Giant Penoscrotal Lymphedema: Planning And Surgical Technique To Treat A Rare Debilitating Disease.

BACKGROUND: Giant penoscrotal lymphedema is a rare condition and is treated by surgical debulking and reconstruction with remaining skin and skin grafts. The described techniques may result in a staged surgery, multiple blood transfusions, orchidectomy and early debulking of the scrotal skin. We present a case series describing our technique to address all the concerns, discuss management to decrease progression and transmission in secondary cases and present a novel questionnaire to assess of quality of life of these patients. METHODS: This descriptive case series was done from July 2016 to October 2019. Patients with Campisi grade 5 disease were included. Clinical assessment and relevant investigations were done to identify the cause and confirm the extent of the disease. Procedural detail, post-op haemoglobin levels (Hb), need for transfusion and weight of excised specimen were recorded. Wound healing, recurrence and body mass index were noted on follow up. A scrotal lymphedema quality questionnaire was developed and was filled on follow-up visit. RESULTS: Twelve patients were operated on. The mean history was 3.0±0.5 years. 4 tested positive for microfilariae, while 4 out of 8 who tested negative had taken the anthelmintic drug. The mean weight excised was 15.8±2.3 kg, mean pre-operative score on quality-of-life assessment questionnaire was 83.3±2.6 versus 9.3±0.8 post operatively. The mean follow up time was 1.4±0.6 years. 1 patient had a minor recurrence necessitating re excision. Mean Hb was 13.5±0.5 mg/dl preoperatively compared to 11.8±0.5 mg/dl post operatively, with none requiring transfusion. CONCLUSIONS: Single staged excision with split thickness skin grafting is an effective and safe way to treat patients with giant scrotal lymphedema. It's the single best way to address the quality of life of patients.

Lower extremity reconstruction: utility of smartphone thermal imaging camera in planning perforator based pedicled flaps.

BACKGROUND: Presence of good size perforators are mandatory to design perforator based pedicelledflaps specially in lower limb as flap failure rate isrelativelyhigh. We have explored the use ofsmartphonebaseddynamic thermal imagingand compared it with doppler to devise a protocol forplanning and executionof pedicled perforator flaps anddescribedits use in deciding delay of flap. We have also compared the time required for detecting dominant perforators. METHODS: This prospective case series was done atJinnah burn and reconstructive surgery center Lahore from July to September 2018and included patients requiring pedicled fasciocutaneous or musculocutaneous flapfor lower extremity reconstruction. Smartphonebased dynamic thermal imaging and doppler wereused to map out suitable perforators and confirmed intraoperatively. Comparison was made regarding their ability to locatedominant perforatorsandtotal time required.Utility of thermal imaging to ascertain flap perfusion postoperatively was also assessed.Flaps were designed according to thermal mapping. Clinical judgement supplemented with thermal imaging was usedto ascertain flap survival. RESULTS: The study included 15 patientsin which22 out 23 dominant perforators as located withthermal imaging were confirmed intra-operatively (positive predictive value = 95.7%) as compared to 22 out of 32 with doppler(positive predictive value=68.8%). Mean time required with doppler was 591.27±252.48, compared to 598.47±192.94 seconds with thermal imaging. In two cases flap was delayed. Partial flap necrosis occurred in one case. CONCLUSION: Dynamic thermal imaging can be reliably usedin planning of pedicled perforator flaps for lower limb reconstruction. We have found itmore reliable than handhelddoppler in locating dominant perforators.

Deep-seated Hibernoma of Thigh: A Rare Benign Adipocytic Tumor.

Hibernoma is a rare benign soft tissue adipocytic tumor. Mostly found in adults, it is usually located in the limbs, and is deepseated or intramuscular. Usually asymptomatic, it causes symptoms when it becomes large enough to compress adjacent structures, mimicking well differentiated liposarcoma clinically and radiologically. We present a case report of a deepseated hibernoma of thigh. Radiological investigation and incisional biopsy were done to diagnose and define the surgical roadmap to completely excise it. We describe our technique to precisely control feeding vessels and meticulous dissection to preserve thigh muscles to retain function.