[Place of 3D custom-made implants after failure of modeling steno-chondro-plasties]. / Place des implants sur mesure 3D après échec des sterno-chondro-plasties modelantes.

Most common congenital malformation of the thorax, Pectus Excavatum affects about one in 500 people. Several surgical or medical techniques have been proposed. Some are followed by complications or insufficient results even though their constant functional value is highly controversial. Secondary surgery with a deep customized 3D elastomer implant, may be an elegant effective and safe solution compared to others; it allows a good aesthetic result expected by patients in the absence of any respiratory or cardio-vascular functional context.

[Acne inversa (hidradenitis suppurativa)]. / Acne inversa (Hidradenitis suppurativa).

Hidradenitis suppurativa (acne inversa) is a chronic inflammatory follicular skin disease which leads to fistulae, abscesses and scarring. The Hurley classification is used to quantify the extent of the disease whereby stage III is associated with extensive disfiguring lesions. The most frequently used conservative treatment options are topical clindamycin, systemic antibiotics, e.g. clindamycin and rifampicin, anti-TNF antibodies and laser epilation. Complete excision of fistulae with or without plastic coverage of defects are the mainstays of surgical treatment. Preoperative and postoperative strategies to diminish tissue loss and options for recurrence prevention are discussed.

Fetal spina bifida repair--current trends and prospects of intrauterine neurosurgery.

Myelomeningocele is a common dysraphic defect leading to severe impairment throughout the patient's lifetime. Although surgical closure of this anomaly is usually performed in the early postnatal period, an estimated 330 cases of intrauterine repair have been performed in a few specialized centers worldwide. It was hoped prenatal intervention would improve the prognosis of affected patients, and preliminary findings suggest a reduced incidence of shunt-dependent hydrocephalus, as well as an improvement in hindbrain herniation. However, the expectations for improved neurological outcome have not been fulfilled and not all patients benefit from fetal surgery in the same way. Therefore, a multicenter randomized controlled trial was initiated in the USA to compare intrauterine with conventional postnatal care, in order to establish the procedure-related benefits and risks. The primary study endpoints include the need for shunt at 1 year of age, and fetal and infant mortality. No data from the trial will be published before the final analysis has been completed in 2008, and until then, the number of centers offering intrauterine MMC repair in the USA is limited to 3 in order to prevent the uncontrolled proliferation of new centers offering this procedure. In future, refined, risk-reduced surgical techniques and new treatment options for preterm labor and preterm rupture of the membranes are likely to reduce associated maternal and fetal risks and improve outcome, but further research will be needed.

[Free and pedicled muscle transfer as a therapy option in urological surgery]. / Der freie und gestielte Muskeltransfer als Therapieoption in der urologischen Chirurgie.

Various demands of reconstruction define restoration technique. The basic principle involves optimal anatomical and functional reconstruction with concurrent minimal donor-site morbidity. Dependent on the aetiology of the defect, there are various reconstructive possibilities available for obtaining an optimal result. An immediate single stage reconstruction, with the best possible result for the individual patient as the primary consideration, can be carried out by interdisciplinary teams. In this overview, the most common indications and principles of flap choice are presented in relation to the reconstructive requirements necessary for early rehabilitation of the patient or the earlier start of necessary adjuvant therapy.

Surgical therapy of peripheral nerve lesions: current status and new perspectives.

The severe functional deficits in patients suffering from traumatic peripheral nerve damage underline the necessity of an optimal therapy. The development of microsurgical techniques in the sixties contributed significantly to the progress in nerve repair. Since then, no major clinical innovation has become established. However, with an increased understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying nerve regeneration, various tubulization concepts have been developed which yield possible alternatives to direct suturing and to autologous nerve grafting in cases of short nerve defects. The vast knowledge gathered in the field of nerve regeneration needs to be further exploited in order to develop alternative therapeutic strategies to nerve autografting, which can result in donor-site defects and often lead to inappropriate results. Considering the encouraging results from preclinical studies, innovative nerve repair strategies are likely to improve the outcome of reconstructive surgical interventions. This paper outlines, in addition to the fundamentals of nerve regeneration, the current treatment options for defects of peripheral nerves. This article also reviews the developments in the use of alternative nerve guides and demonstrates new perspectives in the field of peripheral nerve reconstruction.