Impact of Plastic Surgery and an Enhanced Prophylaxis Protocol on Cervical Spine Surgery Infection.

Background: Reduction of surgical site infections (SSIs) is important in improving cervical spine surgery outcomes. Plastic surgery involvement and an enhanced modified prophylaxis protocol may reduce infection rates. Methods: A total of 962 cervical spine operations were conducted by a single surgeon (TFC). An enhanced modified prophylaxis protocol and plastic surgery were used in some operations. Differences in infection rates, surgical approach, previous operations, prophylaxis use, and plastic surgery involvement were compared using Fisher's exact tests and multivariate linear regression. Results: Four patients (0.42%) experienced SSIs. All 4 infections involved the standard protocol, posterior approach, and did not involve plastic surgery. The infection rate was lower in the enhanced protocol group when compared to the standard protocol (ß -0.78, 95% CI -1.23 to -0.33, P = .0008). The enhanced protocol group had an increased percentage of operations with plastic surgery (ß 0.19, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.28, P < .0001). The infection rate among the plastics group was 0.00% compared to 0.60% for the non-plastics group (P = .32). The plastics group had a lower rate of anterior approach when compared to the non-plastics group (ß -0.20, 95% CI -0.24 to -0.15, P = .049). Among the posterior approach group, procedures with plastic surgery had an infection rate of 0.00% compared to 2.53% without plastic surgery (P = .13). Conclusion: The enhanced protocol was associated with a lower SSI rate and increased plastic surgery involvement. Posterior approaches were associated with increased infection rates and the likelihood of utilizing plastic surgery. Both the enhanced protocol and plastic surgery may decrease infection.

Contexte: La réduction des infections du site opératoire est importante pour améliorer les résultats de la chirurgie de la colonne cervicale. L'implication de la chirurgie plastique et d'un protocole amélioré de prophylaxie modifiée peuvent réduire les taux d'infection. Méthodes: Un total de 962 opérations sur la colonne cervicale a été effectué par un seul chirurgien (TFC). Un protocole amélioré de prophylaxie modifiée et la chirurgie plastique ont été utilisés au cours de certaines interventions. Les différences dans les taux d'infection, l'abord chirurgical, les opérations précédentes, l'utilisation de la prophylaxie et l'implication de la chirurgie plastique ont été évalués au moyen de tests exacts de Fisher et d'une régression linéaire multifactorielle. Résultats: Quatre patients (0.42%) ont présenté une infection de la cicatrice opératoire (ICO). Les quatre infections impliquaient le protocole standard, l'abord postérieur et l'absence de chirurgie plastique. Le taux d'infection a été moindre dans le groupe de protocole amélioré, comparativement au protocole standard (ß −0.78, IC à 95%: −1.23 à −0.33, P = .0008). Le pourcentage d'opérations avec chirurgie plastique était augmenté dans le groupe au protocole amélioré (ß 0.19, IC à 95%: 0.10 à 0.28, P < .0001). La fréquence des infections dans le groupe de chirurgie plastique était de 0.00%, comparée à 0.60% dans le groupe sans chirurgie plastique (P = .32). Le groupe avec chirurgie plastique avait un taux d'abord antérieur inférieur comparativement au groupe sans chirurgie plastique (ß −0.20, IC à 95%: −0.24 à −0.15, P = .049). Dans le groupe avec abord postérieur, le taux d'infections était de 0.00% avec chirurgie plastique contre 2.53% sans chirurgie plastique (P = .13). Conclusion: Le protocole amélioré a été associé à un taux d'OCI inférieur et à une plus grande implication de la chirurgie plastique. Un abord postérieur a été associé à des taux augmentés d'infection et à une plus grande probabilité d'utilisation de la chirurgie plastique. Le protocole amélioré et la chirurgie plastique peuvent tous deux réduire les infections.

Rectal Injury During Penile Inversion Vaginoplasty.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incidence, management, and outcomes of rectal injury (RI) and subsequent rectovaginal fistula (RVF) during gender-affirming vaginoplasty (GAV) at a high-volume transgender surgery center. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of preoperative, intraoperative and post-operative findings of all patients with RI during GAV from January 2016 to September 2022. Descriptive statistics were calculated using Microsoft Excel. RESULTS: RI occurred in 9 of 1011 primary GAV and colorectal surgery (CRS) consulted in 5 cases, which included sigmoidoscopy with an air leak test in 4 and with temporary bowel diversion in 2. Of the 9, 6 proceeded with full-depth GAV, and 3 were converted to minimal-depth vaginoplasty. Two had bulbospongiosus muscle interposition and none had a concomitant urethral injury. 1/9 patients with RI developed a RVF which occurred in a patient with prior perineal surgery and no intraoperative sigmoidoscopy. Three (50%) with full-depth GAV developed vaginal stenosis postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: RI during primary GAS in experienced hands is uncommon with an incidence of 0.89% in our series of 1011. Unusual tissue dissection planes were a risk factor. If injuries were identified intraoperatively, repaired with multilayer closure and evaluated by CRS, patients did well without the development of RVF despite completion of full-depth GAV. It is reasonable to complete the full-depth vagina, but patients should be advised of a significant risk of post-operative vaginal stenosis.

Gender-Affirming Vaginoplasty: A Comparison of Algorithms, Surgical Techniques and Management Practices across 17 High-volume Centers in North America and Europe.

Penile inversion vaginoplasty is the most common gender-affirming genital surgery performed around the world. Although individual centers have published their experiences, expert consensus is generally lacking. Methods: Semistructured interviews were performed with 17 experienced gender surgeons representing a diverse mix of specialties, experience, and countries regarding their patient selection, preoperative management, vaginoplasty techniques, complication management, and postoperative protocols. Results: There is significant consistency in practices across some aspects of vaginoplasty. However, key areas of clinical heterogeneity are also present and include use of extragenital tissue for vaginal canal/apex creation, creation of the clitoral hood and inner labia minora, elevation of the neoclitoral neurovascular bundle, and perioperative hormone management. Pathway length of stay is highly variable (1-9 days). Lastly, some surgeons are moving toward continuation or partial reduction of estrogen in the perioperative period instead of cessation. Conclusions: With a broad study of surgeon practices, and encompassing most of the high-volume vaginoplasty centers in Europe and North America, we found key areas of practice variation that represent areas of priority for future research to address. Further multi-institutional and prospective studies that incorporate patient-reported outcomes are necessary to further our understanding of these procedures.

Evaluation of silver nanoparticles in cosmeceutical and potential biosafety complications.

Silver nanoparticles are well received in the cosmeceutical industry due to their broad spectrum of pharmacology applications. Research on the therapeutic properties exhibited by silver nanoparticles revealed that the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties are the main attraction in the establishment of nanocosmeceutical products whereby their mechanisms of action are reviewed in this paper. In addition, studies on other uses of silver nanoparticles acknowledged that the particles act as antifungal agents in nail polishes and pigments in coloured beauty products such as lipsticks and eye shadows. Despite the extensive use of silver nanoparticles in the cosmetic line, there are still limited resources on the mechanism of actions and the effect of the particles on the bio-functionality of the body. The safety of silver nanoparticles could be comprehended from their skin penetration ability and toxicity to the human body in which it could be justified that both features are mainly influenced by the morphology of the particles and the method of application. This article summarizes exclusively on the synthesis of silver nanoparticles, the biomedical mechanisms and applications as well the limitations with respect to skin penetration ability and toxicity effects which will contribute significantly to the vast research on the association of nanotechnology and cosmetics.

No Venous Thromboembolism Increase Among Transgender Female Patients Remaining on Estrogen for Gender-Affirming Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Both surgery and exogenous estrogen use are associated with increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). However, it is not known whether estrogen hormone therapy (HT) exacerbates the surgery-associated risk among transgender and gender nonbinary (TGNB) individuals. The lack of published data has contributed to heterogeneity in perioperative protocols regarding estrogen HT administration for TGNB patients undergoing gender-affirming surgery. METHODS: A single-center retrospective chart review was performed on all TGNB patients who underwent gender-affirming surgery between November 2015 and August 2019. Surgery type, preoperative HT regimen, perioperative HT regimen, VTE prophylaxis management, outcomes, and demographic data were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 919 TGNB patients underwent 1858 surgical procedures representing 1396 unique cases, of which 407 cases were transfeminine patients undergoing primary vaginoplasty. Of the latter, 190 cases were performed with estrogen suspended for 1 week prior to surgery, and 212 cases were performed with HT continued throughout. Of all cases, 1 patient presented with VTE, from the cohort of transfeminine patients whose estrogen HT was suspended prior to surgery. No VTE events were noted among those who continued HT. Mean postoperative follow-up was 285 days. CONCLUSIONS: Perioperative VTE was not a significant risk in a large, homogenously treated cohort of TGNB patients independent of whether HT was suspended or not prior to surgery.

MRI Features of Free Liquid Silicone in the Transgender Female Breast.

OBJECTIVE: To define MRI features of free liquid silicone injection (FLSI) of the breast in transgender women considering surgical management. METHODS: This study was IRB-approved. MRI images from transgender women with FLSI imaged between 2009 and 2019 were reviewed. Presence and location of fibrotic masses (FMs) in the breast(s) and pectoralis muscle and patterns of granulomas were correlated with clinicopathologic findings. Background enhancement was quantified. Comparisons were performed using two-tailed Fisher exact and Student's t test. RESULTS: Of 21 transgender women with FLSI (mean age 46.8 years), 13/21 (61.9%) had a dominant FM measuring over 4 cm; these were limited to breast and pectoralis in 6/21 (28.6%), breast in 9/21 (42.9%), and pectoralis only in 2/21 (9.5%). Four of 21 patients (19.0%) had no FMs, and 4/21 (19.0%) had masses under 4 cm. Mean size of the dominant FM was 7.4 cm (range 4-12 cm). FMs were enhancing in 5/13 (38.5%) and contained T2 high signal granulomas in 8/13 (61.5%). While 18/21 (85.8%) of cases showed mild to moderate overall background enhancement, the majority 7/13 (61.5%) of dominant FM were non-enhancing. About half of cases (11/21, 52.4%) had diffuse foci, and half (10/21, 47.6%) had diffuse foci and masses throughout the breast and pectoralis muscle. These foci and masses displayed T2 high signal in 13/21 (61.9%). There were no occult carcinomas observed. CONCLUSION: MRI performed on symptomatic FLSI patients considering surgical treatment is helpful in assessing the extent of silicone infiltration and fibrotic reaction of the breast and pectoralis muscle.

Chlamydia trachomatis Infection of the Neovagina in Transgender Women.

We report 2 cases of neovaginal Chlamydia trachomatis infection in transgender women who underwent penile-inversion vaginoplasty procedures with integrated peritoneum and urethral grafts. These tissue types may have facilitated C. trachomatis infection. Medical providers should implement neovaginal screening for bacterial sexually transmitted infections in transgender patients at risk for infection.

Patient-derived Interstitial Fluids and Predisposition to Aggressive Sporadic Breast Cancer through Collagen Remodeling and Inactivation of p53.

Purpose: Despite the fact that interstitial fluid (IF) represents a third of our body fluid, it is the most poorly understood body fluid in medicine. Increased IF pressure is thought to result from the increased deposition of extracellular matrix in the affected tissue preventing its reabsorption. In the cancer field, increased rigidity surrounding a cancerous mass remains the main reason that palpation and radiologic examination, such as mammography, are used for cancer detection. While the pressure produced by IF has been considered, the biochemical composition of IF has not been considered in its effect on tumors.Experimental Design: We classified 135 IF samples from bilateral mastectomy patients based on their ability to promote the invasion of breast cancer cells.Results: We observed a wide range of invasion scores. Patients with high-grade primary tumors at diagnosis had higher IF invasion scores. In mice, injections of high-score IF (IFHigh) in a normal mammary gland promotes ductal hyperplasia, increased collagen deposition, and local invasion. In a mouse model of residual disease, IFHigh increased disease progression and promoted aggressive visceral metastases. Mechanistically, we found that IFHigh induces myofibroblast differentiation and collagen production through activation of CLIC4. IFHigh also downregulates RYBP, leading to degradation of p53. Furthermore, in mammary glands of heterozygous p53-mutant knock-in mice, IFHigh promotes spontaneous tumor formation.Conclusions: Our study indicates that IF can increase the deposition of extracellular matrix and raises the provocative possibility that they play an active role in the predisposition, development, and clinical course of sporadic breast cancers. Clin Cancer Res; 23(18); 5446-59. ©2017 AACR.

Trans-scaphoid Trans-lunotriquetral Perilunate Dislocation in a Patient with a Carpal Coalition.

SUMMARY: Congenital carpal coalitions are rare conditions that arise from a failure or an incomplete cavitation of a common cartilaginous precursor of the carpal bones between the fourth and eighth week of intrauterine life. The incidence of coalitions has been estimated to occur in about 0.1% of the population and up to 1.6% in people of African descent. This study reports a case of trans-scaphoid trans-lunotriquetral perilunate dislocation with a lunotriquetral coalition and successful management with closed reduction, percutaneous fixation, and a thumb spica cast.

Differential gene expression in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Our objective was to analyze gene expression pattern in muscles from patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) compared to controls. Biopsied skeletal muscles from three ALS, three MMN and three control subjects had total RNA extracted and subjected to genome-wide gene expression analysis using Affymetrix GeneChip Exon 1.0 ST array. The most significant expression pattern differences were confirmed with RT-PCR in four additional ALS patients. Results showed that over 3000 genes were identified across the groups using q < 10%. Among 50 genes that were overexpressed only in the ALS group were: leucine-rich repeat kinase-2, follistatin, collagen type XIX alpha-1, ceramide kinase-like, sestrin-3 and CXorf64. No genes were significantly overexpressed in MMN alone. Underexpressed genes only in ALS included actinin α3, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase-2 and homeobox C10; whereas only in MMN: hemoglobin A1 and CXorf64. Ankyrin repeat domain-1 was overexpressed in both groups. Underexpressed genes in both groups included myosin light chain kinase-2, enolase-3 and 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase-1. Validation analysis using RT-PCR confirmed the data for leucine-rich repeat kinase-2, follistatin, collagen type XIX alpha-1, ceramide kinase-like, sestrin-3 and CXorf64. In conclusion, there is differential tissue-specific gene expression in patients with ALS relative to MMN and controls. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the identified genes in larger patient groups and different tissues.

Successful repair of popliteal artery pseudoaneurysm after tibial lengthening osteotomy in a 7-year-old boy.

Popliteal artery injury is a known but rare complication of elective orthopedic procedures. This case report describes the diagnosis and treatment of a popliteal artery pseudoaneurysm and arteriovenous fistula after a tibial lengthening osteotomy in a 7-year-old boy.

Thoracoacromial vessels as the recipients for supercharged muscle-sparing transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flaps.

We describe the use of the thoracoacromial vessels in microvascular transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap breast reconstruction in two cases. The thoracoacromial vessels, used as recipient vessels for supercharged TRAM flaps, offer several advantages. Their location high on the anterior chest wall is ideal for anastomotic repair under the microscope and lends itself to medial placement of the TRAM flap. The thoracoacromial vessels are relatively easily exposed and are suited for microsurgical anastomosis by virtue of their caliber and topology. The dissection of these vessels takes less time than either the internal mammary or thoracodorsal systems. The location of the thoracoacromial vessels allows the flexibility of using either the ipsilateral pedicle for supercharging (deep inferior epigastric vessels on the same side as the superior epigastric pedicle) or contralateral supercharging (deep inferior epigastric vessels on the opposite side of the superior epigastric pedicle). The thoracoacromial vessels make an excellent alternative recipient for microvascular anastomosis in breast reconstruction.

Role of ancillary procedures in surgical management of carpal tunnel syndrome: epineurotomy, internal neurolysis, tenosynovectomy, and tendon transfers.

The role of ancillary procedures in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome is controversial, especially with regard to internal neurolysis and epineurotomy. At present, there are little to no data to support their routine use in the treatment of primary carpal tunnel syndrome. Similarly, the use of tenosynovectomy in carpal tunnel surgery should be limited to those patients with clear underlying rheumatologic or inflammatory risk factors, or with gross synovitis incidentally noted at surgery. The Camitz transfer is uniquely suited to treating the thenar wasting seen in advanced carpal tunnel syndrome. It can be performed concurrently with open carpal tunnel release with minimal additional dissection and morbidity.