Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Scalp Arising in a Site of Synthetic Hair Grafts.

Synthetic hair implantation was developed in the 1970s and initially gained popularity until major cutaneous complications, such as facial swelling, severe dermatitis, recurrent cellulitis, and cicatricial alopecia, became an issue. In particular, the procedure has been suggested to have a possible causal relationship with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). This article describes the third reported case in the English literature of SCC arising in a site of synthetic hair grafts. The patient was an 80-year-old man with a prominent verrucous tumor in the parietal region; he had undergone synthetic hair implantation for the past 28 years. The pathological diagnosis of SCC was made by dermal punch biopsy, and computed tomography images revealed cranial osteolytic changes, with possible direct dural tumor invasion. Extensive resection of the tumor and reconstruction were performed following downsizing radiotherapy. The protruding tumor was excised with the adjacent portion of the parietal bone. Several synthetic hair grafts were found stuck in the cranium. The defect area was reconstructed with a synthetic bone material and a free latissimus dorsi muscle flap with skin graft. The pathological examination revealed well-differentiated SCC surrounded by numerous synthetic hair grafts inducing inflammatory cell infiltration and severe cicatrizing fibrous changes. The postoperative course was uneventful, and no recurrence or metastasis was observed at 9 months postoperatively.

The Use of a Combination of a Sugar and Surfactant to Stabilize Au Nanoparticle Dispersion against Aggregation during Freeze-Drying.

Drying a suspension of nanoparticles typically results in the irreversible aggregation of nanoparticles; however, solutions that contain unstable ingredients are often converted into dried powders to prolong their shelf lives. In this study, the use of a combination of a surface-active agent and sugar was investigated with regard to avoiding the aggregation of nanoparticles during drying. Suspensions of Au nanoparticles (∼60 nm diameter, AuNPs) were freeze-dried in the presence of different combinations of various sugars with a surfactant. Sucrose monopalmitate (SEC16) was mainly used as the surfactant, based on a comparison of antiaggregation effects conferred by various surfactants. The freeze-dried AuNP suspension was then reconstituted, and the avoidance of AuNP aggregation was then examined. The results demonstrated that the use of a combination of a small amount of SEC16 and sugar resulted in a greater redispersibility of AuNPs after freeze-drying than when the individual components were used. Repetition tests of freeze-drying and reconstitution were conducted. The sucrose/SEC16 mixture was freeze-dried on an electroless-plated Au film and then analyzed by infrared spectroscopy. Strong interactions between SEC16 and the Au surface were detected, and these interactions appear to play a crucial role in the antiaggregation of AuNPs during freeze-drying.

A two-tiered structure device based on stereolithography for residual mandible repositioning in mandibular reconstruction with fibular flap.

OBJECTIVE: We invented a two-tiered structure device based on stereolithography for residual mandible repositioning in mandibular reconstruction with fibular flap, and examined its usefulness. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of eight patients (six carcinomas and two osteomyelitis) who had undergone mandibular reconstruction with fibular flap were included. Mandibular defects according to Jewer's classification were L for five, LC for two, and H for one patient (range of bone defect size, 7.7-13.3 cm). Based on a stereolithographic mandibular model, a two-tiered structure device was made preoperatively with resin, and was applied during surgery to define the accurate position of residual mandible following segmental mandibulectomy. Postoperative aesthetic and functional outcomes, including dental status, diet, and speech were evaluated. RESULTS: The device was applied without any problems during surgery. Follow-up period ranged from eight to twenty-two months. Good postoperative alignment of the grafts and occlusion were also achieved in all eight patients. Five patients were able to return to eating meals as they had pre-surgery, and two patients required dental rehabilitation with dentures. As for speech, four patients scored ten points, three patients scored eight points, and one patient scored four points in Hirose's scoring system, which means that seven patients was rated as excellent, and one patient was rated as poor. Aesthetic outcomes were excellent in three patients, good in three patients, and fair in two patients. CONCLUSION: Our device was easy to prepare, successfully maintained the precise position of the residual mandible, and facilitated bone graft cutting and insetting during reconstruction. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery 37:509-515, 2017.