Surgical Tips for Aesthetic Lower Lid Blepharoplasty: Prevention of Round Eye.

In the present study, we highlight surgical tips based on our experience in lower eyelid blepharoplasty. These have been shown to be crucial in the prevention of several complications, specifically lateral lower-lid displacement. Methods: A series of bilateral lower-lid blepharoplasties were performed on 280 patients at Humanitas-Research-Hospital (Milan, Italy) between January 2016 and January 2020. Patients with a history of lower-lid blepharoplasty and patients requiring canthopexy/canthoplasty were excluded. Needing to singularly evaluate and correct several lower-eyelid structures to obtain a harmonic result, we preoperatively assessed the amount of skin excess, the eyelid margin malposition relative to the globe, and the presence/absence of herniated fat-pads. Pre- and postoperative standard photographs were collected. Patients were evaluated by measuring scleral show, snap-back test, and distraction test. Blinded-fashioned photograph analysis was performed by independent plastic and oculoplastic surgeons who did not execute the procedures. A visual analogue scale was administered to all patients to assess satisfaction. Results: In total, 280 patients underwent successful lower blepharoplasty, with satisfactory results of scleral show, snap-back test, and distraction test. Of the 280 patients, four presented postoperative complications. At 10-month follow-up visit, we achieved a mean patient visual analogue scale satisfaction score of 8.4. Postoperative surgeon's photographs mean score was 4.5. Conclusions: Without the use of muscle flaps, our technique averts tarsal ligament misposition, preserves orbicularis-muscle innervation, and limits thermal spread, assuring excellent stability of results and high patient and surgeon satisfaction. Cosmetic outcome in terms of symmetry, appearance, and lower lid line definition revealed high satisfaction with the result over time, with a remarkably low complication rate.

Algorithm-Assisted Decision Making in Otoplasty.

INTRODUCTION: Ear congenital deformities represent an aesthetical concern in adult patients and a social matter in children. An accurate assessment of ear defects should be made preoperatively in order to plan surgery adequately. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In order to correctly assess the ear preoperatively the authors have considered four different subunits: helical and scaphal region (A), antihelical region (B), conchal region (C) and lobule region (D). Surgical planning should start from sub-unit A evaluation, ending with sub-unit D, in a concentric fashion. When sub-unit A defects have to be corrected, an anterior approach is preferred. DISCUSSION: A correct evaluation of ear defects prior to surgery is of dramatic importance. Sub-unit A ear defects are often disregarded, and surgical techniques for their correction are rarely considered. Correcting helical and scaphal defects requires an anterior approach, influencing the technique employed for the correction of subunits B and C defects. Sub-unit B defects should be evaluated and corrected before sub-unit C defects in order to avoid overcorrection of ear protrusion. CONCLUSION: Several surgical techniques have been described in the literature for correcting ear defects. After many years of experience, we outlined a schematic flowchart that prevents from leaving areas of the ear untreated, providing the best possible result for the patient. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Aesthetic and Functional Abdominoplasty: Anatomical and Clinical Classification based on a 12-year Retrospective Study.

Abdomen reshaping is a common plastic surgery procedure, and numerous surgical techniques have been described in the scientific literature. To standardize surgical approach, we propose our protocol that correlates patients' anatomy with the type of procedure performed. METHODS: Between 2008 and 2020, we retrospectively analyzed 582 consecutive female patients who underwent abdomen reshaping procedures, assessing anatomical features, complication rate, patient satisfaction, and surgical result, comparing them with previous reports in the literature. Aesthetic outcomes were evaluated with VAS scale (0-10). RESULTS: Among the 582 patients recruited in the study, we performed 74 liposuctions as a single procedure, 62 mini-abdominoplasties, 28 T-inverted abdominoplasties, and 418 full-abdominoplasties. Aesthetic outcome evaluation reported a mean value of 8.2 from patients and 7.8 from surgeons. We experienced four early postoperative bleedings requiring hemostasis revision, 18 wound dehiscences, five seromas, and 24 re-interventions for aesthetic issues. We found no differences in the complication rate while comparing our data with previous reports in the literature. CONCLUSIONS: Our protocol and surgical technique have proved to be effective, safe, and reproducible, with high patient and surgeon satisfaction, low complication rate, and fast recovery time.

The Periareolar Approach: All Seasons Technique for Multiple Breast Conditions.

The periareolar approach was first introduced by Hollander in 1924 and, since then, numerous contributions have been reported by different authors. Despite all the strengths associated with this versatile technique, the periareolar approach still poses three main problems: large areolar diameter with poor quality scar, flattening of the breast cone, and poor stability of the results. The purpose of this article is to show how this surgical technique, with a good patient selection, can be applied to different situations and obtain excellent results. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study on 5028 consecutive procedures in 4198 female patients treated with a periareolar approach in two regional institutions between 2008 and 2018. We considered 853 pure mastopexies, 362 breast augmentations, 422 secondary breast augmentations, 402 corrections of stenotic breast, 2921 oncoplastic surgeries, and 68 breast reductions. Postoperative complication, as well as patient and surgeon satisfaction were assessed. RESULT: Patient and surgeon satisfaction 1 year after the procedure was excellent, and the complication rate was low. CONCLUSIONS: When the indication is set correctly, the periareolar approach can obtain excellent results. This versatile technique, initially introduced as a mastopexy technique, has expanded its applications and can now be used for multiple surgical situations.

Study of Inflammatory and Infection Markers in Periprosthetic Fluid: Correlation with Blood Analysis in Retrospective and Prospective Studies.

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infection represents the most severe complication in prosthetic breast reconstruction. Risk profiling represents a useful tool for both clinicians and patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In our hospital, 534 breast reconstructions with tissue expander implants, in 500 patients, were performed. Several clinical variables were collected. In our study, we evaluated the different inflammatory markers present in the periprosthetic fluid and we compared them with the ones present in plasma. RESULTS: The surgical site infection rate resulted to be 10.5%, and reconstruction failed in 4.5% of the cases. The hazard ratio for complications was 2.3 in women over 60 (CI: 1.3-4.07; p = 0.004), 2.57 in patients with expander volume ≥ 500 cc (CI: 1.51-4.38; p < 0.001), 2.14 in patients submitted to previous radiotherapy (CI: 1.05-4.36; p < 0.037), and 1.05 in prolonged drain use (CI: 1.03-1.07; p < 0.001). 25-OH, PCT, and total protein were less concentrated, and ferritin and LDH were more concentrated in the periprosthetic fluid than in plasma (p < 0.001). CRP (p = 0.190) and ß-2 microglobulin (p = 0.344) did not change in the two fluids analyzed. PCT initial value is higher in patients who underwent radiotherapy, and it could be related to the higher rate of their postoperative complications. Patients with a tissue expander with a volume ≥ 500 cc show an increasing trend for CRP in time (p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Several risk factors (prolonged time of drains, age older than 60 years, and radiotherapy) have been confirmed by our study. The study of markers in the periprosthetic fluid with respect to their study in plasma could point toward earlier infection detection and support early management.

Evaluation of the ex vivo Effects of Tamoxifen on Adipose-Derived Stem Cells: A Pilot Study.

Autologous fat grafting (AFG) is a safe and minimally invasive procedure to correct soft tissue defects. The benefit of AFG is attributed to adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) in fat tissue graft. This technique is useful also in patients undergoing reconstructive surgery following quadrantectomy for breast cancer. However, these patients are frequently treated with tamoxifen. We evaluated the ex vivo effects of tamoxifen on ASCs to understand if cellular functions of ASCs are affected. We selected 24 female patients; 10 of which were breast cancer patients treated with quadrantectomy and tamoxifen. As control group, we selected 14 healthy female subjects (9 premenopausal and 5 menopausal). We found that tamoxifen has no effect on cellular proliferation, VEGF secretion or apoptosis of ASCs. The gene expression assessment demonstrated no impairment in differentiation capacity of ASCs. Our results showed that tamoxifen has no effect on cellular functions of ASCs for the first time in an ex vivo single-center study.

Upper eyelid blepharoplasty following hyaluronic acid injection with improved facial aesthetics and eye symptoms: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Dermatochalasis of the upper eyelids (blepharochalasis) is a typical age-related change in the upper third of the face and a major concern for facial aesthetics. Nowadays both surgical and nonsurgical interventions are available for patients complaining of upper eyelid dermatochalasis. Although nonsurgical treatments are often easier to perform, if they are not performed correctly, complications may ensue and worsen the condition. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe the case of a Caucasian patient presenting with bilateral upper eyelid dermatochalasis, previously treated with multiple injections of hyaluronic acid filler. Following these procedures, the patient reported nonspecific eye symptoms (such as a sense of heaviness and asthenopia) and cosmetic concerns. We decided to perform an upper eyelid blepharoplasty. During the procedure we found a ribbon of hard, fibrous material, which was carefully removed. The patient reported resolution of functional eye symptoms owing to the reduction of upper lid heaviness, which also resulted in subjective improvement of the visual field. Patient satisfaction was assessed preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively using the Blepharoplasty Outcomes Evaluation (BOE), which showed an overall satisfaction rate of 95.8 %. CONCLUSIONS: Blepharoplasty not only treated the patient's blepharochalasis but also allowed us to correct the previous nonsurgical intervention by removing the excessive amount of injected hyaluronic acid. Both aesthetic and functional results were successfully achieved.

Secondary Treatment of Cleft Lip Correction Sequelae With Percutaneous Needleotomy, Autologous Fat Grafting, and Local Flaps: An Integrated Approach.

INTRODUCTION: Cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) is the most common congenital craniofacial malformation. The severity of the anatomic deformity is highly variable and different techniques can be employed depending on whether the defect is unilateral or bilateral, complete or incomplete. Patients usually undergo multiple steps of reconstruction throughout childhood and adolescence and, for this reason, secondary deformities of the nasolabial region of the midface may ensue. Considering our experience in the treatment of scars, we opted to correct the cleft lip surgery sequelae not only with local flaps/scar revisions, but we decided to add the use of the autologous fat grafting (AFG) to induce a regenerative effect in these young patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study we present the results obtained from a series of 12 consecutive Caucasian patients aged from 23 to 44 years with widened paramedian lip scars secondary to cleft lip reconstruction surgery, treated with a combination of needle-induced lysis of the scar tissue and AFG from January 2013 to December 2018. RESULTS: After the procedure we observed an overall improvement in the quality of the scar tissue, in the function of mimic features, in the symmetry and cosmetics of the lower third of the nose. Patients' satisfaction was excellent. Results were long lasting and remained virtually unchanged after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Scar release by needle, AFG and local flaps are excellent tools for the treatment of cleft lip correction sequelae, but the combination of these surgical techniques can lead to even better results.Level of Evidence: Level V.

Gynecomastia: Ultrasound-Confirmed Classification Pertainent to Surgical Correction.

BACKGROUND: Gynecomastia is the most common form of breast alteration in men, due to proliferation of the gland ducts and stromal components, including fat. In addition to the most obvious indications (weight loss, pharmacotherapy, and drugs suspension), the surgical treatment is needed for long-standing gynecomastia, combining liposuction, adenectomy, partial mammary adenectomy, periareolar skin resection, and round-block suture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 148 patients undergoing gynecomastia correction from May 2012 to April 2018. Follow-up ranged from 9 to 14 months. The authors propose a new ultrasound-confirmed classification system, dividing patients into six categories. The authors analyzed immediate complications, revision, recurrence, and minor aesthetic problems (retracted/depressed areas) and introduced a way to correct the irregularities with fat grafting and needles. RESULTS: The total complication rate was 11.5% (17/148). Most of the complications (11) were observed in patients who underwent glandular resection and 3 after liposuction only. Retrospective surveys about patients' and surgeons' satisfaction were performed, showing excellent feedbacks regarding the results accomplished. CONCLUSIONS: The simple classification helps surgeons choose the most suitable approach, avoiding insufficient or invasive treatments and undesirable scars. Moreover, the analysis of the type of sequelae and their correction allow high patients' satisfaction. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Efficacy of short-term antibiotic prophylaxis in immediate two-stage breast reconstruction after mastectomy: A retrospective monocentric study.

BACKGROUND: Infective complications following implant-based breast reconstruction range from 2,5 to 24% and are often associated with high morbidity and poor outcome. Many authors still employ long-term antibiotic prophylaxis even though there is no conclusive evidence on the impact on infection-rate reduction. In the present study, we report we report our single-shot short-term prophylaxis protocol for surgical site infection prevention in immediate two-stage implant breast reconstruction. METHODS: We retrospectively compared clinical data from two groups of women undergoing immediate two-stage breast reconstruction with tissue expander. Group 1 (n = 391) was administered with long-term prophylaxis, and Group 2 (n = 89) was administered with short-term prophylaxis associated with early drains removal (21 days maximum). We evaluated risk factors for infection, clinical preoperative data, time before drain removal, and clinical feature of the diagnosed infections (early or late onset) and compared the reconstructive outcome between the two groups (infection rate, implant loss rate). RESULTS: We did not find any statistically significant difference in the infection rate (11,51% overall) and implant loss rate (4,49% overall) between the two groups. We found a difference in the implant loss to infection ratio (46.67% in group 1 and 20% in group 2, p < 0,05) and in the time before drain removal (19 days in group 1 and 15 days in group 2, p < 0.001). We finally found an association between prolonged time before drain removal and increased infection rate (p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Short-term single-shot perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis associated with early drain removal (within 21 days postop) represents a safe approach in terms of prevention of local infective surgical complication and allows a more effective treatment of the diagnosed SSI.

The evolution of autologous breast reconstruction.

With breast cancer (BC) becoming more treatable, breast reconstruction has become an integral part of BC treatment. Nowadays, implant-based breast reconstruction is more common. However, there is a growing interest in autologous breast reconstruction due to the increasing awareness of implant-related complications. This work provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution of autologous reconstruction techniques of the breast and the nipple-areolar complex (NAC).

Breast Reconstruction in a Coronavirus Disease 2019 Hub.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic presented a dramatic challenge to healthcare systems. Humanitas Clinical and Research Hospital (Rozzano, MI, Italy) was declared a regional hub for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Our plastic surgery team, in consultation with our breast surgery colleagues, decided to perform immediate implant-based breast reconstruction for patients undergoing mastectomy for cancer. In this report, we present our experience performing breast reconstruction with a new protocol in the first month following the COVID-19 pandemic in the most affected region in Italy. METHODS: We adopted a new protocol to treat patients with breast cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main goals of our protocol were to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread for both patients and clinicians, postpone nononcologic and more advanced surgery, develop rapid recovery for early patient discharge (within 24 hours from surgery) through pain management, and finally reduce postoperative consultations. RESULTS: The protocol was applied to 51 patients between early March and early April 2020. After 1 month, we decided to retrospectively review our experience. We found no significant differences in terms of postoperative pain and complication rate compared with our data in the pre-COVID period. CONCLUSION: Our new protocol is safe and effective, enabling tumor resection and immediate implant-based breast reconstruction, without increasing risks to the patient or staff.

Autologous fat grafting efficacy in treating PostMastectomy pain syndrome: A prospective multicenter trial of two Senonetwork Italia breast centers.

Postmastectomy pain syndrome (PMPS) represents a common complication following breast surgery defined as a chronic neuropathic pain located in the front of the chest, in the axilla and in the upper arm that for more than 3 months after surgery. Several medications prove to be ineffective while autologous fat grafting revealed to be an innovative solution in the treatment of neuropathic pain syndromes based on retrospective studies. For this reason, we performed a prospective multicenter trial to reduce the memory bias and further increase the evidence of the results. From February 2018 to March 2019, 37 female patients aged between 18 and 80 years, underwent mastectomy or quadrantectomy with pathologic scarring and chronic persistent neuropathic pain, compatible with PMPS, are been included in the study and treated with autologous fat grafting. During the enrollment phase, patients were asked to estimate pain using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and POSAS questionnaire in order to evaluate scar outcomes. The VAS scale, starting from 6.9 (1.3), decreased in the first month by 3.10 (1.59), continuing to fall by 0.83 (1.60) to 3 months and by 0.39 (2.09) at 6 months. Statistical analysis showed a significant reduction after 1 month (P < .0001) and 3 months (P < .005). All POSAS grades documented a statistically significant reduction (P < .0001) of the scores by both observers and patients. We observed that no significant association was found between age, BMI, menopausal status of patients, days from oncologic surgery to autologous fat grafting and reduction of VAS values over time while both smoking and axillary dissection were observed as the main factor significantly associated with a reduced clinical efficacy (respectively, P = .0227 and P = .0066). Our prospective multicenter trial confirms the efficacy of fat grafting in the treatment of PMPS based on the principle of regenerative medicine with a satisfactory response in terms of pain reduction and improvement of the quality of the treated tissues. Clinical questionnaires show that the cicatricial areas improve in terms of color, thickness, skin pliability, and surface irregularities. Regenerative effect is based also on the adoption of needles. The combined effect of fat grafting and needles determines a clinical full response.

Superior Pedicle Breast Reduction with Prefiguration of Final Shape: A 10-year Retrospective Study.

Breast reduction, also defined as reduction mammaplasty, is one of the most common procedures performed in aesthetic surgery. Multiple techniques have been proposed throughout the years and several classification systems have been adopted according to: type of incision, pedicle blood supply (cutaneous, glandular, dermoglandular), extent of undermining, excision area, simultaneous or separate tissue excision (fat/gland, skin, or both), and combination of the aforementioned. In the present article, we share our 10 years' experience with reduction mammaplasty and we describe our personal technique, a modified superior pedicle breast reduction. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis on 823 consecutive patients undergoing either aesthetic or functional reduction mammaplasty at Humanitas Research Hospital between 2009 and 2018. For each patient, we evaluated the mean resection volume and complication rate. We also assessed patients' satisfaction (VAS scale) and aesthetic outcome (assessed by independent surgeons, scale from 1 to 5). RESULTS: The average patient age was 48, ranging from 17 to 77 years. The average operative time was 77 minutes, ranging from 62 to 123 minutes. After a thorough follow-up of these patients, we can conclude that our technique has a low complication rate, patients' satisfaction is excellent, and the result is stable over time in terms of shape and symmetry (the mean VAS score was 8.1). Postoperative surgeon's photographs evaluation scores were 4.5 ± 0.5. Average resected volume was 860gr. CONCLUSION: The proposed technique is safe, fast, and simple with a relatively short learning curve, making it didactic and intuitive for young surgeons.