Does aggressive respiratory rehabilitation after primary nuss procedure improve pulmonary function?

OBJECTIVE: Here, we present the efficacy of an aggressive respiratory rehabilitation program that was initiated from early postoperative period, expecting to improve inspiratory volume at an early stage after primary Nuss procedure. METHODS: The study was performed as a nonrandomized controlled study undergoing primary Nuss procedure at our institute from 2016 to 2018. We evaluated 34 patients and assigned them to two groups based on whether or not they received a respiratory rehabilitation. Group A (between June 2016 and March 2018) includes patients with inspiratory training postoperatively, and group B (between April 2018 and July 2018) includes patients without training. At the time of admission, a physiatrist provided each patient with a training instruction. From day five postoperatively, the patients in group A started training for inspiration with an incentive spirometer (Coach 2®PORTEX) four times a day. Patients were instructed to perform the same training at home after discharge. Using this device, we measured pre- and postoperative inspired volumes in each group. Data were analyzed with Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests and a paired Student t-test. A p-value below 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups concerning both operative age and the degree of the deformity calculated by Haller index. Preoperative inspiratory volume showed no significant differences. Although there were no statistical differences between two groups in the inspiratory volume at discharge, these two parameters were significantly higher in group A after three months postoperatively (A: 1404 ±â€¯466 ml vs B: 900 ±â€¯314 ml) and the values increased compared to the preoperative stage in group A. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate the aggressive respiratory rehabilitation is an effective regimen to increase inspiratory volume at an early stage after Nuss procedure. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Laparoendoscopic Single-site Plus 1-port Donor Nephrectomy: Division of Roles to Shorten Warm Ischemic Time.

BACKGROUND: In this study we present our new surgical procedure, laparoendoscopic single-site surgery plus 1 for donor nephrectomy (LESS+1-DN), which shortens warm ischemic time (WIT) and improves surgical outcomes. METHODS: From January 2013 to February 2017, 15 patients who underwent LESS-DN and 41 patients who underwent LESS+1-DN at our institution were evaluated retrospectively. Patients were divided into 3 groups: group A, 15 cases of LESS-DN; group B, the first 15 patients who underwent LESS+1-DN; and group C, 26 patients who underwent subsequent LESS+1-DN. To reduce WIT, we clearly defined the roles of the surgeon and first assistant in the 26 subsequent LESS+1-DN cases. The surgeon dissected the renal pedicle and harvested the kidney graft using a recovery bag and the first assistant held the recovery bag. RESULTS: The mean operative time in group C (213.7 minutes) was significantly shorter than that in groups A (253.3 minutes) and B (253.8 minutes). The WIT in group C (195.2 seconds) was significantly shorter than that in groups A (389.8 seconds) and B (313.2 seconds). Open conversion was required in 1 case in group A. None of the donors required conversion to open surgery and no perioperative complications occurred in groups B and C. Linear regression analysis of the LESS+1-DN operative times and consecutive case numbers demonstrated a shallow learning curve (R2 = 0.392, P < .05). CONCLUSION: Our new procedure that divides the roles of the operator and the first assistant contributed significantly to a shortening of WIT. Dividing roles can facilitate a safer laparoscopic donor nephrectomy.

Disinsertion of the levator aponeurosis from the tarsus in growing children.

To confirm when the levator aponeurosis is disinserted and how the disinsertion is compensated for in growing children, the earliest and latest photographs of the same children were the subjects of a retrospective comparative study regarding upward displacement of the superior palpebral crease and the eyeball in the palpebral fissure. Ninety-four children (48 boys and 46 girls) were selected from 615 patients with cleft lip and palate who were followed for more than several years at our outpatient clinic and whose 58,000 photographs were digitized. The earliest and latest photographs of the patients were taken in primary gaze position; the former, taken at less than 3 years of age, and the latter, taken at more than 6 years of age, were selected for this study. The intervals between the two photographs ranged from 3 to 14 years (mean, 9.61 years; SD, 3.11). The superior palpebral crease moved upward parallel with the growth of the children (p < 0.0001) as well as with the length of the growth period (p = 0.0141). The lower eyelid did not move downward (p < 0.0001). The eyeball also displaced upward parallel with growth (p < 0.0001) and with the length of the growth period (p = 0.0302). The more the superior palpebral crease was displaced upward, the more the eyeball was displaced upward (p = 0.0005). The levator aponeurosis may be likely to disinsert from the tarsus in growing children, thus requiring compensatory, excessive contraction of the levator muscle, which may cause upward displacement of the superior palpebral crease. Subsequently, excessive contraction of the superior rectus muscle in conjunction of the levator muscle may rotate the eyeball upward, which may incline the head. When the head is not inclined in the primary gaze position, compensatory contraction of the inferior rectus muscle to maintain the horizontal visual axis may displace the eyeball upward in the orbit by means of the inferior suspensory ligament of Lockwood.

A transverse ligament located anterosuperiorly in the lower orbital fat space restricts lower eyelid retraction in the Mongoloid eye.

We previously reported that a lower positioned transverse ligament, which was identified just above the fusional line between the orbital septum and the levator aponeurosis or anteroinferiorly in the upper orbital fat space, determines the lower position of the preaponeurotic fat, and restricts the upper eyelid retraction causing the external features that define the appearance of the Mongoloid eye. Because the narrow palpebral fissure of the Mongoloid eye is composed of the restricted upper eyelid and the restricted lower eyelid, we surmised that the ligamentous tissue, which is analogous to the lower positioned transverse ligament in the upper eyelid, might also exist in the lower eyelid.

An anatomical structure which results in puffiness of the upper eyelid and a narrow palpebral fissure in the Mongoloid eye.

The typical Mongoloid eye differs from the Occidental one in puffiness of the upper eyelid and narrowness of the palpebral fissure. We surmised that an anatomical structure might exist in the preaponeurotic fat space, which determines the features of the Mongoloid eye. The upper eyelids of 720 Japanese patients and eight Japanese cadavers were macroscopically investigated, and sagittal slices of the central upper eyelid of one patient and nine cadavers were microscopically analysed. Another, lower-positioned transverse ligament different from the higher-positioned Whitnall's one was identified just above the fusional line between the orbital septum and the levator aponeurosis in almost every upper eyelid. A robust ligamentous structure was observed in 331 patients (46%) with puffier eyelids and a narrower palpebral fissure, a diaphanous retinaculum in 381 patients (53%) and no transverse ligamentous tissue in eight patients (1%). Histological evaluation demonstrated that this ligament was composed of tight bundles of collagen fibres containing few elastic fibres. Examination of the preaponeurotic fat space indicated that the superficial expansion of the levator aponeurosis turned up around this transverse ligament to become the orbital septum. When the levator muscle contracts, the deep expansion of the levator aponeurosis retracts the tarsus, the middle expansion retracts the pretarsal orbicularis oculi muscle and skin, and the superficial expansion retracts the preaponeurotic fat against this ligament. This structure thus determines the low position of the preaponeurotic fat and restricts the vertical width of the palpebral fissure, causing the features of the Mongoloid eye.

Etiology and pathogenesis of aponeurotic blepharoptosis.

How and why aponeurotic blepharoptosis develops was investigated in terms of the relationship between the levator aponeurosis and Mueller's muscle functioning as the muscle spindle of the levator muscle. A total of 200 consecutive patients with moderate to severe acquired blepharoptosis completed questionnaires regarding their history of physical irritations to the eyelids, and intraoperative conditions of the levator aponeurosis and Mueller's muscle were evaluated. Several kinds of physical irritations to the eyelids were reported, such as habitual rubbing of the eyelids, contact lens usage, cataract surgery, and continuous rubbing of the eyelids while crying all night. The two main findings for aponeurosis were that it was disinserted from the tarsus, resulting in a large amount of play between the aponeurosis and the tarsus, and that the aponeurosis and Mueller's muscle were attenuated and elongated. The authors believe that rubbing may have caused disinsertion as well as attenuation and elongation of the aponeurosis, which result in transmission failures between the levator muscle and the tarsus as well as between the levator muscle and the mechanoreceptor of Mueller's muscle, leading to clinical blepharoptosis.

Vermilionplasty using medical tattooing after radial forearm flap reconstruction of the lower lip.

Vermilionplasty using medical tattooing was performed after radial forearm flap reconstruction of the lower lip in 2 patients. This technique is easy to perform in the outpatient setting, does not involve sacrifice of tissue, and results in an acceptable aesthetic outcome. We recommend vermilionplasty with medical tattooing as the procedure of choice after lip reconstruction with a distant flap.

A bolster suture technique for ear reconstruction for microtia without skin necrosis.

A new bolster suture technique to prevent skin necrosis in microtia ear reconstruction is presented. An outer series of bolsters is placed distant from the ear framework in a zigzag fashion, the temporal skin being gathered on the framework. In this way, the skin flap overlying the framework is relaxed and has sufficient blood flow. Therefore the skin flap can be thinned with little risk of necrosis. Furthermore, the contour of the reconstructed auricle is accentuated because of the thin relaxed overlying skin. Seven ears with microtia were reconstructed using this method. The results were satisfactory, except for one auricle which became slightly congested at the conchal portion due to excessive thinning. There were no haematomas or skin necrosis.