Patient-Related Risk Factors for Worsened Abdominal Well-Being after Autologous Breast Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Patient-reported lower satisfaction with the abdomen preoperatively is a strong predictor of undergoing DIEP flap surgery. The authors evaluated physical well-being of the abdomen before and after flap-based breast reconstruction to determine potential predictors for decreased postoperative abdominal well-being. METHODS: The authors retrospectively analyzed an institutional breast reconstruction registry, selecting patients who underwent abdominally based autologous flap breast reconstruction from 2010 to 2015. The authors' primary outcome was the Physical Well-being of the Abdomen domain from the BREAST-Q, measured preoperatively and at 6- and 12-month follow-up visits after final reconstruction. The authors classified two patient groups: those who experienced a clinically important worsening of Physical Well-being of the Abdomen score and those who did not. The authors used the chi-square test, t test, and Wilcoxon rank sum test, and multivariable logistic regression to identify potential predictors. RESULTS: Of 142 women identified, 74 (52 percent) experienced clinically important worsening of physical well-being of the abdomen, whereas 68 (48 percent) did not. The first group experienced a 25-point (95 percent CI, 22 to 28) decrease and the latter an 8-point (95 percent CI, 5 to 10) decrease in score compared to baseline. Multivariable analysis showed an association between higher baseline score and race, with higher odds of decreased score at the 12-month follow-up. A higher baseline RAND-36 general health score, bilateral reconstruction, and a lower body mass index demonstrated a trend for clinically important worsening of physical well-being of the abdomen. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of flap-based breast reconstruction patients experienced clinically important worsening of abdominal well-being after final breast reconstruction. Clinicians may use these findings to identify patients at higher risk of worsened postoperative abdominal well-being. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Risk, III.

Implementing Our Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction Enhanced Recovery after Surgery Pathway: Consensus Obstacles and Recommendations.

Enhanced recovery after surgery pathways are well established in other surgical specialties but are relatively new in plastic surgery. These guidelines focus on improving patient care by incorporating evidence-based recommendations. Length of stay is shorter, and overall hospital costs are lower without compromising patient satisfaction. When care is standardized, ambiguity is removed and physician acceptance is improved. Yet, implementation can be challenging on an institutional level. The Johns Hopkins microsurgical breast reconstruction team identified areas of dogmatic dissonance during 3 focus groups to formalize an enhanced recovery pathway for microsurgical breast reconstruction. Six microsurgeons used nominal group technique to reach consensus. Four discussion points were identified: multidisciplinary buy-in, venous thromboembolism (VTE) chemophylaxis, early feeding, and dietary restrictions. Evidence-based recommendations and our enhanced recovery after surgery protocol are provided.

Comparison of keystone flaps and skin grafts for oncologic reconstruction: A retrospective review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Two common options for the closure of complex defects are local flaps and skin grafting. The keystone flap, a fasciocutaneous flap based on perforators, has demonstrated compelling ease of use, reproducibility, and low complication rates without requiring a distant donor site. Our objective for this study was to compare postoperative outcomes for keystone flaps and skin grafts in cancer resection. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of patients undergoing keystone flap closure or skin grafting for soft tissue defects resulting from cancer resection at a single institution from June 2017 to June 2018. Patient demographics, operative indications, length of stay, time to heal, and complications were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 34 patients were identified having undergone either keystone reconstruction (n = 16) or skin graft (n = 18) after oncologic resection. Patients undergoing keystone flap reconstruction had significantly shorter mobility restriction and healing times. Length of hospital stay and overall complication rates were not significantly different. CONCLUSION: The keystone flap is an adaptable tool that can safely be used for the coverage of complex defects with faster healing, shorter mobility restriction, and comparable complication rates to skin grafting without the need for a distant donor site.

Evolution of Workforce Diversity in Surgery✰.

OBJECTIVE: Assessing workforce diversity over time is essential to understanding how it has evolved and anticipating its future. We conducted the current study to evaluate gender, racial/ethnic, and duty trends over the past decade in general surgery and surgical subspecialties. DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional study. We calculated ratios and relative changes to assess potential differences of physicians' characteristics across time and surgical subspecialties. SETTING: We evaluated data acquired by the Association of American Medical Colleges. PARTICIPANTS: We extracted data from the 2000 to 2013 including the overall number of surgeons, surgeon race/ethnicity, gender, and primary professional activity. RESULTS: During 2000 to 2013, the total number of surgeons increased 11.5%, reaching 172,062 active surgeons and residents, the majority of whom were White (64%) or male (75%). However, from 2000 to 2013, most specialties showed some improvement in terms of including minorities and females. Most surgeons (98%) participate in patient care while a small portion are devoted to other activities (e.g., administrative, research, teaching; 2%). Both groups increased over the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the face of surgery is changing. Continuous monitoring of the surgical workforce is important to anticipate future needs and to serve a diverse patient population.

Enhanced Recovery after Surgery Pathway for Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The enhanced recovery after surgery pathway was introduced in 1997 as a multimodal approach to reduce preventable postoperative harm and shorten hospital length of stay. However, there is yet no widely accepted enhanced recovery after surgery protocol for microsurgical breast reconstruction. The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the current literature on enhanced recovery after surgery for microsurgical breast reconstruction with regard to postoperative length of stay and morbidity. METHODS: The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched for all studies published before June of 2016 containing original data on enhanced recovery after surgery in microsurgical breast reconstruction in relation to postoperative length of stay and morbidity. Studies were screened using eligibility criteria. Meta-analysis, odds ratio, and 95 percent confidence interval were used to pool acquired data. RESULTS: The initial search identified 86 studies. Two independent screeners identified four original articles with a total of 676 patients. Length of stay was significantly shorter for patients on an enhanced recovery after surgery pathway (mean difference, -1.23; 95 percent CI, -1.50 to -0.96; p < 0.001; I = 0 percent; random effects model). Enhanced recovery was not associated with changes in 30-day postoperative morbidity; specifically, no significant difference was observed in rates of partial flap loss (p = 0.44), total flap loss (p = 0.91), breast hematoma (p = 0.69), donor-site infection (p = 0.53), urinary tract infection (p = 0.29), and pneumonia (p = 0.42). CONCLUSION: The authors' review suggests that enhanced recovery after surgery in microsurgical breast reconstruction is associated with a reduced length of stay, and is not associated with increased postoperative morbidity.

Origins of Gender Affirmation Surgery: The History of the First Gender Identity Clinic in the United States at Johns Hopkins.

BACKGROUND: Gender-affirming care, including surgery, has gained more attention recently as third-party payers increasingly recognize that care to address gender dysphoria is medically necessary. As more patients are covered by insurance, they become able to access care, and transgender cultural competence is becoming recognized as a consideration for health care providers. A growing number of academic medical institutions are beginning to offer focused gender-affirming medical and surgical care. In 2017, Johns Hopkins Medicine launched its new Center for Transgender Health. In this context, history and its lessons are important to consider. We sought to evaluate the operation of the first multidisciplinary Gender Identity Clinic in the United States at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, which helped pioneer what was then called "sex reassignment surgery." METHODS: We evaluated the records of the medical archives of the Johns Hopkins University. RESULTS: We report data on the beginning, aim, process, outcomes of the clinic, and the reasons behind its closure. This work reveals the function of, and the successes and challenges faced by, this pioneering clinic based on the official records of the hospital and mail correspondence among the founders of the clinic. CONCLUSION: This is the first study that highlights the role of the Gender Identity Clinic in establishing gender affirmation surgery and reveals the reasons of its closure.

Breast cancer in transgender patients: A systematic review. Part 1: Male to female.

Male-to-Female (MtF) breast cancer events have been reported since 1968 however, MtF patients' risk of breast cancer remain unclear. Following PRISMA guidelines, electronic databases and grey literature were searched April 2018 to identify breast cancer events in MtF transgender persons. Screening and data extraction were independently performed in duplicate by two reviewers. Study quality was assessed using a component-based system. Qualitative analysis was performed on study characteristics, patient demographics, breast cancer characteristics, and breast cancer presentation and management. Eighteen articles met inclusion criteria representing 22 breast cancer events. Median age at breast cancer diagnosis was 51.5 years. The most common breast cancer type was adenocarcinomas (59.1%) and half of the breast cancers were hormone sensitive, with estrogen receptor positive status in 10 of 19 tested and progesterone receptor positive status in 5 of 14 tested. The most common presentation was breast lump (n = 6, 42.9%), two patients had palpable lymph nodes at presentation (14.3%), and six patients eventually developed metastases (42.9%). Seven patients had a recorded positive breast cancer family history and one was BRCA2 positive. Breast cancers were treated with mastectomies (simple, modified radical, and radical), wide local excision, lumpectomy, or were unclear. Four patients received hormone therapy (23.5%), two received radiation (11.8%), and seven received chemotherapy (41.2%). Breast cancer is present in MtF patients and commonly presents at a younger age with a palpable mass. Major gaps in the literature include lack of transgender population data and long term follow-up. This work highlights the need for screening recommendations.

Breast cancer in transgender patients: A systematic review. Part 2: Female to Male.

Transgender men or Female-to-Male (FtM) patients' risk of breast cancer and screening recommendations remain unclear. The objective of this study is to perform a systematic review of the literature and document all reported cases of FtM breast cancer as well as provide research recommendations. Following PRISMA guidelines, MEDLINE, ProQuest, PubMed, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched from inception until September 15, 2016. Screening and data extraction were performed in duplicate by two independent reviewers (RH and JS). Study quality was assessed using a component-based system. Study characteristics, patient demographics, breast cancer characteristics, presentation and management are reported. Eight articles met inclusion criteria representing 17 transgender men with breast cancer. Median age at diagnosis was 44.5 years. Breast cancer types included: 8 invasive ductal carcinomas, two tubular carcinomas and seven unrecorded. Twelve of the 14 known hormone status tumours were estrogen receptor positive (85.7%), of which nine were also progesterone positive. The most common was breast lump (n = 6) and four patients had local regional or distant disease at presentation. Management was reported for ten patients: six patients underwent mastectomy (60.0%), three radiation (30.0%), and five chemotherapy (50.0%). Breast cancer is present in transgender men and the risk is dependent on top surgery; those with top surgery appear to be lower risk than natal females. More longitudinal studies and better population data are required to contribute to evidence-based screening recommendations.

Corrigendum to "Mistaken Diabetic Ulcers: A Case of Bilateral Foot Verrucous Carcinoma".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2018/4192657.].

Mistaken Diabetic Ulcers: A Case of Bilateral Foot Verrucous Carcinoma.

Verrucous carcinoma (VC) is a rare, low-grade, and well-differentiated variant of squamous cell carcinoma. These tumors are slow-growing and exophytic and have a negligible incidence of metastasis. Treatment is complete surgical resection, ideally by Mohs micrographic surgery, to ensure adequate clear margins. Cutaneous VC predominantly occurs on the plantar surface of the foot and rarely occurs in multiple sites. This case study describes the fourth reported occurrence of bilateral VC of the feet in a woman with chronic diabetic foot ulcers. The case provides further support for persistent wounds contributing to the development of this lesion and describes their role in the characteristic delay in diagnosis of VC.

Direct-to-implant Breast Reconstruction with Autoderm.

BACKGROUND: Traditional transverse mastectomies yield suboptimal results in women with higher body mass index, wide breast footprint, and ptotic breasts. An option for this patient population is a reduction-pattern style mastectomy, and recruiting an inferiorly based dermal flap using the lower mastectomy flap. This is analogous to a vascularized dermal matrix supporting the lower pole of the implant, termed "Autoderm" breast reconstruction. This allows for aesthetically appealing skin reduction mastectomies with the added safety of a vascularized dermal flap to facilitate an immediate direct-to-implant breast reconstruction. This study assesses patient satisfaction using the validated BRECON-31 questionnaire to enhance shared-decision making with women contemplating breast reconstruction. METHODS: A 2-year retrospective review of women who underwent Autoderm direct-to-implant breast reconstruction comparing patients who underwent unilateral and bilateral reconstruction in terms of characteristics, complications, and BRECON-31 scoring. RESULTS: Overall patient scores were high (81.6 of 100). In particular, women scored very high on self-image (85.0), arm concerns (86.4), intimacy (87.4), satisfaction (88.3), and expectations subscales (85.5). Women choosing bilateral reconstruction outperformed unilateral reconstruction in every subgroup, but only attained statistical significance in the "self-consciousness" subgroup. Compared with a historical cohort of a mix of implant reconstruction types, Autoderm patients showed improved satisfaction (88.3 versus 82.5; P = 0.07) and breast appearance (73.9 versus 66.8; P = 0.06), approaching significance. Safety was demonstrated by low major complications (4.7%) and low implant loss rates (2.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Autoderm breast reconstruction is a safe option in women with large, ptotic breasts, with patients reporting high satisfaction using a validated instrument.

Incidence and Type of Errors in Microsurgical Technique in Surgical Trainees.

Background The purpose of our study was first to identify microsurgical errors and their incidence. Identifying these common errors and the theoretical approach to prevent or repair them may provide benefit to trainees in the laboratory setting and, ultimately, in the clinical setting. Methods Using a rat femoral artery anastomoses model for resident microsurgical training, direct staff observation with real-time feedback and error identification was employed. Types of microsurgical errors were recorded and instructor feedback relayed to five resident participants. Results Errors were cataloged into five main categories: insufficient approximation (26.1%), vessel backwall (21.7%), incomplete bites (19.6%), tissue tear (19.6%), and irregular widths (13.0%). Further subdivision of the incomplete bite error based on vessel layer violated was performed. Representative figures were created outlining these errors. Conclusions We present common microsurgical errors in trainees and a training model with synchronous feedback. Visual images were designed outlining these errors as an adjunct for teaching.

Avoiding Skin Grafts: The Keystone Flap in Cutaneous Defects.

The Keystone Design Perforator Island Flap is a fasciocutaneous perforator flap resembling two end-to-end VY flaps. We used a modification of the original design to avoid extending the incision into an elliptical pattern, and maintained a trailing skin bridge whilst incising fascia in a tunneling fashion. Thirty patients underwent 32 flaps mainly on the lower leg to close defects that would traditionally require skin grafting. All flaps survived completely, with minor complications in four patients. All but five patients were allowed unrestricted ambulation after surgery. The modified design is straightforward to learn, has reliable perfusion, and provides a simpler recovery for patients. CLINICAL QUESTIONS/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.

Under the knife: medical student perceptions of intimidation and mistreatment.

BACKGROUND: The progression from classroom to clinical setting can be a difficult transition for medical students. Experience in the operating room is anticipated as one of the most challenging environments for a novel medical learner. We sought to identify common concerns before exposure in this learning environment and examine the experience of final-year medical students on their surgical clerkship rotation in an effort to identify areas where improvements can be made. METHODS: A 20-question survey was developed after a focus group met to identify potential issues that medical students encounter during their surgical clerkship. Personal and anecdotal experiences guided the development of the survey. It was distributed to final-year medical students and recent graduates (350 individuals) using SurveyMonkey. A quality improvement ethics application was completed before the commencement of the survey, as were participant consent forms. Responses were grouped and common themes were identified in the experiences reported by 2 investigators. RESULTS: A total of 72 individuals responded to the survey, providing a 21% response rate. Subjects were asked how confident they were in their understanding of what was expected during a surgical rotation. Of them, 52 (72%) responded that they were "unsure" or "very unsure," whereas only 12 and 3 felt "somewhat confident" and "very confident," respectively. Most of the learners felt nervous (96%) and feared appearing incompetent (89%). Common concerns included insufficient knowledge and technical skill, anticipated negative experiences, and feelings of uncertainty regarding medical student expectations. CONCLUSION: We present common themes stemming from medical student experiences during their surgical clerkship. We comment on perception of intimidation and abuse, the rationalization behind such behavior, and perceived lack of guidance. The intention of this analysis was to identify weaknesses in our surgical training so that a quality improvement plan can be implemented.