Epidemiologic Trends of Cleft Lip and Palate in a Southern State: A 30-Year Follow-Up.

OBJECTIVES: Children's of Mississippi at the University of Mississippi Medical Center serves as the state's only American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association-approved cleft team at the only pediatric hospital in the state. The goal of this study is to report geographic and demographic patterns of patients with orofacial cleft (OFC) treated at Children's of Mississippi, which are lacking. METHODS: Patients with OFC treated at Children's of Mississippi from 2015 to 2020 were included. Demographic data were collected, including birth county and total live births from state data. Significant differences between incidence of OFC among public health regions of Mississippi were examined using analysis of variance (P < 0.05). Cases were compared with historical data from 1980 to 1989. RESULTS: There were 184 patients who presented with OFC, with a statewide incidence of 0.83 per 1000 live births among 222,819 live births in the state across 6 years. The incidence of OFC was 0.83/1000 for Whites and 0.82/1000 for non-Whites versus a historical rate of 1.36 and 0.54, respectively. Significantly fewer children in the northern region (0.25/1000) were born with OFC than in central (1.21; P < 0.001) and southern (0.86; P < 0.001) regions. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study suggest changing regional patterns of OFC in Mississippi. Although rates increased among non-White infants, the overall incidence of OFC has decreased compared with historical data. The findings may reflect actual incidence patterns in the state or the proximity of certain regions to Children's of Mississippi. Further study may reveal regional differences in risk factors underlying OFC incidence, and/or issues with access to cleft care for different regions in the state.

Subacute Ulnar Nerve Compression Neuropathy Following Hand Crush Injury in the Setting of Intracanal Accessory Abductor Digiti Minimi: A Double Crush Phenomenon.

Anatomical variations within Guyon's canal such as an accessory abductor digiti minimi are described as causes of ulnar nerve compression. Here we present a unique case of delayed ulnar neuropathy following treatment of left fourth metacarpal base fracture with percutaneous pinning fixation and an uncomplicated two month postoperative course. He returned with new ulnar sensory loss and motor weakness. EMG demonstrated nerve compression with CT identifying an accessory abductor digiti minimi in Guyon's canal. Following Guyon's canal release with partial accessory muscle resection, there was immediate sensory and progressive motor recovery with resolution of clawing. Delayed compression by an accessory abductor digiti minimi following trauma has not been described, suggestive of double-crush phenomenon. The accessory muscle was an asymptomatic variable (first "crush") and with the second "crush" of post-surgical changes resulting in pathological nerve compression. With delayed onset ulnar neuropathy after trauma, surgeons should consider possible accessory structures.

Surgical management of acquired buried penis and scrotal lymphedema: A retrospective review.

Acquired buried penis is a condition that can have detrimental physical and psychological consequences for patients. Factors such as elevated BMI, chronic scrotal lymphedema, hidradenitis suppurativa, and chronic inflammation can lead to the condition. Surgical intervention is the treatment of choice for advanced disease. Following IRB approval, a retrospective chart review was performed for patients with a diagnosis of acquired buried penis who required surgical intervention. Details of patient history, surgical management including intraoperative and post-operative photography, and complications were reviewed. Seven patient cases were reviewed. The average age at time of surgery was 44 with a mean weight of 344 pounds and an average BMI of 48. Severe scrotal lymphedema and hidradenitis were common concurrent comorbidities. Concurrent scrotoplasty and infraumbilical panniculectomy were standard parts of the operations. Native glans skin was salvageable in all but one case. Penile shaft skin was reconstructed with skin grafts or adjacent tissue transfer. 88% of the cases had some element of wound dehiscence post-operatively. Surgical management of an acquired buried penis can be challenging. The patient demographic with the disease is frequently complicated by morbid obesity, concurrent lymphedema, or hidradenitis. Post-operative complications are expected. The surgical techniques presented can aid in simplifying the management of this challenging surgical population.

Gaining the Upper Hand: Understanding the Causes and Repercussions of Delayed Presentation of Congenital Hand Anomalies.

Congenital upper extremity anomalies are common, with an incidence of 27.2 per 10,000 births.1 This case series highlights patients with delayed presentation of congenital hand anomalies due to breakdowns in referral to pediatric hand surgery. A retrospective review of patients with congenital hand anomalies with delayed presentation to the University of Mississippi Medical Center Congenital Hand Center was performed, and 3 patients were included. Delays in care result from a variety of missteps for patients and parents navigating the health system. In our case series, we observed fear of surgical correction, lack of expected impact to quality of life, and paucity of knowledge of available surgical options by the patient's pediatrician. While all patients underwent successful reconstruction of their congenital hand anomalies, these delays in care resulted in more demanding surgeries and prolonged return to normal hand use. Early referral to pediatric hand surgery for congenital hand anomalies is critical to avoid delays in care and unfavorable post-operative outcomes. Educating primary care physicians of regional surgeon availability, surgical options, ideal reconstruction timelines, and methods to encourage parents to pursue surgical options early for correctable deformities can improve patient outcomes and lessen resultant social consequences in patients with congenital hand anomalies.

Bipedicled Palatoplasty for Closure of Wide Veau Class II Anterior Palatal Defect: A Case Series.

Background: Wide palatal defects remain a challenge to the plastic surgeon. The authors present a new method for closure of a wide Veau class II cleft palate in which anterior palatal closure was achieved by use of a bipedicled mucoperiosteal anterior palatal flap. Methods: Two patients with wide Veau class II cleft palatal defects underwent palatoplasty with difficulty in closing the anterior palate. A novel technique was employed for tension-free closure. Results: A tension-free closure in the midline was achieved with a bipedicled mucoperiosteal anterior palatal flap. Conclusions: This novel technique can assist with closure of the anterior-most portion of hard palatal defects.

Targeted muscle reinnervation: a brief history of a promising procedure for effective management of amputation pain.

Each year, 27.5% of the 150 000 people in the United States who require lower extremity amputation experience significant postoperative complications, including pain, infection, and need for reoperation. Postamputation pain, including RLP and PLP, is debilitating. While the causes of such pain remain unknown, neuroma formation following sensory nerve transection is believed to be a major contributor. Various techniques exist for management of a symptomatic neuroma, but few data exist on which technique is superior. Furthermore, there are few data on primary prevention of neuroma formation following injury or intentional transection. The TMR technique shows promise for both management of PLP and RLP and prevention of neuroma formation. Following amputation, transected sensory nerves are coapted to nearby motor nerve supplying remaining extremity musculature. Not only does this procedure generate increased myoelectric signals for improved prosthesis control, TMR appears to neurophysiologically alter sensory nerves, preventing formation of painful sensory neuromas. The sole RCT to date evaluating the efficacy of TMR showed statistically significant reduction in PLP. TMR is not limited to use in the setting of major limb amputation. It has also been used in the setting of post-mastectomy pain, abdominal wall neuromas, digital amputations, and headache surgeries. This article reviews the origin of TMR and provides a brief description of histologic changes following the procedure, as well as current data regarding the efficacy of TMR with regard to postoperative pain relief. It also seeks to provide a concise, comprehensive resource for providers to facilitate better discussions with patients about treatment options.

Late Diagnosis of Metastatic Leiomyosarcoma Originating in the Ureter.

This case report highlights a patient with a leiomyosarcoma originating in the ureter. A chart review was performed on a single patient who presented with a malignant retroperitoneal mass measuring 11.5 × 8.2 × 6.5 cm with subsequent metastasis sites to the breast, pancreas, liver, and lungs. The diagnosis of a leiomyosarcoma is uncommon, accounting for 0.1-0.4% of all cancer diagnoses in the United States. The diagnosis of a leiomyosarcoma originating from the ureter is extremely rare with fewer than 20 reported cases to date. Lack of typical urinary tract cancer signs and symptoms prevented an early presentation, allowing for considerable tumor growth and making complete surgical resection unlikely. We present this case as an example of a rare presentation of a very rare disease and to emphasize the necessity for further research of leiomyosarcoma and early diagnosis.