ABSTRACT
Vaginal reconstruction after pelvic exenteration not only affords significant psychological benefit, it also decreases the morbidity and mortality associated with pelvic exenteration. In irradiated patients filling the surgical defect with healthy, well-vascularized tissue, such as omental flaps, colonic advancements, and myocutaneous flaps, has been shown to decrease the incidence of fistulas, bowel obstructions, infections, and hemorrhage. A novel use of the gluteal perforator-based flap is described in the unique circumstance of posterior pelvic exenteration with sacrectomy.
Subject(s)
Pelvic Exenteration , Plastic Surgery Procedures , Surgical Flaps , Vagina/surgery , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Surgical Wound Dehiscence/surgeryABSTRACT
Unlike computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound is an inexpensive test of potential use in detecting silicone gel breast implant (SBI) rupture. However, periprosthetic capsular contracture can make ultrasonic diagnosis of rupture difficult because the contracture-related radial folds inside the SBI can lead to a false-positive diagnosis of rupture. This study was conducted to determine the effects of capsular contracture on the ability of ultrasound to diagnose SBI rupture. Preoperative ultrasonic results of 122 SBIs were compared with surgical findings at the time of implant removal. The sensitivity and negative predictive values of ultrasound were lower in the presence of a contracted capsule (41.2% vs. 68.7%, p = 0.062; and 58.3% vs. 79.6%, p = 0.056 respectively). Ultrasound should be considered reliable in diagnosing SBI rupture only in the absence of a contracted capsule.
Subject(s)
Breast Implants , Contracture/diagnostic imaging , Postoperative Complications/diagnostic imaging , Silicones , Ultrasonography, Mammary , Adult , Aged , Female , Gels , Humans , Middle Aged , Prosthesis Design , Prosthesis Failure , Rupture, Spontaneous , Sensitivity and SpecificityABSTRACT
Since 1974, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery has funded a competitive research grant program jointly administered by the Plastic Surgery Educational Foundation. The grant program was initiated to provide "seed money" to researchers in aesthetic surgery. A written survey of all recipients over a 6-year period from 1985 to 1990 was conducted to assess the productivity of the grant program. The survey suggests that seed money grants are effective and that there is a high rate of peer-reviewed publication and national presentation of completed projects. Suggestions for improvement of the grant program are also presented.
Subject(s)
Program Evaluation/statistics & numerical data , Research Support as Topic/statistics & numerical data , Societies, Medical/statistics & numerical data , Surgery, Plastic/statistics & numerical data , Research , Surveys and Questionnaires , United StatesABSTRACT
Infiltrating lipoma is an unusual, benign, slowly growing neoplasm that characteristically infiltrates skeletal muscle and has a propensity for local recurrence if incompletely excised. These tumors rarely occur in the head and neck. A case of infiltrating lipoma of the retropharynx is reported. The clinical, histologic, surgical, and radiologic aspects of the lesion are reviewed. The use of magnetic resonance imaging of this tumor is presented.
