Nasal Dorsum Rotation-Transposition Flap Associated with Guitar-String Sutures: One-Stage Reconstruction of Large Defects on the Nose.

(1) Background: The preferred reconstructive option for closing small- or medium-sized defects of the distal half of the nose is the use of local flaps. The dorsal nasal (Rieger) flap is suitable for closing medium-sized defects at this location, especially when they are medially located, and are wider rather than tall. We describe a rotation-transposition dorsal nasal flap reconstruction for large nasal defects. The novelty of this design includes the addition of a small transposition lobe to the rotation flap, enabling the acquisition of tissue from either the lateral sidewall or the nasolabial sulcus, facilitating closure with guitar-string sutures. (2) Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of all the patients with large defects (>20 mm) of the nose who underwent nasal dorsum rotation-transposition flap repair between January 2019 and November 2022 at a single academic center. (3) Results: Fourteen patients (eight males, six females; ages 47-83, mean age 60 years) with defects (range: 20.00-35.00 mm) on the dorsum and nasal tip were recruited. Follow-up duration ranged from 12 months to 3 years, with all cases showing good or excellent oncologic and cosmetic results. (4) Conclusions: The rotation-transposition dorsal nasal flap was demonstrated to be a reproducible one-stage technique for large defects of the dorsum and nasal tip, with minimal risk of aesthetic or functional complications. Guitar-string sutures allowed the reduction of the defect size, facilitating a smaller flap design.

Alpelisib decreases nevocytes of congenital melanocytic nevi.

BACKGROUND: Multiple, large or giant congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN) are uncommon and affected patients can show progressive growth and thickening, associate neurocutaneous melanocytosis or develop melanoma. Current treatment modalities are mostly complex surgeries that frequently do not solve the disease and its risks completely. Thus, investigation on new treatment options for CMN and its complications must continue. MAPK pathway inhibitors are being investigated, also targeting PI3K-AKT. Omipalisib (PI3K inhibitor, with no indications approved yet) has been studied for CMN in vitro and in mice with promising results. However, alpelisib, a PI3K inhibitor approved with an adequate safety profile for patients with severe manifestations of PROS (PIK3CA-Related Overgrowth Spectrum), had not yet been tested for CMN. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of alpelisib in nevocytes of congenital melanocytic nevi. METHODS: Nevomelanocytic tissue samples of 10 patients were collected prospectively and, following a previously reported preclinical ex vivo model, explants were placed in organotypic culture for 5 days, with or without alpelisib. Consecutively, tissue sections were stained and using scanned images with Qupath and ImageJ softwares, representative regions from the dermis were analysed (using Wilcoxon test and Spearman's correlation). RESULTS: When comparing alpelisib-treated explants with respect to control explants, we found a decrease in cell density (p = 0.0273), in density of SOX10+ -cells (p = 0.0391) and also in the % of S-100+ area (p = 0.0078), in alpelisib samples. The three markers showed a positive correlation (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides first-time evidence that alpelisib induces nevocyte reduction in CMN from patient-derived explants, probably inducted by autophagy. Alpelisib is an approved drug with an adequate safety profile used in another mosaicism affecting PI3K (PROS). Further studies are needed to evaluate its efficacy in treating CMN and potentially, their complications, either with local or systemic administration, alone or in combination.

Enhancing Lower Extremity Defect Coverage: High Viability Ultra-Thin Split-Thickness Skin Grafts Obtained from the Scalp.

BACKGROUND: Repairing lower extremity defects presents challenges due to the scarcity of available local tissue. Skin grafting is a widely employed technique for addressing non-healing ulcers, improving the quality of life of patients and minimizing discomfort. However, using traditional donor sites, such as the thigh, can hinder mobility and result in noticeable scarring and pigmentation changes. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to assess the effectiveness of a novel approach utilizing autologous ultra-thin split-thickness skin grafts (STSGs) harvested from the scalp using a disposable, commercially available razor blade named DermaBlade. METHODS: Fifteen patients (median age: 72 years, eight males and seven females) with diverse lower limb lesions, including carcinomas and ulcers of varying etiologies, were prospectively enrolled. Donor sites included the sideburn extending to the hairy temporal skin (nine cases) and hairy occipital skin (six cases). Ultra-thin skin strips (<0.2 mm thick) were obtained from the scalp through the use of the disposable flexible blade DermaBlade. The strips were positioned over the receptor area with no sutures in most cases and secured using dressings. A substantial majority of patients (90%) achieved successful graft take with no complications. Swift re-epithelialization occurred within a median of 12 days for the donor site and 24 days for the receptor site. No hair transfer or alopecic scars were noted. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to traditional grafting methods, DermaBlade-assisted scalp grafting yields highly viable STSGs that adhere to wound beds without the need for sutures. Notable advantages of this technique encompass rapid wound healing, minimal complications, and superior cosmetic outcomes. Furthermore, it avoids scarring and alopecia, making it a promising approach for addressing lower extremity defects.

Prognostic factors for satellitosis or in-transit metastasis in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: A multicentric cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Satellitosis or in-transit metastasis (S-ITM) has clinical outcomes comparable to node-positivity in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). There is a need to stratify the risk groups. OBJECTIVE: To determine which prognostic factors of S-ITM confer an increased risk of relapse and cSCC-specific-death. METHODS: A retrospective, multicenter cohort study. Patients with cSCC developing S-ITM were included. Multivariate competing risk analysis evaluated which factors were associated with relapse and specific death. RESULTS: Of a total of 111 patients with cSCC and S-ITM, 86 patients were included for analysis. An S-ITM size of ≥20 mm, >5 S-ITM lesions, and a primary tumor deep invasion was associated with an increased cumulative incidence of relapse (subhazard ratio [SHR]: 2.89 [95% CI, 1.44-5.83; P = .003], 2.32 [95% CI, 1.13-4.77; P = .021], and 2.863 [95% CI, 1.25-6.55; P = .013]), respectively. Several >5 S-ITM lesions were also associated with an increased probability of specific death (SHR: 3.48 [95% CI, 1.18-10.2; P = .023]). LIMITATIONS: Retrospective study and heterogeneity of treatments. CONCLUSION: The size and the number of S-ITM lesions confer an increased risk of relapse and the number of S-ITM an increased risk of specific-death in patients with cSCC presenting with S-ITM. These results provide new prognostic information and can be considered in the staging guidelines.

Granuloma annulare subtypes: sonographic features and clinicopathological correlation.

PURPOSE: Diagnosis of granuloma annulare (GA) is based on the clinical and histopathological findings. However, only sporadic case reports of subcutaneous GA sonography have been published to date. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ultrasonographic patterns of the different clinical variants of GA: localized, generalized, subcutaneous, and perforating. METHODS: In this retrospective observational study, we analyzed and correlated the clinical, histopathological, and sonographic features of 15 patients diagnosed with GA. RESULTS: We included 8 women and 7 men with a mean age of 48.4 years (8-77 years). We found three different sonographic patterns depending on the clinical variant of GA: poorly defined hypoechoic band including the dermis (dermal pattern), irregularly shaped hypoechoic hypodermal lumps (hypodermal pattern), and ill-defined hypoechoic dermal and subcutaneous lesions (mixed pattern). Five cases showed increased blood flow signal on Doppler interrogation. CONCLUSION: Although our findings are broadly consistent with the previous reports of subcutaneous GA, the sonographic features in localized, generalized, and perforating GA have not been previously reported.

Mesenchymal PLAG1 Tumor With PCMTD1-PLAG1 Fusion in an Infant: A New Type of "Plagoma".

ABSTRACT: In the past decade, there have been major advances in knowledge related to mesenchymal tumors, and new genetic alterations are being delineated. We report a mesenchymal spindle cell neoplasm harboring a novel gene fusion in an infant. Histopathologically, the neoplasm shared some features with sclerosing perineurioma, but immunohistochemically, EMA was negative, whereas GLUT1, NK1-C3, and BCOR were positive. Next-generation sequencing revealed a PCMTD1-pleomorphic adenoma gene 1 (PLAG1) fusion. PLAG1 contributes to the expression of a variety of genes implicated in regulating cell proliferation, and PCMTD1 has been related to the development of certain carcinomas. Recently, other soft tissue tumors in young children associated with PLAG1 fusion variants have been reported. Perhaps, mesenchymal neoplasms presenting PLAG1 fusions with different genes would confirm a specific group (PLAG mesenchymal tumours or "plagomas") in the near future.

Risk Factors and Rate of Recurrence after Mohs Surgery in Basal Cell and Squamous Cell Carcinomas: A Nationwide Prospective Cohort (REGESMOHS, Spanish Registry of Mohs Surgery).

Randomized studies to assess the efficacy of Mohs micrographic surgery in basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas are limited by methodological and ethical issues and a lack of long follow-up periods. This study presents the "real-life" results of a nationwide 7-years cohort on basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma treated with Mohs micrographic surgery. A prospective cohort was conducted in 22 Spanish centres (from July 2013 to February 2020) and a multivariate analysis, including characteristics of patients, tumours, surgeries and follow-up, was performed. A total of 4,402 patients followed up for 12,111 patient-years for basal cell carcinoma, and 371 patients with 915 patient-years of follow-up for squamous cell carcinoma were recruited. Risk factors for recurrence included age, non-primary tumours and more stages or unfinished surgeries for both tumours, and immunosuppression for squamous cell carcinoma. Incidence rates of recurrence were 1.3 per 100 person-years for basal cell carcinoma (95% confidence interval 1.1-1.5) and 4.5 for squamous cell carcinoma (95% confidence interval 3.3-6.1), being constant over time (0-5 years). In conclusion, follow-up strategies should be equally intense for at least the first 5 years, with special attention paid to squamous cell carcinoma (especially in immunosuppressed patients), elderly patients, non-primary tumours, and those procedures requiring more stages, or unfinished surgeries.

A facility and community-based assessment of scabies in rural Malawi.

BACKGROUND: Scabies is a neglected tropical disease of the skin, causing severe itching, stigmatizing skin lesions and systemic complications. Since 2015, the DerMalawi project provide an integrated skin diseases clinics and Tele-dermatology care in Malawi. Clinic based data suggested a progressive increase in scabies cases observed. To better identify and treat individuals with scabies in the region, we shifted from a clinic-based model to a community based outreach programme. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: From May 2015, DerMalawi project provide integrated skin diseases and Tele-dermatological care in the Nkhotakota and Salima health districts in Malawi. Demographic and clinical data of all patients personally attended are recorded. Due to a progressive increase in the number of cases of scabies the project shifted to a community-based outreach programme. For the community outreach activities, we conducted three visits between 2018 to 2019 and undertook screening in schools and villages of Alinafe Hospital catchment area. Treatment was offered for all the cases and school or household contacts. Scabies increased from 2.9% to 39.2% of all cases seen by the DerMalawi project at clinics between 2015 to 2018. During the community-based activities approximately 50% of the population was assessed in each of three visits. The prevalence of scabies was similar in the first two rounds, 15.4% (2392) at the first visit and 17.2% at the second visit. The prevalence of scabies appeared to be lower (2.4%) at the third visit. The prevalence of impetigo appeared unchanged and was 6.7% at the first visit and 5.2% at the final visit. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Prevalence of scabies in our setting was very high suggesting that scabies is a major public health problem in parts of Malawi. Further work is required to more accurately assess the burden of disease and develop appropriate public health strategies for its control.

Surgical outcomes and psychosocial impact of giant congenital melanocytic nevus surgery: A single-center case series of 136 patients.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes, complications and psychosocial impact of surgical treatment of giant congenital melanocytic nevus (GCMN). METHODS: Patients with surgically treated GCMN who attended our clinic between May 2014 and May 2018 were included. Patient demographics and data on the characteristics of the nevus, surgical treatment, and the psychosocial impact (including C-DLQI/DLQI questionnaires) were collected. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-six patients were included (median age 9 years). Mean age at first surgery was 34 (+/- 61.45) months; 5.53 (+/- 3.69) surgical interventions were necessary to completely excise the nevus. The expanded skin flap was the preferred surgical technique in most locations. Complications were common but not severe. Of the patients studied, 70.4% reported that the surgery had a minor impact on their quality of life (QoL). Patients and caregivers stated that surgical treatment should begin as soon as possible, even in cases where early treatment did not have an impact on their QoL nor on their satisfaction with the surgery (p < 0.05). The lower the patient age at first surgery, the higher the surgeon's satisfaction (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Surgical treatment is a safe option for management of GCMN, and has a low impact on QoL. Patients, caregivers, and surgeons agree that the treatment should begin as soon as possible. This is the largest single-center study evaluating surgical treatment in GCMN patients and its psychosocial impact, and the first to take into account the patient, caregivers and dermatologists opinion of surgical results.