Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the hand: a clinical case with an aggressive and uncommon presentation.

Cutaneous sarcomatoid carcinoma is a high-grade malignancy. We describe a clinical case of an aggressive sarcomatoid carcinoma in an 87-year-old woman, who presented to the outpatients department with a haemorrhagic nodule on the dorsum of her right hand. By the time of excision 3 weeks later, the nodule had enlarged to 100 × 90 × 65 mm in size. On histological examination, a poorly differentiated carcinoma was seen, with both carcinomatous and sarcomatous elements, in keeping with a sarcomatoid carcinoma. The tumour was positive for cytokeratin, epithelial, smooth-muscle actin, and vimentin stains. Two months later, the patient presented with a recurrent growth on the excised scar along with numerous large right axillary lymph nodes. A right axillary dissection along with excision of the growth confirmed tumour recurrence with metastasis to lymph nodes. Soon after, the patient developed cerebral metastasis, which proved fatal. This case thus highlights the aggressive potential of sarcomatoid carcinoma.

Eccrine porocarcinoma.

We present an unusual case of eccrine porocarcinoma in that diagnosis was delayed for many years after the initial lesion appeared, resulting in relatively large tumor.

Tissue expansion in the lower limbs of children and young adults.

We report the successful use of tissue expansion in the lower limbs of five children and one young adult. It was possible to replace dense adherent skin grafts by expanded skin and subcutaneous tissue. Such expansion needs to be undertaken slowly, but expanded tissue matches the normal local tissue and has normal sensation. These qualities were particularly important in three amputations which were revised.

Solitary median maxillary central incisor, short stature, choanal atresia/midnasal stenosis (SMMCI) syndrome.

This article describes a series of 21 consecutive cases, each involving a solitary median maxillary central incisor; the patients were seen in the Department of Dentistry or the Victorian Clinical Genetics Unit, Murdoch Institute, at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, from 1966 to 1997. The spectrum of anomalies and associated features present in these cases--solitary median maxillary central incisor, choanal atresia, and holoprosencephaly--is described, and the literature related to the features, including genetic studies in these conditions, is reviewed. We relate our findings in these cases to current knowledge of developmental embryology. It is hoped that the findings, together with our interpretation of them, will help to clarify understanding of solitary median maxillary central incisor syndrome. This syndrome was previously considered a simple midline defect of the dental lamina, but it is now recognized as a possible predictor of holoprosencephalies of varying degrees in the proband, in members of the proband's family, and in the family's descendants.

An unusual complication of Vacuum Assisted Closure in the treatment of a pressure ulcer.

A patient with a non-healing sacral pressure ulcer underwent exploratory surgery. During the procedure a piece of polyurethane sponge was found to have been left in situ. This unusual case highlights the importance of vigilance at dressing changes.

Airway fire during tracheostomy: prevention strategies for surgeons and anaesthetists.

Airway fires are an uncommon but real and devastating complication of tracheostomy. One such fire in a 31-year-old man is described. Surgical fires are discussed, and 15 reported cases of tracheostomy fire are reviewed. A tracheostomy protocol, adopted by our department and designed to avoid this life-threatening complication, is described. Surgeons and anaesthetists involved in tracheostomy must understand the fire hazard and how to avoid it.

Inadvertent surgical resection of soft tissue sarcomas.

BACKGROUND: The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) published Improving Outcome Guidance in 2006 defining urgent referral criteria for soft tissue sarcoma (STSs) with the twin aims of improving diagnostic accuracy and overall outcome. Despite these guidelines inadvertent excisions of soft tissue sarcomas continue to occur with alarming frequency, potentially compromising patient outcomes. OBJECTIVE: We reviewed the East Midlands Sarcoma Service experience of treating inadvertent excision of STSs and highlight the patient profile, referral pattern, subsequent management and oncological outcome associated with inadvertent resection. METHODS: Patients were identified from our sarcoma database and a retrospective case note review performed. RESULTS: Over a 3-year period, 42 patients presented to our specialist centre after unplanned excision of soft tissue sarcomas. There were 29 men and 13 women, with a mean age at presentation of 59 years (19-90). 50% of the tumours were located in lower extremity, 33% around the trunk and 17% in the upper extremity. The unplanned surgery was most commonly from general surgeons, plastic surgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, general practitioners followed by vascular surgeons. Re-resection was undertaken in 40 cases to achieve clear margins with residual tumour present in 74% of cases. Limb salvage surgery was not possible in 5 cases. CONCLUSION: Unplanned excision of sarcoma by non-oncologic surgeons remains a problem. It appears that it is equally prevalent in varied surgical community and general practitioners. Excision of large or deep solid soft tissue masses without tissue diagnosis is unacceptable.

Magnetic resonance angiography in preoperative planning of deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flaps.

Accurate preoperative localisation of deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEaP) provides optimal surgical planning for DIEaP flaps. Cross-sectional imaging by contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) has advantages over previously described techniques for perforator imaging including reduced radiation exposure and better muscle to vessel contrast. A retrospective series of 10 unilateral free breast reconstructions following preoperative CE-MRA of the anterior abdominal wall is presented. Mean age of the patients at the time of surgery was 50.3 years (range 44-63 years). An average of 2.8 perforators per study (range 1-5) was identified. Mean perforator luminal diameter was 2.6mm (1.4-4.0mm) with a mean intramuscular course length of 22.3mm (6.4-51.9 mm). Perforator course length was classified as 17% long intramuscular course (>4 cm), 80% short intramuscular course (<4 cm) and 3% paramedian. In all 10 patients, DIEaP flaps were successfully elevated. In all cases the flaps were elevated on vessels identified in preoperative review of the CE-MRA. There was a significant difference in the rates of conversion from DIEaP to transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flaps in the group who underwent CE-MRA in comparison to historical controls from the previous year (P=0.025). CE-MRA is an effective tool for DIEaP flap planning.

Comparison of outcomes and donor-site morbidity in unilateral free TRAM versus DIEP flap breast reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: At long-term follow up we cannot easily differentiate between patients who have undergone free transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) flap and deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flap breast reconstruction in terms of subjective functional limitations of daily activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate postoperative outcomes and long-term subjective functional deficit in patients following unilateral free TRAM compared with DIEP flap breast reconstruction. METHODS: Sixty consecutive patients who underwent unilateral autologous breast reconstruction were included in the study, 30 of whom had undergone a DIEP flap, and 30 a free TRAM flap. Surgical and postoperative outcome data were collected and a postal questionnaire was sent to each patient at least 6 months postoperatively consisting of a short functional assessment questionnaire and a Short Form 36 (SF-36) survey. RESULTS: We found no significant difference in postoperative outcomes or in the subjective ability to perform activities of daily living, including work, domestic activities, sports and hobbies, between patients who underwent TRAM flap breast reconstruction and those who underwent a DIEP flap, and no significant difference between the groups for scores on the physical functioning, role-physical, or bodily pain scales of the SF-36. CONCLUSION: We conclude that harvesting of the free TRAM flap results in no significant difference in postoperative outcomes or in the subjective ability to perform activities of daily living compared with the DIEP flap.

Operation notes illustrated with digital images.

We would like to report on our experience of illustrating our operation notes with pre-, per- and post-operative digital images.

A cheap and efficacious intraoperative tissue expander.

The application of a mass produced antral balloon catheter for intraoperative tissue expansion in the head and neck is described. This balloon catheter has the advantage of being cheap and readily available.

Ferguson-Smith syndrome: the importance of long term follow-up.

A case is presented which highlights the importance of long term follow-up and early intervention in this unusual dermatosis. A 39-year-old man presented with an extensive tumour of his left ear and scalp. Surgery was not feasible. The progressive nature of the lesion eventually killed the patient.

In search of evidence-based plastic surgery: the problems faced by the specialty.

Recently, there has been significant interest both from government and medical practitioners in the discipline of evidence-based medicine. In this article we discuss the problems faced by the plastic surgeon when trying to ensure that practice is evidence-based and highlight some of the reasons behind these difficulties. With the rapid growth of the Internet we also outline its use to access high quality information for the plastic surgeon.

Finger injuries to children involving exercise bicycles.

OBJECTIVE: A previously unreported source of injuries to children, the exercise bicycle, is identified and the associated injuries and their treatment are described. DESIGN: A retrospective review of clinical records and the records of the Victorian Injury Surveillance System. SETTING: The Plastic Surgery Unit of the Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria. PATIENTS: Seventeen children with finger injuries from exercise bicycles presented to the Emergency Department of the hospital and one presented to one of us (K L M) at his private practice. Sixteen of the 18 children were under five years of age; 10 were less than two years of age. Five times as many boys as girls were injured. INTERVENTIONS: Fourteen children required surgical treatment of their injuries. RESULTS: Four children had superficial injuries not in need of surgical repair. Eleven children had single digit injuries--five had injuries that were repaired by suture; five had complete avulsion of the tip of the digit that required flap graft repair; and one child underwent amputation of the index finger. Three boys had multiple digit injuries, each one requiring the amputation of a digit and repair of other digits. Two of these boys underwent replantation of a digit; only one replantation was successful. CONCLUSIONS: The most dangerous parts of the exercise bike were the wheel, the chain and the sprocketwheel. Design modifications and education of parents about the risks for children playing near exercise bikes are warranted.

Facilitation of peripheral intravenous access: an evaluation of two methods to augment venous filling.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate two methods of augmenting venous filling as potential aids to i.v. cannulation. DESIGN: Comparative study of cross-sectional areas of preselected antecubital fossa veins. SETTING: Vascular laboratory of a British university teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty healthy, normotensive, adult volunteers. INTERVENTIONS: Vessel cross-sectional areas measured noninvasively using a color flow duplex ultrasound scanner. Measurements were taken at rest, after application of a venous tourniquet, with tourniquet and Esmarch bandage, and with tourniquet and Rhys-Davies exsanguinator. RESULTS: Mean (+/- SD) cross-sectional area at rest was 0.18 +/- 0.094 cm2 and after tourniquet was 0.28 +/- 0.14 cm2. Application of an Esmarch bandage produced an increase to 0.33 +/- 0.14 cm2, and Rhys-Davies exsanguinator produced an increase to 0.32 +/- 0.15 cm2 (P < .0001 for all comparisons except Rhys-Davies exsanguinator versus Esmarch bandage). CONCLUSION: Application of either the Esmarch bandage or the Rhys-Davies exsanguinator caused significant filling of antecubital fossa veins in excess of that produced by a venous tourniquet alone in normovolemic, normotensive volunteers.