Cross-Sectional Analysis of Insurance Coverage for Lymphedema Treatments in the United States.

Importance: Lymphedema is a debilitating condition that affects approximately 1 in 1000 individuals in the United States. Complete decongestive therapy is currently the standard of care, and innovative surgical techniques have demonstrated potential to further improve outcomes. Despite the growing armamentarium of treatment options, a large proportion of patients with lymphedema continue to struggle because of limited access to care. Objective: To define the current state of insurance coverage for lymphedema treatments in the United States. Design, Setting, and Participants: A cross-sectional analysis of insurance reimbursement for lymphedema treatments in 2022 was designed. The top 3 insurance companies per state based on market share and enrollment data maintained by the Kaiser Family Foundation were included. Established medical policies were gathered from insurance company websites and phone interviews, and descriptive statistics were performed. Main Outcomes and Measures: Treatments of interest included nonprogrammable pneumatic compression, programmable pneumatic compression, surgical debulking, and physiologic procedures. Primary outcomes included level of coverage and criteria for coverage. Results: This study included 67 health insurance companies representing 88.7% of the US market share. Most insurance companies offered coverage for nonprogrammable (n = 55, 82.1%) and programmable (n = 53, 79.1%) pneumatic compression. However, few insurance companies offered coverage for debulking (n = 13, 19.4%) or physiologic (n = 5, 7.5%) procedures. Geographically, the lowest rates of coverage were seen in the West, Southwest, and Southeast. Conclusions and Relevance: This study suggests that in the United States, less than 12% of individuals with health insurance, and even fewer patients without health insurance, have access to pneumatic compression and surgical treatments for lymphedema. The stark inadequacy of insurance coverage must be addressed through research and lobbying efforts to mitigate health disparities and promote health equity among patients with lymphedema.

The Impact of Social Media on Applicants' Perceptions of Plastic Surgery Training Programs.

OBJECTIVE: Given recent COVID-19 restrictions on in-person visiting subinternships and interviews, this study sought to evaluate the program information that was most influential to future plastic surgery applicants as they researched residency programs on social media. DESIGN AND SETTING: An electronic survey targeting medical students interested in plastic surgery was deployed to assess the importance of various information sources in forming perceptions of residency programs. Applicants were invited to participate through an Instagram "Story" (where the survey was embedded) and through an electronic survey link sent via email to interested program applicants and interviewees. PARTICIPANTS AND RESULTS: There were 83 respondents, among which 92% were current medical students planning to apply to Plastic Surgery. The most utilized resources that informed program interest were: mentors (86%), peers/partners (60%), and geographic location preference (55%). Among social media content, applicants most desired posts about resident life (66%) and team bonding activities (61%). Overall, 72% of respondents agreed/strongly agreed that social media played a role in informing their interest to apply to a specific residency program. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that prospective plastic surgery applicants expect programs to have a social media presence, and thus, programs should invest time and thought in their social media strategy. While electronic sources are not the most important sources of information rated among applicants, social media plays an influential role in guiding interest in specific programs. To best inform applicant perspectives during the recruiting process, programs should prioritize content that gives a picture of "resident life" and team dynamics.

Role of Health Equity Research and Policy for Diverse Populations Requiring Hand Surgery Care.

Health equity requires allocation of resources to eliminate the systematic disparities in health, imposed on marginalized groups, which adversely impact outcomes. A socioecological approach is implemented to elucidate the role of health equity research and policy for underrepresented minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. Through investigation of the individual, community, institution, and public policy, we investigate problems and propose solutions to ensure fair and just treatment of all patients requiring hand surgery.

Opioid Coprescribing with Sedatives after Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Skeletal muscle relaxants and benzodiazepines are thought to mitigate against postoperative muscle contraction. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration warn against coprescribing them with opioids because of increased risks of overdose and death. The authors evaluated the frequency of coprescribing of opioids with skeletal muscle relaxants or benzodiazepines after implant-based reconstruction. METHODS: The authors examined health care claims to identify women (18 to 64 years old) who underwent implant-based breast reconstruction between January of 2008 and June of 2019 to determine the frequency of coprescribing, factors associated with coprescribing opioids and skeletal muscle relaxants or benzodiazepines, and the impact on opioid refills within 90 days of reconstruction. RESULTS: A total of 86.7 percent of women ( n = 7574) who had implant-based breast reconstruction filled an opioid prescription perioperatively. Of these, 27.7 percent of women filled prescriptions for opioids and benzodiazepines, 14.4 percent for opioids and skeletal muscle relaxants, and 2.4 percent for opioids, benzodiazepines, and skeletal muscle relaxants. Risk factors for coprescribing opioids and benzodiazepines included use of acellular dermal matrix, immediate reconstruction, and history of anxiety. Women who filled prescriptions for opioids and skeletal muscle relaxants, opioids and benzodiazepines, and opioids with skeletal muscle relaxants and benzodiazepines were significantly more likely to refill opioid prescriptions, even when controlling for preoperative opioid exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly half of women filled an opioid prescription with a benzodiazepine, skeletal muscle relaxant, or both after implant-based breast reconstruction. Coprescribing of opioids with skeletal muscle relaxants may potentiate opioid use after surgery and should be avoided given the risks of sedation. Identifying strategies that avoid sedatives to manage pain after breast reconstruction is critical to mitigate high-risk prescribing practices. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Risk, III.

Matched Preliminary Analysis of Patient-Reported Outcomes following Autologous and Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Comparisons of autologous breast reconstruction (ABR) and implant-based breast reconstruction (IBR) involve unavoidable confounders, which are often adjusted for in post hoc regression analyses. This study compared patient-reported outcomes between ABR patients and IBR patients by using propensity score matching to control for confounding variables upfront. METHODS: Propensity score matching analysis (2:1 nearest-neighbor matching with replacement) was performed for patients who underwent ABR or IBR without radiotherapy. Matched covariates included age, body mass index, history of psychiatric diagnosis, race-ethnicity, smoking status, and laterality of reconstruction. Outcomes of interest were BREAST-Q questionnaire scores for breast satisfaction and well-being. RESULTS: Of the 2334 patients identified, 427 were included in the final analysis: 159 who underwent ABR and 268 who underwent IBR. The ABR group matched the IBR group in the selected characteristics. ABR patients did not differ significantly from IBR patients in breast satisfaction or well-being at either 1 or 2 years after reconstructive surgery. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary analysis of immediate breast reconstruction patients not requiring radiation therapy with similar propensities for ABR or IBR suggests comparable levels of breast satisfaction and well-being within 2 years after reconstructive surgery. Further research is needed with larger sample sizes, statistical power, and follow-up to better understand patient reported outcomes in this population, as the current findings differ from studies where patients were not matched on baseline characteristics.

Virtual Surgical Planning for Oncologic Mandibular and Maxillary Reconstruction.

Virtual surgical planning (VSP) with computer-aided design and computer-aided modeling (CAD/CAM) enables the opportunity to provide personalized medicine in complex head and neck reconstruction. This innovative technology allows ablative and reconstructive surgeons to virtually create and manipulate three-dimensional anatomic models to plan both the resection and reconstruction of complicated maxillofacial defects. Studies demonstrate improvements in preoperative planning, operative efficiency and accuracy, and postoperative outcomes. VSP facilitates immediate dental implantation in selected patients, which can improve the likelihood of achieving dental restoration. This article outlines strategies for technique optimization as well as the applications, advantages and disadvantages of VSP in complex oncologic head and neck reconstruction.

Mentorship in Plastic Surgery: A Critical Appraisal of Where We Stand and What We Can Do Better.

SUMMARY: Mentorship is a critical tool for professional development and career success. In academic surgery, supportive mentorship affords higher job satisfaction, academic productivity, and diversity and inclusion. It protects against burnout and increasing academic surgery attrition rates. Women, underrepresented minorities, and junior plastic surgeons report lower job satisfaction and fewer mentorship opportunities. Given the unique challenges these groups face in a constantly changing health care system, the importance of mentorship cannot be overstated. Through a survey of American Society of Plastic Surgeons members, this study evaluated different aspects of mentorship to describe the current state in plastic surgery. Despite 94.05 percent of plastic surgeons believing that mentorship is valuable, only 15.16 percent reported a structured mentorship system, often without evaluation. Male and female participants agree that mentorship is needed for both professional (clinical judgment) and personal (work-life balance) development. Interestingly, women plastic surgeons felt it was important for mentees to have gender and race/ethnicity concordance to their mentors (p < 0.001). There was no agreement regarding the most effective method to implement mentorship programs, highlighting the challenges of this problem. Through thoughtful planning and commitment, mentorship programs can be instituted to benefit not just the mentee, but the mentor as well.

Alternative flaps in autologous breast reconstruction.

The gold standard for autologous reconstruction in the post-mastectomy patient remains the deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap, although many women may not be candidates for abdominally based free tissue transfer. In this scenario, there are several other donor site options based from the thigh (transverse and diagonal upper gracilis flaps, profunda artery perforator flap, lateral thigh flap) and trunk (lumbar artery perforator flap, superior and inferior gluteal artery perforator flaps). This study will review the history, relevant anatomy, surgical technique and outcomes for alternative flaps in autologous reconstruction. Additionally, preoperative imaging (CTA, MRA) and novel applications (stacking flaps, neurotization) in breast reconstructive microsurgery will be discussed.

Pretest and Posttest Evaluation of a Longitudinal, Residency-Integrated Microsurgery Course.

INTRODUCTION: Current microsurgical training courses average 5 consecutive 8-hour days and cost US $1500 to US $2500/individual, making training a challenge for residents who are unable to take leave from clinical duties. This residency-integrated microsurgery course was designed for integration with a residency program, averaging 3 hours/week over 7 weeks. This allows for one-on-one training, beginning with synthetic tissue and concluding with in vivo stimulation. This study was performed to validate this longitudinal training course. METHODS: After recruitment and before the start of coursework, subjects completed a baseline anastomosis without guidance and a survey regarding microsurgical experience. Subjects completed approximately 3 hours/week of practical exercises. Weeks 1 to 5 used synthetic models, whereas 6 to 7 used in vivo rodent models. Nine minimum anastomoses of increasing complexity were completed and assessed with the Anastomosis Lapse Index and the Stanford Microsurgery and Residency Training scale. Scoring was performed by 3 independent reviewers and averaged for comparison. RESULTS: Five subjects completed the course for study. Presurvey results showed an average confidence in theoretical knowledge of 2/5; technical ability to perform procedures, 1.8/5; and ability to manage complications, 1.8/5. Postsurvey revealed confidence in theoretical knowledge of 2.5/5; technical ability to perform procedures, 2.25/5; and ability to manage complications, 2.25/5. None of these differences were significant. Each individual component of the Stanford Microsurgery and Residency Training scale scoring system improved postcourse with P < 0.05, and overall performance score improved from an average of 2.6 to 3.9 (P = 0.006). The total number of errors recorded using the Anastomosis Lapse Index reduced from 6.58 to 3.41 (P = 0.02). Time to completion reduced from an average of 28 minutes, 8 seconds to 24 minutes, 5 seconds (P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Despite a lack in significant confidence improvement, completion of the residency-integrated microsurgery course leads to significant and quantifiable improvement in resident microsurgical skill and efficiency.

The Index Finger Metacarpal Tubercle.

Purpose: The region of the index finger metacarpophalangeal joint is a common source of hand pain with variable, well-known etiologies. We have identified the tubercle at the dorsoradial neck of the index finger metacarpal as a distinct and specific site of pain in a subset of patients who presented with a chief report of index finger pain. Although experienced hand surgeons may recognize this clinical entity, we found no previous description within the literature. Methods: After institutional review board approval, we performed a retrospective review of all patients presenting to a single surgeon practice with severe pain at the dorsoradial tubercle of the index finger metacarpal unattributable to known etiologies. Patients underwent initial management of steroid injection followed by surgical excision if conservative measures failed. Results: Steroid injection was administered as initial management in 9 of 10 afflicted hands. Five of these hands experienced complete resolution of pain at 4 weeks after injection whereas 4 developed recurrence at an average of 3 months after injection. Among patients with recurrence, one patient opted for a second injection that led to pain resolution 4 weeks later, whereas the remaining 3 hands had surgical excision. All patients who underwent surgical excision reported minimal discomfort and marked improvement in pain after surgery. Conclusions: We identified the tubercle at the dorsoradial neck of the index finger metacarpal as a distinct and specific site of pain in a subset of patients. We postulate that the pathophysiology of pain at the prominent index finger metacarpal tubercle may be related to a subacute radial collateral ligament injury. Steroid injection to the tubercle is a reasonable initial treatment option and satisfactory results may also be obtained with surgical excision. Type of study/level of evidence: Therapeutic IV.

Knowledge is power: Providing previsit insurance coverage information of body contouring procedures to improve understanding and satisfaction in the massive weight loss patient.

INTRODUCTION: Because of the prevalence of obesity worldwide, the rates of bariatric surgery are increasing. Bariatric surgery is covered by insurance; however, often, a surgery to correct massive weight loss surgeries is not covered despite patient perception. METHODS: One hundred patients were identified by their initial visit to the institutional Life After Weight Loss center. Fifty of them were randomized into receiving previsit educational materials about their individual insurance plans. All the patients were surveyed to assess whether this education improved their understanding and overall consultation experience. RESULTS: Although a majority of patients believed "panniculectomy" would be covered by insurance, most subjects overestimated insurance coverage for other procedures. Nearly all respondents (93.8%) agreed that previsit educational material improved their understanding and the satisfaction of the visit. CONCLUSION: Many patients believe body contouring procedures to be covered by insurance, although most are not. By providing patients with their individualized insurance plans, patients report improved understanding and overall satisfaction with the consultation.

Would Plastic Surgeons Choose Breast Conservation Therapy?

BACKGROUND: Breast conservation therapy is defined as partial mastectomy with subsequent radiation therapy and is the treatment for early-stage breast cancer. However, the unwanted risks of radiation must be considered as well as the impact on future breast reconstruction options. The purpose of this study was to assess the preference of plastic surgeons when given the hypothetical diagnosis of breast cancer. METHODS: A survey assessing treatment preference of 3 hypothetical breast cancer diagnosis scenarios was designed and distributed by American Society of Plastic Surgeons via e-mail invite to its members. RESULTS: The risk of cancer recurrence was the most common reason for treatment preferences of all three choices. However, for ductal carcinoma in situ, unilateral mastectomy with implant-based reconstruction is the preferred option with the second most influential reason of avoiding the risks of radiation therapy. For invasive ductal carcinoma node negative, unilateral mastectomy with implant-based reconstruction was the preferred option also due to risks of radiation therapy and anxiety of future surveillance. For invasive ductal carcinoma node positive, bilateral mastectomy with implant-based reconstruction was the preferred choice because of anxiety of future surveillance and also risks of radiation therapy. CONCLUSIONS: In general, plastic surgeons did not prefer breast conservation therapy for in situ and early-stage breast cancer. Although the most common rationale for total mastectomy was risk of cancer recurrence for all disease severity, risks of radiation therapy are real and play an integral role in the decision-making process. In understanding our own biases, we can help better empathize with patients in consultation for breast reconstruction.

Gluteal Flaps Revisited: Technical Modifications for Perineal Wound Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Abdominoperineal resection is the treatment for many anorectal malignancies. The laparotomy approach allows for harvest of the rectus abdominis muscle for perineal reconstruction. However, with increasing numbers of robotic abdominoperineal resections being performed, the morbidity associated with a laparotomy incision is avoided. We describe a modification of the previous technique of advancing bilateral fasciocutaneous gluteal flaps into the pelvic cavity for reconstruction. This operation is performed expeditiously in the prone position. The patient is spared a large anterior deficit but reaps the benefits of a robust reconstruction with minimal morbidity. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed from July 2012 to February 2018 of our institution's electronic record database. All patients who underwent modified V-Y gluteal fasciocutaneous flaps for perineal defects were included. Patient demographics, comorbidities, and adjunctive therapies as well as outcomes and complications were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 31 patients (51 flaps) were identified with 100% flap survival. The total number of patients with minor complications was 42%, consisting of 4 surgical site infections (13%), 13 cases of dehiscence (42%), and 2 cases requiring return to the operating room for abscess drainage (6%). Importantly, dehiscence was defined as any wound separation, regardless of size, with an average of only 3.8 cm. All healed with conservative management. After foregoing bolstering with synthetic mesh, the complication rate decreased from 67% to 37% (odds ratio, 3.4; P = 0.11). CONCLUSIONS: This modified technique of bilateral fasciocutaneous gluteal V-Y advancement flaps for perineal wound control is a safe and effective method of reconstructing defects.

Arm Contouring in the Massive-Weight-Loss Patient.

Brachioplasty is an increasingly popular procedure performed for improved arm contour in the massive-weight-loss population. There are challenging deformities presented in this population, such as redundant skin, posterior arm lipodystrophy, and loosening of fascial layers of the upper arm and chest wall that must be addressed to achieve successful contour of the arms. Common complications can be minimized with meticulous technique and knowledge of surgical anatomy. Additionally, brachioplasty can be combined with liposuction of the posterior arm as a safe and effective method for arm contouring without a higher risk of complications.

A rare case of a superior lumbar hernia secondary to penetrating injury.

Lumbar hernias are rare occurrences, with only 300 cases reported in the literature. We present a unique case of a superior lumbar hernia secondary to penetrating trauma to the right flank. We performed a herniorrhaphy using porcine mesh, and provided additional support by mobilizing the external oblique and latissimus dorsi into the defect. At follow up three months after repair, the patient was asymptomatic and exam revealed an intact lumbar abdominal wall with normal contour. Although literature displays a consensus on the need for lumbar hernia repair, specific repair techniques must be tailored to defect etiology, size, location, and contents.

Indications and Controversies for Complete and Implant-Enhanced Latissimus Dorsi Breast Reconstructions.

This article describes the use of implant-enhanced and total-autologous latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps in breast reconstruction. It addresses the indications for use of this reconstruction alternative, which have recently been expanded thanks to the advent of high-volume fat grafting. Given its straightforward dissection, reliable vascular pedicle, variety of approaches, and potential for excellent aesthetic results, use of latissimus dorsi flaps may be considered among first-line options in selected patients.