Early Reconstructions of Complex Lower Extremity Battlefield Soft Tissue Wounds.

BACKGROUND: Severe lower extremity trauma as a devastating combat related injury is on the rise and this presents reconstructive surgeons with significant challenges to reach optimal cosmetic and functional outcomes. This study assessed early reconstructions of complex lower extremity battlefield soft tissue wounds. METHODS: This was a prospective case series study of battled field injured patients which was done in the Department of Plastic Surgery, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences hospitals, Tehran, Iran between 2013-2015. In this survey, 73 patients were operated for reconstruction of lower extremity soft tissue defects due to battlefield injuries. RESULTS: Seventy-three patients (65 men, 8 womens) ranging from 21-48 years old (mean: 35 years) were enrolled. Our study showed that early debridement and bone stabilization and later coverage of complex battlefields soft tissue wounds with suitable flaps and grafts of lower extremity were effective method for difficult wounds managements with less amputation and infections. CONCLUSION: Serial debridement and bone stabilization before early soft tissue reconstruction according to reconstructive ladder were shown to be essential steps.

Reconstructions of Small Scalp Defects with Step Flap.

INTRODUCTION: Defects of the scalp arise from several aetiologies including trauma, burn, injury, infection, radiation and surgical excision of tumours. Multiple options for reconstruction of scalp defects exist that included primary closure, skin grafts, local flaps, regional and distal free flaps. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a prospective case-series study, which was carried out in the Department of Plastic Surgery of our Hospital. Step flap was used for small (2.5 cm × 2.5 cm) scalp skin defects reconstructions after skin tumour ablations. In this 2 years study, 15 patients (7 female , 8 male), ranging from 40 to 72 years (mean, 53 years), underwent an operation with local step flap for reconstruction of scalp defects caused by basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma excision. RESULTS: The patients who present with small scalp malignant tumours need complete resection and perfect reconstruction. This study showed that step flap with sufficient releasing was an effective method for reconstruction of small scalp defects due to skin malignancies. We had no case of flap complications such as ischaemia or necrosis. CONCLUSION: We recommend this local flap (z-flap) as a new approach for small scalp defect reconstruction in all areas of hair-bearing scalp.

Medical Ethics in Plastic Surgery: A Mini Review.

Currently, cosmetic surgery is spread around the world. Several factors are involved in this rapidly evolving field such as socio-economic development, changes in cultural norms, globalization and the effects of Western culture, advertising, media, and mental disorders. Nowadays the cosmetic surgery is becoming a profitable business, which deals exclusively with human appearance and less from the perspective of beauty based on physical protests and considering factors such as sex, age, and race. The morality of plastic surgery subspecialty has undergone many moral dilemmas in the past few years. The role of the patient regardless of his unrealistic dreams has questionable ethical dimension. The problem is the loss of human values and replacing them with false values, of pride and glory to a charismatic person of higher status, that may underlie some of the posed ethical dilemmas. Cosmetic surgery has huge difference with the general principle of legal liability in professional orientation, because the objective for cosmetic surgeries is different from common therapeutic purposes. To observe excellence in the medical profession, we should always keep in mind that these service providers, often as a therapist (healer) must maintain a commitment and priority for patient safety and prior to any action, a real apply for this service recipient should be present. Also, patient-physician confidentiality is the cornerstone of medical ethics. In this review, we study the issues addressed and the ways that they can be resolved.

Salient Points in Reconstruction of Nasal Skin after Tumor Ablation with Local Flaps.

OBJECTIVE: A variety of nasal skin reconstruction methods are available to meet the esthetic patient's needs. In this article, we review some of modifications of these procedures and share our experience in reconstruction of different parts of the nasal skin following skin tumor ablation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January 2010 to January 2014, 171 patients underwent nasal skin reconstruction after excising cancerous lesions of the involved nasal skin. The patient's history, pre- and post-operation photographs, and the surgery data were collected and assessed. Demographic data related to the type of cancer, defect size and location, type of reconstruction were collected. RESULTS: A variety of local flaps were used based on location and defect features. Nearly all flaps healed primarily without postsurgical significant complications. CONCLUSION: According to the results and the outcomes of the operations, we concluded that a certain flaps are more effective than others in nasal skin reconstruction. Local flap reconstruction of the nose has good esthetic result with low complication rate.

Warfare-related secondary anterior cranioplasty.

BACKGROUND: Anterior cranial bone defects secondary to global war cranial defects pose a unique reconstructive challenge. The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of alloplastic reconstructions of cranial bone with titanium mesh and fat graft after warfare-related cranial trauma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-five patients at the plastic and reconstructive surgery ward of our hospital underwent anterior cranioplasty with titanium mesh with or without fat grafts from lower abdominal wall. Inclusion criteria were anterior cranial bone defect due to warfare injuries, the mean age of these patients was 31 years (range, 23-48 years). Ninety-five percent were male, and 5% were female. Average follow-up was 12 months. Fat grafts were used to help obliterate endocranial dead spaces. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients (71%) had more than 0.5 cm dead space under cranial defects, and we used fat graft under the titanium mesh. The majority groups of patients (80%) were injured as a result of previous explosive device blasts with or without neurosurgical procedures in the past. The average patient age was 31 years, and 95% of patients were male. The mean anterior cranial defect size was 6 cm × 8 cm, and there were no wound infection or flap necrosis after operations. CONCLUSION: We recommend this procedure (titanium mesh with or without fat graft) for warfare injured cranial defects in secondary anterior cranial reconstructions. Fat grafts eliminates dead space and reduce secondary complications.

Relationship of Moral Sensitivity and Distress Among Physicians.

BACKGROUND: Providing health services is described as an important moral measure, since its major aim is to ensure the welfare of the people who need treatment and care. Moral sensitivity is the ability to identify the existing moral problem and understand the moral consequences of the decisions made on the patient's part. Physicians are always exposed to moral distress due to various circumstances. OBJECTIVES: In this survey, we evaluated moral sensitivity and moral distress among physicians and the relationship of these ethical factors on them. Hence, we assessed y relationship between moral sensitivity and moral distress in physicians will facilitate their sound management so as to provide high-quality and safe health services. Moreover it will confirm proposed theories regarding this subject. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study aimed at investigating the relationship between moral sensitivity and moral distress among 321 specialist physicians working in hospitals affiliated to Tehran Medical Universities in Tehran. The samples were selected through two-stage random cluster sampling method. A three-partite questionnaire comprising of demographic characteristics, moral distress, and moral sensitivity was used for collecting data which then were analyzed using SPSS-20. RESULTS: There was a negative significant relationship between moral sensitivity and moral distress frequency; there was a positive significant relationship between moral sensitivity and moral distress intensity. Participating in medical ethics courses increased moral sensitivity and decreased the frequency of moral distress. CONCLUSIONS: Participating in medical ethics courses increased moral sensitivity and decreased the frequency of moral distress.

Analysis of medical confidentiality from the islamic ethics perspective.

Confidentiality is one of the old rules of the medical profession. While emphasizing the necessity of confidentiality in religious teachings, disclosure of other's secrets to commit sin deserves punishment hereafter known. Today, progress in medical science and invention of new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, as well as the extent of information and disclosure of the secrets of the patients, have provided more than ever. After explaining the concepts and principles of confidentiality in medical ethics, the Islamic-oriented Virtue Ethics, in a comparative review, share the differences in these two sets of ethical review and explain the issue of confidentiality. In professional medical ethics, only the behaviors of health staff are evaluated and moral evaluation of the features cannot be evaluated, but in Islamic ethics, the moral evaluation of the features that are sensual, confidentiality is more stable, without any external supervision will maintain its efficiency.

Different aspects of informed consent in aesthetic surgeries.

Providing an informed consent has an important role in promotion of medical treatments and reduction of judiciary litigations in this process. Today with cultural changes and wide propagation that is usually charming, the request for aesthetic surgery has an increasing trend. These problems with complexity of cosmetic surgeries lead to deeper differences of information between plastic surgeons and patients, so the discussion on giving information to a patient is of great importance. Regarding the elective choice of aesthetic surgeries, there is a need on providing a standard informed consent form. There are some problems on advertisements of aesthetic surgeries by non-plastic surgeons, taking insufficient or incorrect information to the patients affecting the patients' autonomy. In fact, correct operative information should be share with the patients. Probable complications and alternative procedures should be presented to the patient to choose an operative option freely and without any charming. Obtaining a written informed consent can protect researchers and their sponsor institutions from any litigation. Patients with psychiatric problems can not benefit from aesthetic surgery and also they have no competency for giving any informed consent. So psychiatric problems can even worsen the surgical interventions. In this article, fundamentals of plastic surgery to provide an informed consent were reviewed and the legal and ethical considerations were evaluated.

Experience with esthetic reconstruction of complex facial soft tissue trauma: application of the pulsed dye laser.

BACKGROUND: Facial soft tissue injury can be one of the most challenging cases presenting to the plastic surgeon. The life quality and self-esteem of the patients with facial injury may be compromised temporarily or permanently. Immediate reconstruction of most defects leads to better restoration of form and function as well as early rehabilitation. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to present our experience in management of facial soft tissue injuries from different causes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We prospectively studied patients treated by plastic surgeons from 2010 to 2012 suffering from different types of blunt or sharp (penetrating) facial soft tissue injuries to the different areas of the face. All soft tissue injuries were treated primarily. Photography from all patients before, during, and after surgical reconstruction was performed and the results were collected. We used early pulsed dye laser (PDL) post-operatively. RESULTS: In our study, 63 patients including 18 (28.5%) women and 45 (71.5%) men aged 8-70 years (mean 47 years) underwent facial reconstruction due to soft tissue trauma in different parts of the face. Sharp wounds were seen in 15 (23%) patients and blunt trauma lacerations were seen in 52 (77%) patients. Overall, 65% of facial injuries were repaired primary and the remainder were reconstructed with local flaps or skin graft from adjacent tissues. Postoperative PDL therapy done two weeks following surgery for all scars yielded good results in our cases. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of the injury including location, size, and depth of penetration as well as presence of associated injuries can aid in the formulation of a proper surgical plan. We recommend PDL in the early post operation period (two weeks) after suture removal for better aesthetic results.

Moral distress in physicians practicing in hospitals affiliated to medical sciences universities.

BACKGROUND: Researchers have regarded moral distress as a major concern in the health care system. Symptoms associated with moral distress may manifest as frustration, dissatisfaction, and anxiety and may lead to burnout, job leaving, and finally, failure to provide safe and competent care to patients. Proper management of this phenomenon can be fulfilled through study of its causes at different levels of health services and taking necessary measures to solve them. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the status of moral distress in physicians practicing in hospitals affiliated to Medical Sciences Universities in Tehran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out using the Standard Hamric Scale to collect data after modification and evaluation of its reliability and validity. A total of 399 physicians responded to the scale. Data analysis was performed using descriptive and correlation statistics with respect to the variables. RESULTS: Results showed that the frequency of moral distress of physicians was 1.24 ± 0.63 and the intensity of moral distress and composite score of moral distress were 2.14 ± 0.80 and 2.94 ± 2.38, respectively. A significant negative correlation existed between age and frequency and composite score (r = -0.15, P < 0.01 and r = -0.16, P < 0.01, respectively) as well as years of experience and composite score (r = -0.11, P = 0.04). Moral distress composite score in adults specialists was higher than pediatricians (P = 0.002), but lower in physicians participated in medical ethics training courses compared to those not participated. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians may encounter moral distress during their practice; therefore, the common causes of distress should be identified in order to prevent its occurrence.

Upper forehead skin reconstruction with h-flap.

INTRODUCTION: There are several options for forehead defect's reconstructions, including different local flaps, regional flaps, free flaps and skin grafts. We used double opposing rectangular advancement flaps (H-flap) in the upper forehead defects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective case series study that has done in Plastic surgery ward. Of the 10 patients, six were women and four were men, their median age was 61 years (range 50-79 years). Mean follow-up of patients were 15 months and there was no recurrence during this time. We reconstructed forehead after excision of tumours in the same operation. RESULTS: Aesthetic results of H-flap in all cases were great with patient satisfaction according to questionnaire sheets. CONCLUSION: This local flap is a reliable and safe way for upper forehead defects up to 6 cm lengths. Long-term follow up showed inconspicuous scars and good texture and colour match of the reconstructed forehead. We recommend this flap for upper forehead reconstruction in defects between 4 cm and 6 cm. Directions of incisions are parallel to resting skin tension line and length to width of flap considered 2:1 with excision of burrow triangle from both side. We used silicon sheet post operatively for 3 months for better aesthetic results.

Experience with cervicofacial flap in cheek reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: One of the methods for midface soft-tissue defect reconstruction has been the cervicofacial flap. METHODS: Cheek skin defects of 35 patients were reconstructed with cervicofacial flaps. This study was done from 2007 to 2011. Mean follow-up was 24 months. In these patients, tumors including 19 basal cell carcinomas, 11 squamous cell carcinomas, and 5 malignant melanoma were excised, and cheek reconstructions were done by this flap in defects of 5- to 8-cm diameter in 3 zones . We did some modifications in the cervicofacial flap. RESULTS: In our experience, 35 patients aged 30 to 75 years (mean, 53 years), 16 women (46%) and 19 (54%) men, had a reconstruction with cervicofacial flap. Lesions included basal cell carcinoma (n = 19), malignant melanoma (n = 5), and squamous cell carcinoma (n = 11) in the cheek region. We performed periosteal malar bone anchoring suture of the flap in all cases and lateral canthopexy with this flap in 11 cases where lesions were in the suborbital or lateral periorbital region. CONCLUSIONS: Cervicofacial flap with malar bone periosteal anchoring with or without lateral canthopexy is a good aesthetic choice for cheek skin reconstructions.

Morphologic variations of sesamoid cartilages of the nose in Iranian cadavers.

BACKGROUND: Accessory cartilages are small nasal cartilages between the lateral crus and piriform aperture of the nose bilaterally. These cartilages are among the supporting structures of the nasal tip. STUDY DESIGN: This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on Iranian fresh cadavers for evaluation of ethnic differences. Seventy-two sesamoid cartilages in 41 cadavers (mean age 42 years) were dissected to evaluate anatomy and anthropometry of the sesamoid cartilages. Elevation of the dorsal nasal flap after a collumellar incision was done. After the separation of the lower lateral cartilages and sesamoid cartilages on each side, the anatomy and anthropometry of the cartilages were assessed. RESULTS: In 12% (5) of the cadavers there were no sesamoid cartilages, and in 88% (36) of the cadavers there was 1 sesamoid on each side. The shape of the sesamoid cartilages was rectangular in 66% (27) and triangular in 22% (9). The mean length, width, and thickness were 3 mm, 2 mm, and 0.75 mm, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This cartilage was single on each side of the nose and its shape was an irregular rectangle or triangle and has an important role in preserving nasal alar contour and tip projection. These findings confirm ethnic variations in the sesamoid nasal cartilages when this Iranian population is compared with other populations assessed in earlier reports.

Application of modified Rintala flap in nasal tip reconstruction.

INTRODUCTION: For nasal tip reconstruction, we must consider optimal results including color match, good tissue coverage, excellent flap viability, and good aesthetic result. METHODS: In this study, 25 patients who had nasal tip skin tumors were included, and reconstruction of the defects by dorsal nasal advancement flap (Rintala) was done. The advantages and disadvantages of the Rintala flap were described for all patients with nasal tip basal cell carcinoma (BCC). All patients filled out the consent form before reconstruction and tumor surgery. RESULTS: In this study, 25 patients (11 women and 14 men) ranging from 25 to 72 years old (mean, 53 years) underwent operation with dorsal nasal advancement flap (Rintala). Reconstruction of nasal tip defects after complete tumor excision was done with free margin. After sedation analgesia, we used bilateral parallel incision in both sides of the nasal sidewalls from corner to glabellar region; Burow triangles are excised bilaterally in lateral to the base of the flap. CONCLUSIONS: In case of midline tip defects with 1.5 to 2.5 cm in diameter, a modified Rintala flap is a good choice for reconstruction of this difficult area. This is a superiority-based randomized flap that makes an aesthetic nasal tip after tumor excisions without any fear from ischemia or necrosis of the flap.

Anatomic variations found on dissection of depressor septi nasi muscles in cadavers.

OBJECTIVES: To define variations of the depressor septi muscle in Iranians; to provide guidance for modification of this muscle during rhinoplasty in patients with an active muscle and short upper lip; and to correlate our findings with our clinical experience to develop the applied algorithms. METHODS: This study was conducted by dissecting 82 depressor septi nasi muscles in 41 Iranian cadavers. Origin and insertion points of each muscle were studied. RESULTS: Three variations were found in muscle insertion points: periosteal, orbicularis oris, and floating. Forty-four percent of the muscles were inserted into the periosteum of the maxilla (n = 36); 39% of muscles were inserted into the orbicularis oris muscle (n = 32); and 17% were diminutive or floating (n = 14). Periosteal insertion was thicker and stronger than the other variations. In all cadavers, the origin of the muscle was medial crus of alar cartilage and caudal of the nasal septum. CONCLUSIONS: This cadaveric dissection showed that the percentage of depressor septi muscle insertions is not similar to that found in other surveys. In this study, periosteal insertion of the depressor septi muscle was the most common variation.

Experience with reverse sural flap to cover defects of the lower leg and foot.

BACKGROUND: Coverage of traumatic soft-tissue defects in the lower limb is a common procedure. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this prospective case series study was explore the capacity of the perforator-based sural flap in reconstruction surgery of patients with high velocity gunshot wounds in the distal third of the leg and heel pad of the foot. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective case series study was undertaken to assess the sural fasciocutaneous flap carried out in our hospital, from 2010 to 2011. This case series study comprised eight patients, seven men and one woman with an average age of 35 years (19-55) and with a mean follow-up duration of 13 months (6-24 months). All patients had a history of a gunshot wound in distal part of the leg and heel pad of the foot with large soft-tissue defects; treatment was done using the reverse sural flap. RESULTS: We performed reverse sural flaps in eight gunshot patients, to cover the defects of the lower leg and foot. Surgical site infection observed in one patient (12.5%) was treated successfully with antibiotic therapy. The reverse sural flap provided a satisfactory coverage for gunshot defects in all the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Reverse sural flap is a useful and versatile reconstructive method in patients with gunshot wounds of the lower leg and foot.