Leech Therapy Following Digital Replantation and Revascularization.

Venous congestion after digital replantation or revascularization threatens digit survival in the immediate postoperative period. External bloodletting, including leech therapy, provides a central role in salvage of the congested finger. Although there have been previous studies describing the initiation of leech therapy for digits experiencing venous insufficiency, few published articles and no consensus guidelines have discussed the weaning of leeches in the postoperative period. We review the current evidence behind leech therapy and offer a treatment algorithm based on available data and existing leech weaning protocols.

Tracheal Cartilaginous Sleeve in Syndromic Craniosynostosis: An Underrecognized Source of Significant Morbidity and Mortality.

Tracheal cartilaginous sleeve (TCS) is a rare and previously unrecognized source of morbidity and mortality in patients with certain craniosynostosis syndromes. There is a paucity of reporting on this airway anomaly, and the true incidence of TCS is largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of TCS among patients with syndromic craniosynostosis at our institution. Patients with syndromic craniosynostosis who underwent direct bronchoscopy and laryngoscopy were evaluated retrospectively by pediatric otolaryngologists for the presence of TCS and associated anomalies. Among patients with a diagnosis of syndromic craniosynostosis in our craniofacial database, 10 (37%) were found to have previous direct bronchoscopy and laryngoscopy reports. Of these 10 patients, 2 had Crouzon syndrome, 3 had Pfeiffer syndrome, 3 had Apert syndrome, 1 had Muenke syndrome, and 1 had Antley-Bixler syndrome. Eighty percent (8/10) of these patients were found to have some evidence of TCS. The most commonly observed associated findings included the following: tracheostomy dependency (7/10; 70%), hearing loss (6/10; 60%), obstructive sleep apnea (5/10; 50%), cervical spine anomalies (5/10; 50%), developmental delay (5/10; 50%), and enlarged cerebral ventricles (4/10; 40%). Larger multicenter studies are required to further characterize this airway anomaly and its impact on this patient population. Our results confirm the importance of thorough airway evaluation at initial presentation and the need for validated screening protocols.

Sternal Wound Salvage in Post-Transplant Adolescents: Omental Flap Reconstruction in Patients With Prior Abdominal Surgery.

Sternal wound infections remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing complex cardiothoracic surgery. Heart and lung transplant patients presumably face additional risk secondary to their underlying morbidity, postoperative immunosuppression, and difficulty with primary wound closure over large graft size. These patients present a unique challenge to the reconstructive surgeon, as many have a significant past surgical history, which can limit or alter treatment options. This study reports 2 pediatric transplant patients who underwent use of omental flap for sternal wound reconstruction in the context of significant past abdominal surgery. One patient underwent prior heart transplantation and the other patient underwent previous bilateral lung transplantation. Both had significant abdominal surgery prior to transplantation and suffered from sternal wound complications post-transplantation. Each patient was successfully treated with omental flap reconstruction.

Isolated Unilateral Frontosphenoidal Craniosynostosis: A Rare Cause of Anterior Plagiocephaly.

Isolated unilateral frontosphenoidal synostosis is a rare and often misdiagnosed cause of synostotic frontal plagiocephaly. It is important to distinguish the various synostotic causes of frontal plagiocephaly from deformational frontal plagiocephaly because operative intervention is required in synostotic plagiocephaly to avoid progressive deformity, whereas deformational plagiocephaly typically improves without surgery. This study reports a patient with a unique case of anterior plagiocephaly caused by left-sided frontosphenoidal craniosynostosis. The workup should include a thorough history and clinical examination followed by computed tomography scan with three-dimensional reconstruction. Frontosphenoidal synostosis should be suspected in the absence of a coronal synostosis in a child with anterior unilateral plagiocephaly and treated surgically. Good aesthetic and functional results occur with prompt diagnosis and early surgical correction.

Gorlin-Goltz Syndrome: An Uncommon Cause of Facial Pain and Asymmetry.

Gorlin-Goltz syndrome is an underdiagnosed autosomal dominant disorder with variable expressivity that is characterized by an increased predisposition to tumorigenesis of multiple types. The major clinical features include multiple basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) appearing in early childhood, palmar and plantar pits, odontogenic keratocysts of the oral cavity, skeletal defects, craniofacial dysmorphism, and ectopic intracranial calcification. The authors present the clinical course of a 12-year-old girl presenting with facial asymmetry and pain because of previously undiagnosed Gorlin-Goltz syndrome. Early diagnosis and attentive management by a multidisciplinary team are paramount to improving outcomes in patients with this disorder, and this report serves as a paradigm for maintaining a high clinical suspicion, which must be accompanied by an appropriate radiologic workup.

Necrotizing Sweet Syndrome of the Hand and Forearm in the Immediate Postoperative Period: Case Report.

Necrotizing soft tissue infection (NSTI) is a feared and potentially morbid postoperative complication requiring prompt surgical intervention. Cutaneous conditions that mimic NSTI have been reported and rarely occur in the postoperative period. Sweet syndrome, also known as acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis, is a dermatologic condition characterized by fever, neutrophil-predominant leukocytosis, and painful skin lesions. Necrotizing Sweet syndrome (NSS) is an aggressive variant that causes a clinical appearance of localized skin necrosis and histologic evidence of necrotic foci extending to the deep aspects of the soft tissues and involving fascia and/or skeletal muscle. Necrotizing Sweet syndrome can be easily mistaken for NSTI. Contrary to infection, Sweet syndrome and NSS are worsened by surgical intervention due to the phenomenon of pathergy and readily respond to corticosteroid treatment. We present the case of a 54-year-old woman who developed NSS following an uncomplicated fasciectomy for Dupuytren disease.

Avascular Necrosis of Capitate and Other Uncommon Presentations of Carpal Avascular Necrosis.

Outside of Preiser and Kienbock disease, avascular necrosis (AVN) of the remaining carpal bones is a rare cause of wrist pain and disability with a natural history that is incompletely understood. At present, much of the available clinical information exists in the form of isolated case reports or small case series. Although reported surgical treatment options are numerous, there is a dearth of comparative studies and long-term outcomes data with which to guide management.

Reset Neurectomy for Cutaneous Nerve Injuries.

Diffuse cutaneous nerve injuries, often caused by a crush mechanism, are challenging for the nerve surgeon. Discrete nerve transections and focal neuromas are easier to identify and have a more distinct treatment algorithm. Following crush injury to a noncritical sensory nerve, a successful local anesthetic block proximal to the injury may help determine the possibility of surgical intervention. In these cases, we describe a technique of "reset neurectomy" whereby a neurectomy is performed proximal to the zone of injury, and immediate repair or reconstruction (with or without a nerve graft) is performed. This technique may be useful in cases of diffuse, nontransection nerve injuries in which neuropathic pain is the primary symptom.

The Octopus Procedure Combined with Targeted Muscle Reinnervation for Elective Transhumeral Amputation.

Optimizing prosthetic function and tolerance are key principles of performing an elective upper extremity amputation. It is common for upper extremity amputees to experience issues related to nonoptimal prosthetic control and pain. Targeted muscle reinnervation and regenerative peripheral nerve interfaces in elective transhumeral amputations have been introduced as techniques to address the paucity of signals that may exist for myoelectric control postamputation. These techniques require the denervation of muscle and rely on delayed muscle reinnervation to provide eventual signal amplification for prosthetic function. In addition, the fascicles cannot be separated enough to provide signals to each individual muscle. Use of native innervated forearm musculature can provide more immediate and specific signals for prosthetic use. These native muscles are often not available for use due to trauma, denervation, or dysvascularization. In elective amputations, they can be used as spare parts to provide more signals for the sensors on a myoelectric prosthetic. The concept has been used in partial hand amputations and allowed for individual digital control at the terminal prosthetic device. In this study, we describe a novel technique used for an elective transhumeral amputation utilizing native innervated, vascularized musculature to provide intuitive control of a myoelectric prosthetic.

Webinar during COVID-19 Improves Knowledge of Changes to the Plastic Surgery Residency Application Process.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted residency application process for all specialties, including plastic surgery residency. Almost all plastic surgery residency programs have suspended visiting sub-internship rotations. This study quantifies the impact of a webinar through an analysis of poll questions and a post-webinar survey sent to all registered participants. METHODS: A dedicated webinar was organized and held by the Harvard Plastic Surgery Residency Training Program. All attendees were asked several poll questions during the webinar. The 192 participants were also sent a post-webinar survey. RESULTS: The response rate was 68.2% (n = 131). Respondents were more confident about matching into a plastic surgery residency program at the end of the webinar compared with before the webinar (P < 0.001). Respondents who did not have a plastic surgery residency program at their home institution were less confident at the start of the webinar (P = 0.009). In addition, respondents who had not taken time off for research or for other endeavors during or after medical school were less confident about their chances to match at the start of the webinar (P = 0.034). CONCLUSIONS: An online webinar program increased confidence levels of medical students interested in applying for residency positions in plastic surgery. Residency programs should consider webinars as a method to inform and assist medical students during the upcoming application season.

Secondary Surgery Following Replantation and Revascularization.

Secondary surgery following digital replantation and revascularization is common and is often performed to improve range of motion, tendon gliding, sensibility, and/or contour. In this article, the authors present the most common secondary procedures performed after digital replantation or revascularization and discuss current techniques. The importance of patient selection and postoperative compliance with ongoing hand therapy is paramount to achieving good outcomes.

Thumb Basal Joint Arthritis.

Thumb carpometacarpal arthritis is a common condition treated by hand surgeons. This condition most frequently affects the elderly and postmenopausal women. Nonoperative treatment options include activity modification, orthoses, and injections. Although many patients can be treated conservatively, those with persistent and recalcitrant symptoms may benefit from surgical intervention. There are myriad surgical options, and the best option often depends on the patient's goals and functional demands, surgeon experience, and patient preference.

Pacinian hyperplasia presenting with Raynaud's phenomenon.

Pacinian corpuscle pathology is a rare clinical entity and an uncommonly reported cause of digital pain. While many prior reports implicate hand trauma, we describe a case of Pacinian hyperplasia found in a patient with Raynaud's phenomenon and propose a potential mechanism of disease.

Meta-analysis and Systematic Review of Skin Graft Donor-site Dressings with Future Guidelines.

BACKGROUND: Many types of split-thickness skin graft (STSG) donor-site dressings are available with little consensus from the literature on the optimal dressing type. The purpose of this systematic review was to analyze the most recent outcomes regarding moist and nonmoist dressings for STSG donor sites. METHODS: A comprehensive systematic review was conducted across PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases to search for comparative studies evaluating different STSG donor-site dressings in adult subjects published between 2008 and 2017. The quality of randomized controlled trials was assessed using the Jadad scale. Data were collected on donor-site pain, rate of epithelialization, infection rate, cosmetic appearance, and cost. Meta-analysis was performed for reported pain scores. RESULTS: A total of 41 articles were included comparing 44 dressings. Selected studies included analysis of donor-site pain (36 of 41 articles), rate of epithelialization (38 of 41), infection rate (25 of 41), cosmetic appearance (20 of 41), and cost (10 of 41). Meta-analysis revealed moist dressings result in lower pain (pooled effect size = 1.44). A majority of articles (73%) reported better reepithelialization rates with moist dressings. CONCLUSION: The literature on STSG donor-site dressings has not yet identified an ideal dressing. Although moist dressings provide superior outcomes with regard to pain control and wound healing, there continues to be a lack of standardization. The increasing commercial availability and marketing of novel dressings necessitates the development of standardized research protocols to design better comparison studies and assess true efficacy.

Evidence-Based Medicine: Mandible Fractures.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After reading this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Explain the epidemiology of mandible fractures. 2. Discuss preoperative evaluation of the patient with a mandible fracture. 3. Compare the various modalities of fracture fixation. 4. Identify common complications after fracture repair. SUMMARY: In this Maintenance of Certification/Continuing Medical Education article, the reader is provided with a review of the epidemiology, preoperative evaluation, perioperative management, and surgical outcomes of mandible fractures. The objective of this series is to present a review of the literature so that the practicing physician can remain up-to-date on key evidence-based guidelines to enhance management and improve outcomes. The physician can also seek further in-depth study of the topic through the references provided.

Partial Ear Defects.

Reconstruction of partial ear defects represents one of the most challenging areas within reconstructive surgery of the head and neck. Each case of auricular reconstruction is unique and warrants a systematic approach that accounts for defect size and location, the quality of the surrounding skin, patient preference, and operator experience. In this article, the authors outline different reconstructive approaches for defects of the upper-, middle-, and lower-third of the auricle. The relevant anatomy is discussed in detail. Successful outcomes in auricular reconstruction rely on the surgeon's careful analysis of the defect as well as knowledge of the different reconstructive options available.

Mandible Fractures.

Mandible fractures account for a significant portion of maxillofacial injuries and the evaluation, diagnosis, and management of these fractures remain challenging despite improved imaging technology and fixation techniques. Understanding appropriate surgical management can prevent complications such as malocclusion, pain, and revision procedures. Depending on the type and location of the fractures, various open and closed surgical reduction techniques can be utilized. In this article, the authors review the diagnostic evaluation, treatment options, and common complications of mandible fractures. Special considerations are described for pediatric and atrophic mandibles.

Beta-blockers as therapy for infantile hemangiomas.

Infantile hemangiomas (IH) are common benign vascular tumors seen in children. Although the majority will improve spontaneously without treatment, a small subset will require therapy due to a variety of complications. Less than a decade ago, propranolol replaced corticosteroids as first-line treatment for most IH and it has proven to be a relatively safe, effective therapy. After initiation of propranolol, most hemangiomas show evidence of significant improvement relatively rapidly, often within days. Although propranolol is generally felt to have a more limited side-effect profile than systemic corticosteroids, its use has been infrequently associated with adverse events, including sleep disturbances, acrocyanosis, hypotension, bradycardia, respiratory events, and hypoglycemia. Rarely, hypoglycemic seizures have been reported, usually occurring in the setting of prolonged fasting.

Endobronchial ultrasonography-guided transbronchial needle aspiration biopsy for preoperative nodal staging of lung cancer in a veteran population.

IMPORTANCE: Recently, preoperative lung cancer staging has evolved to include endobronchial ultrasonography-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) biopsies of the hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes, but the feasibility and usefulness of the procedure have not been well studied in the veteran population. OBJECTIVE: To determine the safety and effectiveness of EBUS-TBNA as a key component of a preoperative staging algorithm for lung cancer in veterans. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Review of a prospectively maintained thoracic surgery database that includes patients who underwent lung resection for lung cancer between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2012, at a single Veterans Affairs medical center among a consecutive cohort of 166 patients with clinically early-stage (I or II) lung cancer who underwent lobectomy with nodal dissection. INTERVENTIONS: Endobronchial ultrasonography-guided transbronchial needle aspiration mediastinal staging (EBUS group) in 62 patients (37.3%) was compared with noninvasive nodal staging plus integrated positron emission tomography-computed tomography only (PET/CT-only group) in 104 patients (62.7%). The accuracy of nodal staging was assessed by comparison with the final pathological staging after complete nodal dissection (the gold standard). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Primary outcomes were feasibility, safety, accuracy, and negative predictive value of EBUS-TBNA for preoperative nodal staging. A secondary outcome was the rate of nontherapeutic lung resection for occult N2 disease, with comparison between the EBUS group and the PET/CT-only group. RESULTS: No significant complications were attributable to the EBUS-TBNA procedure. In the EBUS group, 258 lymph node stations were sampled. N1 hilar metastases were diagnosed in 8 patients (12.9%) before surgery, and the remainder were staged N0. Accuracy and negative predictive value of EBUS-TBNA were 93.5% (58 of 62) and 92.6% (50 of 54), respectively. The overall rate of nontherapeutic lung resection performed in patients with occult N2 disease was 10.8% (18 of 166) (8.1% in the EBUS group and 12.5% in the PET/CT-only group) (P = .37). CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: A preoperative lung cancer staging strategy that includes EBUS-TBNA seems to be safe and effective in a veteran population, resulting in a low rate of nontherapeutic operations because of occult N2 nodal disease.