Efficacy and safety of pectoralis muscle flap combined rectus abdominis muscle sheath fasciocutaneous flap for reconstruction of sternal infection.

Few studies have assessed the efficacy and safety of reconstruction of sternal infection using a pectoralis muscle flap combined with a rectus abdominis muscle (RAM) sheath fasciocutaneous flap. We report here our experience with this procedure to reconstruct the sternal defect in patients (n = 46) with a deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) after cardiac surgery. After wound reconstruction, the proportion of prolonged mechanical ventilation use and intensive care unit (ICU) stay were 17.4% (n = 8) and 21.7% (n = 10), respectively. The 30-day all-cause mortality was 15.2%; recurrence rate was 17.4%; postoperative complications were 15.2%; and median hospital stay was 31 (0-157) days. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that hypertension (ß = 21.32, 95%CI 4.955-37.68, P = .014), drainage-tube use (ß = 0.944, 95%CI 0.273-1.614, P = .008), and prolonged intensive care unit stay (ß = 53.65, 95%CI 31.353-75.938, P < .001) were significantly correlated with hospital stay. In conclusion, a procedure including surgical debridement, sternal reconstruction with bilateral PM and RAM sheath flap, long-term antibiotics, and adequate drainage is a beneficial technique in the reconstruction of deep sternal wound infection after cardiac surgery. Duration of drainage tube use may be as an index for a hospital stay or wound healing.

Laser Doppler Imaging for Treating Vascular Complications from Procedures Involving Dermal Fillers: Case Series and Literature Review.

Vascular occlusion is a rare but severe complication of dermal filler injections. Early treatment of this complication produces better outcomes. Current diagnostic methods for vascular occlusion in the skin are subjective and imprecise; these include capillary refill time, skin color, and reports of pain. This study aimed to assess the use of laser Doppler imaging (LDI) in the evaluation and treatment of vascular complications caused by dermal filler injections. This retrospective study used laser Doppler imaging (LDI) in 13 patients who developed vascular occlusion after facial dermal filler injections, with subsequent follow-up. The precise areas of perfusion observed on LDI were compared with the findings of clinical and photographic evaluation. The results showed that LDI accurately identified areas of vascular occlusion and improved treatment precision among these thirteen patients. The procedure was more precise than visual inspection or photographic evidence. Satisfactory outcomes were achieved for all patients, and no procedure-related complications were reported. Collectively, LDI provides fast, noninvasive, and accurate delineation of areas of vascular occlusion caused by complications of dermal filler injections and avoids several subjective shortcomings of visual and photographic evaluations. Thus, LDI effectively tracks treatment outcomes. However, large-scale studies are required to confirm the present findings.

Percutaneous Debridement of and Fibrin Glue Injection Into a Pretibial Morel-Lavallée Lesion: A Case Report and Literature Review.

ABSTRACT: The Morel-Lavallée lesion (MLL) is a posttraumatic close degloving injury, which is often underdiagnosed at first. Patients with MLLs usually present with tender and enlarging soft tissue swelling with fluctuation, decreased skin sensation, ecchymosis, or even skin necrosis hours to days after the inciting injury. The lesion can lead to intractable morbidity if it remains untreated. There is no consensus regarding the treatment for MLL at present. Here, we report an MLL in the pretibial region of a 43-year-old woman who experienced a low-energy contusion in a motorbike accident. The pretibial lesion was diagnosed using sonography and fine-needle aspiration. We successfully treated the patient by performing percutaneous debridement via a small incision and injections of fibrin after conservative treatment failed. The method we herein propose achieved the goal of open surgical debridement, providing faster recovery and a high degree of patient comfort. We reviewed the available pertinent literature and propose our own treatment protocol with the aim to establish common therapies ofMLL.

An early complication in the donor site of the medial sural artery perforator flap: necrosis of the medial head of gastrocnemius.

The relatively new medial sural artery perforator flap is increasingly being used for reconstruction. However, muscle necrosis of the medial head of gastrocnemius after MSAP flap harvest is a previously unnoticed early complication of the donor site. We present two cases of MSAP flap reconstruction that developed this early complication.