Comparison of Different Acellular Dermal Matrix in Breast Reconstruction: A Skin-to-Skin Study.

BACKGROUND: Since the early 2000s, acellular dermal matrix has been a popular adjunct to prepectoral breast reconstruction to enhance outcomes. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in the postoperative course of 2 standard acellular dermal matrix products, AlloDerm SELECT Ready To Use and DermACELL. METHODS: A prospective, patient-blind study of patients undergoing bilateral nipple and/or skin-sparing mastectomies with either tissue expander or silicone implant insertion between 2019 and 2022 were selected for this study. The study design used patients as their own controls between 2 products randomly assigned to the left or right breast. Outcomes between the products included average time for drain removal, infection rate, seroma rate, and incorporation rates. RESULTS: The prospective clinical data of 55 patients (110 breasts) were recorded for 90 days. There were no significant differences between drain removal time, average drain output, or seroma aspiration amount. A higher percentage of seromas was recorded in the breasts with AlloDerm (30.91%) compared with breasts containing DermACELL (14.55%, P < .05), and a statistically significant difference between the incorporation rates of AlloDerm (93.4%) and DermACELL (99.8%, P < .05) was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Irrespective of patient demographic disparities, both products had a 94.55% success rate for reconstruction outcomes. AlloDerm was determined to have a higher incidence of seromas as a postoperative complication and a trend to lower incorporation.

The Metamorphosis of Patient Priorities Throughout the Breast Reconstruction Process.

BACKGROUND: Breast reconstruction is a lengthy, multi-stage process guided by patients. It is vital to understand how their goals vary over time in order to achieve optimal outcomes. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate how breast reconstruction patients' priorities changed throughout the reconstructive process. METHODS: Fifty women who underwent immediate breast reconstruction completed a quality of life survey at their preoperative appointment, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery, and then again 10 years later. Scores on the survey's subsections corresponded to different patient priorities: survival, restitution, symmetry, and enhancement. The relationship between time and survey-measured patient priorities was analyzed with mixed-effects regression models and Tukey's HSD tests were used to make pairwise comparisons between time points. RESULTS: Survival scores decreased between 3 and 12 months after surgery (p < 0.001) before returning to baseline at long-term follow-up. Restitution scores were lowered only at 12 months PO (T4 vs. T1, T2, and T3, p < 0.001; T4 vs. T5, p = 0.003). Symmetry scores increased from preop to 6 months post-operation (p < 0.001), and then fell back to baseline by month 12 (p < 0.001) and remained at that level at long-term follow-up. Enhancement scores increased from pre-op to 12 months after surgery (p < 0.001), before returning to baseline at 10 year follow-up (T1 vs. T5, p > 0.99; T4 vs T5, p < 0.001). Time had an overall significant effect on each subsection score (p < 0.001), but this relationship was restricted to certain time points. CONCLUSIONS: In the year following immediate breast reconstruction, patients' concern over their physical health decreases while they become increasingly focused on enhancing the appearance of their reconstructed breasts. However, by ten years after surgery, patients' priorities were virtually unchanged from their preoperative desires.

The acellular dermal matrix onlay graft for areolar reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Acellular dermal matrix (ADM) has been well described for use in breast reconstruction. The purpose of this study was to describe a novel use for ADM in areolar reconstruction. METHODS: A total of 19 patients and 24 nipple-areolar complexes of breast cancer or BRCA-positive patients status postmastectomy were treated. After nipple flap reconstruction was completed, the areolar complex was marked at 40-45 mm and de-epithelialized. ADM was reconstituted and cut to size. This was sewn into place as an areolar onlay graft using 5-0 chromic running sutures and a vaseline gauze bolster. RESULTS: All 24 areola re-epithelialized in an average of 8.1 weeks. Graft take was 100% in 23 areolas, while 1 areola had only 75% graft take. Two patients underwent subsequent nipple projection procedures. Sixteen areolas were tattooed for color, with plans to tattoo the others. All patients had satisfactory transition from native skin to nipple-areolar complex. All surveyed patients stated they would undergo the procedure again. Average follow-up was 15.7 months. CONCLUSION: The ADM onlay graft for areolar reconstruction is a feasible addition to the plastic surgeon's armamentarium. The primary benefits of this technique are grafting the donor bed of nipple reconstruction, avoidance of a skin graft donor site wound, and prevention of flattening of the breast dome, as seen with primary closure after nipple flap reconstruction. The cost of ADM must be taken into account ($31 per square centimeter), which could be offset by banking excess ADM at the time of breast reconstruction.

Medical tourism in plastic surgery: ethical guidelines and practice standards for perioperative care.

BACKGROUND: The goal of this review was to identify the safety and medical care issues that surround the management of patients who had previously undergone medical care through tourism medicine. Medical tourism in plastic surgery occurs via three main referral patterns: macrotourism, in which a patient receives treatments abroad; microtourism, in which a patient undergoes a procedure by a distant plastic surgeon but requires postoperative and/or long-term management by a local plastic surgeon; and specialty tourism, in which a patient receives plastic surgery from a non-plastic surgeon. METHODS: The ethical practice guidelines of the American Medical Association, International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and American Board of Plastic Surgeons were reviewed with respect to patient care and the practice of medical tourism. CONCLUSIONS: Safe and responsible care should start prior to surgery, with communication and postoperative planning between the treating physician and the accepting physician. Complications can arise at any time; however, it is the duty and ethical responsibility of plastic surgeons to prevent unnecessary complications following tourism medicine by adequately counseling patients, defining perioperative treatment protocols, and reporting complications to regional and specialty-specific governing bodies. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE V: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

Revision Rates in Cosmetic Plastic Surgery with and without Resident Involvement.

Background: Changes in surgical education have caused concern over residents' preparedness for independent practice. As the field of otolaryngology requires such a wide breadth of expertise, ill preparation becomes especially costly. This study explores how the presence and participation of a postgraduate year 3 (PGY3) otolaryngology resident in surgery impacts revision rates and operating time as gauges for the resident competency and indirect training costs. Methods: A retrospective chart analysis of patients who underwent cosmetic plastic surgery at sites for PGY3 otolaryngology residents' facial plastic surgery rotations was conducted. Residents performed one side of bilateral procedures (eg, blepharoplasties) and approximately 50% of midline procedures (eg, rhinoplasties). Chi-squared testing and odds/risk ratios were done to assess the effect of resident involvement on revision rates. Operating time was compared using t tests. Results: When a resident was involved in cosmetic surgery, the revision rate was 22.2% compared with 3.6% without. The likelihood of a future revision surgery was 7.57 times higher when a resident participated in the original operation. Resident involvement was not a statistically significant predictor of exceeding the allotted operating time. Conclusions: The revision rate of cosmetic surgery was much higher when a resident was involved. Otolaryngology residents would benefit from increased facial plastic and reconstructive surgery training. As a response to this analytical study, this clinical rotation was moved to be offered at a later stage of postgraduate surgical training to allow residents to gain more experience and be better set up for success in the rotation.

Hotline to Helpline: Reducing On-call Demands.

Background: There is a growing societal trend in plastic surgery patients of viewing their medical care as a commodity product rather than as a healthcare service. Our four-provider private plastic surgery practice noticed this phenomenon through our patients' trend of overusing the emergency after-hours service call line. To affect this behavior, we designed a study educating patients on the emergency service call line's purpose and how to handle nonurgent issues independently. Methods: After a 6-month preintervention phase to categorize after-hours emergency calls, We improved preoperative patient education and implemented in-office protocols for quicker provider responses. Postintervention data were collected for another 6 months and compared statistically with the preintervention data. Results: In the preinterventional period, we saw a total of 236 after-hours phone calls. The intervention led to a 22% significant reduction in total calls (P = 0.007). Calls were categorized as nonurgent, urgent, and emergent. While emergent calls remained unchanged (P = 0.56), nonurgent calls significantly decreased (P = 0.005). The most common nonurgent calls were regarding pain, routine postoperative concerns, and drain care, with the intervention resulting in a significant reduction of routine postoperative swelling/bruising/discomfort calls (P = 0.04) but not changing pain (P = 0.23) or drain-related calls (P = 0.78). Conclusions: We found that targeted preoperative patient education coupled with a real-time action board in the office, to ensure timely response to patient questions during office hours, can positively impact after-hours call use, and improve overall patient outcomes by catching urgent issues earlier.

A Comparison of Multimodal Analgesic Regimens for Opioid Reduction in Elective Plastic Surgery: A Randomized Study.

This trial aimed to compare the efficacy of a multimodal analgesic regimen with gabapentin to a multimodal nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) regimen following cosmetic surgery. This was a prospective randomized study of 106 patients undergoing elective outpatient cosmetic surgery. Methods: Patients were randomly assigned to a multimodal regimen of postoperative acetaminophen, gabapentin, and oxycodone with an acetaminophen and gabapentin preload or postoperative ibuprofen and oxycodone-acetaminophen protocol without a preload. Data on compliance, number of narcotic pills consumed, duration of analgesic use, pain levels, patient satisfaction, time from incision close to postanesthesia care unit (PACU) admission, and incidence of bleeding-related complications were collected and analyzed. Results: Patients from both regimens reported equivalent postoperative pain control with the exception of pain in PACU. NSAID patients exhibited a 9.3% higher rate of compliance (P = 0.01), a 6.0% higher rate of satisfaction with pain control (P = 0.04), a 25.2% shorter interval between closure and PACU (=0.01), and an 8.2% lower rate of bleeding-related complications, all of which were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Both regimens are viable tools in combating opioid overprescription as they both effectively reduce postoperative pain. However, the NSAID protocol resulted in greater satisfaction related to pain management and was more cost-effective by reducing emergence time from anesthesia. As there were no hematomas associated with the use of NSAIDs and a significantly higher rate of compliance, the use of NSAIDs in enhanced recovery after surgery protocols is supported.

Scalp reconstruction with inverted myocutaneous latissimus free flap and unmeshed skin graft.

Limited skin paddle size, peripheral thinning, or lack of cerebral expansion after radiotherapy may necessitate secondary sculpting after latissimus free flap reconstruction of large scalp defects. This series presents a novel modification of the myocutaneous latissimus dorsi free flap for use in large scalp defects. After superficial artery isolation, titanium mesh is placed into the calvarial defect to recapitulate the inner table. The myocutaneous latissimus flap is harvested in standard fashion, deepithelialized, and inverted. The skin paddle is placed over titanium mesh to fill the calvarial defect, then sewn over a drain. The inverted latissimus muscle is draped over the defect and extended peripherally beneath the pericranium. The flap is sewn to the scalp internally using a vest-over-pants suture pattern, and the thoracodorsal and superficial temporal vessels are anastomosed and left facing outward. Unmeshed skin graft is draped over the muscle and vessels then sutured loosely. Patients with complex scalp defects whose soft tissue defect exceeded the size of latissimus skin paddle available with primary closure were considered eligible for inverted latissimus free flap reconstruction. Follow-up range was 6 months to 12 months. Over a 2-year period, five patients underwent inverted latissimus free flap reconstruction. Scalp defects ranged in size from 10 × 8 cm to 17 × 11 cm. The calvarial defect was smaller than the soft tissue defect in all cases. All flap donor sites were closed primarily. All five flaps took, and donor site outcomes were acceptable. Aesthetic outcomes were satisfactory with well-contoured, calvarial-shaped results. Cosmesis was most notably limited by skin graft joint lines. No patients underwent secondary surgical revision. The inverted myocutaneous latissimus free flap is a safe and effective method for reconstructing large or irradiated scalp defects.

An Analgesic Regimen for Opioid Reduction in Elective Plastic Surgery: A Randomized Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Prescription opioid misuse has been recognized as a national epidemic. The implications of this problem are especially important to consider, as postoperative opioid abuse can give rise to true addiction for surgical patients. The concept of enhanced recovery after surgery is increasingly used across various specialties to decrease the overabundance of postoperative opioid use. METHODS: This study prospectively examined 143 patients undergoing cosmetic elective surgery. Patients were randomized into one of two groups based on postoperative pain management regimen: multimodal (enhanced recovery after surgery) analgesia or traditional opioid analgesia. Data regarding postoperative pain scores, amount of postoperative opioids consumed, and duration of postoperative pain pill use were analyzed. RESULTS: Multimodal (enhanced recovery after surgery) regimen patients experienced a 13.0 percent reduction in their pain scores after admission to the postanesthesia care unit and a 34.2 percent reduction in pain score at discharge, compared with traditional opioid patients (p = 0.049 and p = 0.0036, respectively). Enhanced recovery after surgery patients experienced a 35 percent reduction in the number of pills taken in the postoperative period and an 18.4 percent reduction in the duration of consumption (p = 0.0007 and p = 0.0539, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that multimodal postoperative pain management is an important tool for decreasing the amount of opioids prescribed and needed in the postoperative period. The overprescribing of opioids after surgery is a precursor to abuse and the increase in the national opioid reservoir. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, II.

Use of a collagen-glycosaminoglycan copolymer (Integra) in combination with adjuvant treatments for reconstruction of severe chest keloids.

BACKGROUND: Keloids occurring on the chest can be deforming with significant painful sequelae for patients. These lesions can pose a therapeutic dilemma for the dermatologic surgeon as certain excision defects may be too large to close primarily and recurrences tend to be high (40-100%). A collagen-glycosaminoglycan copolymer (Integra) has been found to be useful in the surgical treatment of scar excisions as the bovine collagen and glycosaminoglycans provide a template for neocollagenesis. Additionally, this dermal regeneration template concomitantly reduces tensile forces on the wound. METHODS: The authors' group has followed five patients with chronic chest keloids refractory to myriad of interventions and treated these patients with surgical excision followed by Integra placement into the wound bed on the chest. Split-thickness grafts were applied shortly thereafter. Patients were followed at regular intervals and all patients received adjuvant therapy with single-dose radiation and intralesional chemotherapy (triamcinolone and/or 5 fluorouracil). RESULTS: This treatment protocol has provided a cure rate of 100% over an average of 43 months follow-up. The symptoms often accompanied by these chest keloids also appear to improve. CONCLUSION: The authors believe that this study provides the groundwork for further investigation of Integra for surgical management of keloids. A placebo-controlled study should be performed to adequately determine if this data holds true.

Precaution Costs: The Presumption of Breast Cancer Seeding and Its Impact on Surgical Expenditure.

As healthcare costs continue to rise at unsustainable rates (at an average rate of 5.5% a year), expenses without measurable outcomes need review.1 In reconstructive surgery, empiric change of instruments between oncologic and reconstructive segments of surgery is one such practice. Breast surgery for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), prophylaxis, and partial extirpation has little possible increase in seeding or implantation risk based on the literature. With undue extrapolation from higher risk cancers (such as ovarian), preventative practices of changing out trays, re-gloving, re-gowning, re-preparing, and re-draping between phases persist in operating rooms across the country. From real case costs, the additional expense of 2 surgical setups in the United States is conservatively estimated at $1232 per case, or over $125 million per year for this theoretical risk. Using implantation risk for core breast biopsies as a denominator, this cost is $1.65-$5.8 million per potential recurrence. This is an unacceptably high cost for hypothetical recurrence risk reduction, especially one that does not impact survival outcomes.

A "buttressed mesh" technique for fascial closure in complex abdominal wall reconstruction.

Today, plastic surgeons are increasingly faced with the problem of complex abdominal wall reconstruction. Obesity, bariatric surgery, and failed prior herniorrhaphy contribute to high rates of hernia recurrence in these difficult tertiary cases. We reviewed 50 consecutive complex abdominal wall reconstructions to identify the roles of 3 technical variables in successful outcomes: use of mesh, use of a flap buttress to reinforce the fascial repair, and the use of concomitant body-contouring techniques. Six groups were identified based on the presence or absence of each of these variables. Incidence of hernia recurrence and incidence of complications were compared for each group. Patient satisfaction with reconstructive outcome was assessed at follow-up using a 5-point scale. At a mean follow-up of 24 months, we observed an overall hernia recurrence rate of 4.0%, and an overall complication rate of 34%. Tension-free primary fascial repair and mesh repair of tension defects had equivalent recurrence rates (3.3% vs. 5%) and complication rates (40% vs. 25%). Repairs buttressed with flaps and repairs without buttressing had equivalent recurrence rates (3% vs. 6%) and complication rates (38% vs 28%). Repairs with and without body contouring techniques as part of the reconstructive plan had equivalent recurrence rates (7.7% vs. 0%) and complication rates (31.7% vs. 53%). Mean patient satisfaction was 4.8 of 5. Reconstruction of complex and recurrent hernias can be successfully performed. When tension-free primary fascial closure is not possible, an inlay mesh with a soft-tissue buttress leads to a 10-fold reduction in hernia recurrence as compared to historical norms. Concomitant body contouring surgery does not impact recurrence or complication rates and may contribute to reconstructive success.

Prevention of venous thromboembolism in the plastic surgery patient: current guidelines and recommendations.

Over the last five years, there has been a groundswell of interest in the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE). An increased level of understanding of the disease process coupled with data documenting the alarmingly high incidence of VTE has prompted a global awareness of the disease. Consequently, prevention of VTE has been targeted by hospitals, both in the United States and abroad, as a top priority to improve patient care. VTE refers to a continuum of disease that begins with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and can progress to pulmonary embolism (PE). DVT is the more common form of VTE and is often silent, with only 33% of patients presenting with symptoms. As a result, VTE often goes undetected and, if allowed, can progress to PE. This typically delays treatment and results in high rates of morbidity and mortality. The combination of VTE being both difficult to detect and deadly if untreated makes it a disease that is best addressed with preventive rather than therapeutic measures.

Efficacy of intralesional 5-fluorouracil and triamcinolone in the treatment of keloids.

BACKGROUND: Keloids are a common problem with significant recurrence rates despite intralesional steroid treatment and multimodal therapy. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of using a 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/steroid mixture to treat keloids over the past 7 years, comparing the results with use of steroid treatment alone. METHODS: Patient charts from 1999 to 2006 were reviewed. Patients were stratified into 3 groups: (1) 5-FU/steroid without excision; (2) 5-FU/steroid with excision; and (3) steroid treatment with excision. The percentage of lesion size reduction and symptoms were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 102 keloids were identified in a retrospective review. Patients who underwent the 5-FU/steroid combination with excision had a 92% average reduction in lesion size compared with 73% in the group of patients who did not receive 5-FU. Patients who received 5-FU/steroid without excision had an average lesion size reduction of 81%. Differences in complication rates were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Combination 5-FU/triamcinolone is superior to intralesional steroid therapy in the treatment of keloids.

Oral Surgeons as Cosmetic Surgeons and Their Scope of Practice.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the practice of cosmetic surgery has expanded to include oral and maxillofacial surgeons. The groundwork for this scope-of-practice expansion was laid in part by the American Dental Association's definition change of the practice of dentistry. This change modified the scope of dentistry from the earlier "teeth and surrounding and supporting structures" to the maxillofacial area and beyond. A number of states adopted this new definition into legislation, giving practitioners the premise on which to perform cosmetic and other medical procedures on the face and potentially other parts of the body. This expansion has created legal and regulatory issues over scope and truth in advertising. The authors hypothesize that this is confused by a lack of federal guidelines and state-by-state variations in scope-of-practice laws for oral and maxillofacial surgeons. METHODS: This article provides a brief overview of the key legal issues and their impact on legislation in some of the battleground states. The authors review the national distribution of scope of practice for oral and maxillofacial surgeons. RESULTS: The most successful path to expanded scope for dentistry has been through control of certification and credentialing. This has marginalized medicine boards from contributory oversight, thus circumventing any arguments over practice parameters. The scope-of-practice dispute is further complicated by the existence of dual-degree oral and maxillofacial surgeons. CONCLUSIONS: With increasing demand for cosmetic surgical interventions, establishing scope-of-practice standards for single-degreed oral and maxillofacial surgeons is critically important. As physicians, the oral and maxillofacial surgery graduates of the dual M.D./D.D.S. degree programs have no such scope-of-practice restrictions. Furthermore, if plastic surgery is to effectively argue against expanded scope of practice for oral and maxillofacial surgeons, more objective data will be necessary.

Safety of Postoperative Opioid Alternatives in Plastic Surgery: A Systematic Review.

With the growing opioid epidemic, plastic surgeons are being encouraged to transition away from reliance on postoperative opioids. However, many plastic surgeons hesitate to use nonopioid analgesics such as nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and local anesthetic blocks because of concerns about their safety, particularly bleeding. The goal of this systematic review is to assess the validity of risks associated with nonopioid analgesic alternatives. A comprehensive literature search of the PubMed and MEDLINE databases was conducted regarding the safety of opioid alternatives in plastic surgery. Inclusion and exclusion criteria yielded 34 relevant articles. A systematic review was performed because of the variation between study indications, interventions, and complications. Thirty-four articles were reviewed that analyzed the safety of ibuprofen, ketorolac, celecoxib, intravenous acetaminophen, ketamine, gabapentin, liposomal bupivacaine, and local and continuous nerve blocks after plastic surgery procedures. There were no articles that showed statistically significant bleeding associated with ibuprofen, celecoxib, or ketorolac. Similarly, acetaminophen administered intravenously, ketamine, gabapentin, and liposomal bupivacaine did not have any significant increased risk of adverse events. Nerve and infusion blocks have a low risk of pneumothorax. Limitations of this study include small sample sizes, different dosing and control groups, and more than one medication being studied. Larger studies of nonopioid analgesics would therefore be valuable and may strengthen the conclusions of this review. As a preliminary investigation, this review showed that several opioid alternatives have a potential role in postoperative analgesia. Plastic surgeons have the responsibility to lead the reduction of postoperative opioid use by further developing multimodal analgesia.

Effect of Keller Funnel on the Rate of Capsular Contracture in Periareolar Breast Augmentation.

BACKGROUND: Capsular contracture is 1 of the most common complications after breast implant surgery and is a major indication for reoperation. Capsular contracture is believed to be a multifactorial process that is affected by implant texture, incision type, and ultimately pocket contamination. This contamination causes a biofilm that leads to capsular contracture. The intraoperative use of a Keller funnel is a mechanical way to decrease the implant's contact with the skin and ducts, reducing bacterial contamination that can cause these biofilms. For this reason, periareolar breast augmentation has been less popular among surgeons. The purpose of this study was to examine if there was a significant difference between the rates of capsular contracture in patients having periareolar breast augmentations with the use of a Keller funnel for insertion and those having periareolar breast augmentations without Funnel use. METHODS: This level 3 retrospective study followed 2 groups of patients, the first having periareolar breast augmentations without the use of a funnel for insertion (group A; patients n = 15; implants n = 30) and the second having periareolar breast augmentations with the use of a funnel for insertion (group B; patients n = 151; implants n = 300). RESULTS: The rate of capsular contracture in group A was found to be 10% compared with a rate of capsular contracture of 1.3% for patients in group B, an 87% reduction (P = 0.0019). CONCLUSIONS: According to the results found in this study, the rate of capsular contracture in patients having periareolar breast augmentations after insertion with a Keller funnel was statistically significantly lower than the rate in patients having implants inserted without the assistance of a funnel, making the device useful in reducing the occurrence of postoperative capsular contracture.

The Price of Medical Tourism: The Legal Implications of Surgery Abroad.

Medical tourism, or traveling abroad to obtain medical services, has evolved into a global health care phenomenon, with over 15 million U.S. patients each year seeking medical care internationally, representing a $50 billion dollar industry in 2017. Speculation and media fascination about the growing industry, diverse destinations, and rationale behind the medical tourists is rampant; however, the legal implications of tourism medicine, particularly when it goes wrong, are often unclear. On the international stage, accreditation agencies are limited in scope and practice, legal jurisdiction is difficult to establish, and the enforcement of rulings is nearly impossible. Patients seeking tourism medicine have little legal recourse and shoulder all the legal burden.