Posterior Auricle Bilobed Cartilage-skin Flap for Reconstructing the Earlobe: A Case Report.

Because the auricle plays an important role in facial aesthetics, all earlobe operations must seek to limit postoperative ear deformity. This report describes the single-stage posterior-auricle bilobed cartilage-skin flap technique for reconstructing the earlobe. A 31-year-old man incurred a left earlobe deficiency due to a human bite. Earlobe reconstruction was conducted 102 days later. A bilobed flap was designed on the posterior-auricular skin. Both flaps were pedicled in the caudal posterior-auricular area. The first incision raised the upper lobe, which consisted of posterior-auricle skin and conchal cartilage. The skin was sutured to the auricle base so that it formed the anterior earlobe. The cartilage was then cut to separate and processed to the natural curve. The second incision elevated the second flap from the caudal posterior-auricular area. This was sutured to the first flap so that it formed the posterior earlobe. The donor sites were closed with simple sutures. The reconstructed earlobe had no obvious contracture after surgery. Most donor-site scarring was hidden behind the auricle. At 9 months postoperative, the patient was satisfied with the result. Our technique allows us to harvest cartilage from the same operative field, perform a single-stage reconstruction, and recreate a relatively large earlobe with good size and shape. The posterior auricle bilobed cartilage-skin flap technique is useful for earlobe reconstruction.

Cheek Reconstruction with a Nasolabial External-Rotation Flap.

It remains difficult to reconstruct large preauricular defects in a single step with good cosmetic outcomes. We describe here the nasolabial external-rotation (NER) flap, which was combined with a cervical-rotation flap to reconstruct a large skin defect on the preauricular area that included the malar prominence. The patient in case 1 was a 91-year-old man who had a large defect on his right cheek after excision of a squamous cell carcinoma. Three weeks after excision, the 6.5 × 5.5 cm defect was covered with a 5 × 3 cm NER flap, which had a cephalad base and was rotated so its caudal tip covered the malar prominence. The resulting nasolabial defect and the remaining defect occupied the entire buccomandibular area, which was then covered with a 13 × 10 cm cervical-rotation flap. Revision surgery has not been needed for 8.5 months and the cosmetic outcomes are good. The patient in case 2 was a 90-year-old man who had a large defect on his right cheek after excision of a squamous cell carcinoma. Four weeks after excision, the 4.7 × 4 cm defect was covered with an 8 × 3 cm NER flap. The buccomandibular defect was covered with a 9.5 × 5 cm cervical-rotation flap. The flaps survived completely. The NER flap is unique because the flap is moved from the midface to the lateral face. It can reconstruct the malar prominence with thick skin tissue, and it is particularly suitable for older patients. Combining it with a cervical-rotation flap allows for natural subunit reconstruction in a relatively minimally invasive manner with good aesthetic outcomes.

Geometric Wire-frame Fixation of Skin Grafting for Lip Reconstruction.

Postoperative fixation is required for skin grafts on mobile sites. External wire-frame fixation technique has demonstrated a beneficial role for grafts in specific areas such as lips, eyelids, and fingers. Although this technique is sufficient in most cases, patients with psychosis fail to maintain the lip in resting position, which led us to consider using a more rigid fixation method, known as "Geometric wire-frame fixation." Surgical technique included fixing a perimeter frame around skin graft similar to the conventional external wire-frame fixation. In addition, a geometric frame was prepared to divide the area of the graft geometrically. Then, it was placed on gauze to compress the grafted skin, and connected to the perimeter frame. In case 1, a 33-year-old man with a history of schizophrenia and presenting with flame burn injury sustained while attempting suicide was admitted. The scar on the lips was excised, and an external wire-frame fixation was performed. However, postoperative vigorous mouth movements caused incomplete survival of the skin graft. Geometric wire-frame fixation was performed in the next operation, and the graft fully survived. The patient in case 2 was a 62-year-old man who developed a facial scar contracture after chemical injury by sulfuric acid. We performed geometric wire-frame fixation with contracture release of the upper lip, and the skin graft was fully taken. The geometric wire-frame fixation method allows for rigid fixation of the skin graft and can be considered as a valuable option, especially for lip reconstruction in poorly compliant patients who are unable to maintain proper resting lips.

Ten-Year Outcomes After Catcher's Mask Cranioplasty for Large Cranial Bone Defects in Children: A Report of Two Cases.

Cranioplasty is complicated in children with severe, extensive head trauma because allografting is not advisable in pediatric patients and the amount of available autologous materials is limited. To overcome these problems, Takumi reported a novel procedure called "catcher's mask cranioplasty" in 2008, in which split-rib grafts are placed perpendicularly over each other while calvarial grafts are placed in the hairless forehead region. Despite the small amount of grafts used, this method can yield esthetically satisfactory results and provides excellent structural integrity. Here, we report 2 cases of catcher's mask cranioplasty and their long-term outcomes. After more than 10 years, the transplanted bone grafts have not resorbed and have maintained their esthetically pleasing contours. In conclusion, catcher's mask cranioplasty is an effective option for traumatic cranial defects in children.

Immunohistochemical evaluation of O6 -methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) expression in 117 cases of glioblastoma.

Temozolomide (TMZ) is an oral alkylating agent which is widely used in the treatment of glioblastoma (GBM) and is composed of astrocytic and/or oligodendroglial tumors, and the evaluation of O(6) -methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) expression is important to predict the response to TMZ therapy. In this study, we conducted immunohistochemical analysis of 117 cases of Japanese GBM including 19 cases of GBM with oligodendroglioma component (GBMO), using a scoring system for quantitative evaluation of staining intensity and proportion of MGMT, and performed survival analysis of these patients. Immunohistochemically, 55 cases (47%) were positive for MGMT with various intensities and proportions (total score (TS) ≥ 2), while 62 cases (53%) were negative (TS = 0). The distribution of MGMT expression pattern was not affected by any clinicopathological parameters such as the histological subtype (GBM vs. GBMO), age and gender. The survival analysis of these patients revealed that the minimal expression of MGMT (TS ≥ 2) was a significant unfavorable prognostic factor (P < 0.001) as well as resectability (P = 0.004). Moreover, multivariate analysis showed that minimal MGMT expression in GBM was the most potent independent predictor for progression free survival (P < 0.001) and also overall patient survival (P < 0.001). This is the first report employing the scoring system for both staining intensity and proportion to evaluate immunohistochemical MGMT expression in GBM. In addition, our results emphases the clinicopathological values of the immunohistochemical approach for MGMT expression in glioma patients as a routine laboratory examination.

A novel simple real-time electrooculographic monitoring system during transsphenoidal surgeries to prevent postoperative extraocular motor nerve dysfunction.

In transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) for pituitary tumors, the use of endoscopes allows approach to the lateral sides in and around the cavernous sinus. However, this approach is often associated with a risk of cranial nerve dysfunction causing impaired extraocular movement. We employed a novel, simple, and real-time monitoring system using electrooculography during TSS to avoid postoperative extraocular motor nerve dysfunction. A conventional electroencephalograph, which is available in every hospital, was used to detect effects induced by intraoperative manipulation on the cranial nerves related to extraocular movement (EOM) during TSS for pituitary adenomas. One hundred patients with pituitary adenomas who underwent endonasal endoscope-assisted TSS with EOM monitoring were included in the present study. When the extraocular motor nerves were stimulated mechanically directly or even indirectly by surgical procedures, abnormal extraocular muscle responses [electrooculograms (EOGm)] appeared on the monitor screen. When repeated or continuous EOGm were recorded, surgical procedures were discontinued briefly for around 5 to 10 s. The EOGm disappeared promptly when surgical procedures were stopped. Permanent extraocular dysfunction did not occur in the present series of patients. One, who was the fifth patient in the present series, of 100 patients (1.0 %) had transient delayed diplopia after TSS. We have not experienced any more postoperative EOM dysfunction since the first case. EOM monitoring during TSS is a novel, efficient, and simple method to prevent postoperative cranial nerve palsy related to EOM.

Reconstruction of elbow region defects using radial collateral artery perforator (RCAP)-based propeller flaps.

Perforator-based propeller flaps permit flap rotation up to 180°. This ability to transfer skin from one longitudinal axis to another has led to the increasing use of perforator-based propeller flaps in extremity reconstruction, especially lower-extremity reconstruction. However, the application of perforator-based propeller flaps to upper-extremity reconstruction is still limited. This article reports two cases of successful reconstruction of elbow region defects with radial collateral artery perforator (RCAP)-based propeller flaps. The elbow region has a variety of perforators available for perforator-based propeller flap reconstruction. Among them, the RCAP seems to be one of the most reliable options. This is because there are less anatomical variations of perforators' location on the lateral upper arm than on the medial upper arm. By using an RCAP perforator as a flap pedicle, the small-to-medium sized defects (<6 cm in diameter) around elbow regions can be closed primarily without skin grafts.

The impact of extent of resection and histological subtype on the outcome of adult patients with high-grade gliomas.

OBJECTIVE: We reviewed the relationship between extent of resection and survival of patients with high-grade gliomas with special consideration of an oligodendroglial component. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed on 160 adult patients with histological diagnosis of high-grade gliomas since 2000. All histological slides were categorized as high-grade astrocytomas or oligodendroglial tumors. Extent of resection was assessed by early post-operative magnetic resonance imaging and classified as complete resection, incomplete resection and biopsy. Measured outcomes were overall survival and progression-free survival. The independent association of extent of resection and survival was analyzed by the multivariate proportional hazard model adjusting for prognostic factors. RESULTS: The lesions were classified as high-grade astrocytomas in 93 patients and high-grade oligodendroglial tumors in 67 patients. In high-grade astrocytomas, the median survival after complete resection (n = 36), incomplete resection (n = 36) and biopsy (n = 21) was 23.4, 15.3 and 12.6 months, respectively. Complete resection was independently associated with increased overall survival (P < 0.001) and progression-free survival (P = 0.002) compared with incomplete resection, while incomplete resection was not associated with survival benefit compared with biopsy by multivariate analysis. On the other hand, in high-grade oligodendroglial tumors, the majority of patients were still alive and there is no significant difference in the survival between complete resection (n = 24) and incomplete resection (n = 33), while even incomplete resection had a significantly longer overall survival (P < 0.001) and progression-free survival (P = 0.006) compared with biopsy (n = 10). CONCLUSIONS: Maximal cytoreduction improves the survival of high-grade gliomas, although our data indicated that the impact of extent of resection in high-grade astrocytomas is different from that in high-grade oligodendroglial tumors.

Hemorrhagic onset of rhabdoid meningioma after initiating treatment for infertility.

Rhabdoid meningioma (RM) is a rare aggressive phenotype and is classified as a grade III neoplasm by the World Health Organization. A 29-year-old woman initiated treatment with clomiphene citrate for infertility. Two weeks later, she presented with acute headache and nausea. Brain computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a tumor with hematoma in the left frontoparietal region. Surgical resection was performed, and the tumor was subtotally removed. The tumor was diagnosed as a rhabdoid meningioma (RM). Despite radiation and chemotherapy, she experienced regrowth and dissemination to the spinal cord. She died 11 months after onset of symptoms. Spontaneous hemorrhage is an unusual presentation of RM. In our case, infertility treatment may have triggered progression and bleeding because of an imbalance of sex hormones.

Frontal musculocutaneous V-Y island flap for coverage of forehead defect with a dural exposure after craniotomy.

We have performed forehead reconstruction with a frontal musculocutaneous V-Y island flap to establish skin and soft-tissue coverage for a cranial bone defect with dural exposure. A 56-year-old woman who had previously undergone craniotomy for aneurysm clipping had a severe infection of the bone flap and subsequently underwent partial resection. The skin defect and the underlying dead space on the dura was successfully covered with a frontal musculocutaneous V-Y island flap without complications. Because this flap shows technical feasibility in harvesting, stable blood supply, functional preservation of frontal muscle, and good texture and color match, it may be an ideal flap for forehead and frontal reconstruction of defects of small or moderate size when primary closure, skin grafting, or transfer of local pedicled flaps or free flaps is impossible.

Complications after autologous fat injection to the breast.

BACKGROUND: Although autologous fat injection (fat grafting) to the breast was performed widely throughout the twentieth century, the authors at their hospital have recently had to repair the damage suffered by a number of patients subjected to this procedure. The authors are concerned that this procedure is being performed incorrectly by untrained and untutored individuals, especially in Japan. The authors report several cases of complications after this procedure. Several related issues are discussed. METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed 12 patients who had received autologous fat grafts to the breast and required breast surgery and/or reconstruction to repair the damage presenting between 2001 and 2007. The symptoms are described and the fat grafting procedures that were used are analyzed. RESULTS: All 12 patients (mean age, 39.3 years) had received fat injections to the breast for augmentation mammaplasty for cosmetic purposes. They presented with palpable indurations, three with pain, one with infection, one with abnormal breast discharge, and one with lymphadenopathy. Four cases had abnormalities on breast cancer screening. All patients underwent mammography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate the injected fats. CONCLUSIONS: Autologous fat grafting to the breast is not a simple procedure and should be performed by well-trained and skilled surgeons. Patients should be informed that it is associated with a risk of calcification, multiple cyst formation, and indurations, and that breast cancer screens will always detect abnormalities. Patients should also be followed up over the long-term and imaging analyses (e.g., mammography, echography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging) should be performed.

De novo formation of cavernoma after radiosurgery for adult cerebral arteriovenous malformation--case report.

A 47-year-old male underwent stereotactic radiosurgery (25 Gy) for a cerebral arteriovenous malformation located in the right caudate nucleus, using a linear accelerator. Complete obliteration of nidus was confirmed 20 months after radiosurgery. However, a hypointense mass on T(2)-weighted magnetic resonance imaging developed in the area adjacent to the nidus after approximately 80 months. The mass gradually increased in size and induced severe perifocal edema over 2 years. The mass was successfully excised. Histological examination revealed that the mass consisted of dilated sinusoid vessels attached to the hematoma capsule, and the hematoma included clots in various stages of organization encapsulated by dense collagenous tissue. The histological diagnosis was cavernoma. De novo formation of cavernoma is well known to occur after radiation surgery for intracranial tumor, especially in pediatric patients, but is rare in adults. Based on the radiological and histological findings in the present case, the radiation-induced cavernoma underwent repeated bleedings resulting in chronic encapsulated expanding hematoma.

Low-dose craniospinal irradiation and ifosfamide, cisplatin and etoposide for non-metastatic embryonal tumors in the central nervous system.

OBJECTIVE: The current study was conducted to evaluate the effects of low-dose craniospinal irradiation (CSI) combined with chemotherapy on non-metastatic embryonal tumors in the central nervous system (CNS), including medulloblastoma and supra-tentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors (ST-PNET). METHODS: All patients were treated according to the following protocol. After surgery, the patients < or =5 years old received 18 Gy and the patients >5 years old received 24 Gy CSI. The dose to the primary tumor bed was 39.6-54 Gy. Chemotherapy consisted of ifosfamide, cisplatin and etoposide (ICE chemotherapy). RESULTS: Sixteen patients aged 0.5-20.4 (median 6.1) years were enrolled and followed for 11-165 (median 112) months. Both 5-year actuarial overall survival (OAS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were 81% (95% confidence interval (CI): 62-100%) for the 16 patients. Both 5-year OAS and PFS were 82% (CI: 59-100%) for the patients with medulloblastoma and 80% (CI: 45-100%) for the patients with ST-PNET. Both 5-year OAS and PFS were 75% for the eight patients < or =5 years old and 88% for the eight patients >5 years old. Both 5-year OAS and PFS were 100% for six average-risk patients (3 years or older, total resection and posterior fossa) and 70% for 10 poor-risk patients (others). The median total intellectual quotient at the last follow-up was 85 (ranging from 48 to 103) in 12 patients who were followed for 3-145 (median 49) months. Eight patients received hormone replacement therapy. CONCLUSION: Low-dose CSI and ICE chemotherapy may have a role as a treatment option for a subset of patients with non-metastatic embryonal tumors in the CNS.

Compositional analysis of angioscopic yellow plaques with intravascular ultrasound radiofrequency data.

BACKGROUND: To identify subclinical high-risk plaques is potentially important because those vulnerable plaques may have a greater likelihood of rupture and subsequent thrombosis. The aim of this study is to reveal the histology of angioscopic yellow plaques known as vulnerable plaques by intravascular ultrasound radiofrequency data analysis. METHODS: Thirty-one coronary plaques in 21 patients, which were non-culprit, de novo, angiographically non-obstructive (<50%) lesions, were analyzed with Virtual Histology - intravascular ultrasound (VH-IVUS) and coronary angioscopy. These plaques were prospectively divided into 4 groups (Grade 0 to 3) by the yellow color intensity and we compared plaque morphology, echogenicity and composition among their groups. RESULTS: Morphology and echogenicity evaluated by standard gray-scale IVUS were not significantly different among those groups. On analyzing plaque composition by VH-IVUS, mean percentage of necrotic core was significantly larger in yellow plaque (Grade 2 and 3) than white plaque (Grade 0). CONCLUSIONS: Angioscopic yellow plaque included a larger amount of necrotic core analyzed by VH-IVUS than white plaque.

The perforator pedicled propeller (PPP) flap method: report of two cases.

BACKGROUND: Perforator flaps are thin free-tissue transfers consisting of skin and subcutaneous tissue which have the advantage of decreasing donor site morbidity. We have reconstructed postburn scar contractures using "propeller flaps" of the remaining healthy skin around the recipient sites. In this paper, we report on two cases and describe the concept of using "perforator flaps" and "propeller flaps" together as what are called "perforator pedicled propeller (PPP) flaps." CASES: Patient 1 was an 18-year-old man with a sacral pressure ulcer. The soft tissue defect was reconstructed with a rotated superior gluteal artery PPP flap. Patient 2 was a 53-year-old woman who presented with an open fracture of the right elbow. The skin defect over the fracture was covered with a rotated deep brachial artery PPP flap raised on the lateral upper arm. CONCLUSION: The PPP flaps are useful for burn reconstruction and repairing various types of wound. Moreover, microsurgery is unnecessary. The PPP flap may be classified into two types: the central axis type and the acentric axis type. The central axis PPP flap is significant when used as a 90-degree-rotation island flap, and the acentric axis PPP flap is significant when used as a 180-degree-rotation island flap. Both types are easy to harvest and useful for repairing various kinds of wound.

Intramedullary spinal cord germinoma--2 case reports.

BACKGROUND: Primary intramedullary spinal cord germinoma is very rare. We encountered 2 patients with primary intramedullary spinal cord germinoma. We describe herein our comprehensive management system for CNS germinoma, including intramedullary spinal cord germinoma, along with a review of the literature. This is the first report to describe successful application of ICE chemotherapy for intramedullary germinoma. CASE DESCRIPTIONS: A 16-year-old adolescent girl (case 1) experienced lumbago and subsequently noticed gait disturbance that aggravated gradually. On admission, paraparesis and urinary retention were noted. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated marked cord swelling between T9 and T12, with slight enhancement in the spinal cord. Astrocytic tumor was initially suspected, and partial removal was performed. However, pathologic examination identified germinoma. Successful treatment with ICE chemotherapy and radiotherapy was implemented, with no evidence of recurrence apparent at 48 months postoperatively. A 34-year-old woman (case 2) presented with paraparesis and sensory disturbance. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated cord swelling between T8 and T10, with slight Gd-DTPA enhancement. Because the lesion did not respond to steroid pulse therapy, spinal cord tumor was suspected and biopsy was performed. Pathologic examination verified primary germinoma of the spine. Successful treatment with ICE chemotherapy and radiotherapy was implemented with no exacerbation of neurologic deficits. No evidence of recurrence was apparent at 36 months postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Correct diagnosis of very rare primary intramedullary spinal cord germinoma is important, because these patients can be treated successfully using chemo- and radiotherapy without neurologic deterioration.

[Temozolomide in the treatment of recurrent malignant glioma].

Temozolomide (TMZ) has demonstrated activity and acceptable toxicity for the treatment of recurrent malignant gliomas in carious prospective phase II studies. No information is, however, available on TMZ treatment for recurrent malignant glioma in Japanese patients. We report Hokkaido University Hospital experience on 35 adult patients with a recurrent malignant glioma, including 13 glioblastomas, 9 anaplastic astrocytomas, and 13 anaplastic oligondendroglial tumors. The median age was 52 years. The starting dose of TMZ was 150 mg/m2/day for 5 days. When no remarkable toxicity was observed, the dose was increased to 200 mg/m2 for subsequent cycles, every 4 week. In the 35 patients, the overall objective response rate (partial response) was 12% and 74% of the patients achieved disease stabilization. The median progression-free survival was 28 weeks and the median overall survival was 43 weeks. Although hematological toxicity was the most frequent adverse event (CTC grade 3 or 4 in 6 patients), overall toxicity was generally mild. Four patients required hospitalization due to the toxicity, but 28 patients had been treated with TMZ at our outpatient clinic. These results suggested that the reported efficacy and toxicity profile of TMZ for the treatment of Japanese patients with recurrent malignant glioma is reproducible from the setting of clinical trials in the western countries.

Cystic meningioangiomatosis.

A case of cerebral meningioangiomatosis with rare cyst formation is reported. A 14-year-old boy without any stigmata of neurofibromatosis type 2 presented intractable complex partial and generalized seizures since the age of 12 years. Neuroradiological studies showed an abnormal cystic mass with calcification in the left frontal lobe of the cerebrum. The tumor was located in the leptomeninges and cerebral cortex. The patient underwent surgical treatment because medical treatment with phenytoin and sodium valproate was not sufficient to control the seizures. An intraoperative electrocorticogram revealed that epileptic foci were recorded from the cortex, which was adjacent to the lesion. Histopathology showed specific features of meningioangiomatosis with meningioma-like nodules. The patient did not have any seizures with anticonvulsants after surgery. It is important to distinguish meningioangiomatosis from other possible cortical lesions and epileptic foci should be carefully considered before resection, because it is a benign and surgically manageable cause of seizures.