The clinico-pathological spectrum of plaque-type blue naevi and their potential for malignant transformation.

AIMS: Plaque-type blue naevi are rare melanocytic tumours presenting as large, pigmented plaques at birth or during childhood. There is a risk for malignant transformation, but no larger comprehensive studies exist and the diagnosis is challenging, especially on limited biopsy material. The aim is to describe the clinicopathological features and behaviour of the disease more comprehensively. METHODS AND RESULTS: We retrieved eight plaque-type blue naevi, presenting as large, pigmented plaques (median = 7 cm; range = 3-26) most frequently affecting the scalp (four) followed by the cheek, arm, abdominal wall and gluteal cleft (one each), with a slight female predilection. Median age at time of biopsy was 39.5 years (range = 15-90), but three tumours had been present at birth and one since childhood. Histopathologically, the tumours were poorly circumscribed and composed of cellular fascicles of uniform spindle cells in a background of variably prominent pigmented dendritic cells affecting dermis and subcutaneous tissues. The majority had mutations in GNAQ. One tumour showed malignant transformation, characterised by an expansile nodule of pleomorphic epithelioid melanocytes with rhabdoid morphology, high mitotic activity and areas of necrosis. This patient developed metastatic melanoma to lymph nodes. All patients are alive with a median follow-up of 60 months. CONCLUSION: Plaque-type blue naevi are diagnostically challenging tumours with risk for malignant transformation. Awareness and familiarity with the salient clinicopathological features are necessary for reliable diagnosis, and long-term clinical follow-up is required to monitor for malignant transformation.

Current Controversies in Melanoma Treatment.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After reading this article and viewing the videos, the participant should be able to: 1. Discuss margins for in situ and invasive disease and describe reconstructive options for wide excision defects, including the keystone flap. 2. Describe a digit-sparing alternative for subungual melanoma. 3. Calculate personalized risk estimates for sentinel node biopsy using predictive nomograms. 4. Describe the indications for lymphadenectomy and describe a technique intended to reduce the risk of lymphedema following lymphadenectomy. 5. Offer options for in-transit melanoma management. SUMMARY: Melanoma management continues to evolve, and plastic surgeons need to stay at the forefront of advances and controversies. Appropriate margins for in situ and invasive disease require consideration of the trials on which they are based. A workhorse reconstruction option for wide excision defects, particularly in extremities, is the keystone flap. There are alternative surgical approaches to subungual tumors besides amputation. It is now possible to personalize a risk estimate for sentinel node positivity beyond what is available for groups of patients with a given stage of disease. Sentinel node biopsy can be made more accurate and less morbid with novel adjuncts. Positive sentinel node biopsies are now rarely managed with completion lymphadenectomy. Should a patient require lymphadenectomy, immediate lymphatic reconstruction may mitigate the lymphedema risk. Finally, there are minimally invasive modalities for effective control of in-transit recurrences.

Rinoplastia funcional y estética, fusionando conceptos / Functional and aesthetic rhinoplasty, merging concepts

Introducción y Objetivo: Es un hecho que la Cirugía Plástica es la parte más artística de la Medicina, y aunque está constituida por la Cirugía Reconstructiva y la Cirugía Estética, no existe un límite entre ambas. Una de las técnicas que mayormente realizamos dentro de nuestra especialidad es la rinoplastia, y de la misma manera, aunque dogmáticamente existen diferencias entre una rinoplastia estética y una reconstructiva o funcional, ambas pueden beneficiarse del mismo manejo. Algunos procedimientos empleados con buen resultado en la reparación de deformidades congénitas o adquiridas, pueden utilizarse en pacientes cuya morfología nasal es normal, sólo con fines estéticos. Material y método: Realizamos una revisión de los procedimientos quirúrgicos reconstructivos nasales que pueden aplicarse de acuerdo a las subunidades estéticas, destacando los realizados en dorso, paredes laterales y punta, explicando el cómo y porqué del uso de injertos cartilaginosos o compuestos. Resultados: Dichas técnicas acumulan la experiencia de los últimos 18 años del autor principal en cirugía nasal, tanto reconstructiva como estética. Es importante hacer notar que la correcta selección de los pacientes y el análisis preoperatorio serán siempre un instrumento valioso para lograr un buen resultado. Conclusiones: La integración de procedimientos propios de la Cirugía Reconstructiva aplicados en la Cirugía Estética de la nariz, pueden proporcionar resultados óptimos en diferentes tipos de pacientes previamente seleccionados

Background and Objective: It is a fact that Plastic Surgery is the most artistic specialty in Medicine and even though Reconstructive Surgery and Aesthetic Surgery constitute it, there is no limit between them. One of the techniques that we mostly perform within the specialty is rhinoplasty and in the same way, although dogmatically there are differences between an aesthetic rhinoplasty and a reconstructive or functional rhinoplasty, both can benefit from the same management. Some procedures used with good results in the repair of congenital malformations or acquired deformities, can be used in patients whose nasal morphology is normal and for cosmetic purposes only. Methods: In order to describe the function of reconstructive rhinoplasty procedures applied to aesthetic rhinoplasty, a review of reconstructive surgical procedures that can be applied according to the aesthetics subunits was carried out, highlighting those performed on the dorsum, the lateral walls and the tip, explaining how cartilages or composite grafts are used. Results: These techniques accumulate the experience of the last 18 years of the main author with the management of nasal surgery, both in the reconstructive and aesthetic field. It is important to consider that the selection of patients and the preoperative analysis will always be an invaluable tool to achieve a good result. Conclusions: The integration of reconstructive surgery procedures applied in the aesthetic surgery of the nose can provide optimal results in different types of patients, previously selected

Factors associated with breast symmetry after breast conserving surgery for cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) is the standard of care for treatment of early breast cancer. Factors associated with poor cosmetic results are not well described. The aim of the present study was to evaluate factors associated with breast asymmetry after BCS for invasive breast cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients who underwent unilateral BCS for invasive breast cancer and completed at least six months after radiation therapy were included. After informed consent, patients answered a validated questionnaire for breast symmetry. Demographic, clinical-pathological and surgical variables were recorded. Bilateral breast volume was measured in office and volume difference > 20% was considered objective asymmetry. Variables were analyzed with χ(2) test and significance was considered at p < 0.05. RESULTS: One-hundred and thirtythree patients were included. Mean patient age was 56 ± 9 years. Most patients were married (78%) with educational level of high school or greater (50.8%). Mean body mass index (BMI) was 25 ± 8. Twelve percent of patients underwent ≥ 2 surgical procedures. Eighty-one percent of patients had tumors > 1 cm. Twenty-two percent of patients had objective breast asymmetry and 27% perceived themselves with asymmetry. There were no significant relationship between objective and subjective asymmetry. The only variable significantly associated with perception of breast asymmetry was educational level ≥ high school. CONCLUSIONS: There was no relationship between subjective and objective breast asymmetry after BCS, suggesting that cosmetic results are mainly related to patient subjective perception. The only variable associated with subjective breast asymmetry was high educational level, possibly because higher cosmetic expectations in this group of patients.

Pathological implications of areas of lower enhancement on contrast-enhanced computed tomography in renal-cell carcinoma: additional information for selecting candidates for surveillance protocols.

PURPOSE: Areas of lower enhancement on computed tomography are frequently seen in renal-cell carcinoma. We investigated whether tumor enhancement on the most prominent hypodense areas correlates with the nuclear grade and other pathologic variables. METHODS: From 2004 to 2009, all consecutive patients with a preoperative tomography who underwent radical or partial nephrectomy for renal-cell carcinoma at our tertiary referral center were retrospectively analyzed. Enhancement of the entire tumor on the slice with most prominent areas of lower enhancement was determined. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients were included. Clear-cell carcinoma comprised 91.6 %. Mean areas of lower enhancement for nuclear grade tumors 1-4 were 67.4, 38.7, 27.9, and 15.1 HU, respectively. Areas of lower enhancement negatively correlated with size, nuclear grade, T stage, and pathological stage. Tumors with extension beyond Gerota's fascia (10.5 vs. 35.9 HU, p < 0.001) and positive surgical margins (21.2 vs. 34.8 HU, p = 0.04) had more prominent areas of lower enhancement than organ-confined tumors. When comparing nuclear grade 1-3 to nuclear grade 4 tumors, these areas were significantly lower in the later (36.5 vs. 15.1 HU, p < 0.001). Receiver-operating characteristics curves for detecting nuclear grade 4 showed an area under the curve of 0.808 (95 % CI 0.659-0.957). CONCLUSIONS: Lower enhancement of the entire tumor at the point where hypodense tumor areas are more predominant on tomography is associated with higher nuclear grade and more advanced stage.

Thrombocytosis as a predictor of distant recurrence in patients with rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Thrombocytosis is frequently observed in patients with malignancy. We undertook this study to determine the prognostic value of thrombocytosis in patients with rectal cancer. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of patients undergoing low anterior resection for rectal cancer between January 2000 and March 2007. Preoperative platelet count was measured before surgery. Postoperative platelets were determined 1 month after surgery. Two-tailed p values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: One hundred sixty three patients with rectal cancer were included in the study. Preoperative platelet count >350,000 was found in 8% of patients. Postoperative platelet count >350,000 was found in 6% of patients. Distant metastases were found in 17 patients (10.4%). Significant variables in the multivariate analyses were preoperative platelets >350,000 (p = 0.001), postoperative platelets >350,000 (p = 0.002), carcinoembryonic antigen >13 ng/dL (p = 0.003). Patients with preoperative platelet count <350,000 showed a 5-year survival rate of 81%, whereas patients with platelet count >350,000 had a 25-month survival [95% confidence interval (CI): 20-26]; p <0.001. Patients with postoperative platelets <350,000 showed a 5-year survival rate of 80%, whereas patients with platelets >350,000 showed a 3-year survival rate of 37.5% (p <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Pre- or postoperative platelet count >350,000 is associated with poor survival in patients with rectal cancer. The measurement of platelets is a clinical marker useful to define the prognosis for patients with rectal cancer.

Body image perception and quality of life in patients who underwent breast surgery.

Quality of Life (QoL) has become a standard measure in assessing the effectiveness of medical interventions. We compared the differences between QoL and body image scale (BIS) in a group of patients who underwent breast surgery, including lumpectomy or conservative surgery, modified radical mastectomy and radical mastectomy with breast reconstruction. We included patients who underwent breast surgery between August of 2005 and June of 2006 in two tertiary referral centers in Mexico City. Two self-administered questionnaires assessing body image perception, BIS and quality of life (SF-36), were assigned and a physician-conducted interview was done. We stratified patients by age, marital status, and scholar grade. The sample comprised 202 patients. The BIS results yielded: the group with a benign lesion demonstrated favorable body image perception when compared with the malignant lesion group. A confirmed diagnosis of malignancy hinders QoL in older and younger age groups. Conservative surgery and breast reconstruction improves QoL in younger patients without significance in the older group. The most significant variable that hinders the BIS and QoL is the cancer diagnosis. Impact of conservative surgery and breast reconstruction in body image perception and quality of life is influenced by patient age and educational level.