A prospective randomized controlled trial comparing N-butyl-2 cyanoacrylate (Histoacryl), octyl cyanoacrylate (Dermabond), and subcuticular suture for closure of surgical incisions.

INTRODUCTION: The use of tissue adhesives for the closure of surgical incisions is increasing. Few studies directly compare tissue adhesives to one another or focus on the difference in wound closure time between tissue adhesives. We compared the use of N-butyl-2 cyanoacrylate (Histoacryl), octyl cyanoacrylate (Dermabond), or subcuticular suture in incisions resulting from reduction mammoplasty, mastopexy, panniculectomy, and abdominoplasty. METHODS: A 2-armed prospective randomized controlled trial was performed. Part 1 compared closure of surgical incisions with N-butyl-2 cyanoacrylate and octyl cyanoacrylate. Part 2 compared the closure of surgical incisions with N-butyl-2 cyanoacrylate and subcuticular suture. End points were closure time, scar width, and satisfaction ratings. RESULTS: Both study arms revealed significantly faster closer times with N-butyl-2 cyanoacrylate [9/10 in part 1 (P = 0.022) and 10/10 in part 2 (P = 0.002)]. Scar width difference did not reach statistical significance, and there was no difference in surgeon, independent reviewer, or patient satisfaction among the materials. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate a decreased time required for wound closure using N-butyl-2 cyanoacrylate compared to both suture and octyl cyanoacrylate regardless of incision type with no significant difference in scar width or satisfaction ratings.

Video: transcervical videoscopic esophageal dissection in minimally invasive esophagectomy.

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) may involve video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for mediastinal esophageal dissection. Usually, VATS requires single-lung ventilation and has associated cardiopulmonary morbidity [1-3]. Alternatively, transhiatal dissection can be performed, although its complications include vocal cord palsy [4], cardiac arrythmias [5], and increased bleeding [5, 6], the latter associated with mortality after esophagectomy [2]. Therefore, the feasibility of MIE using transcervical videoscopic esophageal dissection (TVED) in swine was investigated. A simultaneous laparoscopic and TVED approach may decrease operative time and blood loss while improving visualization and avoiding single-lung ventilation. METHODS: Two pigs (Sus domesticus) underwent two similar procedures. The methods were approved by the authors' Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (no. A24209) under United States Department of Agriculture guidelines. Steps included a cervical incision to accommodate a modified hand-assist access device. The cervical esophagus was dissected. Trocars were placed through the modified access device, and pneumomediastinum was established. The tracheoesophageal plane was dissected into the thorax and beyond the mid esophagus, on which the pleura of the separate mediastinal compartment inserts itself. Vagal nerves were identified and divided distal to recurrent branches. Standard laparoscopic techniques were used for esophagogastric dissection. After specimen extraction, the animals were euthanized. RESULTS: A full circumferential dissection of the mediastinal esophagus was successfully accomplished in two animals using a single-incision TVED for MIE. CONCLUSIONS: A novel technique for mediastinal esophageal dissection using a TVED approach performed with instruments designed for single-port surgery is described. Fortunately, the human lacks the swine's separate mediastinal compartment, and this unique difference should facilitate the human version of this dissection. This approach may avoid the potential morbidity of VATS while providing better visualization and facilitating dissection of the upper mediastinal esophagus compared with either the transhiatal approach or the previously attempted rigid mediastinoscopic approaches [7-9].

An evaluation of calcium hydroxylapatite (Radiesse) for cosmetic nasolabial fold correction: a meta-analysis and patient centric outcomes study.

The use of calcium hydroxylapatite (Radiesse, BioForm Medical, San Mateo, California) for cosmetic soft tissue augmentation has increased significantly in recent years. Only a handful of authors have reported patient satisfaction data. A meta-analysis of published data was performed using a 5-point scale for patient satisfaction to allow data comparison across studies. A patient-centric outcomes study was also performed at our institution, using a blinded questionnaire. Five usable studies were identified for meta-analysis. Patient satisfaction was 4.16 of 5 in 324 patients at 3 to 6 months and 4.15 in 86 patients at 1 year. In our institutional patient-centric outcomes study, the early satisfaction rate was 3.7 of 5. At 1 year the rate was only 2.3 of 5. Calcium hydroxylapatite remains a viable option for augmentation of facial soft tissue structures. However, this report shows that further, accurate, large population outcomes assessments are absolutely required.

Primary alveolar soft-part sarcoma of the liver: anomalous presentation of a rare disease.

Alveolar soft-part sarcoma is a highly vascular soft-tissue tumor that is uniformly malignant. It comprises less than 1 per cent of all soft-tissue sarcomas. Patients with alveolar soft-part sarcoma most frequently are aged 15 to 35 years, and the soft tissues of the lower extremities typically are affected. In the pediatric population, it most frequently occurs in the head and neck and particularly affects the tongue and orbit. Alveolar soft-part sarcoma has been described as a primary lesion in the trunk, upper extremities, and retroperitoneum; more novel locations include the mediastinum, female genital tract, stomach, bone, and larynx. Numerous case reports describe alveolar soft-part sarcoma in diverse anatomic locations, but this report is, to our knowledge, the first documentation of primary alveolar soft-part sarcoma of the liver. We describe a 47-year-old woman with such a manifestation. Despite surgical resection and numerous chemotherapeutic regimens, this patient had widespread metastasis and died approximately 2 years after the diagnosis was established.