A Rare Case of BIA-ALCL Mass Associated with Mastectomy Skin Flap Erythema After Immunization with COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: The immune response to breast implants after COVID-19 disease or COVID-19 vaccine administration includes acute inflammatory manifestations, capsular contracture and seroma. Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is a very rare tumor in which numerous up-regulated pro-inflammatory immunological pathways activate a T cell lymphoproliferative disorder. METHODS: The first reported case of a BIA-ALCL hidden mass clinically manifesting with inflammatory signs after SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccinations is here described. RESULTS: Complete capsulectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy were performed and immediately after the surgical procedure local inflammatory signs disappeared; no evidence of disease was present 1 year later. CONCLUSIONS: Immunological stimulation by COVID-19 disease and vaccines may highlight some rare clinical manifestations of BIA-ALCL; persistent inflammatory symptomatology over breast implants should be investigated using second-level imaging. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE V: 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 .

Complete Implant Wrapping with Porcine-Derived Acellular Dermal Matrix for the Treatment of Capsular Contracture in Breast Reconstruction: A Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND: Capsular contracture (CC) represents one of the most common complications in breast reconstruction surgery, impairing final result and patients' well-being. The role of acellular dermal matrixes (ADM) has been widely described for the treatment and prevention of contracture. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of complete implant coverage with porcine-derived ADM in preventing CC limiting complications. In addition, patients' reported outcomes were evaluated in order to define the role of ADM in improving sexual, physical and psychosocial well-being and satisfaction. METHODS: 42 patients who underwent surgical treatment of 46 contracted reconstructed breasts from May 2018th to May 2019th were collected in the two groups (ADM group vs. Control group). RESULTS: The ADM group showed lower rate of CC recurrence and a higher rate of implant losses and minor complications. A significant difference was observed in red breast syndrome (27.3% in the ADM group vs. absent in control the group) and skin ulceration rates (18.2% in the ADM group vs. 4.18% in the control group). As for patients' perceived outcomes, the ADM group showed a statistically significant higher postoperative Satisfaction of Breast Scale score compared to the control group. In addition, a significant difference was observed in the improvement of Physical Well-Being of the Chest Scale and the Satisfaction of Breast Scale after surgery, in favor to the ADM group. CONCLUSION: Complete implant coverage with ADM may reduce the risk of CC recurrence in breast reconstruction. An accurate patient selection allows minimizing complications improving patient well-being and satisfaction. 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 .

Management of Acute and Chronic Wounds Using Negative Pressure Wound Therapy With Instillation and Dwell Time: A Retrospective Review of a 100-Patient Cohort in Padova, Italy.

INTRODUCTION: The presence of debris covering a wound surface significantly impedes progression toward closure. Negative pressure wound therapy with instillation and dwell time (NPWTi-d) of topical wound solutions is a versatile tool that can be applied to various wound types to promote wound healing. At the University Hospital of Padova in Padova, Italy, NPWTi-d has been incorporated into wound management plans that include debridement and antibiotic therapy, as necessary, for a diverse population of patients with open wounds, including acute, chronic, and infected wounds. OBJECTIVE: A retrospective analysis of 100 patients (53 male, 47 female; age range, 22-95 years) who underwent NPWTi-d was performed, and key healing outcomes observed in subgroups differentiated by sex, wound etiology, initial wound size, and topical instillation solution were reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Wound types included vascular ulcers, surgical wounds, dehiscences, and trauma; anatomic location of the wounds varied. Negative pressure wound therapy with instillation (0.05% sodium hypochlorite, normal saline, or 0.25% acetic acid) was implemented with a dwell time of 3 minutes to 10 minutes, followed by a negative pressure cycle length of 2 hours to 3.5 hours at -75 mm Hg to -125 mm Hg. Dressings were changed approximately every 3 days. RESULTS: After a median of 11 days (range, 1-35 days), the wound surface area significantly decreased (P <.0001), percentage of infected wounds declined from 72% to 46%, and wound closure was attained in 91% of cases. A significant reduction in wound surface area was detected in both sexes, small- and medium-sized wounds, vascular ulcers, surgical wounds, dehiscences, trauma wounds, and pressure ulcers (P <.05). This effect was detected in wounds regardless of topical instillation solution (P <.0001). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that NPWTi-d is a valuable treatment option in a variety of circumstances and can help the clinician achieve a range of therapy goals based on individual patient needs.

Late Metastatic Melanoma after 25 Years: A Case Report and a Brief Literature Review.

The incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma has shown a drastic increase over recent decades, and approximately 70% of newly diagnosed melanoma are tumors with a Breslow thickness less or equal to 1 mm. In the literature, there are well-documented rare cases of late metastasis of thin melanoma, and given their growing incidence, it is expected in the future to see more cases of late recurrence. We present a case report of a metastatic cutaneous melanoma 25 years from diagnosis and a review of the literature. A 61-year-old female patient presented with a newly discovered asymptomatic nodule on her thigh. Her relevant past medical history included a completely excided lesion with Breslow 1.4 mm thickness in 1989 for which she was followed up according to the guidelines and subsequently declared cured after 10 years of surveillance. Fine-needle aspiration and cytological analysis of the lesion proved to be a subcutaneous localization of malignant melanoma. The lesion was completely excised, and the patient has remained disease free since her surgery. The aim of this case report is to emphasize that late metastasis remains uncommon but a definitive cure from melanoma cannot always be considered a disease-free interval of 10 years. Physicians should always be aware of previous melanoma diagnosis with newly discovered suspicious lesions. Better patient education could improve the detection of recurrence and secondary melanomas without any need for more frequent follow-up visits and a prolonged follow-up time.

Diagnostic effectiveness of dermoscopy performed by plastic surgery registrars trained in melanoma diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Dermoscopy improves sensitivity and specificity and helps in the early detection of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSC). Because of the multidisciplinary approach to melanoma, plastic surgeons may be required to perform dermoscopy evaluation. For this reason, in some university hospitals, plastic surgeons in training might perform these evaluations. To assess the validity of digital dermoscopy conducted by plastic surgery registrars, the authors collected the diagnoses of excised lesions from a dermoscopy outpatient clinic, comparing results with literature. METHODS: A total of 1094 consecutive dermoscopy evaluations performed at Padova University Hospital between 2015 and 2018 were included in the study. All examinations were carried out by 3 plastic surgery registrars who received comparable training on dermoscopy. Excised lesions were classified according to pathological reports. RESULTS: Four hundred sixty-six lesions were excised, and of them, 224 (48%) were considered pathological or atypical lesions: 34 melanomas (15%), 83 dysplastic or uncertain significance nevi (37%), and 107 NMSC and their precursors (48%). Considering only the 347 pigmented lesions, 34% were malignant or dysplastic lesions. The number needed to treat (NNT) was 10. The nevi-to-melanoma ratio (NMR) was 8, and the malignant melanoma-to-melanoma in situ ratio (MM:MMIS ratio) was 0.36. CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective study tested the performance of specifically trained plastic surgery registrars in the detection of malignant skin lesions. Compared to literature, the analysis reflects a good sensibility for melanoma, especially in early curable stages. Moreover, our study underlines quite a high number of total excisions, which could be explained by the "surgical imprinting" of plastic surgery registrars.

Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans on Tattooed Skin: A Case Report.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is an uncommon indolent fibroblastic skin tumor with a tendency for local recurrence. Its etiology is unknown, but there may be a link with vaccination sites, burn scars, and previous skin traumas. This report describes a curious case of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans occurring secondary to a 16-year-old tattoo.

Efficacy of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy With Instillation and Dwell Time for the Treatment of a Complex Chronic Venous Leg Ulcer.

INTRODUCTION: Negative pressure wound therapy with instillation and dwell time (NPWTi-d) of topical solutions is a useful method for managing difficult-to-heal wounds, particularly for contaminated chronic ulcers. Most patients with chronic ulcers are affected by several pathologies that systemically impair wound healing; local slough and bacteria further increase the risk of treatment failure. CASE REPORT: A 57-year-old male with obesity, diabetes, and heart disease presented with infected venous leg ulcers of 2 years' duration. The patient came to the authors' attention after unsuccessful treatment with advanced wound care dressings. The patient underwent surgical debridement and application of NPWTi-d with saline solution (settings: -100 mm Hg, 32 mL of instilled volume, 10-minute dwell time, and 2-hour cycle length) for 16 days. This resulted in good granulation tissue formation on the wound bed, so a meshed skin graft was used to cover the wound. In order to improve the skin graft take, the authors dressed it with polyvinyl alcohol foam connected to a traditional NPWT device (settings: -75 mm Hg, continuous pressure) for 1 week. After this period, complete wound healing was achieved, and the wound remained closed and stable upon follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: In the authors' opinion, NPWTi-d of topical solutions can be very useful in order to enhance debridement and reduce bacterial load. This kind of treatment allowed the authors to obtain a very good wound bed, and its application was very quick and easy to use, with no adverse events.

Radiological anatomy of the perforators of the gluteal region: The "radiosome" based anatomy.

BACKGROUND: The superior (SGA) and the inferior gluteal artery (IGA) perforator flaps are widely used in pressure-sore repair and in breast reconstruction. The aim was to exhaustively depict the topographical anatomy of the whole system of perforators in the buttock. METHODS: Eighty lower-extremity computed tomographic angiography (CTA) of patients (20 males/20 females, mean age 61-years old, range 38-81) were considered. The source artery, location, type, and caliber of gluteal perforators were analyzed. The location of perforators was reproduced using a standardized two-dimensional grid on the coronal plane, centered onto defined bone landmarks. We defined "radiosome" the cutaneous vascular territory of a source artery inferred through the representation of its whole perforator system at the exit point through the deep fascia. RESULTS: A mean number of 25.6 ± 5.7 perforators in the gluteal region was observed, distributed as follows: 11.6 ± 4.8(45.2%) from SGA; 7.9 ± 4.5(30.8%) from IGA; 1.5 ± 0.8(5.8%) from fifth lumbar artery; 1.2 ± 0.8(4.7%) from internal pudendal artery; 1.2 ± 1(4.8%) from lateral circumflex femoral artery; 0.3 ± 0.7(1.2%) from circumflex iliac superficial artery. At least one large (internal diameter > 1 mm) SGA septocutaneous perforator was present in 77.5% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: The gluteal region is vascularized by perforators of multiple source arteries. Septocutaneous perforators of SGA and IGA were planned along a curve drawn from the posterior-superior border of the iliac crest to the greater trochanter. The lumbar artery perforators are clustered over the apex of the iliac crest; the internal pudendal artery perforators are clustered medially to the ischiatic tuberosity. Contributions can also come from the sacral and superficial circumflex iliac arteries.

Psychological and Psychiatric Traits in Post-bariatric Patients Asking for Body-Contouring Surgery.

BACKGROUNDS: Obese patients, mainly females, feel uncomfortable and unsatisfied with their physical appearance; they have a wrong perception of their image and consequently diminish their self-esteem, sometimes showing difficulties in functional areas such as work, relationship, social activity. Beside health concerns, improving their appearance and body image are often common motives for weight loss in obese individuals and after weight loss about 30% of bariatric surgery patients undergo plastic surgical correction of excessive skin. The authors investigated psychological and psychiatric traits in post-bariatric patients undergoing body-contouring surgery to underline the strong correlation between psychiatry and obesity and avoid unsatisfactory results in post-bariatric patients. METHODS: The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, Beck Depression Inventory II, Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale modified for Body Dysmorphic Disorder Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire, Body Uneasiness Test, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale 11, and Binge Eating Scale were performed in 36 post-bariatric patients looking for plastic surgery and 21 controls, similar for clinical features, not seeking shape remodelling. RESULTS: Much different psychiatric pathology characterizes cases, including current body dysmorphic disorder and previous major depression and anxiety disorders, impulsivity, binging and body uneasiness are other common traits. CONCLUSIONS: In post-obesity rehabilitation, a strong collaboration between the plastic surgeon and psychiatrist is recommended to reduce the number of non-compliant patients. Preoperative psychological assessment of the body-contouring patient should be a central part of the initial plastic surgery consultation, as it should be for all plastic surgery patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE II: 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 http://www.springer.com/00266 .