[Differences in anatomical area-specific wound healing in hidradenitis suppurativa/acne inversa after surgery].

BACKGROUND: Hidradenitis suppurativa/acne inversa is an inflammatory, debilitating disease for which wide local excision of the affected area with secondary wound healing is considered the treatment of first choice for the inactive scarring form or after adequate anti-inflammatory medical treatment. OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aimed to assess the duration of complete secondary wound healing after surgical intervention for hidradenitis suppurativa/acne inversa. MATERIALS & METHODS: Twenty-three surgical procedures in 17 consecutive patients (eight female, nine male) were evaluated for duration of secondary wound healing at axillary or anogenital/inguinal sites. To investigate the contribution of hair follicle bulge progenitor cells in wound re-epithelialization, tissue samples of lesional and perilesional skin were analysed for expression of the stem cell marker, cytokeratin 15 (CK15), and CD200, a marker for human follicular stem cells that resides in the bulge area. RESULTS: Initial wound size did not differ significantly between surgical wounds in the axillary (mean: 30.0 cm2 ± 5.4) and anogenital/inguinal (mean: 35.3 cm2 ± 5.7) region. However, healing time to complete wound closure was almost twice as fast in the anogenital/inguinal (mean: 132 days ± 10.4) than axilla area (mean: 254 days ± 39.1; p < 0.01). The accelerated wound healing in the anogenital/inguinal region was accompanied by significantly enhanced CK15 and CD200 expression, compared to axillary wounds (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The anogenital/inguinal region showed significantly faster secondary wound healing after surgical intervention for hidradenitis suppurativa/acne inversa compared to axillary wounds. We suspect differences in pilosebaceous unit density and thus hair follicle progenitor cells (as mirrored by CK15 and CD200 expression) to be the main driver behind this finding.

High prevalence of hip and groin problems in professional ice hockey players, regardless of playing position.

PURPOSE: The prevalence of hip and groin problems in professional male ice hockey is unknown and suspected to differ between playing positions. The purpose of this study was to explore potential differences in the seasonal prevalence of hip and groin problems between playing positions in male elite ice hockey players and to explore the relationship between symptom duration and hip and groin function at the beginning of the new season. METHODS: Male ice hockey players [n = 329 (92 goalkeepers, 93 defensemen, 144 forwards), Mean age (SD): 24 (5)] from the professional leagues in Sweden responded to an online survey. The survey assessed presence of hip and groin problems (time loss and non-time loss) and symptom duration (categorized into 0, 1-6, or > 6 weeks) in the previous season, and current self-reported hip and groin function (Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Score). RESULTS: During the previous season, 175 players (53.2%) had experienced hip and groin problems. Non time loss problems were experienced by 158 (48%) and time loss problems were experienced by 97 (29.5%) players. No significant differences between playing positions were found. Self-reported function differed significantly between players with different symptom duration and more disability was reported among players with longer symptom duration (p ≤ 0.002). CONCLUSION: Regardless of playing position, hip and groin problems were prevalent in male ice hockey players. Players with hip and groin problems during the previous season had significantly worse hip and groin function in the beginning of the new season, and longer symptom duration was associated with more disability. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Calcific tendinopathy of the direct head of rectus femoris: a rare cause of groin pain treated with ultrasound guided percutaneous irrigation.

Groin pain can be caused by a myriad of pathologies. Abnormalities of the rectus femoris are a very rare cause of groin pain; calcific tendinopathy of the direct head is particularly so, with only two case reports in the literature. We report the first case of calcific tendinopathy of the direct head of the rectus femoris that was treated effectively with ultrasound-guided percutaneous irrigation of calcific tendinopathy (USPICT). The anatomy of the rectus femoris and the technique for US-PICT of the rectus femoris are also described.

[Footballer's hip]. / Die Fußballerhüfte.

Although complaints and injuries in the knee and ankle joints are very prevalent in football, the hip has so far been given very little attention. Complaints in this area are often attributed to pathological changes in the inguinal region. However, intraarticular differential diagnoses are often not taken into consideration. This article gives an overview of possible hip pathology in footballers, as well as its diagnosis and treatment.

Pedicled neurocutaneous anterolateral thigh flap for groin reconstruction - A case report.

Several different flaps based on the feeding vessels of sensitive nerves have been described in the limbs. This article reports the case of a neurocutaneous flap based on the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN), employed for reconstruction of an inguinal defect. A 61-years-old female patient had undergone vulvectomy and bilateral inguinal lymphadenectomy for vulvar cancer with postoperative left groin wound breakdown. After a 3 weeks negative pressure therapy course, she presented a 10 × 4 cm skin and subcutaneous defect with undermined edges in the left inguinal area. Reconstruction with 14 × 6 cm pedicled left anterolateral thigh flap was planned. After the dissection of the vascular pedicle and of the sensitive nerve, complete thrombosis of both the veins and arterial spasm of perforating pedicle was detected. As the flap color was good, and slow marginal bleeding was present, we inspected the small vessels surrounding the nerve that were pulsating. To confirm the vascularization coming from the neural pedicle, we clamped the perforator and performed intraoperative indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence angiography that showed a good fluorescence of the flap with a proximal to distal pattern of progression. The flap was transferred on the neural pedicle, survived completely, and wounds healed normally. Three months after surgery, the patient underwent radiotherapy, with uneventful course. In her last follow-up, 2 years after surgery, patient was free of disease and the flap showed normal scarring. This is the first case reported of a pedicled neurocutaneous flap based on the LFCN, indicating that in case of unsuitable perforators it could be an alternative pedicle.

Antibiotic Prophylaxis With Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole Instead of Cloxacillin/Cefotaxime Increases Inguinal Surgical Site Infection Rate After Lower Extremity Revascularization.

Due to the consistently high proportion of surgical site infections (SSI) after vascular surgery, a change of prophylactic antibiotic therapy from cloxacillin/cefotaxime to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) was conducted in 2016. The study included consecutive patients undergoing lower extremity revascularization due to acute or chronic lower extremity arterial disease. The antibiotic regime was changed in between the two sampling periods (2014 -2016 versus 2016 -2017). The diagnosis of SSI was based on clinical examination and microbiological results, and severity was classified according to the Szilagyi classification. One hundred and twenty-two patients in the cloxacillin/cefotaxime and 67 patients in the TMP-SMX group were included. The SSI rates were 32.0% and 40.3%, respectively (p=0.25). The proportion of women were higher in the TMP-SMX group (32.8% versus 47.8%, respectively, p=0.043). No other differences between the two groups were found regarding patient, vascular surgery procedure characteristics or severity of SSI. Groin infection rate was higher in the TMP-SMX group (15.4% versus 30.5%, respectively, p=0.022). When adjusting for gender, groin infection was more common in the TMP-SMX group (Odds Ratio 2.5, 95% CI 1.1 -5.4). The groin SSI rate was higher after elective surgery in the TMP-SMX group (13.0% versus 27.8%, respectively, p=0.027), and also after adjusting for gender (Odds Ratio 2.6, 95% CI 1.1 -6.2). The change in antibiotic prophylaxis from Cloxacillin/Cefotaxime to TMP-SMX was associated with an increased rate of inguinal SSI in patients undergoing lower extremity revascularization, despite a possible Hawthorne effect.

Postoperative Rehabilitation May Reduce the Risk of Readmission After Groin Hernia Repair.

Thirty-day readmission after surgery has been proposed as a quality-of-care indicator. We explored the effect of postoperative rehabilitation on readmission risk after groin hernia repair. We used the French National Discharge Database to identify all index hospitalizations for groin hernia repair in 2011. Readmissions within 30 days of discharge were clinically classified in terms of their relationship to the index stay. We used logistic regression to adjust the risk of readmission for patient, procedure and hospital factors. Among 122,952 index hospitalizations for inguinal hernia repair, 3,357 (2.7%) related 30-day readmissions were recorded. Reiterated analyses indicated that readmission risk was consistently associated with patient complexity: age (per year after 60 years, OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.02-1.03, P < 0.001), hospitalization within the previous year (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.44-1.69, P < 0.001), and increasing severity and combination of co-morbidities. Postoperative rehabilitation was identified as a protective factor (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.46-0.69, P < 0.001). Older patients and those with greater comorbidity are at elevated risk of readmission after inguinal hernia repair. Postoperative rehabilitation may reduce this risk. Further studies are warranted to confirm the protective effect of postoperative rehabilitation.

Worse self-reported outcomes but no limitations in performance-based measures in patients with long-standing hip and groin pain compared with healthy controls.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate patient-reported outcomes as well as lower extremity and trunk muscle function in patients with long-standing hip and groin pain, in comparison with matched, healthy controls. It was hypothesized that patients with long-standing hip and groin pain would report more deficiency on the Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Score (HAGOS) and have worse outcomes on performance-based measures than healthy controls. METHODS: Nineteen patients with long-standing hip and groin pain and 19 healthy, activity level-, age-, gender-, and weight-matched controls were assessed with the HAGOS for self-reported outcomes, and a parallel squat (w/kg), single-leg triple jump (cm), single-leg rise (n), barbell roll-out (% of height), and plank test (s) for performance-based measures. Independent sample t test was performed to assess between-group differences. The paired t test was used to analyse between-limb differences in unilateral performance tasks. RESULTS: The patients had worse scores than the controls in all HAGOS subscales (p ≤ 0.001), while no statistically significant differences were observed for any performance measure between groups or between symptomatic and non-symptomatic limbs. CONCLUSIONS: Despite significant self-reported functional limitations on the HAGOS, there were no significant differences between groups in performance-based strength or power measures. The results of this study highlight the need to identify performance-based measures, sensitive to functional deficiencies in patients with long-standing hip and groin pain in order to complement the clinical picture obtained by patient-reported outcomes such as the HAGOS. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Extrarticular hip impingement.

Extrarticular causes of impingement have a current, interesting role in the complaint of groin pain in athletes. Subspine impingement is related to a prominent anterior inferior iliac spine (AIIS) and is actually described as a frequent cause of groin pain. Ischiofemoral impingement is described when the space between the lesser trochanter is decreased. Psoas impingement appears between the psoas tendon and the anterior labrum and anterior acetabular rim.

Anatomy of the lymph node venous networks of the groin and their investigation by ultrasonography.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the anatomy of the lymph node venous networks of the groin and their assessment by ultrasonography. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Anatomical dissection of 400 limbs in 200 fresh cadavers following latex injection as well as analysis of 100 CT venograms. Routine ultrasound examinations were done in patients with chronic venous disease. RESULTS: Lymph node venous networks were found in either normal subjects or chronic venous disease patients with no history of operation. These networks have three main characteristics: they cross the nodes, are connected to the femoral vein by direct perforators, and join the great saphenous vein and/or anterior accessory great saphenous vein. After groin surgery, lymph node venous networks are commonly seen as a dilated and refluxing network with a dystrophic aspect. We found dilated lymph node venous networks in about 15% of the dissected cadavers. CONCLUSION: It is likely that lymph node venous networks represent remodeling and dystrophic changes of a normal pre-existing network rather than neovessels related to angiogenic factors that occur as a result of an inflammatory response to surgery. The so-called neovascularization after surgery could, in a number of cases, actually be the onset of dystrophic lymph node venous networks.Lymph node venous networks are an ever-present anatomical finding in the groin area. Their dilatation as well as the presence of reflux should be ruled out by US examination of the venous system as they represent a contraindication to a groin approach, particularly in recurrent varicose veins after surgery patients. A refluxing lymph node venous network should be treated by echo-guided foam injection.

A Cost-Utility Analysis Comparing the Sartorius versus the Rectus Femoris Flap in the Treatment of the Infected Vascular Groin Graft Wound.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to examine the sartorius and rectus femoris flaps as reasonable coverage options for the infected vascular groin graft wound. The authors' goal was to perform a cost-utility analysis of the sartorius flap versus the rectus femoris flap in the treatment of an infected vascular groin graft. METHODS: Cost-utility methodology involved a literature review compiling outcomes for specific flap interventions, obtaining utility scores for complications to estimate quality-adjusted life-years, accruing costs using Diagnosis-Related Group and Current Procedural Terminology codes for each intervention, and developing a decision tree that could portray the more cost-effective strategy. The authors also performed sensitivity analysis to check the robustness of their data. Szilyagi III and Samson III and IV grades of infected groin grafts were included in the study. RESULTS: Twenty-six studies were used pooling 296 patients (234 sartorius flaps and 62 rectus flaps). Decision tree analysis noted that the rectus femoris flap was the more cost-effective option. It was the dominant treatment option given that it was more clinically effective by an additional 0.30 quality- adjusted life-years, with the sartorius flap option costing an additional $2241.88. The sartorius flap had a 13.68 percent major complication rate versus an 8.6 percent major complication rate for the rectus femoris flap. One-way sensitivity analysis showed that the sartorius flap became a cost-effective option if its major complication rate was less than or equal to 8.89 percent. CONCLUSION: The rectus femoris flap in the treatment of the infected vascular groin graft is a cost-effective option compared with the sartorius flap.

Current treatment concepts for groin hernia.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to review the latest evidence on operative and perioperative management of patients with groin hernia. METHODS: A literature review of medical databases was undertaken. Recent scientific evidence provided by quality reports was selected and discussed critically. RESULTS: The Shouldice repair results in low recurrence rates compared to other tissue reconstructions. However, mesh repairs are superior to tissue reconstruction in terms of recurrence. Lichtenstein's technique remains the gold standard, with low incidence of hernia recurrence and minimal morbidity. Endoscopic techniques have been popularized during the past decades, as alternative approaches to open surgery. Both transabdominal preperitoneal repair (TAPP) and the totally extraperitoneal repair (TEP) are effective in the treatment of groin hernia, although the steep learning curve precludes popularization and may account for increased perioperative morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: Groin hernia surgery remains an evolving field of investigation. Mesh application remains the mainstay of durable results. Individual patient factors and hernia characteristics need to be taken into account when considering the most appropriate surgical practice.

Sports hernia or groin disruption injury? Chronic athletic groin pain: a retrospective study of 100 patients with long-term follow-up.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Chronic groin pain (athletic pubalgia) is a common problem in sports such as football, hockey, cricket, baseball and athletics. Multiple co-existing pathologies are often present which commonly include posterior inguinal canal wall deficiency, conjoint tendinopathy, adductor tendinopathy, osteitis pubis and peripheral nerve entrapment. The mechanism of injury remains unclear but sports that involve either pivoting on a single leg (e.g. kicking) or a sudden change in direction at speed are most often associated with athletic pubalgia. These manoeuvres place large forces across the bony pelvis and its soft tissue supports, accounting for the usual clinical presentation of multiple symptomatic abnormalities forming one pattern of injury. RESULTS: The diagnoses encountered in this series of 100 patients included rectus abdominis muscle atrophy/asymmetry (22), conjoint tendinopathy (16), sports (occult, incipient) hernia (16), groin disruption injury (16), classical hernia (11) traumatic osteitis pubis (5), and avulsion fracture of the pubic bone (4). Surgical management was generally undertaken only after failed conservative therapy of 3-6 months, but some professionals who have physiotherapy during the football season went directly to surgery at the end of the football season. A variety of operations were performed including groin reconstruction (15), open hernia repair with or without mesh (11), sports hernia repair (Gilmore) (7) laparoscopic repair (3), conjoint tendon repair (3) and adductor tenotomy (3). Sixty-six patients were available for follow at an average of 13 years after initial consultation and the combined success rate for both conservative treatment and surgery was 94%. CONCLUSION: The authors believe that athletic pubalgia or sports hernia should be considered as a 'groin disruption injury', the result of functional instability of the pelvis. The surgical approach is aimed at strengthening the anterior pelvic soft tissues that support and stabilise the symphysis pubis.

A European survey on the aetiology, investigation and management of the "sportsman's groin".

INTRODUCTION: A sportsman's groin has no accepted definition or consensus on treatment. The aim of this study was to assess current opinion among a large body of European surgeons using an online survey. METHODS: An online questionnaire comprising 16 multiple-choice questions was sent by email to general surgeons in Europe. The survey was live from the 6th to 30th September 2011. RESULTS: In total 143 responses were received. One hundred and six respondents (74 %) expressed experience in managing this condition. The majority (91 %) managed <26 cases per year. Posterior wall weakness (53 %), pubic tendinitis (43 %), nerve entrapment (37 %) and conjoint tendon injury (36 %) were the commonest aetiological factors described. Preferred diagnostic investigations were ultrasound of the groin (44 %) and MRI of the pelvis (29 %). The most common initial treatment (91 % of respondents) was conservative measures (rest and analgesia) for a maximum of 6-month period. When surgery was undertaken, Lichtenstein repair (29 %), TEP (27 %), TAPP (20 %), and posterior wall repair (21 %) were the commonest procedures. The majority (95 %) of respondents would not offer bilateral surgery for those presenting with unilateral groin pain. CONCLUSIONS: Most European surgeons see <26 cases of "sportsman's groin" per year, which is in keeping with the low incidence of this condition. There remains wide variation in its investigation and management, which reflects the differences in opinion on its aetiology. The majority of surgeons agree that surgery is not the only treatment option available, but there is little consensus on the optimal management.

Denervation of the periosteal origin of the adductor muscles in conjunction with adductor fasciotomy in the surgical treatment of refractory groin pull.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine whether resection of the nerve that innervates the origin of the adductor muscle group in addition to an adductor fasciotomy will decrease pain and improve function in patients with a chronic "groin pull." METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective multicenter chart review of 12 patients presenting with refractory groin pull. In two patients, the problem was bilateral. There were eight female and four male patients. Injuries were related to sports (n=6), gynecologic procedures (n=3), and other injuries (n=3). Surgery included adductor fasciotomy plus resection of a nerve to the periosteal origin of the adductor muscles. Cadaver dissections were performed to identify the nerve's origin. RESULTS: In 13 of the 14 patient specimens, nerves were identified histologically: each of the five cadaver dissections demonstrated the anterior branch of the obturator nerve to be this nerve's origin. At a mean of 16.7 months after surgery, 11 of the 12 patients (92 percent) and 13 of the 14 limbs (93 percent) responded with relief of pain and improved activities of daily living. Of the 14 patients, eight had an excellent result (67 percent), three had a good result (25 percent), and one experienced a failure (7 percent). CONCLUSIONS: Chronic impairment related to a groin pull injury may be considered caused by a contracture of the adductor muscle group, which can be treated with fasciotomy. A branch of the obturator nerve is shown to innervate the origin of these muscles, and denervation can be performed simultaneously with fasciotomy, improving pain and function.

Athletic pubalgia (sports hernia).

Athletic pubalgia or sports hernia is a syndrome of chronic lower abdomen and groin pain that may occur in athletes and nonathletes. Because the differential diagnosis of chronic lower abdomen and groin pain is so broad, only a small number of patients with chronic lower abdomen and groin pain fulfill the diagnostic criteria of athletic pubalgia (sports hernia). The literature published to date regarding the cause, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of sports hernias is confusing. This article summarizes the current information and our present approach to this chronic lower abdomen and groin pain syndrome.