Photobiomodulation in promoting increased Skin Flap Viability: a systematic review of animal studies.

Necrosis is common in skin flap surgeries. Photobiomodulation, a noninvasive and effective technique, holds the potential to enhance microcirculation and neovascularization. As such, it has emerged as a viable approach for mitigating the occurrence of skin flap necrosis. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the scientific literature considering the use of photobiomodulation to increase skin-flap viability. The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA), was used to conducted systematic literature search in the databases PubMed, SCOPUS, Elsevier and, Scielo on June 2023. Included studies investigated skin-flap necrosis employing PBMT irradiation as a treatment and, at least one quantitative measure of skin-flap necrosis in any animal model. Twenty-five studies were selected from 54 original articles that addressed PBMT with low-level laser (LLL) or light-emitting diode (LED) in agreement with the qualifying requirements. Laser parameters varied markedly across studies. In the selected studies, the low-level laser in the visible red spectrum was the most frequently utilized PBMT, although the LED PBMT showed a similar improvement in skin-flap necrosis. Ninety percent of the studies assessing the outcomes of the effects of PBMT reported smaller areas of necrosis in skin flap. Studies have consistently demonstrated the ability of PBMT to improve skin flap viability in animal models. Evidence suggests that PBMT, through enhancing angiogenesis, vascular density, mast cells, and VEGF, is an effective therapy for decrease necrotic tissue in skin flap surgery.

Facial palsy after blunt trauma and without facial bone fracture.

A 14-year-old patient had a low-energy facial blunt trauma that evolved to right facial paralysis caused by parotid hematoma with parotid salivary gland lesion. Computed tomography and angiography demonstrated intraparotid collection without pseudoaneurysm and without radiologic signs of fracture in the face. The patient was treated with serial punctures for hematoma deflation, resolving with regression and complete remission of facial paralysis, with no late sequela. The authors discuss the relationship between facial nerve traumatic injuries associated or not with the presence of facial fractures, emphasizing the importance of early recognition and appropriate treatment of such cases.

Early rectal cancer: local excision or radical surgery?

BACKGROUND: Sphincter preservation, disease control, and long-term survival are the main goals in the treatment of rectal cancer. Although transanal local excision is attractive because it is a sphincter sparing procedure, some contradictory data exist in the literature about its ability to locally control disease and provide overall survival comparable with radical procedures, even for patients with early stage tumor. PURPOSE: To compare transanal local excision and radical surgery treatment results based on the appropriate data in literature. METHODS: We reviewed the literature to identify the current recurrence and survival rates of both techniques as well as the salvage surgery success. A PubMed search of the last 10 years was performed, and a total of 10 nonrandomized studies were identified; only 1 study was prospective, 5 were comparative, and 5 were case reports. RESULTS: Five-year overall survival rate varied from 69% to 83% in the local excision group versus 82% to 90% for the radical excision group. Local recurrence rates ranged from 9% to 20% for local excision and from 2% to 9% for radical surgery. Systemic recurrence rates ranged from 6% to 21% for local excision and from 2% to 9% for radical surgery. CONCLUSION: Radical surgery is the more definitive cancer treatment; however, it does not eliminate local excision as a reasonable choice for many patients, who will have lesser procedure-related morbidity and will accept an increased risk of tumor recurrence, a prolonged period of postoperative cancer surveillance, and a decreased success rate by salvage surgery.

Impacto da vídeocirurgia na prevenção de aderências / Impact of the video-surgery in the prevention of the adhesions

Uma das vantagens aventadas da vídeo-cirurgia é a possibilidade de formar menos aderências pós-operatórias. As evidências deste efeito resultam de trabalhos clínicos e experimentais, mas o real impacto desta via de acesso neste sentido ainda não foi comprovado. O objetivo da presente revisão foi avaliar as evidências científicas disponíveis sobre o assunto. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: revisão da literatura pertinente. RESULTADOS: as aderências pós-operatórias foram analisadas no sítio da operação e nas incisões praticadas, porém existem poucas informações sobre aderências em locais não operados. Aderências pós-operatórias são menos freqüentes ou intensas quando se considera a via de acesso por vídeo. A despeito deste dado experimental, os desfechos clínicos de menor dor pélvica, menor número de admissões ou reoperações por obstrução intestinal e menor ocorrência de infertilidade ainda não podem ser claramente atribuídos a esta via de acesso, especialmente quando se consideram as cirurgias laparoscópicas avançadas, uma vez que nesta situação existe equivalência de área cruenta nas duas vias de acesso, à exceção da área associada às incisões. CONCLUSÕES: a via de acesso por vídeo está associada a menor formação de aderências, mas não protege de complicações relacionadas à sua ocorrência. Técnica operatória adequada e o uso de barreiras provavelmente estão mais fortemente associadas à menor formação de aderências do que a via de acesso aberta empregada para a realização das operações abdominais e pélvicas.