Early experiences with robot-assisted prosthetic breast reconstruction

Robotic surgery facilitates surgical procedures by employing flexible arms with multiple degrees of freedom and providing high-quality 3-dimensional imaging. Robot-assisted nipplesparing mastectomy with immediate reconstruction is currently performed to avoid breast scars. Four patients with invasive ductal carcinoma underwent robot-assisted nipple-sparing mastectomy and immediate robot-assisted expander insertion. Through a 6-cm incision along the anterior axillary line, sentinel lymph node biopsy and nipple-sparing mastectomy were performed by oncologic surgeons. The pectoralis major muscle was elevated, an acellular dermal matrix (ADM) sling was created with robotic assistance, and an expander was inserted into the subpectoral, sub-ADM pocket. No patients had major complications such as hematoma, seroma, infection, capsular contracture, or nipple-areolar necrosis. The mean operation time for expander insertion was 1 hour and 20 minutes, and it became shorter with more experience. The first patient completed 2-stage prosthetic reconstruction and was highly satisfied with the unnoticeable scar and symmetric reconstruction. We describe several cases of immediate robot-assisted prosthetic breast reconstruction. This procedure is a feasible surgical option for patients who want to conceal surgical scars.

Inlay graft of acellular dermal matrix to prevent incisional dehiscence after radiotherapy in prosthetic breast reconstruction

BACKGROUND@#As the indications for postmastectomy radiotherapy expand, innovative solutions are required to reduce operative complications and reconstructive failure after prosthetic breast reconstruction. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of acellular dermal matrix (ADM) inlay grafts in preventing postoperative wound dehiscence of irradiated breasts in the context of prosthetic breast reconstruction.@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was conducted of 45 patients who received two-stage prosthetic reconstruction and radiotherapy following mastectomy. An ADM graft was placed beneath the incisional site during the second-stage operation in 19 patients using marionette sutures, whereas the control group did not receive the ADM reinforcement. Patient demographics and complications such as wound dehiscence, capsular contracture, peri-prosthetic infection, cellulitis, and seroma were compared between the two groups.@*RESULTS@#During an average follow-up period of 37.1 months, wound dehiscence occurred significantly less often in the ADM-reinforced closure group (0%) than in the non-ADM group (23.1%) (P=0.032). There was no significant difference between the two groups in relation to other complications, such as capsular contracture, postoperative infection, or seroma.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The ADM inlay graft is a simple and easily reproducible technique for preventing incisional dehiscence in the setting of radiotherapy after prosthetic breast reconstruction. The ADM graft serves as a buttress to offload tension during healing and provides a mechanical barrier against pathogens. Application of this technique may serve to reduce complications in prosthetic breast reconstruction after radiotherapy.

Analysis of factors involved in brain-death donor processing for face transplantation in Korea: How much time is available from brain death to transplantation?

BACKGROUND: Face transplantation has naturally evolved from reconstructive procedures. However, few institutions perform face transplantations, because it is time-consuming and it is necessary to justify non-vital organ transplantation. We investigated the process of organ donation from brain-dead patients and the possibility of incorporating face transplantation into the donation process. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of 1,074 brain-dead patients from January 2015 to December 2016 in Korea. We analyzed the time intervals from admission to brain death decisions (first, second, and final), the causes of brain death, and the state of the transplanted organs. RESULTS: The patient base (n=1,074) was composed of 747 males and 327 females. The average period between admission to the first brain death decision was 8.5 days (±15.3). The average time intervals between the first brain death decision and medical confirmation using electroencephalography and between the first brain death decision and the final determination of brain death were 16 hours 58 minutes (±14 hours 50 minutes) and 22 hours 57 minutes (±16 hours 16 minutes), respectively. The most common cause of brain death was cerebral hemorrhage/stroke (42.3%), followed by hypoxia (30.1%), and head trauma (25.2%). CONCLUSIONS: When face transplantation is performed, the transplantation team has 22 hours 57 minutes on average to prepare after the first brain death decision. The cause of brain death was head trauma in approximately one-fourth of cases. Although head trauma does not always imply facial trauma, surgeons should be aware that the facial tissue may be compromised in such cases.

Treatment of fibrous dysplasia of the zygomaticomaxillary complex with radical resection and three-dimensional reconstruction with autologous calvarial bone graft

Fibrous dysplasia (FD) is a rare, benign bone disease with abnormal bone maturation and fibroblastic proliferation. Optimal treatment of zone 1 craniofacial FD is radical resection and reconstruction. To achieve of structural, aesthetic, and functional goals, we use three-dimensionally designed calvarial bone graft for reconstruction of zygomatic defect after radical resection of FD. The authors used a rapid-prototyping model for simulation surgery for radical resection and immediate reconstruction. Donor site was selected from parietal bone reflect shape, contour, and size of defect. Then radical resection of lesion and immediate reconstruction was performed as planned. Outcomes were assessed using clinical photographs and computed tomography scans. Successful reconstruction after radical resection was achieved by three-dimensional calvarial bone graft without complications. After a 12-month follow-up, sufficient bone thickness and symmetric soft tissue contour was well-maintained. By considering three-dimensional configuration of zygomaticomaxillary complex, the authors achieved satisfactory structural, aesthetic and functional outcomes without complications.