold of compound muscle action potential amplitude below which supercharge end-to-side anterior interosseous nerve-to-ulnar motor nerve transfer was unsuccessful. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first cohort of outcomes following supercharge end-to-side anterior interosseous nerve-to-ulnar motor nerve transfer in chronic ulnar compression neuropathy alone and underscores the importance of appropriate patient selection. Prospective cohort studies and randomized controlled trials with standardized outcome measures are required. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.

Tissue Expander Complications Do Not Preclude a Second Successful Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Implant-based breast reconstruction is the most common method of breast reconstruction in the United States, but the outcomes of subsequent implant-based reconstruction after a tissue expander complication are rarely studied. The purpose of this study was to determine the long-term incidence of implant loss in patents with a previous tissue expander complication. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of the long-term outcomes of all patients with tissue expander complications at a large academic medical center from 2003 to 2013. Patients with subsequent tissue expander or implant complications were compared to those with no further complications to assess risk factors for additional complications or reconstructive failure. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-two women were included in this study. The mean follow-up period was 8.3 ± 3.1 years. Forty-eight women (30 percent) went on to undergo a second tissue expander or implant placement. They did not differ from women who went on to autologous reconstruction or no further reconstruction. Of these, 34 women (71 percent) had no further complications and 38 women (79 percent) had a successful implant-based reconstruction at final follow-up. There were no patient or surgical factors significantly associated with a second complication or implant loss. CONCLUSIONS: Following tissue expander complications, it is reasonable to offer women a second attempt at tissue expansion and implant placement. This study demonstrates that long-term success rates are high, and there are no definitive patient or surgical factors that preclude a second attempt at implant-based breast reconstruction. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Risk, III.

Innovation in the planning of V-Y rotation advancement flaps: A template for flap design.

Local flaps exhibit excellent color matching that no other type of flap can compete with. Moreover, surgery using a local flap is easier and faster than surgery using a distant or free flap. However, local flaps can be much more difficult to design. We designed 2 templates to plan a V-Y rotation advancement flap. The template for a unilateral V-Y rotation advancement flap was used on the face (n=5), anterior tibia (n=1), posterior axilla (n=1), ischium (n=1), and trochanter (n=2). The template for a bilateral flap was used on the sacrum (n=8), arm (n=1), and anterior tibia (n=1). The causes of the defects were meningocele (n=3), a decubitus ulcer (n=5), pilonidal sinus (n=3), and skin tumor excision (n=10). The meningocele patients were younger than 8 days. The mean age of the adult patients was 50.4 years (range, 19-80 years). All the donor areas of the flaps were closed primarily. None of the patients experienced wound dehiscence or partial/total flap necrosis. The templates guided surgeons regarding the length and the placement of the incision for a V-Y rotation advancement flap according to the size of the wound. In addition, they could be used for the training of residents.

Central artery perforator propeller flap for nasal and medial canthal defects.

INTRODUCTION: Non-melanoma skin cancer is the most common type of skin cancer of the nasal dorsum and the medial canthal region, which is caused by chronic sun exposure. Limited adjacent tissue and the need for aesthetically pleasing result make the reconstruction of these regions very challenging. To overcome this challenge, we designed a perforator propeller flap based on the central artery. METHODS: Between January 2014 and November 2015, we covered the nasal or medial canthal defects of 22 patients with central artery perforator propeller flaps. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 60.4 years (range: 47-81 years). The median follow-up period was 7.5 months (range: 2-23 months). The pathological diagnoses were basal cell carcinoma for 14 patients and squamous cell carcinoma for the remaining eight patients. The size of the defects ranged from 2 × 2 to 3.5 × 4 cm, and that of the flaps ranged from 2 × 3.5 to 3.2 × 6 cm. We did not observe any major complications requiring surgery, such as total flap loss, hematoma, or dog-ear deformity. However, venous congestion was seen in five patients and partial flap necrosis (that healed without intervention) in two patients. CONCLUSION: The central artery perforator propeller flap is a reliable and versatile flap for the reconstruction of the nasal dorsum and medial canthal region. Reconstruction with this flap is a single-stage procedure that can cover large defects without causing dog-ear deformity or eyebrow asymmetry compared with other local flap options.

The Vasodilator Effect of a Cream Containing 10% Menthol and 15% Methyl Salicylate on Random-Pattern Skin Flaps in Rats.

BACKGROUND: It is still difficult to prevent partial or full-thickness flap necrosis. In this study, the effects of a cream containing menthol and methyl salicylate on the viability of randompattern skin flaps were studied. METHODS: Forty female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two equal groups. Caudally based dorsal random-pattern skin flaps were elevated, including the panniculus carnosus. In the study group, 1.5 mL of a cream containing menthol and methyl salicylate was applied to the skin of the flap, and saline solution (0.9%) was used in the control group. Upon completion of the experiment, flap necrosis was analyzed with imaging software and radionuclide scintigraphy. Histopathological measurements were made of the percentage of viable flaps, the number of vessels, and the width of the panniculus carnosus muscle. RESULTS: According to the photographic analysis, the mean viable flap surface area in the study group was larger than that in the control group (P=0.004). According to the scintigrams, no change in radioactivity uptake was seen in the study group (P>0.05). However, a significant decrease was observed in the control group (P=0.006). No statistically significant differences were observed between the groups in terms of the percentage of viable flaps, the number of vessels, or the width of the panniculus carnosus muscle (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Based on these results, it is certain that the cream did not reduce the viability of the flaps. Due to its vasodilatory effect, it can be used as a component of the dressing in reconstructive operations where skin perfusion is compromised.