Breast surgeons updating on the thresholds of COVID-19 era: results of a multicenter collaborative study evaluating the role of online videos and multimedia sources on breast surgeons education and training.

OBJECTIVE: Current trends show a rise of attention given to breast cancer patients' quality of life and the surgical reconstructive result. Along with this trend, surgical training quality and efficacy are gaining importance and innovative training methods such as online videos shared on social media portals, are becoming main updating tools. In hazardous times like COVID-19 pandemic nowadays, online communication becomes of vital importance and adaptation and innovation are fundamental to keep research and education alive. The authors aimed to investigate the role of video and multimedia sources on the daily activity and surgical training of a representative group of surgeons specifically dedicated to oncologic, oncoplastic and reconstructive breast surgeries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey was produced and administered to 20 major Italian Breast Centers. Collected data were analyzed with Fisher's Exact Test. RESULTS: From October 2019 to March 2020, a total of 320 surveys were collected. Among the responders, there were 188 trainees (intern medical doctors and residents) and 110 faculty, 72% of them belonged to a plastic surgery environment, while 28% to general surgery environment. Almost all respondents have ever watched videos concerning breast surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study show how breast surgeons rely on videos and web platforms, mostly YouTube, when searching for training info about surgical procedures. Social media offer great opportunities for sharing knowledge and diffusion of new ideas but greater attention to their reliability is mandatory.

[Expanders and the prosthetic short line in breast reconstruction after mastectomy: experience with the first 130 surgically treated cases]. / Gli espansori e la linea protesica "short" nella ricostruzione mammaria post mastectomia: esperienza sui primi 130 casi operati.

Breast reconstruction as now to be consider as a complementary treatment of breast cancer surgery. Between 1998-1999 we developed a project of collaboration with Polytech-Silimed Europe Gmbh for a new textured tissue expander. This new system allows expansion of the middle and lower quadrant of the breast acting a physiologic ptosis of the breast. Authors report their experience on the first 130 patients.

[Five hundred sixty-nine flaps used in reconstruction of the head and neck: morbidity analysis and results]. / Cinquecentosessantanove lembi utilizzati nelle ricostruzioni per tumori di testa e collo: analisi su morbilità e risultati.

Aim of the study is to provide high-level results in terms of functionality and softness of the tissues achieved with different reconstructive techniques performed in oncological surgery of the head and neck. Test group was composed of 528 patients recovered with a diagnosis of head and neck cancer. We performed 569 flaps: myocutaneous, cutaneous and fasciocutaneous, and free flaps. The clinical outcome and the morpho-functional evaluation show that free flaps can ensure excellent results, especially in defined anatomical areas such as the cervical-esophageal region, jaw and tongue. As to myocutaneous and cutaneous/fasciocutaneous flaps, they are still the first reconstructive choice, according to their minimal or no functional implications.