RESUMEN
The novel coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) in 2019 resulted in the suspension of all elective hospital procedures during the height of the pandemic in the UK. The Clinic in London is one of the first day-case hospitals to resume cosmetic surgery in a post-COVID-19 clinical environment, whilst also employing the use of virtual consultations. Details of the protocol implemented by the Clinic to allow the safe resumption of cosmetic surgery are stated in this paper. The volume of procedures at the Clinic saw a significant increase post-lockdown; reasons as to why this occurred are also explored in this paper. The disruption of cosmetic practice during lockdown can be said to have resulted in a backlog of procedures once lockdown restrictions began to ease. Whilst this may be true, we believe that there are other confounding factors regarding what may have influenced the rise in cosmetic surgery during the pandemic, including the privacy of working from home and the increased exposure to video conferencing software.
Asunto(s)
Procedimientos Quirúrgicos Ambulatorios , COVID-19 , Pandemias , Procedimientos de Cirugía Plástica , Procedimientos Quirúrgicos Ambulatorios/estadística & datos numéricos , Estudios de Cohortes , Hospitales , Humanos , Control de Infecciones , Londres/epidemiología , Selección de Paciente , Procedimientos de Cirugía Plástica/estadística & datos numéricos , Consulta Remota , Estudios RetrospectivosRESUMEN
This study assesses the effectiveness of CO2 laser in treating congenital melanocytic naevi (CMN). A retrospective review of 12 patients with CMN treated with CO2 laser was carried out. In all cases, there was minimal visible naevus after treatment. Six patients developed hypertrophic scarring; this was significantly more likely following CO2 laser treatment on the anterior torso, flanks, or arms than on the back or buttocks (P = 0.01, 1-tailed Fisher exact test). We conclude that CO2 laser is an effective treatment for reducing visible pigmentation of CMN. However, it can cause hypertrophic scarring, which has not been reported before. This risk can be reduced by limited use in areas of the body where the dermis is thinner or there is a known risk of hypertrophic scarring. In addition, the cautious use of paint mode and prophylactic use of pressure or silicon dressings may also reduce the risk of hypertrophic scarring.
