Effect of platelet-rich plasma on healing in laser pilonidoplasty for pilonidal sinus disease.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of application of platelet-rich plasma in addition to laser pilonidoplasty for the treatment of pilonidal sinus. Twenty-five patients who were treated by laser pilonidoplasty for pilonidal sinus (group 1) and 25 patients who were treated by platelet-rich plasma in addition to laser pilonidoplasty (group 2) at this clinic were included in the study. Patients were classified according to the Irkorucu and Adana Numune's classification and treatment concept. Duration of stay of the patients in the hospital, time to start daily activities, duration of wound healing, recurrence, and complications were evaluated. Among the 50 patients included in the study, 41 (%82) were males and 9 (%18) were females. The mean age was 25.6 ± 2.4 years and 24.8 ± 3.8 years in groups 1 and 2, respectively. The locations of the pilonidal sinus were similar in the two groups. No statistically significant differences were found in the duration of hospital stay, duration of the procedure, time to return to work, and complication rates between the two groups. Nevertheless, duration of wound healing was 6.1 ± 2.3 and 4.1 ± 0.9 weeks in groups 1 and 2, respectively, and was shorter in group 2. Duration of wound healing was statistically significantly different in the two groups. We concluded in this study that application of platelet-rich plasma in addition to laser pilonidoplasty significantly shortens the time of wound healing.

Distinct postsurgical management in young and elderly breast cancer patients results in equal survival rates.

BACKGROUND: Although breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common malignant diseases in women, the majority of the studies describing the characteristics of BC in elderly patients have been limited to survival assessments or tumor features, without using younger BC patients as a reference group. The aim of our study was to describe and compare tumor characteristics and management patterns in elderly versus younger breast cancer patients in Turkey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 152 patients with invasive breast cancer who underwent surgery in our institution between 2002 and 2012. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to age at the time of diagnosis. RESULTS: There were 62 patients in the elderly group (≥65 years) and 90 patients in the younger group (<65 years). Compared to the younger group, tumors in the elderly group were more likely to be larger (p=0.018), of lower grade (p=0.005), and hormone receptor-positive (p>0.001). There were no significant differences regarding histology, localization, lymph node involvement, or types of surgical procedures between the 2 groups. Comorbidities were more common in elderly patients (p<0.001). In addition, elderly patients were more likely to receive hormonal therapy (p<0.001) and less likely to receive radiotherapy (p=0.08) and chemotherapy (p=0.003). There was no difference in survival and locoregional recurrence rates between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrate that breast cancer in elderly patients has more favorable tumor features, warranting less aggressive treatment regimens after surgery.