Current Available Cellular and Tissue-Based Products for Treatment of Skin Defects.

The occurrence of diabetic foot ulcers and venous leg ulcers is increasing because of aging population trends as well as increases in the number of people with diabetes and obesity. New technologies have been developed to treat these conditions, whereas other technologies previously designed for burns and traumatic wounds have been adapted. This article reviews the development of selected skin replacement technologies, particularly cellular and tissue-based products, highlighting their effectiveness on diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers, and burns.

Plastic Surgery Complications from Medical Tourism Treated in a U.S. Academic Medical Center.

BACKGROUND: Medical tourism is a growing, multi-billion dollar industry fueled by improvements in the global transportation infrastructure. The authors studied patients living in the United States who travel to other countries for plastic surgical procedures and returned to have their complications treated in the authors' center. METHODS: A retrospective patient evaluation was performed. Patients who had presented to an urban tertiary academic hospital plastic surgery service with complications or complaints associated with plastic surgery performed in a developing country were studied. The authors collected demographic information, types of surgery performed, destinations, insurance coverage, and complications. RESULTS: Seventy-eight patients were identified over 7 years. Most commonly, complications were seen following abdominoplasty (n = 35), breast augmentation (n = 25), and foreign body injections (n = 15). Eighteen patients underwent multiple procedures in one operative setting. The most common destination country was the Dominican Republic (n = 59). Complications included surgical-site infections (n = 14), pain (n = 14), and wound healing complications (n = 12). Eighty-six percent of patients (n = 67) relied on their medical insurance to pay for their follow-up care or manage their complications, with the most common type of health insurance coverage being Massachusetts Medicaid (n = 48). CONCLUSIONS: Cosmetic surgery performed in developing countries can carry substantial risks of complications that can be challenging to patients, primary care providers, insurers, and plastic surgical teams not associated with the original surgery. These complications pose significant burdens on our public health systems.

Evidence-Based Medicine: The Evaluation and Treatment of Pressure Injuries.

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: After studying this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Discuss the approach to and rationale for pressure injury management, including specific techniques for prevention and preoperative evaluation. 2. Develop a management algorithm for these wounds that includes operative and nonoperative modalities. 3. Understand how to identify and manage the complications of surgical intervention for pressure injuries, including recurrence. SUMMARY: Pressure injuries are a common problem associated with great morbidity and cost, often presenting as complex challenges for plastic surgeons. Although the cause of these wounds is largely prolonged pressure, the true pathogenesis involves many other factors, including friction, shear, moisture, nutrition, and infection. This article outlines a systematic approach to evaluating and staging pressure injuries, and provides strategies for treatment and prevention. Critical to surgical intervention is thorough débridement, including any involved or causative bony tissues, and postoperative management to prevent wound dehiscence and recurrence.

The Role of Dermal Matrices in Treating Inflammatory and Diabetic Wounds.

BACKGROUND: Dermal matrices are used to improve healing in both acute and chronic wounds including diabetic and lower extremity wounds, burns, trauma, and surgical reconstruction. The use of dermal matrices for the closure of inflammatory ulcerations is less frequent but growing. Currently available products include decellularized dermis and semisynthetic matrices. METHODS: A review of the published literature was performed to identify reports that use acellular dermal matrices in diabetic and inflammatory wounds. Studies were evaluated for quality and outcomes, and a level of evidence was assigned according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons' Rating Levels of Evidence. Case studies from the authors' experience are also presented. RESULTS: Seventeen primary studies evaluating the use of dermal matrices in diabetic ulcers were identified with 2 based on level I data. There are no prospective clinical trial reports of their use in atypical or inflammatory wounds, but there are several case studies. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of diabetic and inflammatory wounds may include both medical and surgical modalities. The use of dermal matrices can be a useful adjunct, but their optimal use will require future clinical studies.

Effect of negative pressure wound therapy on wound healing.

The efficacy of NPWT in promoting wound healing has been largely accepted by clinicians, yet the number of high-level clinical studies demonstrating its effectiveness is small and much more can be learned about the mechanisms of action. In the future, hopefully we will have the data to assist clinicians in selecting optimal parameters for specific wounds including interface material, waveform of suction application, and the amount of suction to be applied. Further investigation into specific interface coatings and instillation therapy are also needed. We believe that advances in mechanobiology, the science of wound healing, the understanding of biofilms, and advances in cell therapy will lead to better care for our patients.

Negative pressure wound therapy: past, present and future.

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), which was introduced as a commercial product (V.A.C. Therapy, KCI USA, Inc., San Antonio, TX) less than 20 years ago, has revolutionised the treatment of complex wounds. Indicated for wide variety of wound types, NPWT is an adjunctive therapy that can be used safely in a range of care settings. Current research indicates that there are four primary NPWT mechanisms of action: macrodeformation, microdeformation, fluid removal and environmental control of the wound. The interaction of the primary mechanisms results in secondary effects through cell signalling (e.g. granulation tissue formation, cell proliferation and modulation of inflammation). Better understanding of the mechanisms of action also provides insight into future directions for NPWT research that could create better solutions for patients with complex wounds.

Mechanisms of action of microdeformational wound therapy.

Microdeformational Wound Therapy (MDWT) is a class of medical devices that have revolutionized the treatment of complex wounds over the last 20 years. These devices, are a subset of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT), in which there is a highly porous interface material placed between the wound and a semi-occlussive dressing and connected to suction. The porous interface material acts to deform the wound on a micro scale promoting cellular proliferation. These devices appear to significantly improve the speed of healing in many wounds, facilitate granulation tissue formation and reduce the complexity of subsequent reconstructive operations. The mechanisms through which such effects are obtained are beginning to be better understood through basic research and clinical trials. Further work in this field is likely to yield devices that are designed to treat specific wound types.

Update on negative-pressure wound therapy.

BACKGROUND: Over the last 15 years, negative-pressure wound therapy has become commonly used for treatment of a wide variety of complex wounds. There are now several systems marketed, and additional products will be available in the near future. Many clinicians have noted a dramatic response when negative-pressure wound therapy technology has been used, prompting a number of scientific investigations related to its mechanism of action and clinical trials determining its efficacy. METHODS: The peer-reviewed literature within the past 5 years was reviewed, using an evidence-based approach. RESULTS: Negative-pressure wound therapy works through mechanisms that include fluid removal, drawing the wound together, microdeformation, and moist wound healing. Several randomized clinical trials support the use of negative-pressure wound therapy in certain wound types. Serious complications, including bleeding and infection, have recently been reported by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in a small number of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Negative-pressure wound therapy has dramatically changed the way complex wounds are treated. The rapid introduction of this technology has occurred faster than large-scale randomized controlled studies or registry studies have been conducted. Further clinical studies and basic science studies will help surgeons to better understand the evidence and use this technology in the future.

Reduction in incidence of deep sternal wound infections: random or real?

OBJECTIVE: Comorbidities predisposing cardiac surgical patients toward deep sternal wound infection, such as diabetes and obesity, are rising in the United States. Longitudinal analysis of risk factors, morbidity, and mortality was performed to assessed effects of these health trends on deep sternal wound infection rates. METHODS: In this retrospective analysis of all median sternotomies performed at a single institution from 1991 through 2006, demographic and surgical characteristics were identified from a prospective database. The cohort was separated into periods from 1992 through 2001 and 2002 through 2006 to identify longitudinal trends in risk factors for deep sternal wound infection. Univariate and matched multivariable analyses were performed. RESULTS: Overall, study population had increased comorbidities associated with deep sternal wound infection such as obesity, diabetes, and advanced age. Deep sternal wound infections were treated in 285 of 21,000 sternotomies performed during study period (1.35%). Deep sternal wound infection rates decreased from 1.57% to 0.88% in last 5 years. Rate of deep sternal wound infection was reduced among patients with diabetes from 3.2% to 1.0%. Multivariable analysis showed diabetes and smoking to be eliminated as risk factors in last 5 years. Prolonged bypass time was the only variable independently associated with deep sternal wound infection for the entire period. Thirty-day and 1-year mortalities for deep sternal wound infection did not change significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of a large series of cardiac surgical patients demonstrates significant reduction in deep sternal wound infection incidence in 15 years. Introduction of perioperative intravenous insulin may explain some observed risk reduction. Efforts should focus on prevention, because mortality remains elevated.