Full-thickness skin grafts for vaginal reconstruction in mayer-fokitansky-hauser syndrom

Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrom is characterized by the absence of the vagina and the uterus, the presence of apparently normal tubes and ovaries, feminine appearance, normal female secondary sexual characteristics, a normal 46, XX karyotypes, and a feminine psychosexual orientation. Absence of the vagina results from an embryological arrest in the development of the lower portion of the Mullerian system. Various methods of surgical treatment for the vaginal absence in this syndrom have been introduced but the ideal method to restore the original dimension and function of the normal vagina was not found. The two cases reviewed in this paper were all treated with modified McIndoe operation using full thickness skin grafts. Postoperatively both women were satisfied without complications, i,e. lack of skin graft, bleeding, urethrovaginal fistula, perforation of the rectum, rectovaginal fistula and significant vaginal stricture. This paper reveals the satisfactory results that were uniformly good.

Fractures of the Nasolacrimal Fossa and Canal: CT Findings and Clinical significance

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the CT findings of nasolacrimal fossa and their clinical significance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-nine of 116 patients who underwent facial CT scanning after trauma showed evidenceof nasolacrimal fracture. We retrospectively analyzed CT findings to evaluate fracture patterns of thenasolacrimal fossa and canal and associated facial fractures. To determine the frequency of associatedcomplications, clinical records were reviewed were reviewed. RESULTS: Three types of fracture were identified:avulsion, comminuted, and linear Forty-one nasolacrimal fractures, 20 of which involved the nasolacrimal fossa and21 the nasolacrimal canal, were found in the 29 patients. Of the 20 fractures involving the nasolacrimal fossa,ten were avulsion, eight were linear, and two were comminuted. Seventeen of 21 fractures involving thenasolacrimal canal were comminuted and four were linear ; all nasolacrimal fractures were associated with otherfacial fractures. Twenty-five of 29 fractures were the complex midfacial-type (naso-ethmoid) ; the remaining fourwere simple and unilateral. Nasolacrimal sac and dvct-related complications were documented in only two patients ;they experienced epiphora associated with avulsion fracture of the nasolacrimal fossa, though the problem wasresolved by conservative treatment without surgery. CONCLUSION: Fractures of the nasolacrimal fossa and canalwere accompanied by simple or complex facial fractures. Injury-associated complications were rare, and all wereassociated with avulsion fractures of the nasolacrimal fossa.

Experimental study on the prefabricated tram flap of rabbits with enhanced neovascularization

There are occasions when standard techniques of reconstructive surgery for traumatic injury, tumor resection, and correction of congenital anomalies cannot be used as a result of the unavailability of tissues, absence of healthy vascular pedicle or excessive morbidity in donor area. It is established that autogenous skin, muscle, bone, and other composite tissue can retain their viability in varying degree as a prefabricated `flap with vascular pedicle implantation and the survival rate of these flaps has increased with tissue expansion or PGE1 infusion. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the reliability of the secondary or prefabricated rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap, and to evaluate the effect of the several factors on the survival routes of these flaps. Fifty New Zealand white rabbits weighing from 250 to 350 gm were used for the study. On the abdominal area bipedicled skin flaps are elevated as a random pattern flaps and were prefabricated using with rectus muscle. The fifty flaps were studied. They were divided into the five groups as follows; group I, 10 x4 cm classic axial pattern transverse rectus abdominis muscle (TRAM ) flaps were made as a control group (n = 10); groupII, 10 x4 cm random pattern bipedicled skin flaps were prefabricated using right rectus muscle with the delay procedure(n = 10); group III, 5 x4 cm prefabricated musculocutaneous flap were made same as group II on the right, side, tissue expansion was performed on the left side (n = 10); group IV, same procedure was performed as group II, and in addition postoperative intravenous infusion of PGE1 was given(n = 10); group V, same procedure was performed as group III, and in addition postoperative intravenous infusion of PGE1 and tissue expansion was performed(n = 10). Flap survival rates of each group were evaluated and compared. The following results were obtained: 1. Survival rates of prefabricated flaps were lower than that of classic axial pattern flaps regardless of using tissue expansion and PGE1 infusion(p < 0.05). 2. In making a comparison between flap with and without PGE1 infusion, survival rates of prefabricated flaps infused with PGE1 were higher than that of flaps without PGE1 infusion. 3. The prefabricated flaps managed with tissue expansion had higher survival rates than that of flaps without using tissue expansion. 4. The survival rates of prefabricated flaps managed in combination with tissue expansion and PGE1 infusion were significantly higher than that of other groups except control group. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the significance of combiring use of tissue expansion and PGE1 infusion in a prefabricated musculocutaneous flaps as a reliable method.