Perioperative Medication Management in Elective Plastic Surgery Procedures.

BACKGROUND: Perioperative medication management is vital to maintain patient safety while under anesthesia, as well as to avoid postoperative complications. Plastic surgeons make daily decisions on whether to ask a patient to stop taking medication before their surgery. These important decisions can affect bleeding risk, wound healing, and interactions with anesthetics, which can range from minor to life-threatening. Current plastic surgery literature lacks a comprehensive review of perioperative medication management, with existing reports focusing on specific procedures and specific medication classes. METHODS: A PubMed database search was conducted for articles through July 2021. The bibliographies of included studies were also examined for articles not acquired in the initial search queries. The authors included studies on medication usage and perioperative guidance in patients undergoing elective plastic surgery procedures. The authors excluded studies unrelated to plastic surgery and studies where the medications were used as an intervention. Abstracts, animal studies, studies involving the pediatric population, and book chapters were also excluded, as well as articles not published in English. RESULTS: A total of 801 papers were identified by our search terms. After title and abstract screening, 35 papers were selected for full-text review. After full-text review, 20 papers were selected for inclusion, with an additional 6 papers from cited references added. Of the 26 papers, 6 papers discussed psychotropic drugs, 6 papers discussed medications affecting hemostasis, 4 papers discussed hormone-containing medications, 3 papers discussed antilipid medications, 2 papers discussed antihypertensive medications, 2 papers discussed herbal supplements, 1 paper discussed both psychotropic and herbal supplements, 1 paper discussed medications affecting wound healing, and 1 paper discussed rheumatologic medications. A summary of those recommendations was then compiled together. CONCLUSIONS: The perioperative medication management in elective plastic surgery procedures remains a complex and multidisciplinary process. It is important to manage these patients in a case-by-case manner and to consult a specialist when necessary. Careful medication reconciliation is essential to decrease the likelihood of adverse outcomes and interactions with perioperative anesthetics.

Demographic Characteristics Influence Treatment Costs of Invasive Melanoma in Florida.

BACKGROUND: Demographic characteristics are known to influence the treatment and outcomes of patients with invasive melanoma. Whether these characteristics influence treatment costs is unknown. We aimed to analyze whether patient demographics and tumor characteristics influence treatment costs for patients with invasive cutaneous melanoma in Florida. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study in which the Florida Inpatient and Outpatient Dataset of the Agency for Health Care Administration was analyzed for patients with a diagnosis of invasive melanoma between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2018. Categorical variables were assessed using Pearson χ2 tests, and continuous variables were evaluated using Kruskal-Wallis tests. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the association between patient demographics and total costs. All analyses were done using SAS 9.4 statistical software (SAS Institute, Inc). RESULTS: Multivariate analysis showed that sex (P < 0.001), hospital setting (P < 0.001), race/ethnicity (P < 0.01), patient region (P < 0.01), Elixhauser Comorbidity Index score (P < 0.001), presence of metastasis (P < 0.01), total number of procedures (P < 0.001), and length of stay (P < 0.001) were correlated with the cost of treatment of invasive cutaneous melanoma. After stratification, the association between cost and race/ethnicity disappeared for inpatients but remained for Black patients in the outpatient setting (P < 0.001). The association between cost and patient residence regions also differed when the cohort was stratified. CONCLUSIONS: Strategies addressing disparities in treatment cost of invasive melanoma should differ, depending on the hospital setting where the patient is being treated.

Using Facial Recognition Tools for Health Assessment.

The number of applications for facial recognition technology is increasing due to the improvement in image quality, artificial intelligence, and computer processing power that has occurred during the last decades. Algorithms can be used to convert facial anthropometric landmarks into a computer representation, which can be used to help identify nonverbal information about an individual's health status. This article discusses the potential ways a facial recognition tool can perform a health assessment. Because facial attributes may be considered biometric data, clinicians should be informed about the clinical, ethical, and legal issues associated with its use.

Wearable electronic devices for chronic pain intensity assessment: A systematic review.

Wearable electronic devices are a convenient solution to pain intensity assessment as they can provide continuous monitoring for more precise medication adjustments. However, there is little evidence regarding the use of wearable electronic devices for chronic pain intensity assessment. Our primary objective was to examine the physiologic parameters used by wearable electronic devices for chronic pain intensity assessment. We initially inquired PubMed, CINAHL, and Embase for studies evaluating the use of wearable electronic devices for chronic pain intensity assessment. We updated our inquiry by searching on PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar. English peer-reviewed studies were included, with no exclusions based on time frame or publication status. Of 348 articles that were identified on the first inquiry, 8 fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Of 179 articles that were identified on the last inquiry, only 1 fulfilled the eligibility criteria. We found articles evaluating wristbands, smartwatches, and belts. Parameters evaluated were psychomotor and sleep patterns, space and time mobility, heart rate variability, and skeletal muscle electrical activity. Most of the studies found significant positive associations between physiological parameters measured by wearable electronic devices and self-reporting pain scales. Wearable electronic devices reliably reflect physiologic or biometric parameters, providing a physiological correlation for pain. Early stage investigation suggests that the degree of pain intensity can be discerned, which ideally will reduce the bias inherent to existing numeric/verbal scales. Further research on the use of these devices is vital.

Current Trends in Facial Feminization Surgery: An Assessment of Safety and Style.

BACKGROUND: Facial feminization surgery (FFS) plays an instrumental role in the process of gender affirmation. These procedures are becoming increasingly appreciated for their ability to improve patient satisfaction and gender identity in a way that alleviates gender dysphoria and improves the quality of life. Despite the recent surge in popularity across the US, the current literature lacks evidence on the safety profile of combined facial feminization procedures. Our goal was to determine the safety profile of facial feminization procedures registered on a national surgical database. METHODS: Patients with a primary diagnosis of gender dysphoria undergoing facial surgical procedures were identified from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database between the years 2013 and 2018. Demographic characteristics along with 30-day postoperative complications were recorded. Logistic regression models adjusted for confounders were used to determine the independent predictors of postoperative complications. RESULTS: A cohort of 77 patients who underwent a total of 220 procedures was identified. The number of patients undergoing surgery per year increased from three (3.9%) in 2013 to 41 (53.2%) in 2018, a 13.6-fold increase. The most commonly performed procedure was forehead contouring/frontal sinus setback, performed on 52 patients (67.5%), followed by orbital contouring (n = 37, 48%), rhinoplasty (n = 34, 44%), mandibuloplasty (n = 34, 44%), chondrolaryngoplasty (n = 27, 35.1%), genioplasty (n = 11, 14%), brow lift (n = 9, 11.7%), cheek augmentation (n = 9, 11.7%), and lip lift (n = 7, 9.1%). The number of patients who underwent 5 or more procedures in a single anesthetic event was 41 (53.2%). The complication rate was 3.9%. Univariate analysis suggested an association between older age and postoperative morbidity (P  < 0.02). However, this was not found to be an independent predictor on multivariate analysis adjusted for confounders (P < 0.083). Additionally, an increase in operative time and the number of procedures performed during a single anesthetic were not independent predictors of 30-day postoperative complications (P < 0.317 and P  < 0.19, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: FFS can be safely performed and has a low risk of postoperative morbidity. The number of patients seeking FFS surgery has risen exponentially, with the highest demand seen for the reconstruction of the upper facial third. These findings should guide expectations for patients seeking FFS, as well as for plastic surgeons looking to perform multiple procedures per anesthetic event.

Using Facial Recognition Tools for Health Assessment.

The number of applications for facial recognition technology is increasing due to the improvement in image quality, artificial intelligence, and computer processing power that has occurred during the last decades. Algorithms can be used to convert facial anthropometric landmarks into a computer representation, which can be used to help identify nonverbal information about an individual's health status. This article discusses the potential ways a facial recognition tool can perform a health assessment. Because facial attributes may be considered biometric data, clinicians should be informed about the clinical, ethical, and legal issues associated with its use.

Disparities in Access to Autologous Breast Reconstruction.

Background and objectives: This study aimed to determine if age, race, region, insurance, and comorbidities affect the type of breast reconstruction that patients receive. Materials and methods: This analysis used the Florida Inpatient Discharge Dataset from 1 January 2013 to 30 September 2017, which contains deidentified patient-level administrative data from all acute care hospitals in the state of Florida. We included female patients, diagnosed with breast cancer, who underwent mastectomy and a subsequent breast reconstruction. We performed an χ2 test and logistic regression in this analysis. Results: On the multivariable analysis, we found that age, race, patient region, insurance payer, and Elixhauser score were all variables that significantly affected the type of reconstruction that patients received. Our results show that African American (odds ratio (OR): 0.68, 95%CI: 0.58-0.78, p < 0.001) and Hispanic or Latino (OR: 0.82, 95%CI: 0.72-0.93, p = 0.003) patients have significantly lower odds of receiving implant reconstruction when compared to white patients. Patients with Medicare (OR: 1.57, 95%CI: 1.33-1.86, p < 0.001) had significantly higher odds and patients with Medicaid (OR: 0.61, 95%CI: 0.51-0.74, p < 0.001) had significantly lower odds of getting autologous reconstruction when compared to patients with commercial insurance. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that, in the state of Florida over the past years, variables, such as race, region, insurance, and comorbidities, play an important role in choosing the reconstruction modality. More efforts are needed to eradicate disparities and give all patients, despite their race, insurance payer, or region, equal access to health care.

Bioimpedance Spectroscopy for Assessment of Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema: A Systematic Review.

Bioimpedance spectroscopy is currently used to evaluate patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL). We aimed to describe published studies on the use of bioimpedance spectroscopy for assessment for BCRL. We queried the PubMed, Ovid Medline, and Embase databases to identify studies that evaluated the use of bioimpedance spectroscopy as an assessment tool. We searched for the keywords "bioimpedance" AND ("lymphedema" OR "lymphoedema"). We included English-language studies that reported the use of bioimpedance spectroscopy for assessment of BCRL. Out of 152, 116, and 235 articles identified in each database, respectively, only a total of 11 articles were included. Bioimpedance spectroscopy was studied as a method to assess and predict response to BCRL treatment, assess volume changes, and calibrate L-Dex scores for conversion to units of volume. All studies reported that bioimpedance spectroscopy is a promising tool for predicting response to BCRL treatment and measuring volume changes. Bioimpedance spectroscopy can be used for assessment of BCRL. However, the accuracy of bioimpedance spectroscopy for BCRL assessment has not been determined, and consequently further studies are needed.

The basics of ultrasound elastography for diagnosis, assessment, and staging breast cancer-related lymphedema: a systematic review of the literature.

Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) incidence has been increasing overtime. Currently, there is not a preferred imaging tool for diagnosis, staging, and assessment of the disease. We aim to review the use of ultrasound elastography (UE) in BCRL patients. A systematic review was performed by querying PubMed, EMBASE, Ovid Healthstar, and Ovid Medline databases for studies that evaluated the use of UE in BCRL. The keywords "elastography" AND "lymphedema" in titles and abstracts were used for the search. The search retrieved 12, 12, 5 and 6 articles in each database, respectively. From these, only 4 met the inclusion criteria. UE methods included two-dimensional strain imaging, shear wave elastography (SWE), and global UE. Two of the studies evaluated the use of UE in the assessment of BCRL, while only 1 considered its use for diagnosis and staging. Based on our systematic review, UE appears to be a great tool in the assessment of BCRL to differentiate affected from non-affected arms.

Biopsy Type Disparities in Patients With Melanoma: Who Receives the Standard of Care?

BACKGROUND/AIM: To analyze whether demographic and facility type characteristics cause inequality in the type of biopsy performed in patients with cutaneous melanoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The skin cancer National Cancer Database was assessed. Men and women of all ages with cutaneous melanoma in situ and malignant melanoma at any stage of the disease were included. Patients were selected who underwent one of the following biopsy types: excisional, punch, shave, or incisional. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed. RESULTS: We found that the likelihood of undergoing an excisional biopsy decreased in patients who were: Hispanic [odds ratio (OR)=0.63, confidence interval (CI)=0.55-0.71], non-White (OR=0.66, CI=0.58-0.76), older than 80 years (OR=0.77, CI=0.72-0.87), or in Comprehensive Community Cancer Programs (OR=0.33, CI=0.31-0.36), Community Cancer Programs (OR=0.52, CI=0.50-0.54) and Integrated Network Cancer Programs (OR=0.58, CI=0.55-0.61). CONCLUSION: Our study results demonstrate disparities in biopsy type in the treatment of melanoma.

Survival Disparities in Male Patients With Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM: We evaluated factors associated with mortality among men with breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used the National Cancer Database to identify men with breast cancer and evaluated factors associated with mortality, using a Cox regression model. RESULTS: Black patients experienced an increased risk of death from any cause compared to white patients [hazard ratio (HR)=1.19, 95%CI=1.05-1.37]. Patients with government insurance had a greater risk of death compared to privately insured patients (HR=1.57, 95%CI=1.41-1.75). When compared to patients with an income of >$46,000, those with an income <$30,000 presented an increased risk of death (HR=1.35, 95%CI=1.14-1.60). Finally, patients treated at a comprehensive community cancer program (HR=1.129, 95%CI=1.021-1.248), community cancer program (HR=1.164, 95%CI=1.010-1.343), or integrated network cancer program (HR=1.216; 95%CI=1.056-1.401) experienced elevated risk of death compared to those treated at academic/research-programs. CONCLUSION: Race, insurance, income, education, and facility type are associated with the risk of mortality in male patients with breast cancer.

National Analysis of Patients With External Ear Melanoma in the United States.

BACKGROUND: External ear melanoma (EEM) is a rare condition with controversies in the literature. We analyzed patients with EEM in the United States compared to other head and neck melanomas (OHNMs). METHODS: The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was used to select patients with head and neck melanoma from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2015. Mann-Whitney and χ tests were used to estimate statistical significance, and multivariate logistic regression to identify independent associations adjusted for confounders. RESULTS: A total of 137,233 patients met the study criteria. Among them, 16,991 (12.4%) had EEM and 120,242 (87.6%) had OHNM. For patients with EEM, the mean (standard deviation) age was 66.26 (15.798) years. Most of the patients with EEM were men (85.5%), insured by Medicare (52.4%), and treated in Academic/Research Programs (47.7%) or Comprehensive Community Cancer Programs (32.3%). Most of the EEM tumors had invasive behavior (68.0%) were Stages 0 (30.3%) or I (40.3%), and were without ulceration (76.9%). Mean time to receive any treatment was 14.1 days for EEM compared with 14.6 days for OHNM (P < 0.001). We noticed a greater proportion of EEM in men (14.8%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.72 [2.605-2.852]; P < 0.001) compared to women (6.22%; reference). EEM was an independent factor for tumor Stage I (14.47%; aOR 1.61 [1.101-1.224], P < 0.001) and invasive behavior (13.86%; aOR 1.268 [1.15-1.389]; P < 0.001) compared to OHNM. CONCLUSION: EEM was associated with higher odds of invasive behavior compared to OHNM. Furthermore, men were found to have a higher likelihood to develop EEM compared to women.

Eyelid Melanoma in the United States: A National Cancer Database Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Eyelid melanoma (EM) is a rare condition that accounts for <1% of all cutaneous melanomas. In this analysis, patients diagnosed with EM in the United States were compared to those with other melanomas in the head and neck. METHODS: The National Cancer Database was used to select patients with head and neck melanoma from 2004 to 2015. RESULTS: A total of 137,233 patients met the criteria of the study. Among them, 2694 were diagnosed with EM (2%) and 134,539 in other head and neck locations (98%). Regarding the patients with EM, the mean age was 68.56 years (standard deviation 14.04). A greater number of them were treated in Academic/Research Programs (53.6%), insured by Medicare (55.7%), tumor in situ (52.2%), stage 0 (49%), and without ulceration (75.9%). The mean time to treatment commencement was 18.96 days for EM compared to 14.4 days for other melanoma in the head and neck regions (P < 0.001). There was a greater proportion of EM in female patients (odds ratio [OR] 2.371 [2.191-2.566], P < 0.001), compared to male; age greater than 80 years (OR 1.622 [1.360-1.934], P < 0.001) compared to 0 to 49 years. Moreover, EM was an independent predictor for treatment in Academic/Research Programs (OR 1.258 [1.160-1.365], P < 0.001) and diagnosis at autopsy (OR 1.414 [1.083-1.847], P = 0.011) compared to other melanoma in the head and neck region. CONCLUSION: These novel findings have the potential to guide clinical decision making in head and neck melanoma management.