Clinical Question: In women who have undergone breast cancer surgery, including lymph node removal, do blood pressure measurements taken in the ipsilateral arm increase the risk of lymphedema?

Throughout the healthcare industry fears of taking blood pressure in arm of patients who have undergone breast cancer surgery have been propagated for decades and continue to be recommended by multiple medical societies and healthcare organizations. However, these precautions are not well based on evidence-based medicine and may have a more historical and traditional basis. The purpose of this study was to review current evidence-based research as well as current guidelines regarding ipsilateral arm blood pressure measurements in women who have undergone breast surgery for cancer including lymph node removal.

Clinical Inquiry-In women who have undergone breast cancer surgery, including lymph node removal, do blood pressure measurements taken in the ipsilateral arm increase the risk of lymphedema?

Throughout the healthcare industry fears of taking blood pressure in the arms of patients who have undergone breast cancer surgery have been propagated for decades and continue to be recommended by multiple medical societies and healthcare organizations. However, these precautions are not well based on evidence-based medicine and may have a more historical and traditional basis. The purpose of this study was to review current evidence-based research as well as current guidelines regarding ipsilateral blood pressure measurements in women who have undergone breast surgery for cancer including lymph node removal.

Clinical Inquiry-In women who have undergone breast cancer surgery, including lymph node removal, do blood pressure measurements taken in the ipsilateral arm increase the risk of lymphedema?

Throughout the healthcare industry fears of taking blood pressure in the arm of patients who have undergone breast cancer surgery have been propagated for decades and continue to be recommended by multiple societies and healthcare organizations. However, these precautions are not well based on evidence-based medicine and may have a more historical and traditional basis. The purpose of this study was to review current evidence-based research as well as current guidelines regarding ipsilateral arm blood pressure measurements in women who have undergone breast surgery for cancer including lymph node removal.

Total scrotal reconstruction following Fournier's gangrene with bilateral prelaminated superior medial thigh flaps.

The patient is a 45-year-old man diagnosed with Fournier's gangrene and underwent treatment for septic shock, broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy and extensive surgical debridement of perineum, including total scrotectomy, ischiorectal fossa, abdomen and left superior thigh and flank. The patient required multiple staged complex reconstruction of the scrotum utilising prelaminated superior medial thigh flaps with use of dermal matrix, split-thickness skin grafting and pedicled gracilis muscle flap for coverage of the ischiorectal wound. The patient had full recovery and followed up 1 year postoperatively. This report discusses our technique for total scrotal reconstruction and provides review of surgical reconstructive techniques for wounds due to Fournier's gangrene.

Hypothenar hammer syndrome and repair of ulnar artery aneurysm in a patient without history of trauma.

The patient is a 50-year-old male with a history of tobacco use presented for evaluation of pulsatile right-hand mass. The patient was employed as a barber but had no known history of trauma or injury. He was diagnosed with hypothenar hammer syndrome and underwent excision of ulnar artery aneurysm with reconstruction of ulnar artery with interposition saphenous vein graft. The presented case describes an uncommon presentation of hypothenar hammer syndrome in a patient without history of repetitive blunt trauma or injury and discusses the diagnosis, pathophysiology and treatment options for symptomatic ulnar artery aneurysm.

Dose Effect in Adjuvant Radiation Therapy for the Treatment of Resected Keloids.

PURPOSE: Surgical excision of keloids can result in an insidious cycle of tissue injury and repeat keloid formation unless combined with adjuvant therapy to halt this cycle. We present our results of postoperative radiation therapy for keloids with various dose regimens. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A retrospective review of 124 patients with 250 keloid lesions treated with postoperative radiation therapy was analyzed. In this institutional review board-approved study, 125 keloids were treated to 20 Gy in 5 fractions and 125 keloids were treated to 12 to 16 Gy in 3 to 4 fractions. Local failure was defined as redevelopment of any clinically apparent keloid at the treated site. The median age was 34 years (14-84 years). Keloids were located on the ear (34%), neck/shoulder (19%), abdomen (13%), chest (10%), face (9%), breast (7%), extremities (4%), and back (3%). Median keloid size was 4 cm (0.5-20 cm). RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 40 months, the recurrence rate for all lesions was 5.6%. Lesions treated to 20 Gy had a recurrence rate of 1.6% compared with 9.6% with <20 Gy and an odds ratio of 0.16 (P = .02). Upon univariate and multivariate analysis there were no differences in recurrence rate with respect to location, race, gender, age, previously treated lesions, and presence of multiple keloids. The lone predictor for improved control rate was the dose of 20 Gy in 5 fractions compared with less than that. Control rate for lesions treated to a biologically equivalent dose2 of 35 to 36 Gy2, 48 to 52.5 Gy2, and 60 to 72 Gy2 were 10% (P = .007), 8.9% (P = .16), and 1.6% (P = .02), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical excision followed by immediate adjuvant radiation therapy for keloids provides excellent local control and cosmesis. Treatment with a biologically equivalent dose2 > 60 (20 Gy in 5 fractions) yielded superior local control over lower dose regimens.

Aggressive Digital Papillary Adenocarcinoma of the Hand Presenting as a Felon.

Aggressive digital papillary adenocarcinoma is a rare eccrine sweat gland malignancy that is frequently misdiagnosed at initial presentation. Histologically, this tumor is similar in appearance to many adenocarcinomas and as such may be diagnosed as a metastatic lesion. We present the case of a patient with digital papillary adenocarcinoma, which was initially diagnosed as a felon. No consensus has been published regarding the treatment of this disease. A review of the diagnosis, pathology, treatment, and adjunctive treatments of aggressive digital papillary adenocarcinoma are also included.

Malleolar Ulceration Induced by Hydroxyurea Therapy for Chronic Eosinophila.

A 59-year-old African American female presented to a plastic surgery office in consultation for a very painful non-healing wound of her right lateral malleolus. An incisional biopsy was performed and ultimately a diagnosis of hydroxyurea-induced ulcer was concluded. Descriptions of this entity are rare in the surgical and wound care professional literature. This diagnosis does appear in the hematology/oncology literature; however, these practitioners may not be the first to examine a patient with the development of such an ulcer. This article presents the pathophysiology and clinical presentation of hydroxyurea-induced ulceration as well as the characteristics of hydroxyurea-induced ulceration in addition to the case study.