Excision margins for melanoma in situ on the head and neck-A single-center 10-year retrospective review of treatment with Mohs micrographic surgery.

BACKGROUND: Although current guidelines recommend a 5 mm surgical margin for the excision of melanoma in situ (MIS), increasing evidence has shown this may be suboptimal to achieve tumor clearance. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate margins required for optimal cure rates with excision of MIS on the head and neck and investigate tumor and/or patient factors in those requiring >5 mm margins to achieve tumor clearance. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed on 846 (807 primary and 39 recurrent) MIS cases on the head and neck treated in the authors' dermatologic surgery department over a 126-month (10.5 year) period. RESULTS: Sixty-two percent were cleared with 5 mm margins. A total of 15 mm margins were required to achieve a 97% clearance rate. Difference in clearance rate between margin thresholds was significant (P < .001). Tumor location on the cheek and larger preoperative size correlated with requiring >5 mm margins to achieve tumor clearance (P = .006 and P = .001, respectively). LIMITATIONS: This is a single-center retrospective study which relies on accurate documentation of clinical data. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that MIS on the head and neck often requires margins >5 mm margins to achieve tumor clearance. When Mohs micrographic surgery is not possible, excision margins of ≥10 mm are likely necessary for head and neck tumors.

Evaluating minority representation across health care settings in hidradenitis suppurativa and psoriasis.

Background: Females and minorities have been underrepresented in clinical research despite legislative efforts, including in hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and psoriasis (PsO) clinical trials. Objective: To identify differences in demographic breakdowns of HS and PsO patients between health care settings to uncover any causative health disparities. Methods: This study reports racial, ethnic, and sex of HS and PsO patient populations across the emergency department (ED), inpatient, clinical trial, and registry settings. In addition, 95% confidence intervals are used as proxies of statistical significance to compare demographics between settings. Results: Female, Hispanic, and Black patients were underrepresented in HS clinical trials compared to their population prevalence (female: 63.7% vs 73.5%; Hispanic: 3.8% vs 12.0%; Black: 9.1% vs 20.3%). Female and Black patients were underrepresented in PsO trials compared to their population prevalence (female: 33.0% vs 54.8%; Black: 2.2% vs 5.7%). Black patients were overrepresented in the inpatient and ED settings in HS (inpatient vs ED vs population prevalence: 49.9% vs 49.9% vs 20.3%) and in the inpatient setting in PsO (inpatient vs population prevalence: 19.8% vs 5.7%). Limitations: The main limitation is the reliability and generalizability of the published studies used to compare demographics across settings. Conclusion: Underrepresentation of females and minorities in HS and PsO clinical trials is consistent with published literature. Overrepresentation of Black patients in acute care settings is likely multifactorial.

Evaluating Public Perceptions of Cosmetic Procedures in the Medical Spa and Physician's Office Settings: A Large-scale Survey.

BACKGROUND: Medical spa and cosmetic procedure markets have grown substantially in recent years. The lack of consistent medical oversight at medical spas raises safety concerns. OBJECTIVE: To understand how the public views medical spas compared with physician's offices as places to receive cosmetic procedures with a focus on safety. METHODS: 1,108 people were surveyed on an internet platform about their perceptions of the safety of receiving cosmetic procedures at medical spas and physician's offices. Respondents were grouped by their past experiences. Chi-squared and analysis of variance models were used to determine statistically significant differences between groups at the 0.05 level. RESULTS: Respondents who had only received cosmetic procedures at physician's offices or had never received a cosmetic procedure cared more about being treated by a physician ( p < .001) and rated safety as more important ( p = .03). Total complication rates were numerically higher at medical spas compared with physician's offices ( p = .41). Minimally invasive skin tightening (0.77 vs 0.0, p < .001) and nonsurgical fat reduction (0.80 vs 0.36, p = .04) had higher complication rates at medical spas. CONCLUSION: There were concerns among the public about the safety of cosmetic procedures at medical spas, and some procedures demonstrated higher complication rates in this setting.

An Open-Label, Prospective, Pilot Study of Hypertonic Saline for Hidradenitis Suppurativa.

BACKGROUND: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) fistulas are likely to persist without surgical intervention. Hypertonic saline (HTS), a venous sclerosant, disrupts the endothelial lining leading to occlusion and fibrosis when used for venous insufficiency. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of HTS sclerotherapy for HS fistulas. METHODS AND MATERIALS: This Institutional review board-approved, nonrandomized, clinical trial included adult patients with a diagnosis of HS and at least one confirmed HS fistula who underwent HTS injections into their fistulas every two weeks followed by a 4-week follow-up period. The study was performed from 2016 to 2019 at two academic outpatient dermatology clinics in Boston, MA. Primary outcomes were physician-assessed improvement of HS fistula characteristics between final and baseline visits and physician-assessed HS improvement during course of study. RESULTS: Overall, 21 patients participated. Physician-assessed overall HS improvement was significant between Visits 2 and 3 (p = .036). Drainage (p = .035), erythema (p = .008), and swelling (p = .025) demonstrated statistically significant improvement from baseline to final visit. Dermatology life quality index scores significantly improved from baseline to Visit 2 (p = .0005), Visit 3 (p = .0008), and final visit (p = .011). Numeric rating scale stinging scores increased with sclerosant volume. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated physician-reported and patient-reported improvement in fistulas following serial HTS injections. HTS injections were well tolerated.

Biomechanical Comparison of 4 Transsacral Fixation Constructs in a Type 61C, Zone II Pelvic Fracture Model.

OBJECTIVES: OTA/AO 61C pelvic ring injuries are vertically unstable because of complete sacral fractures combined with anterior ring injury. The objective of this study was to compare the biomechanical characteristics of 4 transsacral screw constructs for posterior pelvic ring fixation, including one that uses a novel fixation method with a pair of locked washers with interdigitating cams. METHODS: Type C pelvic ring disruptions were created on 16 synthetic pelvis models. Each pelvis was fixated with an S2 screw in addition to being allocated to 1 of 4 transsacral constructs through S1: (1) 8.0-mm screw, (2) 8.0-mm bolt, (3) 8.0-mm screw locked with a nut, and (4) 8.00-mm screw locked with a nut with the addition of interdigitating washers between the screw head and ilium on the near cortex, and ilium and nut on the far cortex. The anterior ring fractures were not stabilized. Each pelvis underwent 100,000 cycles at 250 N and was then loaded to failure using a unilateral stance testing model. The anterior and posterior osteotomy sites were instrumented with pairs of infrared (IR) light-emitting markers, and the relative displacement of the markers was monitored using a three-dimensional (3D) motion capture system. Displacement measurements at 25,000; 50,000; 75,000; and 100,000 cycles and failure force were recorded for each pelvis. RESULTS: The novel washer design construct performed better than the screw construct with less posterior ring motion at 75,000 ( P = 0.029) and 100,000 cycles ( P = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: The novel interdigitating washer design may be superior to using a screw construct alone to achieve rigid, locked posterior ring fixation in a synthetic pelvis model with a Type C pelvic ring disruption.

Advances in biologic and small molecule therapies for hidradenitis suppurativa.

INTRODUCTION: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, debilitating inflammatory skin disorder characterized by painful nodules, abscesses, fistulae, and scarring with a predilection for flexural regions. Several biologics and small molecule inhibitors are being evaluated in clinical trials for treatment. AREAS COVERED: The authors discuss the data available from clinical trials and smaller, high-quality studies for existing and emerging biologic and small molecule inhibitor therapies for treatment of HS. Biologics discussed include TNFα, IL-17, IL-23, IL-12/23, and IL-1 inhibitors. Small molecule inhibitors discussed include PDE4, JAK, TYK, IFX-1, and complement cascade inhibitors. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics for these drugs are also described. EXPERT OPINION: Trial data and our own experience have shown that about half of HS patients experience improvement with adalimumab. However, there is a significant need for pharmacotherapies with higher efficacy goals as in those used for psoriasis. Many biologics and small molecule inhibitors are being tested in clinical trials. The landscape of upcoming therapies for hidradenitis suppurativa appears promising.

Inferiorly Based Rotation Flaps for Infraorbital Cheek Defects.

BACKGROUND: The infraorbital cheek is a common location for cutaneous malignancy and thus surgical defects. Reconstruction in this region must maintain nearby free margins to ensure optimal cosmetic and functional outcomes. Large defects may require a flap using lateral or inferior tissue reservoirs. OBJECTIVE: To examine outcomes of inferiorly based rotation flaps in the repair of infraorbital cheek defects and highlight pearls for optimal long-term results. METHODS: Chart review of patients with a defect of the infraorbital cheek repaired with an inferiorly based rotation flap between February 2010 and December 2018 at a single academic institution. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used for scar assessment. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients underwent extirpation of a cutaneous malignancy resulting in defects ranging from 1.0 × 1.0 to 4.5 × 5.5 cm (mean area = 4.8 cm2). Most of the patients did not experience complications. Ectropion occurred in 7 patients. The mean VAS score was 11.6. CONCLUSION: An inferiorly based rotation flap yields acceptable outcomes for infraorbital cheek defects and can be considered for defects as large as 5.5 cm. Using pearls for surgical execution presented in this article may allow reconstructive surgeons to include this flap in their repertoire.

Janus Kinase Inhibitors and Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer.

OPINION STATEMENT: JAK (janus kinase) inhibitors are becoming increasingly prescribed for various conditions from dermatologic diseases to graft versus host disease in bone marrow transplant recipients. This class of drugs has been found to be truly life-changing for many, though they are not without potential adverse effects. While JAK inhibitors have not been shown to significantly increase the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) in large scale clinical trials, NMSC is one of the most concerning possible adverse events, and there have been several reported cases of aggressive squamous cell carcinomas, especially in our already immunosuppressed patient populations. In these patients, it is incredibly important that patients are on the lowest possible dosage of the JAK inhibitor. In addition, these patients must be routinely screened by a dermatologist with a comprehensive skin exam to ensure early detection if skin cancer was to develop. For those patients diagnosed with skin cancer, early intervention is key to optimize outcomes, and at times, multi-disciplinary care coordination is needed. In the future, large-scale studies with longer follow-up of patients would help determine whether JAK inhibitors significantly increase the risk of NMSC.

US Medical School Applicant Experiences of Bias on the Interview Trail.

BACKGROUND: U.S. medical schools have been unsuccessful in creating a diverse physician workforce. Implicit bias is pervasive in medicine, including potentially in medical school admissions. METHODS: We invited all 2018-2019 interviewees at one U.S. medical school to complete the eight-item Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS) asking about experiences of bias during interview experiences to date. RESULTS: Three hundred forty-seven (30%) of 1,175 interviewees completed the survey, with participant demographic characteristics matching those of the broader interviewee pool. Seventy-two (21%) responded affirmatively to one or more EDS items. Gender, age, race, religion, and sexual orientation were all sources of discrimination. Those reporting bias had completed more interviews (5.2 vs. 3.9, P<.05) and were more likely to be Latinx (30.6% vs. 16.4%, P<.05) than their counterparts. Only three (4%) reported the incident to the institution where it occurred. CONCLUSION: Further work exploring experiences of bias during medical school admissions and how to decrease their frequency is warranted.