Angular nerve: new insights on innervation of the corrugator supercilii and procerus muscles.

BACKGROUND: Elimination of glabellar frown lines by direct denervation of the corrugator and procerus muscles has proven elusive. Furrows often persist after the frontal branch of the facial nerve has been divided. In order to find an explanation for these observations and to provide an anatomic basis for future surgical strategies, the pattern of innervation of these muscles was studied. METHODS: Two separate investigations were performed: (1) cadaveric anatomical dissection in 18 fresh cadaver hemi-faces utilizing loupe magnification, operating microscope, and template tracings; and (2) electrophysiologic testing performed in 12 healthy volunteers utilizing a Viking Ile nerve stimulator (Nicolet, Madison, WI). RESULTS: The corrugator was found to have a dual nerve supply with contributions from branches of the frontal, zygomatic and buccal branches of the facial nerve. The frontal branch passes deep to the orbicularis at the level of the eyebrow; and the buccal branch, after receiving a contribution from the zygomatic, forms the angular nerve, which then passes superiorly in front of the medial canthus to supply both corrugator and procerus. The procerus muscle was found to receive contributions from the angular nerve exclusively. CONCLUSIONS: Procedures designed to denervate the corrugator should be directed at both components of its redundant nerve supply, the frontal branch as well as the angular nerve. Division of the angular nerve will also denervate the procerus muscle. Both frontal nerve branches and angular nerve components are accessible through an upper blepharoplasty incision.

The utility of the VCS clip for creation of vascular access for hemodialysis: long-term results and intraoperative benefits.

UNLABELLED: The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of the VCS vascular clip approximating system for the creation of hemodialysis access fistulas. 173 new vascular accesses were created, 92 prosthetic grafts and 81 autologous fistulas over a 40-month period. 50 sutured and 42 clipped fistulas comprised the prosthetic graft series, and 33 sutured and 48 clipped cases the autologous series. Risk factors associated with access patency were correlated and the primary patencies compared in the suture versus clipped group. A significant improvement in primary patency was noted for the clipped prosthetic group at all time points studied, with a positive trend also noted for clipped autologous fistulae. CONCLUSIONS: The vascular clipping system (the VCS system) provides both long-term and immediate advantages for vascular access construction. Clips have been used successfully to treat seven consecutive patients with upper extremity arterial steal syndrome without the technical difficulties associated with traditional methods of repair.

The incidence of splenectomy is decreasing: lessons learned from trauma experience.

Over the past decade, splenic preservation has become a well-reported and accepted principle in trauma management. The reasons for splenic preservation may have influenced nontraumatic surgical management as well. To investigate the changing incidence and indications for splenectomy, we conducted a 10-year review of all splenectomies at our institution. During this time, between January 1, 1986, and December 31, 1995, 896 patients underwent splenectomy. Hospital charts and records were examined to determine the etiology and incidence of splenectomy. Indications were classified as: 1) trauma, i.e., performed for blunt or penetrating injury; 2) hematologic malignancy, i.e., therapy or staging of underlying leukemia, Hodgkin's lymphoma, or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; 3) cytopenia, i.e., treatment of thrombocytopenia, anemia, or leukopenia; 4) iatrogenic, i.e., injury during another procedure; 5) incidental, i.e., required for adjacent organ resection; 6) portal hypertension, i.e., left-sided portal hypertension or during shunting procedure; 7) diagnostic, i.e., uncertainty excluding hematologic malignancy; or 8) other, i.e., miscellaneous indications. Trauma accounted for 41.5 per cent of all splenectomies during this time period, hematologic malignancy 15.4 per cent, cytopenia 15.6 per cent, incidental 12.3 per cent, iatrogenic 8.1 per cent, portal hypertension 2.3 per cent, diagnostic 2.0 per cent, and other 2.7 per cent. Comparing the first and second 5-year time periods, the following increases/decreases in average annual incidence were noted: splenectomy for all indications, -36.9 per cent; trauma, -32.9 per cent; hematologic malignancy, -51.4 per cent; cytopenia, 35.1 per cent; incidental, -35.9 per cent; iatrogenic, -30.2 per cent; diagnostic, +4.9 per cent, and other, -57 per cent. Traumatic injury to the spleen remains the most common indication for splenectomy, but the incidence has decreased dramatically over the past 10 years. Splenectomies for treatment of hematologic malignancies and cytopenia, as well as incidental and iatrogenic splenectomies, have also decreased significantly. Only the incidence of diagnostic splenectomy has remained stable. Although initiated within the field of trauma, the advantages of splenic preservation now appear to be well recognized beyond that field.