Unplanned reoperations after microsurgical breast reconstruction: Findings from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.

BACKGROUND: While microsurgical breast reconstruction may require multiple planned operations, unplanned reoperations has not been studied. We sought to investigate unplanned reoperations after microsurgical breast reconstruction. METHODS: We queried the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program between 2005 and 2018. Current Procedural Terminology code 19364 was used to identify all patients with microsurgical breast reconstruction. Patient demographics, medical comorbidities, preoperative laboratory results, and operative data were analyzed. The primary outcome measure was 30-day unplanned reoperation. RESULTS: Of 8449 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 1021 required an unplanned reoperation (12.1%). These patients were more likely to be obese, smokers, hypertensive, on steroids preoperatively, needing concomitant mastectomy, and with prolonged operating room time >9 h (p < .05). Multivariable regression model revealed preoperative steroids intake (OR = 1.92, CI 1.09-3.38, p = .03), concomitant mastectomy (OR = 1.45, CI 1.23-1.71, p < .01), and operating room time >9 h (OR = 1.37, CI 1.16-1.62, p < .01) as independent risk factors. Mastectomy was found to be an independent risk factor for early reoperation, that is, ≤2 days (OR = 1.44, CI 1.14-1.82, p < .01), whereas obesity was an independent risk factor for three reoperations (OR = 3.92, CI 1.14-13.46, p = .03). CONCLUSION: Unplanned reoperations within 30-days after microsurgical breast reconstruction are a significant problem. Mastectomy is an independent risk factor for early reoperation whereas obesity is an independent risk factor for multiple reoperations. Identification of such patients preoperatively may help microsurgeons improve patient safety and quality of care.

Risk Factors for 30-Day Mortality After Head and Neck Microsurgical Reconstruction for Cancer: NSQIP Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the incidence and risk factors for 30-day postoperative mortality after microsurgical head and neck reconstruction following oncological resection. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case-control study. SETTING: American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. METHODS: Microsurgical head and neck reconstructive cases were identified from 2005 to 2018 using Current Procedural Terminology codes and oncologic procedures using the International Classification of Disease 9 and 10 codes. The outcome of interest was 30-day mortality. RESULTS: The 30-day postoperative mortality rate was 1.2%. Univariate logistic regression analysis identified the following associations: age >80 years, hypertension, poor functional status, preoperative wound infection, renal insufficiency, malnutrition, anemia, and prolonged operating time. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to stratify further by the degree of malnutrition and anemia. Hematocrit <30% was found to be an independent risk factor for 30-day postoperative mortality (odds ratio [OR] = 9.59, confidence interval [CI] 2.32-39.65, P < .1) with albumin <3.5 g/dL. This association was even stronger with albumin <2.5 g/dL (OR = 11.64, CI 3.06-44.25, P < .01). One-third of patients (36.6%) had preoperative anemia, of which less than 1% required preoperative transfusion, although one-quarter (24.6%) required intraoperative or 72 hours postoperative transfusion. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative anemia is a risk factor for 30-day postoperative mortality. This association seems to get stronger with worsening anemia. Identification and optimization of such patients preoperatively may mitigate the incidence of 30-day postoperative mortality.

The effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on composite graft survival.

Auricular composite grafts are a useful reconstructive option, particularly for nasal reconstruction. This study evaluates the effect of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy on auricular composite graft survival in rabbits. Circular chondrocutaneous composite grafts of 0.5, 1, or 2 cm in diameter were resected from the ears of rabbits. The grafts were sutured back into position. Half the rabbits in each group received HBO postoperatively, consisting of 90 minutes at 2.4 atm. Rabbits received 7 treatments in 5 days. Control rabbits did not receive HBO. On day 21 the percentage area of graft survival was calculated from gross and histologic examination. Two-centimeter grafts treated with HBO (n = 8) had a mean graft survival rate of 85.8 +/- 15.7% compared with a survival rate of 51.31 +/- 38.5% for the control group (n = 8; P = 0.0478). There was no such benefit in smaller grafts. HBO could prove clinically useful for larger composite grafts.

Recalcitrant abdominal wall hernias: long-term superiority of autologous tissue repair.

Secondary repair of recurrent ventral hernia is difficult, and success depends on re-establishing the functional integrity of the abdominal wall. Current techniques used for closure of these defects have documented recurrence rates as high as 54 percent. The authors' 8-year experience utilizing variations of the components separation technique for autologous tissue repair of recalcitrant hernias emphasizes that recurrent or recalcitrant hernias benefit from the creation of a dynamic abdominal wall. A total of 389 patients were retrospectively identified as having abdominal wall defects, and 284 of these patients met the selection criteria. Study patients were grouped according to the type of surgical repair used. The recurrence rate was 20.7 percent over all study groups and was directly related to the extent of repair required. Group 1 patients (wide tissue undermining) had a recurrence rate of only 15 percent, while in group 2 (complete components separation), the recurrence rate was 22 percent. Group 3 patients (interpositional fascia lata graft) had a 29 percent recurrence rate. Time to recurrence was also significantly different across treatment groups, with study group 3 experiencing earlier hernia recurrence. The most frequent postoperative complication was wound infection, which was directly related to the repair performed. The relative odds of recurrence versus the risk factors of age, sex, perioperative steroid use, wound infection, defect size, and the presence of enterocutaneous fistula were studied with a logistic regression analysis. These factors did not possess statistical significance for predicting hernia recurrence. The preoperative presence of mesh was independently significant for hernia recurrence, increasing the relative odds 2.2 times (p = 0.01). Similarly, when other risk factors were controlled for, increasing the complexity of the treatment group, from study group 1 (wide tissue undermining) to study group 3 (interpositional fascia lata graft), also increased the odds of hernia recurrence 1.5-fold per group (p = 0.04). Average inpatient cost was $24,488. The length of inpatient stay ranged from 2 to 172 days (average, 12.8 days). The length of inpatient stay and costs were directly related to the extent of repair required. Using the analysis of variance test for multiple factors, the presence of an enterocutaneous fistula (p = 0.0014) or a postoperative wound infection (p = 0.008) independently increased the length of inpatient stay and hospital costs. A total of 108 successfully repaired patients were contacted by telephone and agreed to participate in a self-reported satisfaction survey. The patients noticed improvements in the appearance of their abdomen, in their postoperative emotional state, and in their ability to lift objects, arise from a chair or a bed, and exercise. These results suggest that recalcitrant hernia defects should be solved, when possible, by reconstructing a dynamic abdominal wall.

Seroma prevention using an albumin-glutaraldehyde-based tissue adhesive in the rat mastectomy model.

Seroma formation is a common postoperative complication in plastic surgery, resulting in notable patient morbidity and expense. In this study the authors investigated the efficacy of a synthetic glutaraldehyde-based tissue adhesive (BioGlue; Cryolife, Inc., Kennesaw, GA) in seroma prevention in the rat mastectomy seroma model. This tissue adhesive is composed of purified bovine serum albumin (45%) and glutaraldehyde (10%). Twenty-two Sprague-Dawley rats received mastectomies along with axillary lymphadenectomy and disruption of subcutaneous lymphatics. The control group (N = 11) received 2.5 ml saline into the wound before closure. In the experimental group (N = 11), 2.5 ml BioGlue was injected into the wound. On postoperative day 7, the resultant seromas were quantified and adjacent tissues were harvested for histological examination. The rats in the control group had a mean seroma volume of 5.19 ml (standard deviation, +/- 3.65 ml; N = 11), whereas the rats treated with BioGlue had a mean seroma volume of 0.25 +/- 0.43 ml (N = 11). Histology revealed an inflammatory response consistent with postoperative changes as well as a mild foreign body reaction. This study demonstrates that BioGlue can be used as a tissue adhesive that reduces seroma formation significantly in the rat mastectomy model (p = 0.0008). Further studies are warranted to investigate the long-term effect of BioGlue on surrounding tissue.

Revascularization of human acellular dermis in full-thickness abdominal wall reconstruction in the rabbit model.

This study investigates whether human acellular dermis (Alloderm; LifeCell, Branchburg, NJ) revascularizes when used to reconstruct abdominal wall defects in rabbits. This could prove useful in infected situations in which prosthetic mesh is suboptimal. Twenty-five rabbits were randomly assigned to one of three groups: primary closure (n = 5), expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (GoreTex; W.L. Gore, Flagstaff, AZ) repair (n = 10), or AlloDerm (LifeCell) repair (n = 10). The rabbits in the primary closure group received a 7 cm x 0.5 cm full-thickness abdominal wall defect that was closed primarily. A 7 cm x 3 cm full-thickness abdominal wall defect was created in the other two groups. The defects were repaired with a GoreTex Mycromesh (W.L. Gore), or AlloDerm (LifeCell) patch. At 30 days, the following endpoints were evaluated: (1) incidence of herniation; (2) presence of intra-abdominal adhesions; (3) the breaking strength of the patch-fascial interface; and (4) evaluation of graft vascularization by fluorescein dye infusion and histological analysis. There was no incidence of herniation in any of the rabbits. Visceral adhesions to the patch were found in all animals in the Gore-Tex (W.L. Gore) group but in none in the AlloDerm (LifeCell) group. The size of the patch was unchanged in all the rabbits except for two rabbits in the AlloDerm (LifeCell) group that stretched 1 cm in the transverse dimension. The change in size was not statistically significant (p = 0.17) when compared with the change in size in the Gore-Tex (W.L. Gore) group. The mean breaking strength of the primary closure group was significantly higher (521.2 N/mm2 +/- 223.0) than that of the two patch-repair groups (p < 0.05). But there was no significant difference between the mean breaking strength of the AlloDerm (LifeCell) fascial interface (288.6 N/mm2 +/- 97.1 SD) and that of the Gore-Tex (W.L. Gore) fascial interface (337.0 N/mm2 +/- 141.2). Fluorescein dye infusion and histological analysis confirmed vascularization of the AlloDerm (LifeCell) graft. This study demonstrates that AlloDerm (LifeCell) does become vascularized when used as a fascial interposition graft for abdominal wall reconstruction. AlloDerm (LifeCell) also performs mechanically as effectively as Gore-Tex (W.L. Gore) in ventral hernia repair at 1 month after operation in the rabbit model.

Orbital reconstruction after exenteration: use of a transorbital temporal muscle flap.

Orbital exenteration is a disfiguring operation that involves the total removal of the orbital contents with partial or total excision of the eyelids. Common methods of orbit reconstruction include pectoralis musculocutaneous pedicled flap and free tissue transfer. The purpose of this study is to illustrate that the entire temporalis muscle may be used by creating a large window in the lateral orbit, without resection of the lateral orbital rim. Orbital exenteration was performed on four cadavers. A window was created in the lateral orbit using a 4-mm pineapple burr. Three parameters were measured: (1) the distance between the zygomatic arch to the superior aspect of the temporalis muscle; (2) the width of the temporalis muscle; and (3) the length and width of the lateral orbit window. The free edge of the transposed temporal muscle was then sutured to the skin edge around the bony orbit. This procedure was then performed on a 73-year-old man who had undergone right orbital exenteration for ocular melanoma and then postoperative radiation. The dimensions of the bony windows in the cadavers were as follows: mean 3.3 cm (SD +/- 0.19 cm) x 1.9 cm (SD +/- 0.18 cm), n = 4. The dimensions of the temporalis muscle in the cadavers were the following: mean 8.45 cm (SD +/- 0.60 cm) x 10.5 cm (SD +/- 0.33 cm), n = 4. In the patient, the size of the bony window was 3.7 cm x 2.1 cm (n = 1), and the dimensions of the temporalis muscle were 8.1 cm x 10.2 cm (n = 1). The patient recovered well without complication, with a well-healed skin graft over the top of the muscle flap. An adequate bony window can be made to allow transfer of the entire temporalis muscle for orbital reconstruction without resecting the lateral orbital rim or entering the middle cranial fossa. This option is a good alternative to the other commonly performed methods of orbital reconstruction because of its completion in one operative stage, short operative time, and minimal donor site morbidity.