Pressure Masks for Facial Scar Treatment after Oncological Reconstruction: Long-Term Patient Satisfaction and Quality of Life.

INTRODUCTION: With increasing incidence of facial skin cancer, more patients undergo facial reconstruction following Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS). Aesthetically unpleasing, thickened facial flaps, and disturbing scars can be treated with a pressure mask with inner silicone lining to help improve functional and aesthetic outcomes. However, data on long-term patient satisfaction and quality of life (QoL) following this treatment are lacking. METHODS: We aimed to assess long-term satisfaction and QoL of patients who underwent local flap reconstruction following MMS. Patients treated between January 2012 and October 2020 were invited to answer FACE-Q and SCAR-Q questionnaires. Demographic data, skin cancer type and location, type of reconstruction, postoperative complications, duration of pressure mask therapy, daily compliance, and additional scar treatment were collected to explore possible predictors. RESULTS: Of 92 eligible patients, 50 responded. Eighteen respondents were male (36%) and 32 were female (64%). Mean duration of pressure mask therapy was 10.20 ± 4.61 months. Patients were 61.14 ± 32.91 months after completion of pressure mask therapy upon participation. Patients whose reconstruction consisted of multiple flaps had significantly worse outcomes in social function (p = 0.012), scar appearance (p = 0.045), and scar symptoms (p = 0.008). A trend of increasing time since therapy completion predicting better outcomes was observed for all scales, and it was a significant predictor for better scar appearance (p = 0.001) and less scar symptoms (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Pressure mask treatment for facial flaps and scars following MMS results in good long-term patient satisfaction and QoL. Multiple local flaps, reflecting a larger skin defect postexcision, is a predictor for worse outcomes in social function, scar appearance, and symptoms. Increasing time is associated with increasing satisfaction, which reflects satisfactory and stable long-term effects of treatment, possibly combined with more acceptance of the result over time.

Using an Elastomeric Skin Protectant to Manage Donor Site Wounds of Split-thickness Skin Grafts: A Case Series.

ABSTRACT: Split-thickness skin grafting (STSG) is a common surgical procedure to manage acute and chronic wounds. A plethora of dressings exists to treat STSG donor site wounds (DSWs). Recently, a new elastomeric skin protectant was adopted (Cavilon Advanced Skin Protectant; 3M) in the treatment of incontinence-associated dermatitis. In this report, the authors assess the effects of this elastomeric skin protectant as an alternative wound dressing for STSG donor sites.The authors report a single-center prospective case series that was performed to establish a treatment protocol. Nine consecutive patients with different indications for treatment with an STSG from May to September 2018 were included. Collected data included general patient information, comorbidities, complications, blood loss, pain during dressing change, and the duration of DSW healing.This case series showed promising results in terms of duration of DSW healing when applying the elastomeric skin protectant. The authors also observed less blood loss and less pain during dressing changes. No infections were seen during the trial.

Reconstruction of full thickness wounds using glyaderm in a single-staged procedure.

INTRODUCTION: In large full-thickness skin defects, donor site morbidity limits the available thickness and surface of skin autografts and therefore only split-thickness skin grafts are possible for reconstruction. Dermal equivalents can be added to these split-thickness grafts to acquire an anatomically better skin reconstruction. Glyaderm is a human derived, acellular dermis and up until now has only been used in a two-staged procedure. This report describes results of a case series using Glyaderm and split-thickness skin grafts in a single-staged procedure. METHODS: Glyaderm was introduced in 2017 in Radboudumc (Nijmegen, The Netherlands). Glyaderm and autologous split-skin grafts were simultaneously applied to the wounds. In cases with large wound surfaces or wounds covering highly mobile areas, negative pressure wound therapy was additionally applied. The first ten cases were followed with regular intervals post-operatively, assessing graft take, scar appearance, post-operative wound problems and re-interventions. RESULTS: Patients were aged 3 weeks to 76 years-old. Treated skin surface varied from 1-16% total body surface. Wounds resulted from trauma (n = 4), burns (n = 4) or soft tissue infections (n = 2). Follow-up varied from 4 months to 1.5 years. No complications occurred after surgery. Average take rate was 98%. Two patients had a later re-intervention to further improve the aesthetic appearance of the scarred area. CONCLUSION: Our first results with the application of Glyaderm in a single-staged procedure provided good healing, graft take and scar appearance. Glyaderm was found a suitable dermal substitute in the treatment of full thickness wounds.