Limitations of Patient-Controlled Epidural Analgesia Following Abdominoplasty.

BACKGROUND: Effective postoperative pain management is essential for patient satisfaction and an uneventful postoperative course, particularly in body contouring procedures. Systemic analgesic regimens can be supported by regional procedures, such as the transverse abdominis plane (TAP) block, but these have a limited duration of action. In contrast, thoracic epidural analgesia offers the possibility of a longer-lasting, individualized regional anesthesia administered by a patient-controlled analgesia pump. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a patient-controlled epidural analgesia to better classify the clinical value of this procedure in abdominoplasties. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This work reviewed the digital medical charts of patients who underwent selective abdominoplasty without combined surgical procedures between September 2018 and August 2022. Evaluated data comprise the postoperative analgesia regimen, including on-demand medication, mobilization time, inpatient length of stay, and clinical outcome. The patients were grouped by the presence of a thoracic epidural catheter. This catheter was placed before anesthetic induction and a saturation dose was preoperatively applied. Postoperative PCEA patients received a basal rate and could independently administer boluses. Basal rate was individually adjusted during daily additional pain visits. RESULTS: The study cohort included 112 patients. Significant differences in the demand for supportive nonepidural opiate medication were shown between the patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) group (n = 57) and the non-PCEA group (n = 55), depending on the time after surgery. PCEA patients demanded less medication during the early postoperative days (POD 0: PCEA 0.13 (±0.99) mg vs non-PCEA 2.59 (±4.55) mg, P = 0.001; POD 1: PCEA 0.79 mg (±3.06) vs non-PCEA 2.73 (±3.98) mg, P = 0.005), but they required more during the later postoperative phase (POD 3: PCEA 2.76 (±5.60) mg vs non-PCEA 0.61 (±2.01) mg, P = 0.008; POD 4: PCEA 1.64 (±3.82) mg vs non-PCEA 0.07 (±2.01) mg, P = 0.003). In addition, PCEA patients achieved full mobilization later (PCEA 2.67 (±0.82) days vs non-PCEA 1.78 (±1.09) days, P = 0.001) and were discharged later (PCEA 4.84 (±1.23) days vs non-PCEA 4.31 (±1.37) days, P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Because the postoperative benefits of PCEA are limited to potent analgesia immediately after abdominoplasty, less cumbersome, time-limited regional anesthesia procedures (such as TAP block) appear not only adequate but also more effective.

Negative Pressure Wound Therapy in Free Muscle Flaps-Risk or Benefit?

BACKGROUND: Application of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) on free flaps not only reduces edema but also increases the pressure from outside. The impact of these opposite effects on flap perfusion remains elusive. This study evaluates the NPWT system's influence on macro- and microcirculation of free flaps and edema reduction to better assess the clinical value of this therapy in microsurgical reconstructions. METHODS: In this open-label, prospective cohort study, a total of 26 patients with free gracilis muscle flaps for distal lower extremity reconstruction were included. Flaps were covered with an NPWT (13 patients) or a conventional, fatty gauze dressing (13 patients) for 5 postoperative days (PODs). Changes in flap perfusion were analyzed by laser Doppler flowmetry, remission spectroscopy, and an implanted Doppler probe. Flap volume as a surrogate parameter for flap edema was evaluated by three-dimensional (3D) scans. RESULTS: No flap showed clinical evidence of circulatory disturbances. The groups showed significant differences in the dynamic of macrocirculatory blood flow velocity with an increase in the NPWT group and a decelerated flow in the control group from PODs 0 to 3 and PODs 3 to 5. No significant differences in microcirculation parameters were observed. 3D scans for estimation of edema development demonstrated significant differences in volume dynamics between the groups. Flap volume of the controls increased, while the volume in the NPWT group decreased during the first 5 PODs. The volume of NPWT-treated flaps decreased even further after NPWT removal from PODs 5 to 14 and significantly more than the flap volume in the control group. CONCLUSION: NPWT is a safe form of dressing for free muscle flaps that enhances blood flow and results in a sustainable edema reduction. The use of NPWT dressings for free flaps should therefore be considered not only as a pure wound covering but also as a supportive therapy for free tissue transfer.

Expected Reduction of The Nipple-Areolar Complex Over Time After Treatment of Gynecomastia with Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction Mastectomy Compared to Subcutaneous Mastectomy Alone.

BACKGROUND: The enlarged nipple-areola-complex (NAC) is a characterizing aspect of gynecomastia. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to multidimensionally quantify the reduction of the NAC after a subcutaneous mastectomy (SCM) with or without ultrasound-assisted liposuction (UAL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective assessment of patients who underwent SCM +/- UAL due to gynecomastia over a period of 11 years was conducted. The NAC diameters were measured before and after surgery. In addition, a survey (including the BREAST-Q) regarding patient-oriented outcome was performed. RESULTS: The study cohort consisted of 55 men and resulting 105 NACs (SCM n=63, SCM+UAL n=42). It could be shown that the reduction of the NAC considering all parameters (horizontal and vertical diameter and the area) was significantly larger (p=<0.001) in the SCM+UAL compared to the SCM only cohort. The mean reduction of the area in the SCM cohort was 1.60cm2 (SD 1.48) or 23.37% (SD 9.78) after 5.82 years and in the SCM+UAL cohort 2.60cm2 (SD 1.60) or 35.85% (SD 6,86) after 7.43 years. As independent significant factors for reduction of the NAC, the resection weight and SCM+UAL combination were identified. There were no significant differences regarding the patients' satisfaction measured with the BODY-Q (p=0.222) and the ordinal scale (p=0.445) between the two cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: The SCM with UAL showed a larger reduction over time of the NAC compared to the SCM independent from the stage of gynecomastia. When planning the surgical treatment of gynecomastia, a technique and resection weight dependent reduction of the NAC over time must be considered. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: 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 .

Radial collateral ligament repair of the thumb: long-term outcomes and predictive factors of postoperative deficits.

BACKGROUND: The thumb's radial collateral ligament (RCL) plays an important role in stabilizing the first metacarpophalangeal joint (MCP-1). RCL injuries are rare and treatment recommendations are inconsistent in the current literature. The aim of this study was to report on long-term outcomes following surgical repair of thumb RCL tear and to identify prognostic risk factors for treatment failure. METHODS: Patients with RCL tear from 10/1998 to 10/2019 were included in the present retrospective single center cohort study. In follow-up visits, participants were assessed regarding pain, range of motion and strength as well as with disability of shoulder, arm and hands (DASH), and the Short-Form 36 (SF36) questionnaires. Finally, predictive factors of postoperative deficits were identified. RESULTS: 43 patients fulfilled inclusion criteria. Median age was 43.5 years (range 18-80 years). The most frequent mechanism of injury was a fall or impact. Bony avulsions were identified in 46.5% (20/43). Time from injury to surgery was 12 days (0-276 days). One Stener-like lesion was observed intraoperatively among our patients. After surgical repair, the MCP-1 joint was stable in every patient. Mean time to follow-up was 5.3 years (1 month to 17 years). Persistency of pain in the MCP-1 joint was reported by 11 patients. Postoperative averaged score was 3.75 on DASH and 44.96 on SF36, respectively. The average grip and pinch strength was 32.7 kg and 8.37 kg, respectively. Predictive factors of postoperative deficits were delay of surgery of > 3 weeks (OR 10.72, p 0.017) and palmar subluxation prior to surgery (OR 8.86, p 0.019). CONCLUSION: Long-term follow-up has proven that surgical repair of RCL enables the patient to regain adequate stability and strength of the MCP-1 joint and minimizes disability. Predictive risk factors of pain persistency after surgery are surgical delay and palmar subluxation of the MCP-1 joint.