Complications Associated with Alloplastic Materials in Rhinoplasty and Their Operative Management.

Whereas rhinoplasty with a reduction of the dorsum and modification of the tip is a common procedure among Caucasians, augmentation of the dorsum remains a challenge in Asians. Choice of the ideal grafting material for dorsal augmentation is a matter of preference and remains under discussion. Autologous and alloplastic materials have their advantages and disadvantages. We report our experiences of the extrusion of alloplastic materials and their management. We report of 18 patients, who had rhinoplasty in the past for dorsal augmentation with alloplastic material. Augmentation rhinoplasty was performed in Asia (n = 15) and Germany (n = 3). All cases showed recurrent signs of foreign body infection and/or partial extrusion and therefore underwent revision surgery in our centers. Once all patients had been successfully treated with antibiotics, we performed a one-stage revision rhinoplasty with explantation of the alloplastic material and subsequent reconstruction with autologous rib cartilage. The nasal dorsum was augmented with either solid rib cartilage grafts, diced cartilage in fascia, or free diced cartilage in platelet-rich fibrin. All patients received pre-, peri-, and postoperative antibiotics. The outcome was screened via clinical examination, ultrasound examination pre- and postoperatively, two-dimensional/three-dimensional (3D) imaging, and magnetic resonance imaging scans.Alloplastic augmentation of the nasal dorsum runs the risk of foreign body reaction, recurrent infections, uncontrolled scarring, and unsatisfying long-term results. We have obtained a series of aesthetically and functionally satisfying results after single-stage revision surgery with autologous cartilage and demonstrate a variety of novel postoperative screening tools including 3D imaging and high-frequency ultrasound. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A.

[Dorsal preservation septorhinoplasty]. / Die nasenrückenerhaltende "Dorsal-Preservation"-Septorhinoplastik.

BACKGROUND: Nasal dorsum deprojection is a very important tool in functional and aesthetic rhinoplasty. In classic techniques, resection of dorsal bone and cartilage renders dorsal reconstruction necessary. The concept of dorsal preservation rhinoplasty has been known for more than a century but has experienced a renaissance in recent years, with many critical technical modifications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We present the latest technique of piezo-assisted dorsal preservation rhinoplasty with subdorsal triangular resection and subdorsal Cottle modification based on clinical experience of 205 cases. Furthermore, the advantages and disadvantages of this technique are discussed and several other current variations are presented. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Piezo-assisted osteotomy enables a very precise fracture line and sparing of periosteum, with bone sculpting possible even after mobilization. Subdorsal septal height reduction always precedes completion of the osteotomy and nasal bone mobilization, to ensure patient safety with regard to skull base injury. Using the presented technical modifications, the risk of step deformities in the radix is minimized. In selected patients, dorsal preservation septorhinoplasty enables the surgeon to perform very conservative and precise deprojection of the nose with excellent outcomes, although the spectrum of possible complications is shifted in comparison to classic techniques. CONCLUSION: The preliminary experience of 205 cases with a revision rate of less than 10% is promising. A final evaluation of the technique will only be possible after further studies and evaluation of long-term results.

Reproducibility of 'COST reference microplasma jets'.

Atmospheric pressure plasmas have been ground-breaking for plasma science and technologies, due to their significant application potential in many fields, including medicinal, biological, and environmental applications. This is predominantly due to their efficient production and delivery of chemically reactive species under ambient conditions. One of the challenges in progressing the field is comparing plasma sources and results across the community and the literature. To address this a reference plasma source was established during the 'biomedical applications of atmospheric pressure plasmas' EU COST Action MP1101. It is crucial that reference sources are reproducible. Here, we present the reproducibility and variance across multiple sources through examining various characteristics, including: absolute atomic oxygen densities, absolute ozone densities, electrical characteristics, optical emission spectroscopy, temperature measurements, and bactericidal activity. The measurements demonstrate that the tested COST jets are mainly reproducible within the intrinsic uncertainty of each measurement technique.

[Comparison of piezoelectric and conventional osteotomy in rhinoplasty : A systematic review]. / Vergleich von piezoelektrisch assistierter und konventioneller Osteotomie bei der Rhinoplastik : Ein systematisches Review.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative periorbital edema and ecchymosis after rhinoplasty are mainly caused by the osteotomy with hammer and chisel. The introduction of piezoelectric surgery could lead to a better early postoperative outcome due to improved preservation of soft tissues. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the methods and results of studies comparing conventional osteotomy to piezoelectric osteotomy. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted in the PubMed/MEDLINE and Google Scholar databases. In the primary selection, all studies on the comparison of conventional and piezoelectric osteotomies with regard to postoperative periorbital edema and/or ecchymosis were identified. Secondary selection included only study designs with a control group. RESULTS: Primary selection resulted in 15 thematically relevant publications with a notable increase in annual publications between 2007 and 2017. Six studies with control groups were selected secondarily. Qualitatively and methodologically, the studies were very heterogeneous. The results of five of the six studies indicated a significant advantage of piezo technology compared to conventional osteotomy. Only in one study was no significant difference found in the investigated postoperative outcome. CONCLUSION: Piezoelectric osteotomy resulted in a reduced propensity for postoperative edema and ecchymosis compared to the conventional osteotomy technique with a chisel. At this time, the results should be regarded as a trend. A definite recommendation favoring piezoelectric osteotomy cannot be made until more studies with higher patient numbers become available.

Changes of breast and axillary surgery patterns in patients with primary breast cancer during the past decade.

PURPOSE: Breast-conserving therapy (BCT) is the standard procedure for most patients with primary breast cancer (BC). By contrast, axillary management is still under transition to find the right balance between avoiding of morbidity, maintaining oncological safety, and performing a staging procedure. The rising rate of primary systemic therapy creates further challenges for surgical management. METHODS: Patients with primary, non-metastatic BC treated between 01.01.2003 and 31.12.2016 under guideline-adherent conditions were included in this study. For this prospectively followed cohort, breast and axillary surgery patterns are presented in a time-trend analysis as annual rate data (%) for several subgroups. RESULTS: Overall, 6700 patients were included in the analysis. While BCT rates remained high (mean 2003-2016: 70.4%), the proportion of axillary lymph node dissection has declined considerably from 80.1% in 2003 to 16.0% in 2016, while the proportion for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLND) has increased correspondingly from 10.3 to 76.4%. Among patients with cT1-2, cN0 breast cancer receiving BCT with positive SLND, the rate of axillary completion has decreased from 100% in 2008 to 24.4% in 2016. CONCLUSIONS: In the past decade, SLNB has been established as the standard procedure for axillary staging of clinically node-negative patients. Surgical morbidity has been further reduced by the rapid implementation of new evidence from the ACOSOG Z0011 trial into clinical routine. The results reflect the transition towards more individually tailored, less invasive treatment for selected patient subgroups, especially in regards to axillary lymph node management.

[Quality of life after functional aesthetic septorhinoplasty in primary surgery vs. revision surgery-a monocentric study]. / Lebensqualität nach funktionell-ästhetischer Septorhinoplastik in primärer Operation vs. in Revisionsoperation ­ eine monozentrische Studie.

BACKGROUND: Subjective assessments of quality of life (QOL) as an important aspect of outcome research have gained in importance over the past few decades. The number of prospective studies on postoperative QOL in septorhinoplasty using disease-specific instruments is sparse. The aim was to assess and compare patient QOL after primary and revision septorhinoplasty performed by a single surgeon in an ENT center. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All patients completed two disease-specific QOL instruments preoperatively and at least 1 year postoperatively: the Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation (ROE) and the Nasal Obstruction Symptoms Evaluation (NOSE) scores. General demographic and clinical information (age, gender, medical and surgical history) were collected from all patients. All operations were performed by a single surgeon (F. R.). RESULTS: A total of 237 patients were included in the study, 208 (87.8%) female and 29 (12.2%) male. The average age was 30.3 ± 8.9 years. The average observation period was 19.3 ± 7.4 months. Using the measurement tool NOSE there was a significant improvement in obstruction in the overall collective (preoperative 49.8 ± 26.2, postoperative 19.1 ± 21.3; p < 0.001) with no significant difference in primary versus revision surgery. The ROE score showed a significant improvement and both collectives (primary and secondary surgery) showed a significant improvement after the intervention. The patients with a primary intervention had a significantly higher postoperative QOL (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The disease-specific QOL showed a significant increase after primary septorhinoplasty as well as after revision surgery. The NOSE score increased significantly in both intervention groups postoperatively.

Saddle nose deformity and septal perforation in granulomatosis with polyangiitis.

BACKGROUND: Patients who have granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA, syn. M. Wegener) often develop an external nose deformity which may have devastating psychological effects. Therefore, reconstruction of nasal deformities by rhinoplasty may become necessary to achieve a normal appearance. OBJECTIVE OF REVIEW: The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the efficacy and safety of surgical reconstruction in external nasal deformities and septal perforation in GPA patients. SEARCH STRATEGY: A systematic literature search with defined search terms was performed for scientific articles archived in the MEDLINE-Database up to 10 June 2016 (PubMed Advanced MEDLINE Search), describing management of cases or case series in GPA patients with saddle nose deformity and/or septal perforation. RESULTS: Eleven of 614 publications met the criteria for this analysis including 41 GPA patients undergoing external nasal reconstruction and/or septal reconstruction with a median follow-up of 2.6 years. Overall, saddle nose reconstruction in GPA patients is safe even if an increased rate of revision surgery has to be expected compared with individuals without GPA undergoing septorhinoplasty. Most implanted grafts were autografts of calvarial bone or costal cartilage. For septal perforation reconstruction, few studies were available. Therefore, based on the available data for surgical outcomes, it is impossible to make evidence-based recommendations. All included GPA patients had minimal or no local disease at the time of reconstructive surgery. Therefore, the relationship between disease activity and its impact on surgical outcomes remains unanswered. The potential impact of immune-modulating medications on increased complication rates and the impact of prophylactic antibiotics are unknown. CONCLUSIONS: This study systematically reviews the efficacy and safety of surgical reconstruction of external nasal deformities in GPA patients for the first time. Saddle nose reconstruction in GPA patients with minimal or no local disease is a safe procedure despite an increased rate of revision surgery. Further research is required regarding the impact of antibiotic prophylaxis, immune-modulating therapy, long-term outcomes and functional outcomes measured with subjective and objective parameters.

Changes in chemotherapy usage and outcome of early breast cancer patients in the last decade.

BACKGROUND: During the last decade, neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) of early breast cancer (EBC) evolved from a therapy intended to enable operability to a standard treatment option aiming for increasing cure rates equivalent to adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT). In parallel, improvements in the quality control of breast cancer care have been established in specialized breast care units. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study analyzed chemotherapy usage in patients with EBC treated at the Heidelberg University Breast Unit between January 2003 and December 2014. RESULTS: Overall, 5703 patients were included in the analysis of whom 2222 (39 %) received chemotherapy, 817 (37 %) as NACT, and 1405 (63 %) as ACT. The chemotherapy usage declined from 48 % in 2003 to 34 % in 2014 of the cohort. Further, the proportion of NACT raised from 42 to 65 % irrespective of tumor subtype. In addition, frequency of pathologic complete response (pCR) defined as no tumor residues in breast and axilla (ypT0 ypN0) at surgery following NACT increased from 12 % in 2003 to 35 % in 2014. The greatest effect was observed in HER2+ breast cancer with an increase in patients achieving pCR from 24 to 68 %. CONCLUSIONS: The results mirror the refined indication for chemotherapy in EBC and its preferred usage as NACT in Germany. The increase in pCR rate over time suggests improvement in outcome accomplished by a multidisciplinary decision-making process and stringent measures for quality control.

Automated performance assessment of ultrasound systems using a dynamic phantom.

Quality assurance of medical ultrasound imaging systems is limited by repeatability, difficulty in quantifying results, and the time involved. A particularly interesting approach is demonstrated in the Edinburgh pipe phantom which, with an accompanying mathematical transformation, produces a single figure of merit for image quality from individual measurements of resolution over a range of depths. However, the Edinburgh pipe phantom still requires time-consuming manual scanning, mitigating against its routine use. This paper presents a means to overcome this limitation with a new device, termed the Dundee dynamic phantom, allowing rapid set-up and automated operation. The Dundee dynamic phantom is based on imaging two filamentary targets, positioned by computer control at different depths in a tank of 9.4% ethanol-water solution. The images are analysed in real time to assess if the targets are resolved, with individual measurements at different depths again used to calculate a single figure of merit, in this case for lateral resolution only. Test results are presented for a total of 18 scanners in clinical use for different applications. As a qualitative indication of viability, the figure of merit produced by the Dundee dynamic phantom is shown to differentiate between scanners operating at different frequencies and between a relatively new, higher quality system and an older, lower quality system.

[Rhinophyma in rosacea. What does surgery achieve?]. / Rhinophym bei Rosazea. Was leistet die operative Therapie?

Rhinophyma is a benign dermatological disease of the nose which affects primarily Caucasian men in their fifth decade of life. Its main characteristic is a slowly progressive hyperplasia of the sebaceous glands and the adjacent tissue with irregular thickening of the nasal skin and nodular deformation. It is defined as the end stage of acne rosacea. The main reasons for patients to seek medical help are cosmetic problems and functional impairments such as nasal airway obstruction or even difficulty in eating. Surgery is indisputably the treatment of choice for rhinophyma. This article gives an overview on the clinical and histopathologic findings of rhinophyma as well as the different treatment options with their pros and cons as described in literature.

Synergistic effects of imatinib and carboplatin on VEGF, PDGF and PDGF-Rα/ß expression in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck in vitro.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is an aggressive epithelial malignancy. The development of new treatment modalities in order to improve long-term survival of patients with HNSCC is imperative. Numerous studies have demonstrated that carcinogenesis and tumor cell dissemination is influenced by the tumor microenvironment. The protein-kinase-receptors (PTKs) are essential elements of the intracellular signal transduction pathway and regulate cell growth, development and apoptosis. Cell proliferation, migration, induction of tumor vascularization and carcinogenesis, invasion is regulated by a variety of angiogenic factors, such as PDGF (platelet-derived growth factor), VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) and their respective tyrosine kinase receptors (PDGF-R and VEGF-R). They present promising targets for anti-cancer therapy through abrogation of impaired signaling pathways. Indeed, imatinib, a small molecule drug targeting these protein kinases, has antiproliferative effects in several cancer types. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential synergism of imatinib and carboplatin on the expression of PDGF, PDGF-R α/ß and VEGF in different HNSCC cell lines. Several tumor cell lines were subjected to increasing concentrations of carboplatin (3 and 7.5 µmol/l) and imatinib (18 and 30 µmol/l) and ELISA, immunohistochemical methods and RQ-PRC after 48, 72, 120 and 240 h were used to assess their expression levels. While PDGF-Rα/ß expression was unimpaired at lower imatinib concentrations (18 µmol/l), PDGF-Rα/ß expression was suppressed at 30 µmol/l, and suppression was enhanced by the presence of carboplatin. By RQ-PCR, a significant reduction of PDGF-Rα/ß expression was detected (p<0.5). We observed explicit significant reduction in VEGF levels with increasing concentrations of imatinib and with the combination of the two chemotherapeutic drugs (p<0.5). We report for the first time evidence of synergism of imatinib and carboplatin in suppressing VEGF, PDGF and PDGF-Rα/ß expression in HNSCC.

[Impact of TGF-beta1 antisense on collagen-binding integrins in keloid]. / TGF-beta1-Antisense beeinflusst kollagenbindende Integrine im Keloid.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of keloids remains challenging due to sparse knowledge about the pathogenesis of this disease. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 plays a central role in keloid formation. Cell-matrix communication is controlled by integrins, the expression of which can be regulated by TGF-beta1. METHODS: Using immunohistochemistry we compared expression patterns of alpha1beta1, alpha2beta1 und alpha3beta1 in normal skin and keloid tissue. Secondly, the effect of TGF-beta1-antisense after 48 h and 72 h incubation in a keloid-derived fibroblast monolayer was analyzed by means of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: alpha1beta1 and alpha2beta1 were highly expressed in keloid fibroblasts. Incubation with TGF-beta1-antisense lead to a reduction on protein level. RT-PCR demonstrated an increase of all alpha subunits, while on an mRNA level a decrease of the subunit beta1 could be observed. CONCLUSION: Integrin expression is directly modulated by TGF-beta1. An abnormal response in the keloid as a result of an altered TGF-beta1 pathway could be a key element to understanding the development of keloids.

[Fever, redness, swelling, and pain in the submental region]. / Fieber, Rötung, Schwellung und Schmerzen submental.

A 76-year-old woman presented with fever, redness, swelling, and pain under the chin. Some submental lymph nodes were detected by ultrasound and computed tomography. The diagnosis was a submental phlegmon, for which surgery was performed. The lymph nodes were removed, and antibiotic therapy with daily lavage was done. The histology of the lymph nodes suggested giant cell arteritis.

Cutaneous vasomotion in patients with chronic venous insufficiency and the influence of compression therapy.

We investigated in patients with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) and after compression therapy the fluxmotion within characteristic frequency bands, which were described earlier by Bracic and Stefanovska (Bull. Math. Biol. 60 (1998), 919-935).Therefore, the frequency spectra of laser Doppler flux data of the 36 patient's legs were compared with 41 legs of healthy subjects. In addition, 14 patients with CVI wore a compression stocking (interface pressure: 25-32 mmHg) or compression bandages and were measured after 4 weeks therapy. Data were analyzed by means of a Wavelet packet transformation (a combination of the Daubechies filter of order 4 and the Haar filter).We found significant differences between the patients and the healthy subjects in the frequency intervals of myogenic 0.06-0.16 Hz, respiratory 0.16-0.6 Hz and heart activity 0.6-1.6 Hz (p<0.05, Mann-Whitney U test). Furthermore, the main energy peak height in these frequency intervals increased with the severity of venous disease and was highest in patients with venous leg ulceration. Compression therapy had a significant influence in myogenic vessel activity, which has been proved by a positive frequency shift of 20% (p=0.007, one-sided by the exact Wilcoxon test).In venous disease fluxmotion was increased. Compression therapy over a period of 4 weeks improved myogenic vessel activity.

Abrogation of TGF-beta by antisense oligonucleotides modulates expression of VEGF and increases angiogenic potential in isolated fibroblasts from radiated skin.

The transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) has been identified as an important component of wound healing. Recent developments in molecular therapy offer good prospects for the modulation of wound healing, specifically those targeting TGF-beta. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of TGF-beta targeting on the expression of angiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a key regulator of angiogenesis and in vitro angiogenic activity in fibroblasts isolated from radiation-induced chronic dermal wounds. The expression of angiogenic VEGF in tissue samples from radiation-induced chronic dermal wounds was investigated by immunohistochemistry and microarray technique. The effect of TGF-beta targeting using antisense oligonucleotides on the expression of VEGF in isolated fibroblasts was analyzed by ELISA and multiplex RT-PCR. Human endothelial cells (ECs) were grown in conditioned medium produced from the treated fibroblasts. EC migration was measured using a modified Boyden chamber; EC tube formation was analyzed under a light microscope. Immunohistochemical investigation and microarray analysis demonstrated a decreased expression of VEGF protein and mRNA in tissue samples from radiation-induced chronic dermal wounds compared to normal human skin. Antisense TGF-beta oligonucleotide treatment significantly up-regulated VEGF secretion in vitro. Addition of conditioned medium from TGF-beta antisense-treated fibroblasts resulted in an increase in EC cell migration and tube formation. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that TGF-beta antisense oligonucleotide technology may be a potential therapeutic option for stimulation of angiogenesis in radiation-induced dermal wounds.

TGF-beta1 antisense therapy modulates expression of matrix metalloproteinases in keloid-derived fibroblasts.

Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) has been identified as an important regulator of wound healing. Recent developments in molecular therapy offer exciting prospects for the modulation of wound healing, specifically those targeting TGF-beta1. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of TGF-beta1 targeting on the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in fibroblasts cultured from earlobe keloids. The expression of MMP-2 and -9 in tissue samples from keloids was investigated by immunohistochemistry. The effect of TGF-beta1 targeting using antisense oligonucleotides on the expression of MMPs in keloid-derived fibroblasts was analysed by ELISA and multiplex RT-PCR. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated an increased expression of MMP protein in tissue samples from keloids compared to normal human skin. Antisense TGF-beta1 oligonucleotide treatment significantly downregulated MMP-9 secretion in vitro. In conclusion, TGF-beta1 antisense oligonucleotide technology may be a potential therapeutic option for the inhibition of proteolytic tissue destruction in keloids.

TGF-beta antisense oligonucleotides modulate expression of matrix metalloproteinases in isolated fibroblasts from radiated skin.

BACKGROUND: Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) has been identified as an important component of wound healing. Recent developments in molecular therapy offer exciting prospects for the modulation of wound healing, specifically those targeting TGF-beta. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of TGF-beta targeting on the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in fibroblasts isolated from radiation-induced chronic dermal wounds. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression of MMPs in tissue samples from radiation-induced chronic dermal wounds was investigated by immunohistochemistry and microarray technique. The effect of TGF-beta targeting using antisense oligonucleotides on the expression of MMPs in isolated fibroblasts was analysed by ELISA and multiplex RT-PCR. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical investigation and microarray analysis demonstrated an increased expression of MMP protein and mRNA in tissue samples from radiation-induced chronic dermal wounds compared to normal human skin. Antisense TGF-beta oligonucleotide treatment significantly down-regulated MMP secretion in vitro. CONCLUSION: TGF-beta antisense oligonucleotide technology may be a potential therapeutic option for the inhibition of proteolytic tissue destruction in radiation-induced chronic wounds.

[Cartilage grafts in functional and aesthetic rhinoplasty]. / Knorpeltransplantate bei der funktionell-ästhetischen Rhinoplastik.

Complications after rhinoplasty could often be prevented if less of the support structures of the nose were resected and cartilage transplants were used to give stability. Long-term complications depend heavily on the nasal anatomy, Which is why the surgeon must be able to identify anatomical variants and adapt the surgical technique as necessary. Thus, rhinoplasty techniques have moved away from excisional methods and shifted toward repositioning and restructuring existing tissues. Conservative reduction and preservation of support structures will maximize the aesthetic and functional results. Checking the shape of the tip of the nose is the critical step, and stabilization of the nasal base in particular leads to a good long-term outcome with preservation of the nasal tip projection. The surgeon needs to stabilize the structure of the nose by building up the structure and must also anticipate the effects of scar contracture. This entails structural grafting with autologous cartilage. In this paper, the authors present the grafting techniques most commonly used to sculpt the nasal framework; in primary and secondary rhinoplasty. Tried and tested grafts are presented, with the appropriate nomenclature relating to each and also the anatomical locations of and clinical indications for each.