A rare case of Brooke-Spiegler syndrome: integrated surgical treatment of multiple giant eccrine spiradenomas of the head and neck in a young girl.

INTRODUCTION: The authors present a "four-step" integrated surgical protocol to treat a rare case of multiple giant eccrine spiradenoma (ES) of the head and neck in a young patient. PRESENTATION OF CASE: An 18-year-old female patient presented with multiple swellings in the head and neck regions. The patient had a severe psychological trauma with a negative impact on her social life. Physical examination revealed multiple papulo-nodular swellings measuring between 5 cm × 8 cm and up to 10 cm × 20 cm in size with cerebriform aspect and soft consistency. Major lesions were located in the scalp, frontal area, neck, occipitotemporal, and retroauricular regions. Tissue biopsy found a benign composite adnexal neoplasm consisted in ES, trichoepithelioma, and cylindroma, a typical feature of Brooke-Spiegler Syndrome. A staged excision was planned, and available reconstructive options were considered. Scalp reconstruction included tissue expansions, advancement flaps, skin grafts, and dermal regeneration template (Integra®). All treatments were successful, and no recurrence was observed. The patient returned to a normal social life, and a radical excision with satisfying aesthetic results was achieved. DISCUSSION: Although adnexal tumors are benign in most of the cases, these lesions are prone to arise in the craniofacial region, thereby causing aesthetic discomfort associated with pain, hemorrhage, and infection to the patient every day. Furthermore, there is a potential risk of malignant transformation. These concerns demonstrate the need to establish a surgical protocol for the treatment of adnexal tumors. CONCLUSIONS: Our integrated surgical approach showed excellent aesthetic and functional results with benefits to the patient's life and complete oncological excision.

The role of lipofilling in reconstructions with dermal regeneration template: clinical and histological assessment.

Skin and soft tissue reconstruction represents one of the most debated issues of plastic surgery. The advent of regenerative medicine has shown new pathways with the use of lipofilling and dermal regeneration templates. The aim of this study was to investigate the histological and clinical modifications occurring after lipofilling in the areas previously reconstructed with Integra® and an autologous thin dermal-epidermal graft. Histological and immunohistochemical analysis were performed on nine patients to compare skin before and after lipofilling. Pre- and post-operative examinations (POSAS, VAS scale) were carried out as well as taking clinical photographs. The authors detected an overall clinical and histological improvement in all cases. Data obtained from POSAS and VAS scale showed a statistically significant (p less than 0.05) improvement concerning all variables investigated before surgery. The biopsies revealed qualitative modifications with hematoxylin-eosin and Masson trichrome stain. Immunohistochemistry with CD31 antibody also demonstrated quantitative changes with an increased number of vessels. The photographs enabled to compare the clinical situation before and after lipofilling with better aesthetic outcomes. Lipofilling gave good functional and aesthetic results in the areas treated with Integra® and autologous thin dermal-epidermal grafts.

Formulation and characterization of silk fibroin films as a scaffold for adipose-derived stem cells in skin tissue engineering.

Skin substitutes are epidermal, dermal or complete bilayered constructs, composed by natural or synthetic scaffolds and by adherent cells such as fibroblasts, keratinocytes or mesenchymal stem cells. Silk fibroin is a promising polymer to realize scaffolds, since it is biocompatible, biodegradable, and exhibits excellent mechanical properties in terms of tensile strength. Moreover, fibroin can be added of others components in order to modify the biomaterial properties for the purpose. The aim of this work is to prepare silk fibroin films for adipose-derived stem cell (ADSCs) culture as a novel feeder layer for skin tissue engineering. Pectin has been added to promote the protein conformational transition and construct strength, while glycerol as plasticizer, providing biomaterial flexibility. Eighteen formulations were prepared by casting method using fibroin, pectin (range 1-10% w/w), and glycerol (range 0-20% w/w); films were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry assay, to select the optimal composition. A stable fibroin conformation was obtained using 6% w/w pectin, and the best mechanical properties were obtained using 12% w/w glycerol. Films were sterilized, and human ADSCs were seeded and cultured for 15 days. Cells adhere to the support assuming a fibroblastic-like shape and reaching confluence. The ultrastructural analysis evidences typical active-cell features and adhesion structures that promote cell anchorage to the film, thus developing a multilayered cell structure. This construct could be advantageously employed in cutaneous wound healing or where the use of ADSCs scaffold is indicated either in human or veterinary field.

[Endometriosis of the abdominal wall (authors' experience)]. / L'Endometriosi della parete addominale (esperienza personale).

Endometriosis is a very common gynecological disease, although the abdominal wall localization is a rare clinical problem in the everyday practice and this explains the incomplete reports in literature and the difficulty of a standard treatment. The authors report four cases of abdominal wall endometriosis, underlining how the surgical therapy represents the golden standard of decisive treatment, thanks also to prosthetic reconstruction techniques who allow more radical demolitions. On the contrary, the medical treatment should be reserved to selected cases such as especially the less symptomatic umbilical primitive diseases.

[Chemotherapy of carcinoma of the vulva and vagina. Current approaches]. / Chemioterapia del carcinoma della vulva e della vagina. Orientamenti attuali.

In the present work, on the basis of the most recent knowledges, the Authors analyse and discuss the current status of the chemotherapeutical treatment of epidermoid carcinomas of the vulva and vagina, both in case of in situ forms (topical chemotherapeutic administration) and in case of invasive tumors (systemic chemotherapeutic administration).