Occurrence of Occult Malignancies in Reduction Mammoplasties.

OBJECTIVES: Patients undergoing reduction mammoplasty (RM) bear the risk of having occult breast cancer nests. The detection rate of malignant neoplasms in the resected specimens, varies greatly in the literature. The aim of our present study was to analyze risk factors and evaluate histopathological findings in our cohort of patients who underwent RM towards our center. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this retrospective single center study we analyzed 559 female patients [median age 35.99 (±13.34)] who underwent RM between 2000 and 2010. The presence of carcinoma and ductal- (DCIS) or lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) were considered as pathological findings. Body mass index (BMI), age, surgical technique and mass of resected tissue were included into the analysis. RESULTS: There were 6 cases of occult neoplasia (1.08 %) including 2 cases of breast cancer, one multicentric DCIS and 3 cases of LCIS (0.54 %) in 559 patients. Patients with breast cancer showed a significant increased median age: 49y median (IQR ± 18) vs. 35y (IQR ± 21) (p = 0.004) and a trend towards increased BMI: 25.88 median (IQR ± 7.3) vs. 24.50 (IQR ± 4.09) (p = 0.219), compared to patients without pathological results. One patient with occult carcinoma had a negative preoperative mammography, a patient with LCIS a negative preoperative breast ultrasound. CONCLUSIONS: In our study the occurrence of occult neoplasia was associated with increased age and showed a trend towards increased BMI when compared to patients without pathological findings. The study demonstrates the necessity of thorough medical history, preoperative diagnostic screening and histopathological analysis of all resected specimens.

Retrograde arterialized free venous flaps for the reconstruction of the hand: review of 14 cases.

PURPOSE: Although the literature is encouraging with regard to the survival rate of arterialized free venous flaps, previously reported difficulty in healing owing to early venous congestion and subsequent epidermolysis continues to prevent their widespread application. We report 14 arterialized free venous flaps for primary reconstruction of the hand, with inflow in the arterialized vein running against the valves. METHODS: Between February 2010 and May 2012, we performed 14 arterialized free venous flaps, each of which included at least 2 veins running in parallel. The arterialized vein was anastomosed in a retrograde manner, with the inflow running against the valves. All flaps were customized with regard to dimension, shape, quality of skin, pedicle length, vessel size, inclusion of additional anatomical structures, and donor site. The flaps were used to cover small, medium, and large defects; 2 flaps were larger than 100 cm(2). Three flaps were injected with indocyanine green on the table after harvesting, to visualize the vascular tree of the flap. These 3 flaps were then monitored with systemic indocyanine green injection and an infrared camera for 3 days postoperatively. RESULTS: All but 1 flap survived. Venous congestion and epidermolysis were observed in 2 small flaps. The flaps injected with indocyanine green displayed a ramified vascular tree with no arteriovenous flow-through phenomenon. CONCLUSIONS: Arterialized free venous flaps with retrograde arterial flow offer thin and pliable coverage that fits easily around the contours of the hand. They are easy to harvest, with little donor site morbidity. Tendons or nerves can be incorporated for reconstruction of composite defects. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Our series suggests the possibility of routine use of a free venous flap with retrograde arterial flow for reconstruction of the hand. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IV.

The reoperation cascade after breast augmentation with implants: what the patient needs to know.

Breast augmentation with implants is the most commonly performed aesthetic surgical procedure. However, the risk of complications requiring revision surgery with unsatisfactory final results is often underestimated. In a 10-year retrospective study, patients receiving implant exchange or implant removal after breast augmentation were reviewed with regards to surgical technique, implant type and position, complications and follow-up interventions. As many as 230 patients were included with a mean age of 40.23 years. A total of 192 (83.5%) had primary augmentation for aesthetic reasons, 24 (10.4%) patients were transsexuals and 14 (6.1%) were treated for malformations. The median primary implant size was 260, 224 and 327 g for aesthetic, malformation and transsexual patients, respectively. Capsular contracture was the leading cause for revision in aesthetic patients whereas size and shape were the main reasons for reoperation in transsexual and malformation patients, respectively. As many as 25% of patients required more than one revision procedure. The time between operations in aesthetic augmentation patients was significantly shorter for the second revision procedure (106.2 months vs. 11.4 months, p<0.0001). The cumulative risk for needing a second revision procedure in aesthetic patients at 12 months was 24.5%. There was no correlation between implant site, size, position or type of complication and the number of revision procedures. Our data highlight the high complication rate of revision surgery involving implant removal or replacement. We conclude that patients must be routinely informed of the high risk and arduous consequences of revision surgery, which should be stated as such in the written consent for the procedure.

Attempted suicide by self-immolation is a powerful predictive variable for survival of burn injuries.

Up to 9% of all burn victims in western countries are reported to have been caused by self-immolation with suicidal intent and usually involve extensive injuries. The authors sought to identify differences between suicide burn victims as opposed to those who sustained their injuries accidentally with regard to injury severity and mortality and determine the possible impact of suicide as a prognostic variable in the context of a scoring system such as the Abbreviated Burns Severity Index (ABSI). The data of all burns patients treated at the Specialist Burns Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital Zürich, between 1968 and 2008 were analyzed retrospectively. Of the 2813 patients included in the study, 191 were identified as attempted suicides, most commonly involving the use of accelerants. Thirty percent of all suicide victims had preexisting psychiatric diagnoses. Suicide victims presented with significantly more extensive burns (53.7%, ±0.98 SEM vs 21.4 %, ±0.36 SEM, P < .0001), had higher total ABSI scores (8.4, ±0.23 SEM vs 6.6, ±0.05 SEM, P < .0001), and had higher mortality rates (42.9% [83/191] vs 16.3% [426/2622]) than accident victims. Furthermore, logistic regression revealed suicide to be a significant predictor of mortality as inhalation injury (odds ratio 2.2, 95% confidence interval 1.4-3.5, P < .0003 and odds ratio 2.4, 95% confidence interval 1.4-4.0, P < .0009, respectively). The odds of dying from an attempted suicide are twice as high compared with those of accident patients in the same ABSI category, making suicide a powerful predictor of mortality. The authors therefore suggest including it as a fixed variable in scoring systems for estimating a patient's mortality after burn injuries such as the widely used ABSI.

30 years later--does the ABSI need revision?

In light of changes in patient demographics together with constant developments in burn care, the predictive accuracy of the Abbreviated Burns Severity Index (ABSI) - first described in 1982 - for estimating the mortality of present day burns patients, may be questionable. We reviewed the records of 2813 burns patients treated between January 1968 and December 2008 in the intensive care unit at our institution, aiming to identify emerging discrepancies between the estimated and calculated outcome, based on each of the ABSI variables and the total burn score. The predictive value of each of the defined ABSI variables was confirmed to be highly significant. Univariable and multivariable analysis revealed an exponential increase in odds ratio (OR) for mortality for patients older than 60 years and more than 30% TBSA burned and showed OR values over 10 times higher than other significant variables like inhalation injury. Nevertheless, the ABSI for the estimation of mortality in our entire patient collective was highly accurate and could not be optimised by adapting the point distribution to the increase in OR. Our data indicates that despite significant changes in patient demographics and medical advances over the past 30 years, the ABSI scoring system is still an accurate and valuable tool in the prediction of burn patient mortality.

Management of microstomia in adult burn patients revisited.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to review our experience in the surgical management of microstomia following facial burns. PATIENTS AND METHODS: For this retrospective study, we searched our burn patients' database for oral commissuroplasties with local mucosal flaps and reviewed the 18 patients suffering from microstomia after facial burns who had been operatively treated between 1995 and March 2007. Fifteen of the patients were primarily treated for severe facial burns in our burns unit, three were referred to our outpatients clinic for secondary reconstruction. Reconstruction of the oral commissures was performed according to one of the following methods: (1) triangular scar excision and mucosal Y-V advancement (n=10), (2) scar excision and wound closure with full-thickness or split-skin graft (n=4) and (3) division of the contracture and closure of the resulting defect with two rhomboid mucosal flaps per side (n=4). RESULTS: All patients showed acceptable aesthetic results and a good functional outcome. Apart from minor wound-healing disturbances, which neither required surgery nor worsened the result, no complications were observed. Patient satisfaction was high. CONCLUSION: Commissuroplasty is an early functional post-burn corrective procedure that often must be performed prior to completion of scar maturation. Mucosal advancement flaps are a viable procedure for the treatment of microstomia after facial burns, resulting in good aesthetic and functional outcome. Direct scar excision and skin grafting, although unavoidable in cases of extensive perioral scarring, frequently produces inferior results.

A case-matched controlled study on high-voltage electrical injuries vs thermal burns.

The aim of this study was to provide an increased level of evidence on surgical management of high-tension electrical injuries compared with thermal burns using a case-controlled study design. Sixty-eight patients (64 males, 4 females, aged 33.7 +/- 13 years) with high-tension electrical burns were matched for age, gender, and burnt extent with a cohort of patients sustaining thermal burns. Data were analyzed for cause of accident (occupational vs nonoccupational), concomitant injuries, extent of burn and burn depth, surgical management, complications, and hospital stay. High-tension electrical burn patients required an average of 5.2 +/- 4 operations (range, 1-23 operations) compared with 3.3 +/- 1.9 (range, 1-10 operations) after thermal burns (P = .0019). Amputation rates (19.7% vs 1.5%), escharotomy/fasciotomy rates (47% vs 21%), and total hospitalization days (44 d vs 32 d) were significantly higher in high-tension electrical injuries (P < .05). Creatinine kinase levels were significantly elevated during the first 2 days in patients with subsequent amputations. Free flap failure was observed during the first 4 weeks after the trauma, whereas no flap failure occurred at later stages. Local, pedicled, and distant flaps were used in 15% of the patients. The mortality in both groups was 13.2% vs 11%, respectively (nonsignificant). High-voltage electrical injury remains a complex surgical challenge. When performing free flap coverage, caution must be taken for a vulnerable phase lasting up to 4 weeks after the trauma. This phase is likely the result of a progressive intima lesion, potentially hazardous to microvascular reconstruction. The use of pedicle flaps may resemble an alternative to free flaps during this period.

Morbidity and recurrence after completion lymph node dissection following sentinel lymph node biopsy in cutaneous malignant melanoma.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the nature and rates of complications and recurrences after completion lymph node dissection (CLND) following positive sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in melanoma patients. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: In contrast to SLNB, CLND is associated with considerable morbidity. CLND delays nodal recurrence, thereby prolonging disease-free survival (DFS), but not overall melanoma-specific survival. Elaborate studies on morbidity and recurrence rates after CLND are scarce. Therefore, many controversies concerning extent and nature of CLND exist. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study on 100 melanoma patients, on whom we performed CLND between October 1999 and December 2005. The median observation period was 38.8 months. RESULTS: We performed a total of 102 CLNDs, [46.1% axillary (47/102), 42.2% groin (43/102), 11.8% neck (12/102)]. Groin dissection (GD) and axillary dissection (AD) led to comparable morbidity (47.6% and 46.8%), but complications were more severe in GD, mandating additional surgery in 25.6% (11/43), versus 8.5% (4/47) in AD. Of the GD patients, 18.5% (8/43) were readmitted for complications compared with 10.4% (5/47) of AD patients. Only 8.3% (1/12) of ND patients suffered complications, mandating neither readmittance nor further surgery. During the median observation period, 65 (65%) of these patients showed DFS, and 35 (35%) exhibited recurrences after a median DFS of 12.5 months. Of the recurrences, 31.4% were nodal, 42.9% distant, and 25.7% local/in-transit. Of our AD patients, 28.3% suffered recurrences (13/46), as did 33.3% of the GD (14/42) and 66.7% of the ND patients (8/12). CONCLUSIONS: CLND is fraught with considerable morbidity. Local control of the dissected nodal basins was achieved with a modified radical approach in ADs (levels I + II only) and, to a lesser extent, GDs, but not in NDs. Clinical trials are necessary to establish guidelines on the extent of lymphatic dissection.

Magnet Resonance Angiography versus Conventional Angiography for the Planning of Reconstructive Surgeries.

UNLABELLED: Assessing the vascular status and anatomy of the lower extremity is of crucial importance when planning the coverage of a tissue defect with a free flap. The standard techniques comprise the clinical examination, Doppler ultrasound and Doppler sonography for healthy patients without suspected direct trauma to the vascular system, and conventional digital subtraction angiography (DSA), respectively, in case of traumatized vessels or patients with peripheral arterial obstructive disease. MATERIALS: We have conducted a prospective study for the comparison of the magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) to the conventional DSA. Fourteen patients were examined presurgically by means of both a conventional DSA and an MRA before undergoing planned microvascular coverage of tissue defects of the lower extremity. The surgeon, based on a questionnaire, assessed and compared both examination results according to their information content. Furthermore, the presurgically planned level and localization of the vascular anastomoses and the intraoperative findings were compared postoperatively. RESULTS: The MRA examination yielded sufficient information on the vascular anatomy to enable the surgeon to carry out a detailed presurgical planning. Additionally, the use of MRA showed clear advantages with regard to both patient and user comfort. CONCLUSION: Taking into account the advantages for the assessment of vessels using MRA, in particular when considering the impact of the frequently varying vascular anatomy of the lower leg on reconstructive surgery, as well as the significantly lower morbidity rate of the examination itself, then the MRA must be regarded as a safe alternative to the DSA.