[Deep alkali burns: Evaluation of a two-step surgical strategy]. / Les brûlures profondes par agents basiques : évaluation d'une stratégie chirurgicale en deux temps.

INTRODUCTION: Chemical burns are rare but often lead to deep cutaneous lesions. Alkali agents have a deep and long lasting penetrating power, causing burns that evolve over several days. The local treatment for these patients is excision of the wound and split thickness skin graft. Early excision and immediate skin grafting of alkali burns are more likely to be complicated by graft failure and delayed wound healing. We propose a two-step method that delays skin grafting until two-three days after burn wound excision. RESULTS: Our population included 25 controls and 16 cases. Men were predominant with a mean age of 41.9 years. In 78% of cases, burns were located on the lower limbs. The mean delay between the burn and excision was 16.5 days. In cases, the skin graft was performed at a mean of 11.3 days after the initial excision. We did not unveil any significant difference between both groups for the total skin surface affected, topography of the burns and the causal agent. Wound healing was significantly shorter in cases vs controls (37.5 days vs 50.3 days; P<0.025). Furthermore, we observed a decreased number of graft failures in cases vs controls (13.3% vs 46.7%; P=0.059). CONCLUSION: Our study shows the relevance of a two-step surgical strategy in patients with alkali chemical burns. Early excision followed by interval skin grafting is associated with quicker wound healing and decreased rate of graft failure.

[Suture simulator - Cleft palate surgery]. / Simulateur de suture ­ chirurgie des fentes vélopalatines.

INTRODUCTION: Cleft palate requires surgery in the first years of life, furthermore repairing anatomically the soft and hard palate is complex on a surgical level because of the fine tissues and the local intraoral configuration. It is valuable to train first on simulators before going to the operating room. However, there is no material dedicated to learning how to perform intraoral sutures in cleft palate surgery. We made one, in an artisanal manner, in order to practice before the real surgical gesture. BUILDING THE SIMULATOR: The simulator was designed based on precise anatomical data. A steel pipe, fixed on a rigid base represented the oral cavity. An adapted split spoon represented the palate. All pieces could be removed in order to apply a hydrocellular dressing before training for sutures. USE OF THE SIMULATOR: Our simulator was tested by 3 senior surgeons in our department in close to real-life conditions in order to evaluate its anatomical accuracy. CONCLUSION: It is valuable to have a simulator to train on cleft palate sutures within teaching university hospitals that manage this pathology. Our simulator has a very low cost, it is easy to make and is anatomically accurate.

[Contribution of the physical and rehabilitation medicine in pediatric plastic surgery]. / Apport de la médecine physique et réadaptation en chirurgie plastique pédiatrique.

Physical, non-painful processes guide the scar reshaping in children in order to prevent growth anomalies due to cutaneous shrinkage. The objective of the surgical treatment, coordinated with the reeducation care, is to improve the physical abilities of the skin, to restore the function and avoid the deformations. Reeducation uses various techniques (i.e. sensitive-motility, massage and mobilizations) with or without physical agent (water, aspiration and touch-drive technique). Posture and positioning rely on the small or major aids, from orthosis to prosthesis. Compression is obtained by the adjustment of aids on molding and compression garment. Indications of the reeducation treatment depend on the timing of cutaneous covering and the advance of the healing process. It also depends on the underlying condition including skin traumas (frictions, wounds, burns), skin surgeries (purpura fulminans consequences, skin graft reconstruction after giant nevus resection, malignant lesion or vascular malformations). The final goal is the rehabilitation and development of the child and the adolescent in its entire somatopsychic dimension.

[Tattooing of the nipple-areola complex in breast reconstruction: Technical note]. / Tatouage de la plaque aréolo-mammelonnaire en reconstruction mammaire : note technique.

The reconstruction of the nipple-areola complex is an essential step in breast reconstruction. It announces the end of the reconstruction process, which is often long and sometimes difficult to live for the patient and will significantly improve the perception of body image. Concerning the reconstruction of the areola, tattooing is one of the preferred techniques. It's a simple, quick and safe procedure with a high satisfaction rate. This technique is still perfectible in our opinion, because the random lifetime of pigmentation is a recognized disadvantage of this procedure. We propose a modification of the conventional technique for improving the quality of dermopigmentation while reducing its completion time. Our method is to perform a dermabrasion before starting the tattoo. Indeed, dermabrasion allows better penetration of the pigments inside the dermis and thus offers two advantages: a more durable result over time and reduced operation time by reducing the number of passing of the machine tattoo. Finally, our tattooing technique seems relevant and totally appropriate: its realization is simple, reproducible, does not increase the overall cost of reconstruction, provides timesavings and gives a better long-term result.