The Lasso Suture: Ex Vivo Testing of an Alternative to the High-Tension Deep Dermal Stitch.

SUMMARY: Wound dehiscence, with an estimated occurrence rate greater than 4% in plastic surgery, is generally underreported, and can be an indicator of increased mortality and remission rates. The authors developed the lasso suture as a stronger alternative to the current standard patterns. The lasso suture takes less time to perform than the standard high-tension wound repair method. The authors dissected caprine skin specimens to create full-thickness wounds for suture repair using simple interrupted, vertical mattress, horizontal mattress, and deep dermal with running intradermal (DDR) sutures ( n = 10) and lasso sutures ( n = 9). They then conducted uniaxial failure testing to quantify the suture rupture stresses and strains. They also measured the suture operating time with medical students and residents (PGY or MS programs) performing wound repair (10-cm wide, 2-cm deep, 2-0 polydioxanone sutures) on soft-fixed human cadaver skin. The lasso stitch had a greater first-suture rupture stress compared with all other patterns ( P < 0.001): 2.46 ± 0.27 MPa for lasso versus 0.69 ± 0.14 MPa for simple interrupted, 0.68 ± 0.13 MPa for vertical mattress, 0.50 ± 0.10 MPa for horizontal mattress, and 1.17 ± 0.28 MPa for DDR sutures. Performing the lasso suture was 28% faster than performing standard DDR (264 ± 21 versus 349 ± 25 seconds; P = 0.027). In summary, the authors showed that the lasso has superior mechanical properties compared with the studied traditional sutures, and that the new technique can be performed more quickly than the current standard (DDR stitch) for high-tension wounds. Future animal and in-clinic studies will be helpful to confirm the authors' findings in this proof-of-concept study. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: The authors propose the lasso suture, a new suturing method with improved tensile performance compared with traditional techniques and a faster operative time than the deep dermal stitch typically used for high-tension wounds in reconstructive surgery to prevent wound dehiscence.

Calcinosis Cutis of the Nasal Dorsum.

Calcinosis cutis is a common dermatological problem in patients with systemic sclerosis, dermatomyositis, and systemic lupus erythematous; however, it is rare to occur outside of these diseases. It represents a multidisciplinary problem that involves primary care physicians, dermatologists, and surgeons. The pathophysiology is defined by deposition of calcium salts in the subcutaneous tissue as hydroxyapatite, but the underlying mechanism has yet to be determined. The most common locations of lesions are the scalp, scrotum, extremities, and joints. Rarely does calcinosis cutis occur on the face. We present a unique case of idiopathic calcinosis cutis that occurred in a healthy patient with normal serum calcium and phosphate levels on the nasal dorsum, which was managed surgically. The histology of the calcinosis showed normal morphology, dominated by large deposits of calcium and normal surrounding tissues. This case represents a rare but clinically relevant presentation of idiopathic calcinosis cutis in an otherwise healthy individual.

The effect of punctal plugs in reducing ocular surface irritation after povidone-iodine preparation of intravitreal injection-a randomized trial.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the utility of dissolvable collagen punctal plugs (CPP) in reducing ocular surface irritation after intravitreal injections (IVI). METHODS: Sixty-four subjects in the experimental group received CPP after intravitreal injections. Sixty-two controls did not receive CPP. Reductions in the Ocular Surface Disease Index© (OSDI) and Standardized Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness II (SPEED II) scores were analysed. RESULTS: Dry eye symptoms, as measured by reductions from the pre- to post-injection OSDI (p = 0.137) and SPEED II (p = 0.381) scores, did not significantly differ between the two groups. In sub-group analysis, patients with objective findings of dry eyes had significant improvement in their symptoms (p = 0.046) with CPP. The effect of CPP is not significant in those without dry eyes (p = 0.27). CONCLUSION: CPPs were not effective in reducing post-injection ocular irritation in patients with no or only mild dry eye symptoms. CPPs improved patients' post-injection comfort levels in those who had moderate-to-severe symptoms and objective findings of dry eye. Though costly CPP could be considered in selective patients. A standardized eye rinse could be a simple, efficacious, and cost-effective way to reduce post-injection ocular irritation; however, more studies are needed.