Utilizing the Subunit Concept to Achieve Better Outcomes in Lower Limb Reconstruction: A Clinical Experience in an Asian Population.

Background: The goals of reconstruction have progressed from filling a defect to enhancing function and aesthetic appearance. We aimed to achieve better aesthetic and functional outcomes in terms of shoe fitting and mobility. This is accomplished via a classification of the subunits and aesthetic considerations of the lower limb. Methods: Between April 2017 and December 2021, 66 cases of lower extremity free fasciocutaneous flap reconstruction cases were included in this retrospective study. Data parameters include age, sex, comorbidities, etiology of lower limb wounds, choice of free flap reconstruction, recipient arterial vessels, complications of flap reconstruction, and need for secondary debulking procedures. Physiotherapy records were also examined to determine the time to independent ambulation. Results: In total, 66 subjects were identified. The mean age was 48.6. An estimated 74.2% (n = 49) were men, 50% (n = 33) had diabetes, and 16.6% (n = 11) had peripheral vascular disease. Of the total wounds, 65.1% (n = 43) were caused by infection, whereas the remaining 34.9% (n = 23) were due to trauma. Of the cases, 72.7% (n = 48) had free anterolateral thigh flap reconstruction, 25.8% (n = 17) were reconstructed with superficial circumflex iliac artery perforator flaps, and 1.5% (n = 1) was reconstructed with medial sural artery perforator flaps. Cases that required secondary debulking procedures comprised 7.6% (n = 5). Conclusions: Free fasciocutaneous flaps are useful in lower extremity reconstruction. Based on the subunit principle and aesthetic considerations for lower limb reconstruction, it can aid in optimizing functional rehabilitation and decreasing secondary procedures.

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy as the presenting feature in a patient with occult low-count monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis.

Introduction: Low Count Monoclonal B-Cell Lymphocytosis (LC-MBL) is a relatively poorly understood entity which has been suggested to be very common in asymptomatic adults and possibly related to infectious complications despite not progressing to CLL. Methods: We describe the first case of Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML) presenting in a 72-year-old man with LC-MBL but no other immunocompromising conditions. Results: A diagnosis of PML was confirmed with classic MRI findings in association with a high CSF John Cunningham polyomavirus (JCV) viral load (4.09' 105 copies/mL). An extensive search for underlying immunocompromising conditions only demonstrated LC-MBL representing approximately 4% of total leukocytes (0.2' 109/L). Discussion: This is the first report of PML in association with LC-MBL. Careful review of peripheral blood flow cytometry results is necessary to identify this disorder. Further study of the epidemiology and infectious complications of LC-MBL are warranted.

Introduction: La lymphocytose monoclonale à cellules B (LMB) est une maladie relativement mal comprise qui serait très courante chez des adultes asymptomatiques et qui pourrait être liée à des complications infectieuses, même si elle n'évolue pas en leucémie lymphocytique chronique. Méthodologies: Nous décrivons le premier cas de leucoencéphalopathie multifocale progressive (LEMP) observé chez un patient (72 ans) atteint de LMB, mais ne présentant pas d'autres pathologies induisant une immunodéficience. Résultats: Des résultats d'IRM classiques et une forte charge du virus JC (John Cunningham) dans le liquide céphalorachidien (4,09 × 105 copies/mL) ont confirmé un diagnostic de LEMP. De nombreux tests visant à révéler une immunodéficience sous-jacente ont seulement montré que les cellules B monoclonales représentaient environ 4% des leucocytes totaux (0,2 × 109/L). Discussion: Il s'agit du premier cas observé de LEMP en association avec une LMB. Il faut analyser soigneusement les résultats d'une cytométrie en flux du sang périphérique pour diagnostiquer ce trouble. Il convient de continuer d'étudier l'épidémiologie et les complications infectieuses de la LMB.

Initial experience with enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) and early discharge protocols after robotic extended totally extraperitoneal (eTEP) hernia surgery.

BACKGROUND: Though robotic adoption for eTEP surgery has decreased technical barriers to minimally invasive repairs of large ventral hernias, relatively few studies have examined outcomes of robotic-specific eTEP surgery. This study evaluates safety, feasibility, and early outcomes of ERAS/same-day discharge protocols for robotic eTEP ventral hernia repairs. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed for all robotic eTEP hernia surgeries at a single institution between 2019 and 2022. Analysis included patient demographics, hernia characteristics, intraoperative data, and post-operative outcomes at 30 days. ERAS protocol included: judicious use of urinary catheters with removal at end of case if placed, bilateral transversus abdominus plane (TAP) blocks, post-operative abdominal wall binder, and opioid-sparing perioperative analgesia. Patients were discharged same day from post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) if they lacked comorbidities requiring observation post-anesthesia and demonstrated stable vital signs, adequate pain control, ability to void, and ability to ambulate. Hospital length of stay (LOS) was considered 0 for same-day PACU discharges or hospitalizations < 24 h. RESULTS: 102 patients were included in this case series. 69% (70/102) of patients were discharged same-day (mean LOS 0.47 ± 0.80 days). Within 30 post-operative days, 3% (3/102) of patients presented to the ER, 2% (2/102) were readmitted to the hospital, and 1% (1/102) required reoperation. There was 1 serious complication (Clavien-Dindo grade 3/4) with an aggregate complication rate of 7.8%. CONCLUSIONS: Our initial experience with ERAS protocols and same-day discharges after robotic eTEP repair demonstrates this approach is safe and feasible with acceptable short-term patient outcomes. Compared to traditional open surgery for large ventral hernias, robotic eTEP may enable significant reductions in hospital LOS as adoption increases.

Does the Adoption of Molecular Testing Cause Decreased Thyroidectomy Rates in a National Cohort? A Quasiexperimental Study of High- Versus Low-Adoption States.

Background: Over the last decade, the utilization of molecular testing (MT) for the evaluation of thyroid nodules has increased. Rates and patterns of adoption of MT and its effect on thyroidectomy rates nationally are unknown. Varying rates of MT adoption at the state level provide an opportunity to study the effects of MT on thyroidectomy rates using a quasiexperimental study design. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of American adult patients in the Merative™ MarketScan® Research Databases who underwent thyroid fine-needle aspiration (FNA) from 2011 to 2021. MT included commercially available DNA and RNA platforms and traditional targeted mutational analysis. Interrupted time series analysis was used to evaluate the inflection of MT adoption and thyroidectomy rates after 2015. Difference-in-differences (DID) analysis was used to causally analyze the effect of MT adoption on thyroidectomy rates in high-adoption (at least a 10% increase in MT utilization) versus low-adoption states (no more than 5% increase in MT utilization) from 2015 to 2021. Results: We identified 471,364 patients who underwent thyroid FNA. The utilization of MT increased over the study period from 0.01% [confidence interval, CI: 0.00% to 0.02%] to 10.1% [CI: 9.7% to 10.5%], in 2021, with an immediate (ß2 = 1.61, p = 0.002) and deeper (ß3 = 0.6, p < 0.001) increase in MT adoption after 2015. Utilization of MT was lower in black patients, the elderly, rural areas, and patients with Medicaid (p < 0.05). Thyroidectomy rates were inversely correlated with MT utilization (r = -0.98, p < 0.0001). From 2015 to 2021, the average MT utilization rate increased from 2.4% to 15.3% in high-adoption states and 1.6% to 5.6% in low-adoption states. In low-adoption states, thyroidectomy rates decreased more but to similar levels (18.5-13.2%) compared with high-adoption states (15.9-13.4%) with an adjusted DID rate of -3.3% [CI -5.6% to -0.8%]. Conclusions: The acceleration in adoption of MT after 2015 likely coincides with the publication of American Thyroid Association guidelines. Black, elderly, and rural patients are less likely to receive MT. Although thyroidectomy rates were inversely correlated with MT utilization, our study suggests that this correlation is not causal. The effect of MT on thyroidectomy rates may be overshadowed by decreasing aggressiveness of thyroid nodule evaluation.

Curricular Reform in Serious Illness Communication and Palliative Care: Using Medical Students' Voices to Guide Change.

PURPOSE: To gather and leverage the voices of students to drive creation of required, integrated palliative care curricula within undergraduate medical education in Massachusetts, which is lacking in a majority of U.S. medical schools. METHOD: The study was conducted by the Massachusetts Medical Schools' Collaborative, a working group committed to ensuring all medical students in Massachusetts receive foundational training in serious illness communication (SIC) and palliative care. Eight focus groups (2 per participating medical school) were conducted during January-May 2021 and included a total of 50 students from Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Tufts University School of Medicine, and the UMass Chan Medical School. Data collected from focus groups were discussed and coded. Themes were identified using the immersion/crystallization qualitative data analysis approach. RESULTS: Six key themes emerged. Students viewed SIC as essential to high-quality medical practice regardless of specialty, and believed training in SIC skills and palliative care should be required in medical school curricula. Students preferred to learn and practice these skills using frameworks, particularly in real-world situations. Students recognized the expertise of palliative care specialists and described them as a scarce, often misunderstood resource in health care. Students reported it was mostly "luck" if they were included in family meetings and observed good role models. Finally, students desired practice in debriefing after difficult and emotional situations. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms long-standing themes on students' experiences with SIC and palliative care topics, including feeling inadequately prepared to care for seriously ill patients as future physicians. Our study collected students' perspectives as actionable data to develop recommendations for curricular change. Collaborative faculty also created recommendations based on the focus group data for immediate and ongoing SIC and palliative care curricular change in Massachusetts, which can apply to medical schools nationwide.

Treatment times for delivering adjuvant breast radiotherapy at a cancer centre in Ontario, Canada.

BACKGROUND: Time is a valuable commodity that impacts hospital flow, patient experience and economic resources. This study aims to identify factors that affect daily treatment time over a course of radiation therapy (RT) in patients who underwent adjuvant breast RT. METHODS: In all adjuvant breast/chestwall RT patients treated from October 2017 to May 2018, daily set-up, beam delivery time, and overall treatment times were collected. A multivariable linear regression analysis was conducted to identify significant predictive factors related to treatment time. A general linear regression model was used to determine whether there was a learning curve effect throughout the course of treatment that decreased treatment time as patient and staff familiarity with the treatment procedure increased. RESULTS: A total of 567 patients were included with a median age of 61 years. The average overall treatment time for 2-field and 4-field RT was 8.3 (SD 2.4) and 13.1 (SD 5.6) minutes, respectively. Factors that significantly increased overall treatment times in patients prescribed 2-field RT were: bilateral techniques, breath-hold (BH) techniques, prone techniques (PR), reverse decubitus techniques (RD), wide tangents techniques, the use of bolus and number of segments delivered. (p < 0.05). Factors that significantly increased overall treatment times in patients who received 3-field and 4-field RT were: wide tangents volumes, a higher number of monitor units (MUs), bilateral techniques and BH techniques (p < 0.05). Older patients (≥60) who underwent 3-field and 4-field RT demonstrated a statistically significant increase in set-up time (p < 0.0001). Overall treatment time decreased from 10.0 to 9.3 min over the course of treatment, suggesting a minor learning curve (p = 0.009). CONCLUSION: The use of bilateral RT, BH, PR, RD, wide tangents, bolus, increasing treatment volumes, and increasing plan complexity were associated with increased treatment times. Future research should quantify the impact of other factors (BMI, mobility, patient care assessments, and imaging protocols) and utility of technological tools (time-predicting models, machine learning tools, and operations research models) on treatment time to optimize RT scheduling and improve resource management.

Uniportal thoracoscopic sympathicotomy for hyperhidrosis.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathicotomy is the most widely used technique in the modern era for the treatment of primary hyperhidrosis. Primary hyperhidrosis is characterized by excessive sweating and significantly affects the quality of life in those who suffer from it. This video tutorial details a uniportal, drainless sympathicotomy performed by the cardiothoracic surgical team at St George Hospital, Sydney, Australia.

Understanding primary palliative nursing education in undergraduate nursing programs.

BACKGROUND: Nurses are the largest segment of health care professionals and often the first one to interact with individuals about their health and illness. Ensuring nurses have the education to care for individuals with serious illness is essential to quality health care. The new AACN Essentials: Competencies for Professional Nursing Education delineates hospice/palliative/supportive care as one of four spheres of nursing care. Surveying undergraduate schools/colleges of nursing in Massachusetts about content pertaining to care of individuals with serious illness provides the foundation for a state strategy to ensure quality primary palliative education for undergraduate nursing students. METHODS: A Massachusetts statewide college/school of nursing survey approach to assessing primary palliative nursing education within undergraduate baccalaureate nursing curricula was performed from June 2020 to December 2020. Because the project was a collaboration with the Deans of the college/school of nursing, the survey identified the programs. RESULTS: Survey results revealed that only a small number of Massachusetts nursing programs are preparing nurses with specific and formal primary palliative nursing education. However, programs are open to support and resources. CONCLUSION: The survey provided information to inform a successful strategy to support primary palliative nursing education within Massachusetts undergraduate baccalaureate nursing curricula. A survey approach can serve as a model for other states.

A rare care of Lomentospora prolificans sternal wound infection post aortic valve replacement-an approach to surgical management.

A 77-year-old woman underwent surgical aortic valve replacement via hemisternotomy. Her post-operative course was unremarkable. Owing to travel and contact restrictions during the COVID pandemic, she was unable to attend routine follow up. She continued review with her local medical officer in regional New South Wales. Post 6 months following her index surgery, she was referred to the Infectious Disease Clinic of her local hospital with a non-healing lesion at the base of her hemi-sternotomy wound. Computed tomography revealed a deep sternal wound infection which extended deep to bone. She was admitted to hospital for treatment. The primary pathogen identified was Lomentospora prolificans-a dangerous fungus that affects immunosuppressed patients. Strong antifungal and adjunctive antibiotics did not contribute much to clearance of infection. Radical surgical debridement was required to obtain clean tissue margins.

Translocation of aberrant right subclavian artery to the ascending aorta-a treatment for dysphagia lusoria.

Generally, an aberrantly coursing right subclavian artery (ARSA), also known as 'arteria lusoria', is an incidental diagnosis of no clinical consequence. Where correction is indicated, popular practice is for decompression via staged percutaneous +/- vascular methods. Open/thoracic options for correction are not widely discussed. We report the case of a 41-year-old woman with dysphagia secondary to ARSA. Her vascular anatomy precluded staged percutaneous intervention. The ARSA was translocated to the ascending aorta via thoracotomy, utilizing cardiopulmonary bypass. Our technique is a safe option for low-risk patients with symptomatic ARSA. It obviates the need for staged surgery and removes the risk of carotid-to-subclavian bypass failure.

Delayed prosthetic seroma: a localized inflammatory response to COVID vaccination and infection?

We present a patient whom we believe developed a late abdominal mesh collection in response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccination booster and COVID-19 infection. A polypropylene mesh was placed during her right breast reconstruction operation 2 years ago where she underwent a right transverse abdominis rectus muscle (TRAM) free flap. She recovered uneventfully from this operation. This lady, though vaccinated, developed respiratory symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19 infection 3 days after her booster injection. She then noticed right-sided abdominal swelling 3 days after the onset of respiratory symptoms. She only presented 1 month later due to a 7-day history of pain at the site of abdominal swelling. A computed tomography scan confirmed the presence of a seroma, and she underwent ultrasound-guided percutaneous drainage. A COVID Antigen Rapid Test of the fluid returned positive, though the PCR swab returned negative. There have been no published reports of periprosthetic mesh seroma after COVID-19 vaccination or infection to date. We wanted to share our experience so that other surgeons may be aware of this potential presentation given the current ongoing pandemic. Level of evidence: Level V, risk/prognostic.

Late Seroma in Breast Implants: A Coronavirus Disease 2019 Phenomenon?

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been challenging in all aspects of the medical field with new clinical presentations constantly arising. Plastic surgeons are not immune to this and need to be aware of their implications. There has been a recent report of late periprosthetic seroma (breast implant) as a clinical manifestation of COVID-19 infection. To our knowledge, this phenomenon has not been further reported. We present a 53-year-old immunocompromised lady who developed late seroma after COVID-19 infection. She eventually required explantation of the implant and is awaiting autologous reconstruction. It is likely that we will increasingly continue to see this phenomenon of implant complications as a result of COVID-19 infection and should be watchful, especially regarding potential immunocompromised patients.

Exclusion of Patients With Brain Metastases in Published Phase III Clinical Trials for Advanced Breast Cancer.

Metastatic HER2-positive (HER2+) and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) confer a 30% or higher risk of developing brain metastases (BrM), but BrM is typically an exclusion criteria for clinical trials, which limits the generalizability of trial results to these patients. We therefore analysed trends in the enrollment of patients with BrM, as well as the use of outcomes specific to the central nervous system (CNS), in phase III clinical trials evaluating systemic therapy for patients with advanced HER2+ and/or TNBC. Notably, 10 of the 34 trials (29%, 95% confidence interval = 15.1%-47.5%) evaluated CNS-specific outcomes and trials that completely excluded patients with BrM were significantly less likely to meet their primary endpoint (n = 6/17, 35%) than those that permitted conditional enrollment (n = 13/15, 87%) (P = .005), suggesting that enrollment of patients with BrM is not detrimental to trial success.

Management strategies for borderline and narcissistic personality disorders in dermatology practice: a review.

Dermatologists are often ill-equipped to promptly identify and manage patients with personality disorders. Patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) frequently present to dermatology clinics, particularly those that provide esthetic services. Although dermatologists should ideally utilize specific management strategies when working with these patients, there is a lack of awareness and availability of resources on how to do so. Here, we review the psychiatry, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and dermatology literature to provide recommendations on tangible management strategies for dermatologists to avoid common mistakes that are made while managing patients with BPD and NPD. Additionally, we also discuss common dermatologic manifestations of BPD and NPD to improve providers' ability to identify patients with these conditions in their practices.

Changes in Biomarkers of Cigarette Smoke Exposure After 6 Days of Switching Exclusively or Partially to Use of the JUUL System with Two Nicotine Concentrations: A Randomized Controlled Confinement Study in Adult Smokers.

INTRODUCTION: Evidence suggests that cigarette smokers who switch to electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) reduce their exposure to harmful toxicants and carcinogens. It is unclear if dual-use is associated with decreases in exposure to toxicants. METHODS: This parallel-group confinement study assessed changes in biomarkers of exposure (BOEs) over six days among healthy adult smokers who were randomized into 1 of 11 study groups: eight JUUL-brand System (JUUL) groups (4 JUUL flavors [Virginia Tobacco, Menthol, Mint, Mango] × 2 nicotine concentrations [5.0% or 3.0% by weight]); Dual-Use group used preferred JUUL flavor (5.0% nicotine) and ≤50% usual brand (UB) cigarettes/day; UB Cigarette group and one group abstained from all tobacco/nicotine product use (Abstinence group). Urine and blood analysis assessed changes in primary BOE endpoints (NNAL, 3-HPMA, MHBMA, S-PMA COHb) and secondary BOE endpoints (NNN, HMPMA, CEMA, 1-OHP, O-toluidine, 2-NA, 4-ABP) among 279 adult smokers. RESULTS: In JUUL groups, median percent reductions in primary BOEs (Day 6-Baseline) were 90%-≥100% of Abstinence; there were no significant differences between JUUL groups and Abstinence. All reductions in JUUL groups were substantially and statistically significantly greater than reductions in the UB Cigarette group (ps < 0.025). Median reductions in primary BOEs in the Dual-Use group were 43%-55% of Abstinence. Similar results were observed for secondary BOEs. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the use of JUUL as a complete or partial substitute (i.e., dual-use with ≥50% reduction in cigarette consumption) for combustible cigarettes can substantially reduce exposure to multiple toxins associated with cigarette smoking. IMPLICATIONS: This study adds to the growing body of evidence supporting the utility of ENDS products as potentially reduced-harm alternatives to cigarettes for adult smokers. Adult smokers who switched completely from cigarette smoking to use of the JUUL System ("JUUL") in two nicotine concentrations (5.0% and 3.0%) and four flavors significantly reduced their exposure to multiple classes of cigarette-related toxicants. Additionally, smokers who used JUUL and continued smoking but reduced their daily cigarette consumption by ≥50% (dual users) also significantly reduced their toxicant exposure compared to cigarette smoking.

Patient-Reported Pain in Patients with Breast Cancer Who Receive Radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Patients who receive radiation treatment (RT) for breast cancer often report pain, which contributes negatively to quality of life (QoL). AIMS: To identify demographic, treatment, and disease characteristics associated with pain and changes in pain before and after RT using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS). DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTINGS: Odette Cancer Centre. PARTICIPANTS: Patients diagnosed with nonmetastatic breast cancer from January 2011-June 2017 with at least one ESAS completed pre-RT and one completed post-RT. METHODS: Data on systemic treatment, radiation, patient demographics, and disease stage were extracted. To identify factors associated with pain before and after RT and changes in pain, univariate and multivariate general linear regression analysis were conducted. p < .05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: This study included 1,222 female patients with a mean age of 59 years. ESAS was completed an average of 28 days before RT (baseline) and 142 days after RT, respectively. In multivariable analysis, higher baseline pain scores were associated with having recently completed adjuvant chemotherapy (p = .002) and eventual receipt of locoregional (p = .026) or chest wall (p = .003) radiation. Adjuvant chemotherapy (p = .002) and chest wall radiation (p = .03), were associated with a significant reduction in pain score after radiotherapy, while locoregional RT was associated with a higher pain score after RT (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with locoregional RT had higher baseline pain that remained elevated after RT completion and should be screened for pain and provided with pain management and support when necessary.

Assessing the health status and mortality of older people over 65 with HIV.

BACKGROUND: Nearly half of people with HIV in the United States are 50 years or older, and this proportion is growing. Between 2012 and 2016, the largest percent increase in the prevalence rate of HIV was among people aged 65 and older, the eligibility age for Medicare coverage for individuals without a disability or other qualifying condition. Previous work suggests that older people with HIV may have higher rates of chronic conditions and develop them more rapidly than older people who do not have HIV. This study compared the health status of older people with HIV with the older US population not living with HIV by comparing: (1) mortality; (2) prevalence of certain conditions, and (3) incidence of these conditions with increasing age. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We used a sample of Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older from the Medicare Master Beneficiary Summary File for the years 2011 to 2016, including 100% of individuals with HIV (N = 43,708), as well as a random 1% sample of individuals without diagnosed HIV (N = 1,029,518). We conducted a survival analysis using a Cox proportional hazards model to assess mortality and to determine the need to adjust for differential mortality in our analyses of the incidence of certain chronic conditions. These results showed that Medicare beneficiaries living with HIV have a significantly higher hazard of mortality compared to older people without diagnosed HIV (3.6 times the hazard). We examined the prevalence of these conditions using logistic regression analysis and found that people with HIV have a statistically significant higher odds of depression, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), osteoporosis, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, diabetes, chronic hepatitis, end-stage liver disease, lung cancer, and colorectal cancer. To look at the rate at which older people are diagnosed with conditions as they age, we used a Fine-Gray competing risk model and showed that for individuals without diagnosis of a given condition at age 65, the future incidence of that condition over the remaining study period was higher for people with HIV even after adjusting for differential hazard of mortality and for other demographic characteristics. Many of these results also varied by personal characteristics including Medicaid dual enrollment, sex, and race and ethnicity, as well as by condition. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing access to care and improving health outcomes for people with HIV is a critical goal of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy 2020. It is important for clinicians and policymakers to be aware that despite significant advances in the treatment and care of people with HIV, older people with HIV have a higher odds of having multiple chronic conditions at any point in time, a higher incidence of new diagnoses of these conditions over time, and a higher hazard of mortality than Medicare beneficiaries without HIV.

No-drain Technique in Abdominal Closure for Breast Reconstruction: Lower Complication Rate, Shorter Hospitalization Stay.

BACKGROUND: Progressive tension suture (PTS) technique in cosmetic abdominoplasty is safe in terms of seroma rates. This was extrapolated to deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap donor site closure. No study to our knowledge has analyzed the PTS technique alone without drains in transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) flap donor sites. We aim to show that no-drain closure has similar complication rates and this may be applied to TRAM flaps safely even though they have higher drain output. METHODS: A single-center, single-surgeon retrospective study was performed over 4 years. Patients undergoing breast reconstruction with an abdominal flap were included. Data collected included patient's demographics, type of flap, usage of drains or PTS technique, drain output, date of fitness for discharge, date of discharge, and seroma rates. The outcomes studied were drain volumes, seroma rates, and duration of hospital stay. RESULTS: Fifty patients were recruited. The first 25 patients (13 DIEP and 12 TRAM) underwent conventional closure. The subsequent 25 patients (17 DIEP and 8 TRAM) underwent PTS technique. TRAM flaps had higher drain volume (785.6 mL) compared to DIEP flaps (366.2 mL) (P = 0.047). No patients developed a seroma. Patients who underwent the PTS technique had lower abdominal-specific complications (P = 0.021). Patients without drains were discharged faster at 5.4 versus 8.2 days (P ≤ 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who underwent the PTS technique had lower complication rates, faster time to fitness for discharge and shorter hospitalization stay. The PTS technique may be applied to TRAM flaps safely.

Use of Adjuvant Breast Hypofractionation Radiation Treatment at a Cancer Center in Ontario From 2011 to 2018.

BACKGROUND: The adoption of hypofractionated radiotherapy (HFRT) into clinical practice varies widely despite randomized trials and guidelines supporting its equivalence to conventional fractionated radiotherapy (CFRT) for certain patient populations. We assessed the use of HFRT at a single institution from 2011 to 2018, as well as time-savings calculations. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted for patients with breast cancer receiving adjuvant radiotherapy by HFRT or CFRT. Trends in HFRT use (≤ 16 fractions) were stratified according to 4 subgroups: tangential breast RT, locoregional breast RT, tangential chest wall RT, and locoregional chest wall RT. Treatment time savings were approximated using the institutional median treatment time. RESULTS: A total of 5190 patients were included. HFRT use in all subgroups increased from 2011 to 2018. Tangential breast HFRT alone increased from 62.2% in 2011 to 96.9% in 2018. Locoregional breast HFRT and tangential chest wall HFRT use increased from less than 10% in 2011 to 76.2% and 76.9% in 2018. In locoregional chest wall RT, HFRT use of 44.9% was observed in 2018. Increased use of locoregional HFRT was mainly due to institutional policy changes. Time-savings calculations showed that 4002 hours of treatment or an additional 1402 HFRT courses could have been administered if all patients received HFRT. CONCLUSION: The use of HFRT at our center increased in all patient subgroups. More evidence and guidelines for patients receiving chest wall or locoregional HFRT are required because the use of HFRT remains low in these patient cohorts.