Surgical management of acquired buried penis and scrotal lymphedema: A retrospective review.

Acquired buried penis is a condition that can have detrimental physical and psychological consequences for patients. Factors such as elevated BMI, chronic scrotal lymphedema, hidradenitis suppurativa, and chronic inflammation can lead to the condition. Surgical intervention is the treatment of choice for advanced disease. Following IRB approval, a retrospective chart review was performed for patients with a diagnosis of acquired buried penis who required surgical intervention. Details of patient history, surgical management including intraoperative and post-operative photography, and complications were reviewed. Seven patient cases were reviewed. The average age at time of surgery was 44 with a mean weight of 344 pounds and an average BMI of 48. Severe scrotal lymphedema and hidradenitis were common concurrent comorbidities. Concurrent scrotoplasty and infraumbilical panniculectomy were standard parts of the operations. Native glans skin was salvageable in all but one case. Penile shaft skin was reconstructed with skin grafts or adjacent tissue transfer. 88% of the cases had some element of wound dehiscence post-operatively. Surgical management of an acquired buried penis can be challenging. The patient demographic with the disease is frequently complicated by morbid obesity, concurrent lymphedema, or hidradenitis. Post-operative complications are expected. The surgical techniques presented can aid in simplifying the management of this challenging surgical population.

A Cost and Metric Comparison of Disposable Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy Systems.

BACKGROUND: Disposable NPWT (dNPWT), a form of negative-pressure wound therapy, has been shown to be both outcome- and cost-effective for small to medium-sized wounds or closed incisions compared to traditional NPWT systems. When choosing a dNPWT system, multiple factors should be evaluated, including the wound size, wound type, estimated exudate production, and required days of therapy. If the device is not optimized for use in a particular patient, a much higher overall cost can be expected. METHODS: A web-based search, manufacturer website review and communication, and list price-based cost analysis was performed for currently available dNPWT systems. These systems differ with respect to cost, degree of negative pressure, canister size, number of dressings included, and recommended days of therapy. RESULTS: The results showed that 3M™ KCI devices (3M™ KCI, St. Paul, MN) cost about 6x more per day than non-KCI devices, and the V.A.C.® Via and Prevena™ Plus Customizable Incision Management System (both 3M KCI) cost over $180 per day of use. The no-canister Pico 14™ (Smith+Nephew, Watford, UK) is the most cost-effective dNPWT option, with an overall cost of $25.00 per day, but is limited to low exudate-producing wounds, such as closed incisions. At $25.67 per day, the UNO 15 (Genadyne Biotechnologies, Hicksville, NY) is the most cost-effective dNPWT option that still includes a replaceable canister system. CONCLUSION: We present a cost and metric comparison of currently available dNPWT systems. Despite significant differences in the cost of treatment with each dNPWT device, there has been limited research on their relative efficacies.

Os Styloideum Resection Complicated by Severe Contact Dermatitis to 2-Octyl Cyanoacrylate: A Case Study.

Os styloideum is an accessory wrist bone at the base of the second and third metacarpals. Similar to metacarpal bossing, chronic pain secondary to the development of osteoarthritis and tendon irritation is common. Conservative management consists of splinting and steroid injections, with surgical resection being the definitive treatment. 2-Octyl cyanoacrylate adhesive glue is commonly used to close these and other types of wounds. PURPOSE: We report the case of a 29-year-old man who developed severe dermatitis following surgical removal of a right dorsal hand mass at the base of the third metacarpal, which had been slowly enlarging and causing pain for 18 months. METHODS: After unsuccessful conservative management, the mass was resected and the incision was closed with buried monofilament suture and 2-octyl cyanoacrylate skin glue. Upon splint removal due to pain, 6 days postoperatively, severe contact dermatitis resulting in scattered partial- and full-thickness skin necrosis was observed. Local wound care, systemic corticosteroids, and a secondary surgical closure were required for resolution of the skin breakdown. CONCLUSION: This case demonstrates 2 uncommon occurrences: a rare hand mass and severe contact dermatitis to 2-octyl cyanoacrylate with resultant tissue necrosis. Mass resection is commonly reserved for symptomatic os styloideum. Caution should be used when applying 2-octyl cyanoacrylate under a splint. Removal of glue and steroids provides effective treatment for severe contact dermatitis, but full-thickness injuries may require debridement and secondary closure.

Closed Incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Sponge Width and Tension Off-Loading: A Laboratory Model.

Closed incisional negative pressure wound therapy (ciNPWT) has become commonplace in surgery. One mechanism ciNPWT may prevent incision site complications is by off-loading tension. This study aimed to find what width sponge using ciNPWT provides the most tension off-loading.A model was designed to test tension off-loading of a wound using ciNPWT. An incision was made in an anatomy model and closed with single stitch at the central axis. Force was applied tangentially using a force gauge at a steady rate until the wound dehisced at a peak force indicated by the 5-0 suture breaking. This was repeated 10 times for the following 4 trials: no ciNPWT and ciNPWT sponges cut a 3-, 6-, and 9-cm widths with 125 mm Hg of negative pressure.The mean peak force to dehisce the wound without ciNPWT was the lowest, 28.7 N. The mean force for the ciNPWT trials was 43.0, 38.7, and 36.4 N for V.A.C. sponges of 3, 6, and 9 cm in width, respectively. There was a statically significant difference among all the trials using one-way analysis of variance with Tukey posttest analysis with a P value of less than 0.0001.Closed incisional negative pressure wound therapy was shown to increase peak force required to dehisce an incision of up to 49.7% compared with closure without. There is an inverse relationship with sponge width and tension off-loading. The smaller the sponge, the more tension is off-loaded across the incision. Closed incisional negative pressure wound therapy with a 3-cm-wide sponge required the greatest peak force for dehiscence.

The Modified Lithotomy: A Surgical Position for Lower Extremity Wound Care Procedures in Super Morbidly Obese Patients. A Case Study.

Operative positioning of morbidly obese patients presents unique challenges and can cause complications, especially when the operative field involves the proximal lower extremity or genitoperineal region. PURPOSE: The purpose of this case study was to describe a modified lithotomy operative positioning technique that has helped the authors improve care of these patients. METHODS: Double-layer, foam padding at least 4 inches thick is secured to the top and sides of 2 small rolling preparation tables using 3-inch silk tape to create "lithotomy" leg holders, the operating table is raised appropriately, the abducted legs are placed onto the padded prep tables, and the footboard is carefully lowered to provide access to the groin and medial thighs. CASE STUDY: A super morbidly obese (body mass index 74), 47-year-old African American man with a history of hypertension and type 2 diabetes controlled on oral medications presented to the authors' wound care clinic with 2 large, medial left thigh lymphedema masses requiring resection. Both procedures were successfully completed using the modified lithotomy position. No adverse events occurred. CONCLUSION: The modified lithotomy is easy to implement, does not require unique equipment, improves access to the surgical site, and may reduce the risk of complications. Larger and longer-term follow-up studies are needed to monitor the outcomes of this positioning technique.

Depressor Reanimation After Facial Nerve Paralysis.

Facial expressions play a fundamental role in interpersonal communication and interaction; consequently, facial palsy has profound effects on the quality of life of patients. Reanimation of lower lip depressors is rarely addressed during facial reanimation but is as important as treating the eye sphincter and the lip levators. Depressors of lower lip are vital for full denture smile and the expression of facial emotions. Static and dynamic techniques are used to reanimate the lower lip depressors. Static techniques provide stationary results either by weakening the contralateral normal side to achieve symmetry using botulinum toxin injection, depressor labi inferioris myectomy and marginal mandibular nerve neurectomy, or by creating static slings and tightening procedures on the affected side. Dynamic techniques provide functional results by reanimating the affected depressor complex using nerve transfers, muscle transfers, and direct muscle neurotization. The purpose of this article is to present an overview of the literature on the applications of these techniques in lower lip reanimation. Furthermore, preoperative evaluation and indications are also discussed.

Resident fatigue in otolaryngology residents: a Web based survey.

IMPORTANCE: Resident fatigue has become a point of emphasis in medical education and its effects on otolaryngology residents and their patients require further study. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the prevalence and nature of fatigue in otolaryngology residents, evaluate various quality of life measures, and investigate associations of increased fatigue with resident safety. STUDY DESIGN: Anonymous survey. SETTING: Internet based. PARTICIPANTS: United States allopathic otolaryngology residents. INTERVENTION: None. MAIN OUTCOME(S) AND MEASURES: The survey topics included demographics, residency structure, sleep habits and perceived stress. Responses were correlated with a concurrent Epworth Sleep Scale questionnaire to evaluate effects of fatigue on resident training and quality of life. RESULTS: 190 residents responded to the survey with 178 completing the Epworth Sleep Scale questionnaire. Results revealed a mean Epworth Sleep Scale score of 9.9±5.1 with a median of 10.0 indicating a significant number of otolaryngology residents are excessively sleepy. Statistically significant correlations between Epworth Sleep Scale and sex, region, hours of sleep, and work hours were found. Residents taking in-house call had significantly fewer hours of sleep compared to home call (p=0.01). Residents on "head and neck" (typically consisting of a large proportion of head and neck oncologic surgery) rotations tended to have higher Epworth Sleep Scale and had significantly fewer hours of sleep (p=.003) and greater work hours (p<.001). Additionally, residents who reported no needle stick type incidents or near motor vehicle accidents had significantly lower mean Epworth Sleep Scale scores. Only 37.6% of respondents approve of the most recent Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education work hour restrictions and 14% reported averaging greater than 80hours of work/week. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: A substantial number of otolaryngology residents are excessively sleepy. Our data suggest that the effects of fatigue play a role in resident well-being and resident safety.

Analyzing complications of minimally invasive pediatric cochlear implantation: A review of 248 implantations.

PURPOSE: This study aims to report the postoperative complications and management of cochlear implantation in pediatric patients at our institution. All procedures were carried out by a single surgeon utilizing minimally invasive techniques. The impact of past surgical history of tympanostomy tubes was also reviewed to access association with postoperative complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All children receiving cochlear implants at our institution between April 2003 and October 2014 were reviewed. Complications were grouped into "major" and "minor" depending on degree of management and "immediate," "early," and "delayed" depending on time of presentation. RESULTS: In our series, 248 cochlear implants were placed into 141 children. The mean age at time of surgery was 4.8 years. The overall complication rate per ear was 16.5%, 5.2% being major and 11.3% being minor complications. Complications arose in the first 30 days following surgery in 8.4% of patients, with acute otitis media being the most common. A history of tympanostomy tubes did not impact complication rate. Excluding device failures, major complication rate was 2.4%. Hematoma was not encountered, and delayed seroma occurred in one patient. CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive cochlear implantation carries a low complication rate. The most common major complication was intrinsic device failure, and the most common minor complication was acute otitis media. Past medical history of chronic otitis media with tympanostomy tube placement prior to cochlear implantation did not have a statistically significant impact on postoperative complication rates. Given the rarity of hematomas and seromas, pressure dressings appear to be unnecessary with this approach.

Coblator Arytenoidectomy in the Treatment of Bilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis.

A 77-year-old female with bilateral vocal cord paralysis and dependent tracheostomy status after total thyroidectomy presented to clinic for evaluation of decannulation via arytenoidectomy. Preliminary data suggests coblation versus standard CO2 laser ablation in arytenoidectomy may provide benefits in terms of decreased tissue necrosis and patient outcome. The patient elected to proceed with arytenoidectomy by coblation. The initial procedure went well but postoperative bleeding required a return trip to the operating room for hemostasis. In the coming months the patient's tracheostomy tube was gradually downsized and eventually capped. She was decannulated eight months after surgery, speaking well and without complaints. Details of the surgical procedure and outcome will be discussed.