Extended vertical rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap for reconstruction of large pelviperineal defects following oncologic resection.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Extended vertical rectus abdominis myocutaneous (eVRAM) flap has been proposed for reconstruction of large pelviperineal defects where traditional VRAM flap is insufficient. We present our experience with eVRAM flap for pelviperineal reconstruction following oncologic resection. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted, including all the patients who underwent reconstruction with eVRAM flap after complex pelvic resection, between 2012 and 2020. EVRAM flap was indicated when traditional VRAM was considered deficient to cover or reach the skin defect or to fill the dead space. RESULTS: Forty-four patients were included in the study. Successful reconstruction with eVRAM flap was achieved in 40 patients. There were three flap failures, and one patient died in the second postoperative day because of multiple organ failure. Perineal wound complications occurred in 17 patients (38.6%), eight of them requiring surgical reoperation. Donor site problems were present in five patients (11.4%), and only one patient required surgical closure because of a major dehiscence. CONCLUSIONS: The authors found the eVRAM flap to be a useful and reliable flap for reconstruction of complex pelviperineal wounds, with a low rate of donor site morbidity.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Three Noninvasive Analgesic Techniques for the Prevention of Pain During Facial Injections.

BACKGROUND: Injections are associated with a certain amount of pain, the tolerance of which can vary between individuals. With regard to noninvasive pain control techniques in subcutaneous injections, few studies with adequate levels of evidence and design quality exist to support any specific analgesic method. OBJECTIVES: In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of 3 noninvasive analgesic techniques (cold, anesthetic cream, and vibration) during subcutaneous forehead injections in 100 healthy volunteers. METHODS: This randomized, single-blind, controlled trial comprised 100 healthy volunteers. Every patient received 4 forehead injections of 0.1 mL physiological saline through 29G needles after 1 of 3 noninvasive analgesic techniques (cold, vibration, or anesthetic cream) or control treatment was applied to each injection site. The results were evaluated through a survey that included a visual analog scale for pain measurements. RESULTS: All analgesic methods demonstrated better pain control than the no-treatment arm (P < 0.001), of which vibration performed better than the other analgesic techniques (P < 0.015 vs cold and P < 0.015 vs anesthetic cream). No differences were observed between cold and anesthetic cream. The average amount of pain per injection in males was higher than in females (P < 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: Vibration analgesia effected significantly better pain control than cold and anesthetic cream. Nevertheless, the choice of anesthetic method should be adapted to the preferences and experiences of each patient to optimize pain control in procedures that involve subcutaneous injections.

Using Free Arterialized Venous Flaps for Reconstructing Hand Defects.

Hand and digit soft tissue defects are quite common and frequently require specialized reconstruction. When local flaps cannot be used to reconstruct a soft tissue defect, free flaps must be utilized. To overcome tissue volume and discrepancies in vessel diameter, arterialized venous free flaps from the forearm may provide an acceptable alternative. When using arterialized venous free flaps, surgeons should implement shunt restriction procedures to enhance flap viability.

A Protocol for Performing Reconstructive Microsurgery on Patients With COVID-19.

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic, challenging health care systems all over the world. National health care systems have reorganized to cope with the disease. Surgical services departments around the world have been affected and elective surgical procedures have been postponed to conserve medical resources. When a patient with COVID-19 requires an urgent microsurgical free flap due to trauma or a tumor, personnel from the health care facility must have a protocol in place to follow for the patient's care and follow-up. In this article, we present our protocol for patients with COVID-19 requiring reconstructive microsurgery.

Simultaneous Opponensplasty and Free Gracilis Muscle Flap for Thenar Reconstruction after Arteriovenous Malformation Resection.

We report the case of a thenar eminence arteriovenous malformation presenting with continuous growth and pain that was treated with surgical excision after embolization. Extracapsular resection compromised thenar muscles which function was reconstructed with extensor indicis proprius transfer for opposition and abduction, and neurotized free gracilis muscle flap for opposition and adduction, as well as thenar eminence reconstruction.

Avoiding Above-the-Knee Amputation with a Free Tibiofibular-Talocalcaneal Fillet Flap and Free Latissimus Dorsi Flap.

Despite the advances achieved in reconstructive surgery, amputation is still the only option after some severe traumas. Preservation of the knee joint is considered a significant functional advantage. We present the case of a 39-year-old man with a comminuted Gustilo type IIIC open tibia fracture with massive bone loss. To achieve a well-fashioned amputation stump and preserve the knee joint, a free osteocutaneous fillet flap was performed, including the distal tibia and fibula, talus, and calcaneus bones. As a result, a sensate and long amputation stump covered with thick skin from the sole of the foot provided a stable coverage with an excellent functional result and adjustment to prosthesis.

Reconstruction of Middle-Third Helical Traumatic Defects With a Two-Stage Approach: Retroauricular Flap and Costal Graft.

In this article, we describe the case of a patient suffering from middle-third helical rim avulsion after a bicycle accident, which was reconstructed with a two-stage procedure: (1) performing a postauricular pedicled flap and (2) reconstruction using a costal graft. The article also includes a brief summary of recommendations in the scientific literature about the reconstruction of middle-third auricular defects.

Endonasal Infiltrative Anesthesia for Nasal Fracture Reduction.

This study investigated the use of endonasal infiltrative anesthesia for the management of pain associated with nasal bone fracture reduction. Fifty-two patients with nasal bone fractures were distributed in 2 groups. In the first group, topical endonasal anesthesia and external transcutaneous infiltrative anesthesia were employed. In the second group, endonasal infiltrative anesthesia was also added. Visual analog scale pain scores related to the different steps of the procedure were registered. The addition of endonasal infiltrative anesthesia was associated with a significant decrease (p < .05) in pain during reduction maneuvers (6.71 vs. 4.83) and nasal packing (5.18 vs. 3.46). Addition of endonasal infiltrative anesthesia is an effective method of pain reduction during nasal bone fracture treatment.

Forequarter Amputation, Thoracic Resection, and Reconstruction on Giant Ulcer Due to Locally Advanced Oncological Disease.

We present the case of a 67-year-old man suffering from a squamous cell carcinoma with extensive thoracic locoregional affection measuring 28 cm. After being considered inoperable at another center, he underwent an aggressive tumor resection and coverage with a free latissimus dorsi flap as a palliative reconstructive procedure that allowed for a considerable improvement of his quality of life.

Free microvascular rotationplasty with nerve repair for rhabdomyosarcoma in a 18-month-old patient.

Rotationplasty is a limb-sparing surgical option in lower limb malignancies. Sciatic or tibial nerve encasement has been considered an absolute contraindication to this procedure. We report a case of an 18-month-old girl with a rhabdomyosarcoma that affected the leg and popliteal fossa, with neurovascular involvement. Knee and proximal leg intercalary resection was performed followed by reconstruction with free microvascular rotationplasty and neurorraphy from tibial division of sciatic nerve to sural and tibial nerves, and from saphenous nerve to superficial peroneal nerve. Postoperative course was uneventful and ambulation with a provisional prosthesis was restarted during the sixth week after surgery. Bone consolidation was observed after two months. Eighteen months later, the patient had a good gait pattern with a below-knee prosthesis and had recovered sensation in the whole foot and ankle area. This case shows that rotationplasty with nerve repair may provide a sensate stump, which is vital for successful prosthetic adaptation. We believe it may be considered as an alternative to above-knee amputation in tumors with sciatic involvement.

Late nail lesions rejection in a stable bilateral forearm allograft at 60 months posttransplantation.

We present a case of late nail lesions rejection in a stable and compliant bilateral forearm allograft at 60 months posttransplantation, confirming that rejection features in vascularized composite tissue allotransplantation are more heterogeneous with multiple clinical implications, despite apparently appropriate immunosuppressive treatment. Our observations may help to better characterize and to fully understand the onset and dynamics of skin rejection after human hand allotransplantation; nevertheless, further investigations are required, and careful monitoring of the grafts by direct inspection is advisable in all patients to start rapidly appropriate and effective treatment.

Free Vacularized Fibula Flap for Septic Bone Defects of the Lower Limb.

Free fibula flap (FFF) is one of the reconstructive techniques to treat bone defects, although in septic conditions there are some limitations that have made it less popular. We present our experience with FFF for the reconstruction of lower limb infectious bone defects. From September 2015 to January 2020, 10 patients underwent reconstruction with FFF without rigid internal fixation of septic bone defects of the lower extremities. Demographic, clinical, and operative data were retrospectively collected. All the flaps survived and consolidated. The only major complication was a stress fracture of a fibula that required osteosynthesis. Median time to consolidation and full weight-bearing was 2.5 and 9.8 months, respectively. Bipedal gating was achieved in all the patients, 7 of them without walking aids. Despite it has some limitations and technical difficulties, in our experience FFF is an effective and reliable option in the reconstruction of septic bone defects of the lower limb.