Open-Y technique for the internal mammary vein in the free abdominal flap of unilateral breast reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: In microvascular breast reconstruction, the internal mammary vein (IMV) has emerged as the most common recipient vein. The open-Y technique can increase the vessel diameter via the bifurcation site. This study aimed to investigate the open-Y technique for IMV. METHODS: The characteristics and details of the operative procedure in patients who had undergone unilateral breast reconstruction with and without the open-Y approach for the free abdominal flap were compared. Differences in IMV anastomosis site (the bifurcation of the main duct or that of the perforator branch) were also compared in patients with the open-Y technique. The open-Y technique was performed on the IMV side. RESULTS: The open-Y and conventional groups included 127 and 62 patients, respectively. The main duct diameter of IMV was significantly smaller (median 2.5 vs. 3.0 mm, P < 0.001), and the rate of right-sided anastomosis (47.2 vs. 82.3%, P < 0.001) was significantly lower in the open-Y group. When comparing the main duct and perforator groups, the branch diameter (1.8 vs. 1.0 mm, P < 0.001) and the diameter after the open-Y technique (5.0 vs. 3.9 mm, P < 0.001) were significantly higher, and the angle of bifurcation (45° vs. 60°, P = 0.007) was significantly lower in the main duct group. CONCLUSIONS: Given a small venous diameter, the open-Y technique is superior, especially for left-sided breast reconstruction. Owing to the lower angle of bifurcation and large diameter, the open-Y technique at the main duct bifurcation of IMV causes less turbulence in the blood flow. TAKE HOME MESSAGE: The open-Y technique is especially effective for left-sided breast reconstruction. Considering the lower angle of bifurcation and large diameter, the open-Y technique at the main duct bifurcation of the internal mammary vein causes less turbulence in the blood flow.

Great Toe Tip Reconstruction after Severe COVID-19 Using Hemi-pulp V-Y Advancement Flap: A Case Report.

"COVID toe," one of the extrapulmonary disorders of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), may result in toe necrosis. In this case, we successfully reconstructed a severe COVID-19-induced defect in the great toe by using an innervated hemi-pulp V-Y advancement flap. A 48-year-old woman was diagnosed with fulminant myocarditis due to COVID-19 and received intensive care. Even after the acute phase, a skin defect measuring 10 mm × 7 mm was noted, exposing the underlying bone on her right great toe tip. Because of ulceration, she was unable to start walking training. To continue rehabilitation, we reconstructed it with the innerved hemi-pulp V-Y advancement flap. The pain improved quickly, and rehabilitation was resumed. During the 6-month follow-up period, no cosmetic or functional complications were observed. Plantar pressure measurements demonstrated favorable loading on the great toe, and it was a favorable outcome in walking function. This flap is a valuable option as one of the innervated flaps for toe-end necrosis with preserved blood flow, which helps in implementing prompt gait rehabilitation.

Changes in mandibular position during midface distraction in patients with syndromic craniosynostosis.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in mandibular position during midface distraction. Midface distraction was performed in patients with syndromic craniosynostosis to increase upper airway volume. Although this treatment resulted in changes in occlusion, the concomitant changes in mandibular position were poorly understood. In this retrospective study, three-dimensional (3D) cephalograms were obtained before and after midface distraction in 15 patients with syndromic craniosynostosis. Perioperative polysomnography scores and changes in maxillary and mandibular position, mandibular volume, and upper airway volume were analyzed. Results showed a significant improvement in apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) (from 20.6 ± 21.3 to 6.9 ± 5.1, p < 0.05) and upper airway volume (from 2951.65 ± 2286.38 to 5218.04 ± 3150.05 mm3, p < 0.001). When the lowest point of the sella turcica was set as the reference point, the mandible moved significantly in an anterior direction (from 47.9 ± 11.5 to 51.9 ± 9.8 mm, p < 0.05). Mandibular volume did not change significantly perioperatively (from 32530.19 ± 10726.01 to 35590.50 ± 14879.21 mm3, p = 0.10). There were positive correlations between the rates of improvement in AHI and the amount of mandibular movement in the anterior and inferior directions (both p < 0.05). Within the limitations of the study, it seems that the mandible moved in the anterior-inferior direction after midface distraction, and the amount of movement correlated with improvement in respiratory function. Therefore, it is important to consider the position of the mandible when determining the direction of midface distraction, as it may influence the therapeutic effect.

Lymphangiogenesis and Lymphatic Zippering in Skin Associated with the Progression of Lymphedema.

Secondary lymphedema often develops after lymph node dissection or radiation therapy for cancer treatment, resulting in marked skin fibrosis and increased stiffness owing to insufficiency of the lymphatic system caused by abnormal structure and compromised function. However, little is known about the associated changes of the dermal lymphatic vessels. In this study, using the lower limb skin samples of patients with secondary lymphedema, classified as types 1-4 by lymphoscintigraphy, we first confirmed the presence of epidermal thickening and collagen accumulation in the dermis, closely associated with the progression of lymphedema. Three-dimensional characterization of lymphatic capillaries in skin revealed prominent lymphangiogenesis in types 1 and 2 lymphedema. In contrast, increased recruitment of smooth muscle cells accompanied by development of the basement membrane in lymphatic capillaries was observed in types 3 and 4 lymphedema. Remarkably, the junctions of dermal lymphatic capillaries were dramatically remodeled from a discontinuous button-like structure to a continuous zipper-like structure. This finding is consistent with previous findings in an infection-induced mouse model. Such junction tightening (zippering) could reduce fluid transport and cutaneous viral sequestration during the progression of lymphedema and might explain the aggravation of secondary lymphedema. These findings may be helpful in developing stage-dependent treatment of patients with lymphedema.

What are the key risk factors of keloid formation after repair of syndactyly of the toe?

PURPOSE: Keloid formation in toes area is rare. However, occurrence of this phenomenon in toes after the surgery of syndactyly repair has been reported. Risk factors of keloid formation in toes after syndactyly reconstructions are currently unknown. This study aimed to investigate the risk factors of keloid formation after the surgery of syndactyly repair of the toes. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed our case series including patients who were treated surgically at our institution. We hypothesized some key factors of keloid formation and analyzed each of them statistically. RESULTS: A total of 105 patients were treated surgically at our hospital, and 9 patients were involved keloid formations after operations. Among our hypothesized key factors, the results of multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed the number of affected web spaces (OR 0.031; 95%CI 0.001-0.684; p = 0.028) was significantly different. Digital enlargement was not a significant factor (OR 17.731; 95%CI 0.686-458.174; p = 0.091). CONCLUSION: Involving multiple web space was associated with keloid formation after syndactyly release, on the other hand, toe enlargement did not show a significant difference. However, the digital enlargement showed high Odds ratio, we could not deny its high relativity for keloid formation. Further investigations are needed to clarify the key risk factors of keloid formation after the surgery of syndactyly repair of the toes.

Computer-aided diagnosis for screening of lower extremity lymphedema in pelvic computed tomography images using deep learning.

Lower extremity lymphedema (LEL) is a common complication after gynecological cancer treatment, which significantly reduces the quality of life. While early diagnosis and intervention can prevent severe complications, there is currently no consensus on the optimal screening strategy for postoperative LEL. In this study, we developed a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) software for LEL screening in pelvic computed tomography (CT) images using deep learning. A total of 431 pelvic CT scans from 154 gynecological cancer patients were used for this study. We employed ResNet-18, ResNet-34, and ResNet-50 models as the convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture. The input image for the CNN model used a single CT image at the greater trochanter level. Fat-enhanced images were created and used as input to improve classification performance. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to evaluate our method. The ResNet-34 model with fat-enhanced images achieved the highest area under the curve of 0.967 and an accuracy of 92.9%. Our CAD software enables LEL diagnosis from a single CT image, demonstrating the feasibility of LEL screening only on CT images after gynecologic cancer treatment. To increase the usefulness of our CAD software, we plan to validate it using external datasets.

The volume-outcome relationship in free-flap reconstruction: A nationwide study based on the Clinical Database.

BACKGROUND: The association between successful reconstructive surgery with a free flap and hospital volume has not been well established. This study was designed to retrospectively analyze the outcome of free-flap surgery registered in a nationwide surgical registration system in Japan to clarify the relationship between free-flap survival and facilities' average annual number of free-flap surgeries. METHODS: We analyzed data from 19,482 free flaps performed during 2017-2020 at 407 facilities throughout Japan. After adjusting for sex, age, and disease classification that differ between the groups, we examined the differences in the flap survival rates among the different facilities in terms of the average number of free-flap surgeries performed annually. RESULTS: The total overall necrosis rate was 2.8%. Of all procedures, 14.9%, 12.9%, 33.4%, and 38.8% were performed at facilities with an average number of free-flap procedures <10, 10-19, 20-49, and ≥ 50 per year, respectively, and the respective rates of total necrosis were 6.0%, 3.8%, 2.1%, and 1.7%, respectively. The odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of flap necrosis for facilities with ≥ 50 cases per year relative to those <10 were 2.70 (1.98-3.68) for nonbreast reconstruction cases and 5.72 (2.77-11.8) for breast reconstruction cases. CONCLUSION: This analysis of a nationwide plastic surgery database showed that free-flap surgeries in institutions with a low average annual number of free-flap surgeries had a higher risk of total necrosis. Measures should be taken to either aggregate cases into high-volume centers or improve management at low-volume centers.

Do the Histological Differences of Soft Tissue Sarcomas Affect the Rate of Skin Defect Reconstruction?

BACKGROUND: In soft tissue sarcoma (STS) resection, flap reconstruction and/or skin grafting is frequently required. However, it is not clear whether the histological difference affects the rate of reconstruction. The present study aimed to investigate it. METHODS: This study compared in 5 classifications (105 adipocytic tumors, 102 fibroblastic tumors, 39 muscle tumors, 31 peripheral nerve sheath tumors, and 178 tumors of uncertain differentiation). In addition, the reconstruction rates of detailed tumor sites were compared. The median and case number (percentage) were calculated. RESULTS: Tumor size (adipocytic 112 mm vs fibroblastic 79 mm, muscle 72 mm, nerve 90 mm, uncertain 74 mm, P < 0.0001 in all comparisons), histological low-grade rates (adipocytic 43.8% vs uncertain 3.9%, P < 0.0001; fibroblastic 46.1% vs muscle 15.4%, P = 0.003; fibroblastic vs uncertain, P < 0.0001; nerve 19.4% vs uncertain, P = 0.003) and reconstruction rates (adipocytic 5.7% vs fibroblastic 42.2%, muscle 33.3%, nerve 32.3%, uncertain 25.8%, P < 0.0001 in all comparisons) were significantly different. In the region of lower extremity, the regions of thigh [adipocytic 1/62 (1.6%) vs fibroblastic 7/32 (21.9%), P = 0.002], and lower leg [adipocytic 1/16 (6.3%) vs fibroblastic 11/19 (57.9%), P = 0.002] were significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: In adipocytic tumors, the tumor size was significantly large; however, the skin defect reconstruction rate was significantly lower than that of the other STS. Histologically, the reconstruction rate of STS derived from superficial tissue increases, whereas the reconstruction rate derived from deep tissue such as adipocytic tumor decreases.

Differences in Transient Fluid Retention and Lymphedema With Breast Cancer Treatment for Lymphatic Microsurgery.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is a common complication. Repeated taxane-based chemotherapy has been shown to induce endothelial inflammation, leading to fluid retention. Patients with transient fluid retention only have upper limb edema without lymphatic dysfunction. Therefore, indocyanine green lymphography revealed linear findings, and lymphatic microsurgery is not required. This study aimed to investigate the difference between BCRL and fluid retention and present the indication for lymphatic microsurgery for these patients. METHODS: The study population was divided into BCRL and fluid retention groups. Age, body mass index, laterality, surgery type (lymph node, breast, or no surgery), disease stage, regional lymph node irradiation, hormone therapy, chemotherapy type (taxane- or non-taxane-based group), and treatment with trastuzumab were compared. RESULTS: The BCRL and fluid retention groups consisted of 168 and 73 patients, respectively. The BCRL group had significantly higher rates of axillary lymph node dissection (96.4%) and lymph node irradiation (51.8%) than the fluid retention group (53.4% and 24.7%, respectively; P < 0.001 for both). The fluid retention group had a significantly higher rate of taxane-based chemotherapy (100%) than the BCRL group (92.9%; P = 0.02). No significant differences in other characteristics, including treatments with hormone and trastuzumab, were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Lymphatic microsurgery should be performed after confirming the diagnosis by indocyanine green lymphography, particularly for patients with fluid retention induced by taxane-based chemotherapy. Because the generalized swelling induced by taxane-based chemotherapy is resolved 6 months after chemotherapy, we should wait at least 6 months to perform lymphatic microsurgery.

Fascia turnover procedure at breast reconstruction using free TRAM flap for decreasing umbilical migration.

BACKGROUND: The ideal umbilical position is midway between the two iliac crests. Some patients complained that the umbilicus position shifted from the midline after the breast reconstruction with a free muscle-sparing transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (MS-TRAM) flap. We considered that the fascia of the external oblique muscle could be applied to the rectus abdominis fascia defect. This study aimed to introduce this "fascia turnover procedure" and compare the umbilical position in this procedure with that in primary fascial closure for the MS-TRAM flap of breast reconstruction. METHODS: A total of 152 patients were enrolled (80 patients with fascia turnover (+) vs. 72 patients (-)). The patients' demographics were compared. Horizontal distances (right side: a; left side: b) were measured bilaterally from the lateral abdominal wall to the center of the umbilicus. Frontal abdominal photographs were taken preoperatively (a1, b1) and postoperatively (a2, b2). The rate of umbilical migration (= | (a1 - b1) / (a1 + b1) - (a2 - b2) / (a2 + b2) | × 100%) was calculated. Because the aponeurosis of the external oblique muscle is confirmed in front of the lateral side of the anterior rectus sheath, this procedure could be performed in cases with a medial defect. RESULTS: No significant differences in the patients' demographics, including abdominal bulging rates and abdominal wall defect widths were observed between the two groups. The rate of umbilical migration showed a significant difference (median 1.78% vs. 3.70%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This procedure could decrease the rate of umbilical migration.

Utility of the intraflap perfusion procedure for abdominal free flap in unilateral breast reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Heparin prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism can be used in microsurgery. If vein anastomosis is performed before the artery, heparin irrigation into the artery can be performed locally without systematic effect. This study aimed to introduce this "intraflap perfusion procedure" in autologous breast reconstruction. METHODS: Among the 220 patients with unilateral breast cancer who had received the free abdominal flap, we retrospectively compared those that had undergone the intraflap perfusion procedure (n = 108) and those who did not (n = 112). A 10 mL injection of heparinized physiological saline solution (100 units/mL) was administered into the deep inferior epigastric artery. Intraflap perfusion was performed before, during, and after vein anastomosis, without the vessel clip of the vein. Artery anastomosis was performed without the use of a vein clamp. Further, vein anastomosis was performed tightly to prevent leakage from the vein anastomosis site during artery anastomosis. RESULTS: The rates of superficial inferior epigastric vein (SIEV) superdrainage (18.5% vs. 42.0%, P < 0.001), and intraoperative flap congestion (0.9% vs. 8.0%, P = 0.01) were significantly lower in patients undergoing this procedure. There were no significant differences regarding other factors (age, BMI, laterality, comorbidities, and other operative details). CONCLUSIONS: Intraflap perfusion prevented long-term stasis at the venous anastomosis site and capillary level. It could reduce flap congestion. SIEV superdrainage was performed to manage flap congestion, particularly in patients who did not undergo this procedure. Consequently, it can be inferred that this procedure reduces the rate of superdrainage.

Correlation between abdominal visceral volume measured by a simple procedure and bulging at the abdominal free flap donor site for breast reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Breast reconstructions using autologous abdominal tissue result in breasts with a natural shape and consistency. One of the major complications is abdominal bulging. Because of the increased abdominal wall tension, high visceral volume (not visceral fat alone) may increase the occurrence rate of abdominal bulging. A simple procedure involving CT imaging was used to assess this relationship in patients undergoing an abdominal free flap for unilateral breast reconstruction. METHODS: A total of 278 patients were enrolled in this study. The patients' demographics, the thicknesses of visceral volume were compared (Bulging (+) vs. Bulging (-)). Visceral volume was investigated based on the horizontal thickness, which was measured at the thickest part at the level of the umbilical fossa between both sides under the transverse abdominis muscles. RESULTS: Bulging (+) consisted of 39 patients (14.0%), whereas Bulging (-) included 239 patients. Patients with Bulging (+) were significantly older, had higher gestational history rate, and had thin rectus abdominis muscle. In terms of visceral volume, the Bulging (+) group had significantly higher horizontal thicknesses (median 233 mm vs. 219 mm, P < 0.001). No significant differences were observed with respect to other factors (age, BMI, history of laparotomy, and operative details). The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the thickness of the rectus abdominis muscle, horizontal visceral volume, and gestational history were independently significant predictors. CONCLUSIONS: Not only the patients with thin rectus abdominis muscle but also patients with a thick horizontal visceral volume may have a higher risk of abdominal bulging.

Epithelialization of Free Flap Vascular Pedicles through the Nasal Cavity after Long-term Follow-up: A Case Report.

A 59-year-old man with right maxillary cancer presented with a right buccal fistula and an ectropion of the lower eyelid after multidisciplinary treatment. With no suitable vessels in the right face or neck for anastomosis, we planned reconstruction with a free thinned deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap using the contralateral left facial artery and vein as the recipient. To simulate the length of the vascular pedicle, we used our original software and determined to use the route passing through the nasal cavity. The vascular pedicle was passed through a tunnel from the medial wall of the right maxillary sinus, through the nasal septum and the medial-frontal wall of the left maxillary sinus, to the left facial artery and vein. The flap survived completely, and facial deformity was corrected. At 1 year postoperatively, there had been concerns about the fragility of the vascular pedicle in the nasal cavity and the possibility of easy bleeding. Endoscopic examination revealed that the vascular pedicle in the nasal cavity was covered by fibrous tissue and multirow lineage epithelium, and an excisional biopsy indicated a low possibility of hemorrhage. Cutting off the vascular pedicle to prevent bleeding may not be necessary because the vascular pedicle through the nasal cavity becomes fibrotic and epithelialized in the surrounding area in the long term.

Fertility-sparing Scrotal Reconstruction with a Superficial Circumflex Iliac Perforator Flap.

It is believed that skin flaps should not be used to reconstruct large scrotal defects because thick flaps increase testicular temperature and decrease fertility, and those skin grafts should be used to reconstruct large scrotal defects. We report a case of extensive scrotal defect reconstructed with bilateral superficial circumflex iliac perforator (SCIP) flaps in which spermatogenesis improved postoperatively over time. A 44-year-old man underwent reconstruction of an extensive scrotal defect caused by Fournier gangrene, and bilateral SCIP flaps were used for the reconstruction. In the third postoperative month, his semen volume and sperm count after centrifugation were 1.5 mL and eight, respectively. Based on these semen findings, fertility specialists diagnosed the patient with extremely low fertility. In the ninth postoperative month, the semen volume was 2.2 mL, sperm density was 2.7 × 106/mL, sperm motility was 64%, and normal sperm morphology was 54%, indicating significant improvement. Based on the sperm findings, fertility specialists considered the patient capable of causing pregnancy. There have been no reports of preservation of spermatogenesis after scrotal reconstruction with a thinned perforator flap. In the postoperative period, we observed improvement of spermatogenesis, which suggests that scrotal reconstruction with an SCIP flap may be effective for improving both cosmetic appearance and fertility.

Scarless Donor Site for Breast Reconstruction by Endoscopy-assisted Extended Latissimus Dorsi Flap plus Lipofilling.

BACKGROUND: Breast reconstruction using endoscopy-assisted latissimus dorsi (LD) flap leaves no scar on the back; however, the small amount of tissue obtained makes this procedure less practical. This study aimed to propose a new technique of endoscopy-assisted extended LD (eeLD) flap plus lipofilling, which could secure a large breast volume. METHODS: Lateral thoracic adipose tissues supplied by the thoracodorsal artery branches and the LD muscle were elevated as a single unit only through the mastectomy scar and three ports through the lateral chest. Further, fat was simultaneously injected to support the volume and shape of the breast. Changes in the volume of the reconstructed breast over time were measured using three-dimensional stereophotogrammetry. RESULTS: Overall, 15 breasts of 14 patients who underwent breast reconstruction using an eeLD flap exhibited no serious complications. On average, 281.9 ± 32.4 g of flap and 74.7 ± 19.4 ml of lipofilling were used. Within 8 weeks after the procedure, the volume of the reconstructed breast decreased to 69.5% ± 7.5% and then plateaued. Seven patients needed a subsequent session of lipofilling to acquire adequate breast volume and projection. Notably, according to the BREAST-Q back scores, patients who underwent eeLD flap were significantly more satisfied than those who underwent conventional LD musculocutaneous flap using a skin paddle on the back at the same institution (82.8 ± 9.2 vs. 62.6 ± 6.3, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Despite the limitations in volume, eeLD flap plus lipofilling is advantageous because it does not leave a noticeable donor site scar.

Sodium concentration imaging in dermis layer by square-wave open electrical impedance tomography (SW-oEIT) with spatial voltage thresholding (SVT).

In this study, sodium concentration in the dermis layer is imaged by the square wave open electrical impedance tomography (SW-oEIT) with spatial voltage thresholding (SVT). The SW-oEIT with SVT consists of three steps which are (1) voltage measurement, (2) spatial voltage thresholding, and (3) sodium concentration imaging. In the 1st step, the root mean square voltagevis calculated based on the measured voltagevunder the square wave currentIthrough the planar electrodes on the skin domain Ω. In the 2nd step, them-th measured voltagevis converted to a compensated voltagev*based on the voltage electrodes distancedvand threshold distancedΓin order to highlight the region of interest of the dermis layerΩd.In the 3rd step, sodium concentration is imaged by the Gauss-Newton reconstruction method. The SW-oEIT with SVT was applied to multi-layer skin simulation andex-vivoexperiments under various dermis sodium concentrationscin the range of 5-50 mM. As an image evaluation result, the spatial mean conductivity distributionσ*inΩdis successfully determined as increasingcon both simulations and experiments. The relationship between〈σ*〉andcwas evaluated by the determination coefficientR2and the normalized sensitivity〈S〉.The optimizeddΓwith the highest evaluation values ofR2=0.84 and〈S〉=0.83 is under the condition ofdΓ= 2 mm. Based on the signal evaluation, the SW-oEIT with SVT has a 15.32% higher correlation coefficientCCcompared to the conventionaloEIT based on sinewave injection.