TULUA Lipoabdominoplasty: Transversal Aponeurotic Plication, No Undermining, and Unrestricted Liposuction. A Multicenter Study of 845 Cases.

BACKGROUND: TULUA (transverse plication, no undermining, full liposuction, neoumbilicoplasty, and low transverse abdominal scar) is the acronym for a radically different lipoabdominoplasty, intended to add simplicity, improve vascular safety, and attain good results. Modifications are unrestricted liposuction, no flap detachment, massive transverse infraumbilical plication, umbilicus amputation, neoumbilicoplasty, diminished tension wound closure, and low transverse scar settlement. The objectives of this article are to describe the technique and analyze a multicenter experience. METHODS: Sixty-eight plastic surgeons from 10 countries provided data for a retrospective review of 845 patients. Aesthetic results were scored by each surgeon using the Salles scale and analyzed in combination with complications to identify associations between patient and surgery characteristics. RESULTS: Of the patients, 95.5 percent were female, 19.7 percent were obese, 35.6 percent had prior scars, 10.4 percent had undergone previous abdominoplasty, 6.5 percent were postbariatric, and 6.6 percent were smokers. One patient had a kidney transplant, and 16.5 percent had comorbidities. Surgery characteristics varied widely, being on average as follows: lipoaspirate, 2967 ml; resection, 1388 g; and surgical time, 3.9 hours; 46.5 percent were not hospitalized. Averaged results were 8.68 of 10 points, besides adequate positioning and proportion of scar and umbilicus, without epigastric compensatory bulging (4.97 of 6 points). Overall complications were 16.2 percent, mostly seroma (8.8 percent); vascular-related complications (i.e., necrosis, wound dehiscence, and infection) constituted 2.7 percent. There were no fatalities. The logistic regression model demonstrated that smoking and obesity duplicate the risk of complications; if age older than 60 years is added, the risk of complication increases seven to nine times. Reported indications were multiple; however, pathologic diastasis was excluded. CONCLUSION: TULUA lipoabdominoplasty is a new reproducible procedure with good quantified results and an acceptable complication rate. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.

Female Pattern Hair Loss: Why the Follicular Unit Transplantation Surgical Technique Remains a Good Option.

BACKGROUND: Female pattern hair loss is a common nonscarring alopecia that can present with several patterns of decreased hair density. The condition is very bothersome to affected women, and although there are multiple nonsurgical options, surgical follicular unit transplantation remains one of the most effective options. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed of the senior author's (C.O.U.) experience and technique of follicular unit transplantation for treatment of female pattern hair loss. RESULTS: A total of 751 patients with female pattern hair loss underwent follicular unit transplantation over the past 31 years. Average patient age was 48 years. Patients with small areas of hair loss made up 40 percent of the group (Ludwig stage I), those with medium-sized areas constituted 45 percent (Ludwig stage II), and those with large areas constituted 15 percent (Ludwig stage III). The average operative time was 3 hours 21 minutes. One hundred thirty-five patients (18 percent) underwent a second replacement, at an average period of 4 years after the procedure, because of the progressive nature of female pattern hair loss. Complications included donor-site scar widening in six patients and folliculitis in 17 patients. CONCLUSION: Follicular unit transplantation is an excellent option for treatment of female pattern hair loss patients, as there is no need to shave the recipient sites, operative times are shorter than for follicular unit excision techniques, and the incidence of complications is very low. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.

Curso básico em cirurgia plástica para acadêmicos: enxertos e retalhos / Basic course in plastic surgery for medical students: grafts and flaps

O processo de ensino na Medicina, principalmente nas áreas cirúrgicas, ocorre pela observação do ato cirúrgico e pela participação direta do estudante. A prática em cadáveres de seres humanos e em animais vivos está associada a custos elevados, risco de infecções, necessidade de instalações especializadas, bem como com aspectos legais e éticos a serem observados. A educação médica é baseada em modelos de simulação para o treinamento de habilidades, sendo de grande ajuda na aquisição e manutenção de habilidades cirúrgicas. O objetivo deste artigo é descrever uma metodologia para o ensino e a aprendizagem dos princípios básicos de retalhos cutâneos em um programa de graduação em Medicina, utilizando um modelo em pele suína (pele de porco). O curso baseia-se na formação em técnica cirúrgica básica de retalhos cutâneos entre acadêmicos de Medicina e residentes de áreas cirúrgicas, através do treinamento prático após uma aula teórica presencial. Os autores concluem que o ensino de uma metodologia para os princípios de cirurgia de retalhos cutâneos, utilizando um modelo de pele de porco, é versátil, fácil de montar e de baixo custo. Mostrou-se uma opção complementar ao arsenal de métodos baseados em outros modelos descritos (AU)

The teaching process in medicine, especially in the surgical areas, occurs through observation of the surgical act and direct student participation. The practice in human cadavers and live animals is associated with high costs, risk of infection, need for specialized facilities, as well as legal and ethical aspects to be observed. Medical education is based on simulation models for skills training, which are very helpful in acquiring and maintaining surgical skills. The aim of this article is to describe a methodology for teaching and learning the basic principles of cutaneous flaps in a medical degree program using a porcine skin model. The course is based on training in basic surgical technique of cutaneous flaps for medical students and residents of surgical areas through practical training after a theoretical lecture in person. The authors conclude that teaching a methodology for the principles of skin flap surgery using a pig skin model is versatile, easy to implement and inexpensive. It turned out to be a complementary option to the arsenal of methods based on other described models (AU)

Microcirurgia: modelo de treinamento básico para estudantes de Medicina / Microsurgery: basic training model for medical students

Introdução: Atualmente, existe uma carência de exposição à cirurgia plástica durante a graduação. A maioria dos currículos universitários não possui uma forma específica de ensino em cirurgia plástica. Para reverter essa situação, algumas universidades fomentam o contato precoce com a cirurgia plástica através de cursos extracurriculares. Método: Foi desenvolvido um Curso Básico de Microcirurgia para acadêmicos de Medicina com uma aula teórica e uma prática, anualmente e ao longo de 3 anos; na última edição, foi aplicado um questionário sobre o interesse na área e a importância no ensino durante a graduação. Resultados: Dentre os alunos, 65% apresentaram grande interesse pela microcirurgia, 95% relataram um aumento de interesse. Todos os alunos concordaram que os acadêmicos de Medicina devem ser mais envolvidos e treinados na área microcirúrgica durante a graduação. Conclusões: O desenvolvimento de um curso de treinamento básico de microcirurgia para acadêmicos de Medicina é benéfico para o aprendizado dos alunos, para obtenção de informações acerca da disciplina e para o aprimoramento de habilidades(AU)

Introduction: Currently there is a lack of exposure to plastic surgery during medical graduation. Most college curricula do not have a specific form of education in plastic surgery. To reverse this situation, some universities encourage early contact with plastic surgery through extracurricular courses. Methods: We developed a basic course of microsurgery for medical students with a lecture and a practical class, annually and over 3 years; in the last edition, a questionnaire on the interest in the area and the importance in education during graduation was applied. Results: Among the students, 65% showed great interest in microsurgery, and 95% reported an increase of interest. All students agreed that medical students should be more involved and trained in the microsurgical area during graduation. Conclusions: The development of a basic training course of microsurgery for medical students is beneficial for student learning, obtaining information about the discipline, and improving skills(AU)

Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Checklist: A Safety Tool.

INTRODUCTION: About one in ten patients experiences iatrogenic events, and more than half of these occur in the perioperative environment. The objective of this study was to develop a complete and functional checklist for aesthetic plastic surgery and test it in patients who would undergo elective plastic surgeries. METHODS: Patient data were collected from a general hospital and the particular clinic between October 2013 and October 2015, through history, physical examination, diagnosis, laboratory tests, pre-, during, and postoperatively, and complications. An expanded safety checklist was developed and optimized for aesthetic plastic surgery based on the model presented by the WHO in 2009 with reference to the information related to the prevention of more frequent complications in this specialty. RESULTS: The tool was applied to 486 patients, of whom 430 (88 %) were women and 56 (12 %) were men. The most frequently performed procedure was liposuction with 30 % of cases, and the most widely used type of anesthesia (39 %) was local anesthesia + sedation. The greater adherence of professionals to the checklist was the group of residents (98 %). The observed complications were seromas (7 %), other complications unrelated to the wound (3 %), and hematoma (0.2 %) in only one patient who underwent facelift. CONCLUSION: The use of the checklist in addition to allowing data collection and the identification of potential risks promoted favorable changes in the attitudes of some professionals and generated interest in patient safety and teamwork. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that the authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .