Surgical therapy for complex pelvic pressure injuries: a review of outcomes for five consecutive years and a proposal for a navigator in the care pathway.

INTRODUCTION: An advanced pelvic PI is a challenging problem that requires care from multiple disciplines. OBJECTIVE: This study is a critical evaluation of wound recurrences after surgical repair, and an analysis of factors that may contribute to surgical failures. This study also provides a literature review of pelvic PIs and proposes how a navigator embedded in the wound care department could play a role in decreasing surgical failures. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of 33 consecutive surgeries for closure of complex pelvic PIs in 22 patients was conducted. RESULTS: Recurrences developed in 17 of 33 surgeries (52%). Recurrences were seen most frequently in those undergoing simultaneous repair of 2 sites and those who had undergone prior surgeries. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term healing after repair of complex pelvic PIs remains a challenge, especially in certain high-risk populations. A significant portion of recurrences develop after a period of healing, so identifying and addressing factors that lead to wound breakdown following hospital discharge is a critical area of care improvement. A navigator care coordinator within the wound care department may play an important role in preventing wound recurrences.

Unexplained Gait and Balance Changes: A Case Report of Myxoma Mitigation in a Breast Reduction Patient.

In Fall 2020, a female physical therapist (PT) developed mild changes in gait, infrapatellar tendon pain, and lateral patellar tracking. As a PT in good physical condition, she did not access her employer's occupational health clinic but instead she self-treated. Two months after symptom onset and self-treatment, she was diagnosed with an intramuscular myxoma within her left vastus lateralis, the largest muscle within the quadricep. The employee was at risk of slips, trips, and falls as the mass grew. Due to the location and increasing size of the mass, the employee required surgical treatment. Healthcare workers, particularly those who provide treatment, are likely to self-treat rather than seek assistance from the occupational health professional. The employee was seen by a plastic surgeon for an unrelated medical condition which is when the myxoma was diagnosed. Further delay may have led to occupational injury associated with the balance and gait disturbances. Opportunity exists for the occupational health professional to provide a review of services, including screening for musculoskeletal changes associated with occupational injury such as those described herein. This is especially important among those healthcare workers who tend to self-treat.

Combined hepatic resection and radiofrequency ablation for multiple hepatic adenomas.

We describe the novel use of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in combination with surgical resection for treatment of multifocal hepatic adenoma. We show three cases without recurrent lesions detected in follow-up examination. Two of the patients have subsequently gone on to carry pregnancies successfully to term.

The use of prosthetics in abdominal wall reconstruction.

Large ventral or incisional hernias are often difficult to manage. Most commonly patients are referred to reconstructive surgeons after multiple failed attempts of hernia repair. The use of prosthetic and bioprosthetic materials have aided greatly in the management of complex abdominal wall defects. A full understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of specific prosthetic materials available, and the associated complications of use, remains elusive, however. This article provides information concerning the applications of appropriate prosthetic material for temporary or permanent closure of difficult abdominal wall defects.

Nonarterialized venous replantation of part of amputated thumb-a case report and review of the literature.

Since the first successful replantation of a human thumb reported by Komatsu and Tamai in 1968, thousands of severed digits and body parts have been successfully salvaged. Restoration of anatomic form and function are the goals of replantation after traumatic tissue amputation. Regardless of anatomic location, methods include microsurgical replantation and nonmicrosurgical replantation, such as composite graft techniques. Numerous techniques to maximize tissue survival after revascularization have been described, including "pocket procedures" to salvage composite grafts, interposition vein grafts, and medicinal leeches to name a few. Artery-to-venous anastomoses have been performed with successful "arterialization" of the distal venous system in fingertip replantation. Although there is documented survival of free venous cutaneous flaps, to our knowledge this is the first report of a replanted composite body part (bone, tendon, soft tissues, and skin) utilizing exclusively multiple, microvascular, nonarterialized venous-venous anastomoses. We present a patient with an isolated band saw fillet amputation to the back of the thumb at the metacarpal-phalangeal joint region, resulting in a composite graft composed of bone, tendon, soft tissue, and skin. The hand wound provided no viable regional arterial inflow source, but there were multiple good caliber superficial veins present. The amputated tissues were replanted and revascularized by using only venous blood flow. The replanted part survival was 100% with excellent function of the digit. We conclude that a hand composite body part involving bone, tendon, soft tissues, and skin can survive replantation with a strict venous blood supply if sufficient good caliber, microvascular, venous-venous anastomoses are performed, granted that arterial inflow options are not available. This is an isolated case, yet introduces a new way of thinking regarding tissue replantation.

Metastatic lobular breast cancer presenting with malignant ascites: case report and review of literature.

We review the case of an elderly woman with invasive lobular breast cancer presenting as malignant ascites. This unusual presentation is discussed, as well as the options for treatment. Most invasive lobular breast cancers are hormone receptor positive and the roles of hormonal and chemotherapy are reviewed.