Inferior pole length and long-term aesthetic outcome after superior and inferior pedicled reduction mammaplasty.

BACKGROUND: Long-term aesthetic results after reduction mammaplasty remain an important issue for evaluating the success of different techniques. Superior pedicled techniques are reported to maintain a better breast projection with less bottoming-out of the inferior mammary pole than inferior pedicled techniques. METHODS: The outcomes of 18 patients who had undergone the superior pedicled technique described by Pitanguy and 16 patients operated on using the inferior pedicled technique by Robbins were compared. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 49 months in the Pitanguy group and 35 months in the Robbins group. The distance between the inframammary crease and the inferior margin of the nipple-areola complex (NAC) showed a mean elongation of 3.3 cm (80.5 %) after the superior pedicled Pitanguy technique and 3.9 cm (92.9 %) after the inferior pedicled Robbins technique (p = 0.077). Using postoperative photographs, the overall aesthetic result after Pitanguy's technique was judged significantly better than the result after Robbins' technique (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Distinct postoperative elongation of the inferior mammary pole length must be considered in the preoperative marking for inferior and superior pedicled reduction mammaplasty. Guide values for the elongation can be used for planning unilateral adjustment reduction mammaplasty. To avoid bottoming-out of the inferior mammary pole, the NAC should be located at the level of the inframammary crease and the distance between the inframammary crease and the inferior border of the NAC should not exceed 4-4.5 cm. The definite position of the NAC should be decided after final shaping of the reduced breast toward the end of the operation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article.

[Developments in the Diagnosis and Therapeutic Strategy of the Apert Hand]. / Entwicklungen in der Diagnostik und Planung der Therapie bei der Apert-Hand.

The necessity for early surgical correction of Apert hands for the overall child development has been highlighted repeatedly in older literature. Nevertheless, uncertainties regarding the time and the scale of the initial surgical treatment still remain. While in former times there were no regular follow-ups after the syndactyly release, we now know that during growth bony changes will develop in the Apert hand requiring regular check-ups and, in some cases, revision surgeries. Affected parents need comprehensive clarification about a clear and time-efficient therapeutic concept. This review article describes our actual concept treating Apert hands.

[The Apert Foot: Anatomical Changes, Classification, Thoughts on surgical Treatment]. / Der Apert-Fuß: Anatomische Veränderungen, Klassifikation und Überlegungen zur Operation.

Diagnosis and therapy of the Apert foot are scarcely described in extant literature. This article describes anatomical changes observed in 30 Apert feet. By analysis of X-rays and computed scans 5 types of bony Apert foot malformations were identified. We developed therapeutic recommendations based on this classification.

[Possible Compartment Syndrome of the Hand in Patients with chronic post-traumatic Pain - 2 Case Reports]. / Fragliches Kompartmentsyndrom an der Hand bei chronischen posttraumatischen Schmerzen ­ 2 Fallberichte.

The authors present two young patients with atypical development of painful post-traumatic hand muscle compartment syndrome. The first patient showed congenital hyperplasia of the thenar and first dorsal interosseous muscle and developed chronic exertional pain that only occurred after trauma and is indicative of compartment syndrome. The second patient developed compression of the second palmar interosseous muscle due to post-traumatic haematoma in the third interdigital space.

Gene therapy with the angiogenic cytokine secretoneurin induces therapeutic angiogenesis by a nitric oxide-dependent mechanism.

RATIONALE: The neuropeptide secretoneurin induces angiogenesis and postnatal vasculogenesis and is upregulated by hypoxia in skeletal muscle cells. OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate the effects of secretoneurin on therapeutic angiogenesis. METHODS AND RESULTS: We generated a secretoneurin gene therapy vector. In the mouse hindlimb ischemia model secretoneurin gene therapy by intramuscular plasmid injection significantly increased secretoneurin content of injected muscles, improved functional parameters, reduced tissue necrosis, and restored blood perfusion. Increased muscular density of capillaries and arterioles/arteries demonstrates the capability of secretoneurin gene therapy to induce therapeutic angiogenesis and arteriogenesis. Furthermore, recruitment of endothelial progenitor cells was enhanced by secretoneurin gene therapy consistent with induction of postnatal vasculogenesis. Additionally, secretoneurin was able to activate nitric oxide synthase in endothelial cells and inhibition of nitric oxide inhibited secretoneurin-induced effects on chemotaxis and capillary tube formation in vitro. In vivo, secretoneurin induced nitric oxide production and inhibition of nitric oxide attenuated secretoneurin-induced effects on blood perfusion, angiogenesis, arteriogenesis, and vasculogenesis. Secretoneurin also induced upregulation of basic fibroblast growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor-B in endothelial cells. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, our data indicate that gene therapy with secretoneurin induces therapeutic angiogenesis, arteriogenesis, and vasculogenesis in the hindlimb ischemia model by a nitric oxide-dependent mechanism.

The internal mammary artery perforator (IMAP) breast-flap harvested from an asymmetric hyperplastic breast for correction of a mild funnel chest deformity.

Pectus excavatum deformity is the most frequent congenital anomaly of the thoracic wall. If the invasive surgical procedures of thoracoplasty are not indicated or the patient refuses them, alternative treatment options should be considered. In such cases, local or distant transposition of autologous tissue could be appropriate. This report presents a selected case of funnel chest deformity and concomitant unilateral breast hyperplasia. Both deformities were corrected simultaneously using a pedicled internal mammary artery perforator (IMAP) flap dissected from the hyperplastic breast. This is a safe, reliable, low-morbidity, one-stage option for adult women that uses an easy-to-harvest flap for simultaneous correction of mild funnel chest deformity and concomitant breast hyperplasia with a single resulting scar.

[Three-year-old child with osteoid osteoma of the thumb: Diagnostic and therapeutic challenge]. / Dreijähriges Kind mit Osteoid-Osteom am Daumen: diagnostische und therapeutische Herausforderung.

A three-year-old girl experienced a fifteen-month odyssey before the surgical removal of an osteoid-osteoma at the distal phalanx of the thumb to relieve her pain. Osteoid-osteoma is a benign bone tumor rarely found in the hand and not yet described as occurring in a small child in extant literature. In one of the first x-ray examinations, a small foreign body was found in the soft tissues of the right thumb. This finding subsequently led to the assumption that trauma was the cause for the pain.We critically discuss the numerous examinations and therapies that the child underwent as well as the lack of interdisciplinary cooperation among specialists for more than a year. The thumb was immobilized for months because of pain and is slowly being reintegrated into the child's body scheme following the last successful intervention.This publication highlights this tumor's rare occurrence in a small child and the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation facilitated today by digital media. This, along with early diagnosis, could save unnecessary suffering and financial resources.

Extracorporeal shock wave treatment in ischemic tissues: what is the appropriate number of shock wave impulses?

The dose-dependent effect of extracorporeal shock wave technology (ESWT) was evaluated using a murine skin flap model. Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups (ESWT groups 1 through 5 and a control group). After surgery, shock wave impulses doses were administered: 200 (group 1), 500 (group 2), 1500 (group 3), 2500 (group 4), 5000 (group 5), and 0 (control group 6). Flap viability was evaluated on day 7. Overall, significantly smaller percentages of necrotic zones were observed in groups 2, 3, and 4 compared with groups 1, 5, and the control group ( P < 0.05). ESWT treatment with 200 impulses was found to be ineffective. ESWT treatment of 5000 impulses resulted in a significant increase in the percentage of necrosis compared with other ESWT groups ( P < 0.05). However, ESWT treatments between 500 and 2500 impulses at 0.11 mJ/mm (2) enhanced epigastric skin flap survival significantly.

Three-dimensional CT angiography for surgical planning in congenital hand malformations: a case series presentation.

Between January 2000 and December 2019, three-dimensional computer tomographic (CT) angiography was used in a total of 140 hands (116 patients, mean age 6.8 years) with congenital hand malformation to assess the vascular and bony structures. Analysis showed overall satisfactory three-dimensional CT images for operative planning, including detailed abnormal vascular patterns and bony malformations. Among the 116 patients, six patients with typical findings of a few malformations are reported in detail. Pitfalls in interpretation of the images and the use of three-dimensional CT angiography in surgical planning are discussed. We conclude that three-dimensional CT angiography is useful for preoperative planning of complex congenital hand malformations.Level of evidence: IV.

PORCN mutations in focal dermal hypoplasia: coping with lethality.

The X-linked dominant trait focal dermal hypoplasia (FDH, Goltz syndrome) is a developmental defect with focal distribution of affected tissues due to a block of Wnt signal transmission from cells carrying a detrimental PORCN mutation on an active X-chromosome. Molecular characterization of 24 unrelated patients from different ethnic backgrounds revealed 23 different mutations of the PORCN gene in Xp11.23. Three were microdeletions eliminating PORCN and encompassing neighboring genes such as EBP, the gene associated with Conradi-Hünermann-Happle syndrome (CDPX2). 12/24 patients carried nonsense mutations resulting in loss of function. In one case a canonical splice acceptor site was mutated, and 8 missense mutations exchanged highly conserved amino acids. FDH patients overcome the consequences of potentially lethal X-chromosomal mutations by extreme skewing of X-chromosome inactivation in females, enabling transmission of the trait in families, or by postzygotic mosaicism both in male and female individuals. Molecular characterization of the PORCN mutations in cases diagnosed as Goltz syndrome is particularly relevant for genetic counseling of patients and their families since no functional diagnostic test is available and carriers of the mutation might otherwise be overlooked due to considerable phenotypic variability associated with the mosaic status.

Hypertrophic scars and keloids--a review of their pathophysiology, risk factors, and therapeutic management.

BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic scars and keloids result from an abnormal fibrous wound healing process in which tissue repair and regeneration-regulating mechanism control is lost. These abnormal fibrous growths present a major therapeutic dilemma and challenge to the plastic surgeon because they are disfiguring and frequently recur. OBJECTIVE: To provide updated clinical and experimental information on hypertrophic scars and keloids so that physicians can better understand and properly treat such lesions. METHODS: A Medline literature search was performed for relevant publications and for diverse strategies for management of hypertrophic scars and keloids. CONCLUSION: The growing understanding of the molecular processes of normal and abnormal wound healing is promising for discovery of novel approaches for the management of hypertrophic scars and keloids. Although optimal treatment of these lesions remains undefined, successful healing can be achieved only with combined multidisciplinary therapeutic regimens.

Hypoxia up-regulates the angiogenic cytokine secretoneurin via an HIF-1alpha- and basic FGF-dependent pathway in muscle cells.

Expression of angiogenic cytokines like vascular endothelial growth factor is enhanced by hypoxia. We tested the hypothesis that decreased oxygen levels up-regulate the angiogenic factor secretoneurin. In vivo, muscle cells of mouse ischemic hind limbs showed increased secretoneurin expression, and inhibition of secretoneurin by a neutralizing antibody impaired the angiogenic response in this ischemia model. In a mouse soft tissue model of hypoxia, secretoneurin was increased in subcutaneous muscle fibers. In vitro, secretoneurin mRNA and protein were up-regulated in L6 myoblast cells after exposure to low oxygen levels. The hypoxia-dependent regulation of secretoneurin was tissue specific and was not observed in endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells, or AtT20 pituitary tumor cells. The hypoxia-dependent induction of secretoneurin in L6 myoblasts is regulated by hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha, since inhibition of this factor using si-RNA inhibited up-regulation of secretoneurin. Induction of secretoneurin by hypoxia was dependent on basic fibroblast growth factor in vivo and in vitro, and inhibition of this regulation by heparinase suggests an involvement of low-affinity basic fibroblast growth factor binding sites. In summary, our data show that the angiogenic cytokine secretoneurin is up-regulated by hypoxia in muscle cells by hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha- and basic fibroblast growth factor-dependent mechanisms.

[Neuroma prevention through a sensitive finger fillet flap and a central hand narrowing operation]. / Neuromprävention durch sensiblen Filetlappen bei zentraler Handverschmälerung.

Two patients with functionless fingers as a result of an injury and various operations presented to obtain a second opinion. We offered a finger and partial middle-hand skeletal resection for the painful and disabled finger. As amputations often cause neuromas, we created a sensitive fillet flat and used it to fill the defect on the palmar aspect of the hand. Both patients are satisfied with the functional and aesthetic results and have not developed a painful neuroma.

[Completeness and reproducibility of surgical reports: A retrospective analysis of documentation quality using the example of Dupuytren's disease]. / Vollständigkeit und Plausibilität von Operationsberichten: Eine retrospektive Analyse der Dokumentationsqualität am Beispiel des Morbus Dupuytren.

Background A surgical report is the surgeon's postoperative documentation of the procedure undertaken. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the completeness and accuracy of data extracted from surgical reports, using the example of Dupuytren's disease. Material and Methods Between 1999 and 2007, surgical data were retrospectively collected from all primary Dupuytren's disease procedures performed at an academic department for plastic and reconstructive surgery and analysed for completeness. A surgical report was assessed as complete if data on indication, affected side and finger(s), tourniquet, type of incision and surgical procedure were stated. Surgical reports of residents and consultants were compared with respect to completeness. For the assessment of accuracy, total fasciectomy procedure reports were compared with intra- and postoperative photo-documentation. Results 424 surgical reports of 366 patients were analysed, 275 created by consultants, 149 by residents. Although 49.5 % of all surgical reports were complete, the indication for surgery was omitted in 53 cases. Information on the affected side and finger(s) was missing in 13 and 6 cases, respectively. In 29 reports, no documentation on tourniquet was found, in 5 the surgical method and in 82 reports the type of incision was lacking. A significant difference between surgical reports of residents and consultants was found for documentation of indication and severity of the Dupuytren's disease, as well as the tourniquet, in favour of residents (p < 0.0001). In 37 surgical reports, total fasciectomy was performed, 26 with intra- or postoperative photodocumentation. By comparison, in 11 of 26 cases (42 %), total fasciectomy could not have been performed. Conclusion Surgical reports are sometimes incomplete and imprecise, independently of whether they were created by residents or consultants. Although they are intended as documentation for doctors and not for forensic reasons, it should be in the surgeon's interest to create complete and exact reports. As surgical reports are part of the patient's chart, surgical associations should develop guidlines with information that should manditorily included in surgical reports.

Characterisation of the inflammatory response in Dupuytren's disease.

BACKGROUND: Dupuytren's disease is characterised by fibrotic nodule and cord formation in the palmar aponeurosis. The pathophysiology of the disease is still unknown, although cell stress and subsequent activation of immune mechanisms seems to be crucial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Surgically obtained tissue and blood samples of 100 Dupuytren patients were processed by immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, as well as immunoscope analysis. Macroscopically normal aponeurotic tissue served as control. RESULTS: Locally, microvascular alterations and massive infiltration by mononuclear cells (CD3+, CD4 > CD8, CD45RO > CD45RA, S100 protein, CD56, CD68, scarce CD19 and mast cells) forming perivascular clusters were found in DD tissue. Cytokine profiling of fibromatosis tissue-derived T-cells showed a Th1/TH17-weighted immune response. Immunoscope analysis revealed a restricted T-cell receptor α/ß repertoire pointing to an (auto)antigen-driven process. CONCLUSION: The striking accumulation of immune cells, expression of leukocyte adhesion molecules, as well as pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic cytokines near markedly narrowed vessels supports the theory that the abnormal proliferation of fibroblasts and production of extracellular matrix proteins in DD seems to be related to immune-mediated microvascular damage. The restricted T-cell receptor repertoire of intra-lesional T-cells points to an antigen-driven process. T-cells seem to play an important role in the development of Dupuytren's disease.

Single-stage abdominoplasty and mastopexy after weight loss following gastric banding.

BACKGROUND: With the increasing number of massively obese patients who undergo the implant of a gastric band, there is also a growing demand for a plastic-reconstructive operation of the overstretched skin, now lax after the enormous weight reduction. METHODS: From May 2000 to March 2002, 12 abdominoplasties and 12 mastopexies were performed in patients with an average age of 37.3 years (range 33-44 years) as single-stage procedures after an average weight-loss of 67 kg (range 43-111 kg) after gastric banding. A follow-up examination of all patients was carried out an average of 8.4 months (range 1-23 months) after the operation, to review the duration of hospital stay and assess the period of work disablement as well as the patients' satisfaction, which was judged on a scale from 1 (very dissatisfied) to 7 (very satisfied), based on a written questionnaire. RESULTS: The average duration of hospital stay was 7.4 days. There were 5 complications that healed under conservative management. 8 patients suffered an average work disability of 5.4 weeks. 4 patients who were housewives suffered no impairments that affected their ability to carry on with their household duties. The patients' postoperative satisfaction in regard to psyche, appearance, self-confidence and vitality was strongly improved in each case. CONCLUSIONS: In comparison to multi-stage procedures, single-stage operations resulted in a reduced duration of hospital stay by 4.1 days and thus in diminished medical costs and in a reduction of work disablement by 3.5 weeks. Patients who underwent single-stage operations were postoperatively more satisfied than those with multi-stage operations.

Medial thigh lift free flap for autologous breast augmentation after bariatric surgery.

BACKGROUND: Massive weight loss following bariatric surgery frequently results in body contour deformities like ptotic and hypoplastic breasts, redundant abdominal tissue and loose skin especially in the medial thigh area. This redundant tissue can be used for breast augmentation in the case of hypertrophic ptotic breasts. METHOD: In 3 patients who underwent a vertical banded gastroplasty and consecutively lost more than 60% of their body weight, a breast augmentation with a transverse gracilis myocutaneous free flap was performed. RESULTS: Bilateral myocutaneous gracilis free flap breast augmentation resulted in an esthetic, pleasing result, with additional correction of the redundant skin from the medial thigh region. CONCLUSION: Autologous breast augmentation with a simultaneous medial thigh lift can be performed safely, after successful weight loss following bariatric surgery.

Professional satisfaction of women in surgery: results of a national study.

HYPOTHESIS: Individual, group, and organizational factors influence the professional satisfaction of women surgeons in Austria. DESIGN: Survey on professional and private issues sent out by mail in 2000 and 2001. SETTING: Women surgeons working in hospitals and/or in private practices and those who were retired or on maternity leave. PARTICIPANTS: All 351 Austrian women surgeons of all core surgical specialties (general, trauma, pediatric, plastic, thoracic, and cardiovascular), certified or in training, were addressed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Proportional odds regression models were used to correlate professional satisfaction with objectively measurable prognostic factors such as age, surgical subspecialty, status of training, type of hospital, location of work (federal states vs the capital), status of activity (active vs on maternity leave), profession of private partner, number of children, and subjectively assessed prognostic factors such as operative volume and departmental organization. RESULTS: The response rate was 58.7% (206/351). One hundred eighty-seven surgeons-active or on maternity leave-were included in the analysis. Higher satisfaction was reported by active surgeons in subspecialties, certified surgeons, comparatively younger and older surgeons, surgeons working in hospitals outside the capital, and surgeons with a physician as a partner. When entering subjectively assessed variables into the model, the quality of departmental organization and operative volume (P<.001), as well as the status of activity (P<.001), had the strongest effect. CONCLUSIONS: Women surgeons' professional satisfaction highly depends on departmental organization and status of activity. Inadequate leadership, low operative volume, and being on maternity leave have a negative effect on job satisfaction. Private factors seem to be of little influence. Optimal departmental organization would help women to reconcile their professional and their private lives.

Microsurgical repair of the sural nerve after nerve biopsy to avoid associated sensory morbidity: a preliminary report.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to report our preliminary results regarding microsurgical repair of the sural nerve after nerve biopsy, in an attempt to reduce the well-described sensory morbidity and neuroma formation. METHODS: Three patients with a suspected diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy underwent sural nerve biopsies to establish definitive diagnoses. A 10-mm segment of the sural nerve was resected with local anesthesia. After harvesting of the specimen, the proximal and distal nerve stumps were carefully mobilized and united with epineural suture techniques, under a surgical microscope. Sensory evaluations (assessing the presence of hypesthesia/dysesthesia or pain) of the lateral aspect of the foot, in regions designated Areas 1, 2, and 3, were performed before and 6 and 12 months after the biopsies. A visual analog scale was used for pain estimation. RESULTS: The biopsy material was sufficient for histopathological examinations in all cases, leading to conclusive diagnoses (vasculitis in two cases and amyloidosis in one case). The early post-biopsy hypesthesia, which was present for 4 to 8 weeks, improved to preoperative levels as early as 6 months after the nerve repair. Sensory evaluations performed at 6- and 12-month follow-up times demonstrated that none of the patients complained of pain at the biopsy site or distally in the area innervated by the sural nerve. Ultrasonography performed at the 12-month follow-up examination revealed normal sural nerve morphological features, with no neuroma formation, comparable to findings for the contralateral site. CONCLUSION: Microsurgical repair of the sural nerve after biopsy can eliminate or reduce sensory disturbances such as paraesthesia, hypesthesia, and dysesthesia distal to the biopsy site, in the distribution of the sensory innervation of the sural nerve, and can prevent painful neuroma formation. To our knowledge, this article is the first in the literature to report on microsurgical repair of the sural nerve after nerve biopsy. Decreased side effects suggest that this technique can become a standard procedure after sural nerve biopsy, which is commonly required to establish the diagnosis of various diseases, such as peripheral nerve pathological conditions, vasculitis, and amyloidosis. More cases should be analyzed, however, to explore the usefulness of the technique and the reliability of sural nerve biopsy samples in attempts to obtain conclusive diagnoses.

Long-term results of MISTI gold breast implants: a retrospective study.

MISTI Gold breast implants (Bioplasty, St. Paul, Minn.) filled with polyvinylpyrrolidone-hydrogel were developed as a promising alternative to silicone-filled implants. Some studies have reported on the positive effects of the implant, such as improved radiolucency and biocompatibility of the gel; however, there are also reports that such implants increased in volume and were subject to capsular contracture in the human body, resulting in demands for their removal. The purpose of this retrospective study was to analyze the long-term results of a series of patients with MISTI Gold breast implants. Between 1991 and 1993, the authors inserted 83 MISTI Gold implants in 61 patients with an average age of 46 years (range, 16 to 69). The authors were able to follow up 48 patients with 71 MISTI Gold implants. The average follow-up was 68 months (range, 10 to 108 months). The retrospective study found that 59 percent of all MISTI Gold implants were removed after an average period of 4.14 years. The main reason for implant removal was an increase in volume of 38 percent, followed by capsular contracture in 14 percent of all 71 MISTI Gold implants. The average increase in volume of all removed MISTI Gold implants was 43 percent. Capsular contracture was graded as Baker I and II in 63 percent and as Baker III and IV in 37 percent. In conclusion, the authors believe that MISTI Gold implants do not fulfill the criteria of safe breast implants, and they agree with the December of 2000 opinion of the Medical Devices Agency of the Department of Health in London that the hydrogel-filled breast implants should not be used until more information about the filler material and its metabolic fate is available.