ABSTRACT
Healthcare disparities remain a significant problem facing the US healthcare system with recent evidence of persistent racial and ethnic disparities especially among patients from minority backgrounds. Recent studies have documented advantages to a racially and ethnically diverse surgical workforce such as higher patient satisfaction scores, superior patient compliance with physician recommendations, and increased participation in clinical research studies by minority patients. In plastic and reconstructive surgery (PRS), there is a noted deficit among residents and faculty that come from ethnically underrepresented in medicine (URiM) backgrounds despite recent efforts to increase diversity in PRS surgeons. URiM medical students from three of the four historically Black medical universities organized to discuss pathways to PRS. Operation Diversify Plastic Surgery is a student-led organization that was developed to address the lack of diversity in PRS, challenges faced by students from institutions that lack PRS residency training programs, and unique factors that affect URiM students interested in PRS. Available studies note that mentoring relationships and research opportunities were instrumental in recruiting URiM students into PRS residency programs. Operation Diversify Plastic Surgery is an innovative solution to the insufficient URiM PRS residency candidate pool by increasing medical student exposure to PRS via educational lectures, virtual mentoring opportunities, and insights into research fellowships.
ABSTRACT
Flap debulking and secondary revisions are an integral factor in providing optimum outcomes to reconstructive patients. This review article summarizes systematically the available literature on flap debulking in head and neck reconstruction. The clinical applications of debulking techniques are discussed, including fractional direct excision, liposuction, and single-stage excision or planning with skin grafting. New technologies are also discussed.
ABSTRACT
A 22-year-old man presented with traumatic crush-avulsion injuries to the left index, ring and small fingers resulting in complex soft tissue loss and acute three-finger ischaemia. The patient underwent immediate revascularisation and soft tissue resurfacing of the three digits using three separate venous flow-through free flaps performed in a single-stage operation. Continued follow-up after 9 months confirmed successful salvage of these three digits. Multiple simultaneous venous flow-through free flaps can be considered as a viable alternative reconstructive modality for traumatic multi-digit ischaemia where both graft-based digital artery reconstruction and soft tissue coverage are required for multiple digits.
