Picosecond laser with specialized optic for facial rejuvenation using a compressed treatment interval.

Studies using a 755 nm picosecond laser with a focus lens array have been reported to be effective for facial wrinkles and pigmentation. This study reports the safety and efficacy using a shorter interval of 2-3 weeks between treatments. Nineteen female subjects and one male subject, primarily Fitzpatrick skin types II and III (one skin type I), who had mild to moderate wrinkles and sun-induced pigmentation were enrolled and treated using the 755 nm PicoSure Laser with focus lens array. The skin was cleansed then wiped with an alcohol wipe prior to treatment. Lidocaine 30% ointment and/or forced air cooling could be used to increase subject comfort. Adjacent pulses, with minimal overlap (10% or less), were delivered to the full face. Subjects received four treatments, performed at 2-3-week intervals. The laser energy used was 0.71 J/cm2 . The physician administered 3-7 passes with an average total of 6,253 pulses per treatment. Follow-up visits occurred at 1 and 3 months post-last treatment at which the physician scored satisfaction and improvement and subjects scored satisfaction and likelihood to recommend to others. The most common side effects were mild swelling, pain, redness, and crusting, most of which subsided within hours of the treatment, with the latest resolving within 48 hours. This is similar to a previous reported study (Weiss et al. ASLMS 2015) where treatments were performed every 6 weeks with side effects resolving within 24 hours. At the 1 and 3 month follow-up visits, 94% (n = 19) and 93% (n = 15) of subjects scored themselves as satisfied or extremely satisfied with their overall results and 81% and 93% were likely to recommend the treatment based on global assessment, respectively. The treating physician was satisfied with 93% of subject's overall results. Three blinded evaluators were able to correctly identify the baseline from post-treatment photographs in 77% of the subjects at the 1 month follow-up and 69% of the subjects at the 3 month follow-up, on average. The average treatment pain score was 4.2 on a 1-10 scale. A compressed treatment interval expedites results without increasing side effects and resulted in a high physician and subject satisfaction rate. Lasers Surg. Med. 48:723-726, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Advancement Flaps.

BACKGROUND: Advancement flaps are random-pattern flaps frequently used in the reconstruction of surgical defects on the face after the removal of skin cancer. Proper design and meticulous execution is crucial in achieving reproducible esthetic results. OBJECTIVE: To review the design and execution of advancement flaps in facial reconstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A review of the literature on the use of advancement flaps in facial reconstruction was performed and curated with the authors' experience. CONCLUSION: Many factors come into play when using local flaps to reconstruct surgical defects on the face. Close attention must be given to the tissue surrounding the surgical defect and any free margin in the area. Designing the flap closure lines along cosmetic unit junctions and or relaxed skin tension lines, preserving both the form and function of the surrounding structures, and using excellent surgical techniques during the closure will all together help in providing reproducibly outstanding results.

Intralesional Bleomycin for Warts: Patient Satisfaction and Treatment Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of warts is challenging with regards to both tolerability and efficacy. OBJECTIVE: Ascertain the efficacy, tolerability, and patient satisfaction of intralesional bleomycin in the treatment of warts. METHODS: Retrospective chart review followed by telephone interviews with patients from university-based dermatology referral centers. RESULTS: Seventy-four percent (34/46) of patients had complete resolution (CR) of all warts. Of 34 patients who experienced CR, an average of 1.7 treatments were required. Pain experienced during the procedure and recovery, irrespective of outcome, was rated 5.8 out of 10 (range, 1-10; SD, 2.72; SEM, 0.40). Approximately 70% of patients had pain that lasted less than 2 days after treatment. Seventy-eight percent (36/46) of patients in the study were satisfied with treatment and would recommend it to others. CONCLUSION: Patients felt bleomycin to be an effective treatment modality for warts, offering high rates of CR in lesions resistant to more traditional therapies.

The "growing teratoma syndrome" in primary mediastinal nonseminomatous germ cell tumors: criteria based on current practice.

OBJECTIVE: Criteria for the growing teratoma syndrome in patients with primary mediastinal nonseminomatous germ cell tumors have not been well established according to current practice. METHODS: An institutional database identified 188 patients who underwent postchemotherapy surgery for primary mediastinal nonseminomatous germ cell tumors from 1981 to 2009. We reviewed the subset of patients who underwent urgent surgery for tumor growth resulting in cardiopulmonary deterioration secondary to mediastinal compression precluding safe completion of 4 cisplatin-based chemotherapy cycles with rapidly declining serum tumor markers. RESULTS: Five men (2.6%) with an average age of 25.8 years were identified. All patients initially presented with a large symptomatic anterior mediastinal mass and elevated serum tumor markers. Patients received an average of 2.4 chemotherapy cycles of a scheduled 4 courses before cardiopulmonary deterioration. Pathology of the resected specimens demonstrated mature teratoma in all patients; however, it was admixed in 4 patients with foci of immaturity (n=1), malignant transformation of teratoma to sarcoma (n=2), and nonseminomatous germ cell tumor (n=2). There was 1 operative death. Three of the 4 operative survivors subsequently completed a total of 4 cycles of chemotherapy after recovery. Two patients are alive and well after an average of 14 years. Two patients died of metastatic disease. CONCLUSIONS: The growing teratoma syndrome should be defined not only as a growing mediastinal mass but also with secondary cardiopulmonary deterioration precluding safe completion of planned chemotherapy in the presence of declining serum tumor markers. Prompt recognition of this syndrome, discontinuation of chemotherapy, and surgical intervention can result in cure.

Risk factors for bronchopleural fistula after right pneumonectomy: does eliminating the stump diverticulum provide protection?

PURPOSE: Bronchopleural fistula (BPF) remains an important source of morbidity and mortality after right pneumonectomy. We reviewed our 18-year institutional experience with right pneumonectomy to identify risks factors for BPF. METHODS: From 1992 to 2010, a total of 145 patients who underwent right pneumonectomy were identified from an institutional database. Median age was 56 years. Most patients (66.2%) underwent surgery for non-small cell lung cancer. Sixty-seven patients (46.2%) received either chemotherapy or radiotherapy before surgery. Medical records were reviewed for 14 variables potentially predictive for BPF, including two airway closure techniques (standard bronchial closure and carinal closure). Variables predictive of BPF by univariate analysis were entered into a logistic regression model. RESULTS: The overall mortality rate was 13.1% (n=19), with 15.9 and 10.5% mortality in the bronchial closure and carinal closure groups, respectively (P=0.33). The overall BPF rate was 7.6% (n=11), with a 3.9% (3 of 76) rate in the carinal closure group compared to 11.6% (8 of 69) in the bronchial closure group (P=0.08). Seven of eight bronchial closure patients who developed BPF required operative repair. Only one of three patients who developed BPF after carinal closure did not spontaneously heal after open drainage. Multivariate analysis identified preoperative radiation dose (P=0.042) and bronchial closure (P=0.041) as independent risk factors for BPF, while the length of postoperative ventilation before development of BPF approached significance (P=0.057). CONCLUSIONS: In our experience, higher preoperative radiation doses are a risk factor for BPF after right pneumonectomy, while carinal closure exerts a protective effect.

Survival after resection for metastatic testicular nonseminomatous germ cell cancer to the lung or mediastinum.

BACKGROUND: Since the advent of cisplatin-based chemotherapy, nonseminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCT) have been considered one of the most curable solid neoplasms and a model for multimodality cancer therapy. We undertook an institutional review of testicular NSGCT patients who underwent operations to remove lung or mediastinal metastases after chemotherapy in the cisplatin era to determine outcomes. METHODS: From 1980 to 2006, 431 patients underwent 640 postchemotherapy surgical procedures to remove lung (n = 159, 36.8%), mediastinal (n = 136, 31.6%), or both lung and mediastinal (n = 136, 31.6%) metastases within 2 years of chemotherapy. Multiple variables potentially predictive of survival were analyzed. RESULTS: The overall median survival was 23.4 years, with 295 (68%) patients alive and well after an average follow-up of 5.6 years. There was no survival difference in patients who underwent removal of lung or mediastinal metastases. Pathologic categories of resected residual disease were necrosis (21.5%), teratoma (52.7%), persistent NSGCT (15.0%), and degenerative non-germ cell cancer (10.1%). Multivariable analysis identified older age at time of diagnosis (p = 0.001), non-germ cell cancer in testes specimen (p = 0.004), and pathology of residual disease (p < 0.001) as significantly predictive of survival. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who undergo resection of residual lung or mediastinal disease for metastatic testicular NSGCT as a planned approach after cisplatin-based chemotherapy have overall excellent long-term survival. Survival is equivalent comparing hematogenous and lymphatic routes of metastases but depends on the pathology of the resected disease. These results justify an aggressive surgical approach, particularly to remove residual teratoma in the lung or mediastinum after chemotherapy, including multiple surgical procedures if necessary.

Carinaplasty airway closure: a technique for right pneumonectomy.

BACKGROUND: Bronchopleural fistula remains a significant source of morbidity and mortality after right pneumonectomy. We reviewed our initial experience with a novel "carinaplasty" airway closure technique aimed at reducing the risks of bronchopleural fistula. METHODS: Since 2003, 51 consecutive patients who required right pneumonectomy at our institution underwent carinaplasty airway closure. Malignancy was the indication for pneumonectomy in all but 2 patients. Eighteen patients received preoperative radiation therapy, including 5 patients who received 6000 cGy or more. Postoperatively, 17 patients required mechanical ventilation for an average of 13 days (range, 3 to 42 days). RESULTS: Six operative deaths occurred, four (8.6%) of which were in the 46 patients who did not receive preoperative bleomycin. All deaths were secondary to respiratory failure. None of these patients demonstrated bronchopleural fistula despite mechanical ventilation for up to 30 days. In 2 patients, a small (< or = 2 mm) bronchopleural fistula developed at 3 and 4 months after operation, respectively. Both patients presented with minor symptoms and spontaneously healed within 1 month after open drainage. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that the carinaplasty airway closure may reduce the morbidity and mortality of bronchopleural fistula after right pneumonectomy. We speculate mechanisms include elimination of the bronchial stump diverticulum in combination with more submucosal blood supply at the suture line compared with the standard bronchial closures. We currently consider carinaplasty airway closure the technique of choice at our institution and plan continued evaluation.

A 25-year single institution experience with surgery for primary mediastinal nonseminomatous germ cell tumors.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of primary mediastinal nonseminomatous germ cell tumors (PMNSGCT) with cisplatin-based chemotherapy, followed by surgical resection of residual disease, has been established. We reviewed our institution's 25-year experience in the cisplatin era to determine surgical risks and predictors of survival after surgery for PMNSGCT. METHODS: A total of 158 patients (mean age, 29 +/- 8 years) who underwent postchemotherapy operations for PMNSGCT were reviewed and multiple variables analyzed. RESULTS: Ten (6%) operative deaths occurred, nine of which were attributed to respiratory failure, and 26 (18%) patients experienced postoperative complications, including 9 with respiratory failure. None of 17 recent patients who received chemotherapy regimens that did not contain bleomycin experienced pulmonary complications (p = 0.12 vs patients who received bleomycin). Operative survivors were followed up a median of 34 months (range, 1 to 194 months). Multivariable analysis demonstrated that the postchemotherapy pathologic category of complete necrosis vs teratoma), persistent germ cell or nongerm cell cancer, and elevated serum tumor markers after operation were independently predictive of survival. CONCLUSIONS: Operative risks for PMNSGCT appear to be improved with the use of chemotherapy regimens that do not contain bleomycin. Patients pathologically demonstrating complete tumor necrosis in the residual mass after chemotherapy have excellent long-term survival, with decreasing survival after resection of teratoma and persistent germ cell or nongerm cell cancer. Patients pathologically demonstrating persistent germ cell or nongerm cell cancer have poor but possible long-term survival, which justifies an aggressive surgical approach in patients who are deemed operable.