[Advantages of piezoelectric technology in rhinoplasty]. / Vorteile der Piezo-Technologie in der Rhinoplastik.

BACKGROUND: Facial plastic and reconstructive surgery requires delicate, atraumatic handling of cartilage, bone and the surrounding soft tissue. Piezoelectric instrumentation (PEI) has previously been shown to be a precise and safe surgical instrument in rhinoplasty. It offers good preservation of surrounding soft tissue and high cutting precision and thus a good surgical applicability in rhinoplasty. OBJECTIVE: This article presents experiences using PEI for cartilage preparation and modelling for various indications in facial plastic surgery. The use of PEI in rhinoplasty, its safety and preciseness were evaluated and postoperative results are discussed with respect to facial swelling and bruising. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 35 patients undergoing rhinoplasty and follow-up. Surgery was conducted by two expert surgeons in rhinoplasty in the department of otorhinolaryngology at the University Clinic of LMU Munich. Surgical performance of PEI in comparison with conventional instruments was evaluated by a customized questionnaire. The postoperative assessment of pain, facial swelling and bruising was documented. RESULTS: This article presents the different options for the use of PEI in rhinoplasty. In bone modelling procedures, such as hump removal, osteotomy and bony fixations, PEI was evaluated as being superior to conventional instruments. Intraoperative bleeding was reduced, which led to reduced facial swelling and/or bruising. Postoperative pain assessment showed no or only mild pain in two thirds of the patients. CONCLUSION: The results show that PEI enables a safe and very precise operation. Further development of surgical inserts will enable new surgical steps and facilitate the handling.

Use of a fibrinogen-thrombin sponge in rhinoplasty.

BACKGROUND: Although several methods have been described to address nasal dorsum augmentation and smoothing of irregularities in rhinoplasty, establishing the ideal method has proven controversial. OBJECTIVE: Here, we introduce a novel technique of cartilage grafting for nasal dorsum augmentation by wrapping cartilage in a fibrinogen- and thrombin-coated collagen patch called TachoSil®. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a pilot study comprising ten cases, the use of the collagen patch was examined in various indications in rhinoplasty. Patients were clinically monitored for up to 8 months and photometric and sonographic documentation was performed pre- and postoperatively. RESULTS: In nine patients, the collagen patch was used for fixation of cartilage grafts in different indications: saddle nose deformities (n = 5), open roof (n = 1), nasal dorsum irregularities (n = 3). A diced cartilage graft enclosed by a bilayer of TachoSil® was applied in seven patients. Solid pieces of cartilage were either embedded in a bilayer of the collagen patch (n = 1) or covered by a monolayer (n = 1). Moreover, the collagen patch alone served as a soft tissue support in one patient with thin skin. Six patients were revision cases. All patients had uneventful healing without adverse events such as allergic reactions and infections. CONCLUSION: The collagen patch TachoSil® is eligible for various indications in rhinoplasty. It is a useful material predominantly for nasal dorsum augmentation by sandwiching diced or solid cartilage in the collagen patch, leading to better graft fixation and precise profile shaping. At the same time, TachoSil® helps with blood control. Follow-up studies will be performed to assess the material's long-term behavior.

Duodenal fistula after reconstruction of the inferior vena cava with an externally stented PTFE graft.

Reconstructions of the inferior vena cava with externally stented grafts may result in erosion and fistulation into an adjacent intestinal segment. Paraprosthetic infection may cause intravascular thrombosis and dissemination of septic thrombi.

Civilian popliteal artery trauma.

An 18 year experience involved 36 civilian popliteal artery injuries is described. There were no operative or hospital deaths and the amputation rate was 3.6%. Penetrating traumas accounted for 30.6% and blunt traumas for 69.4%. In 20 patients (55.5%) the popliteal artery injury was associated with fracture and/or dislocation of the long bones and/or the knee joint. The average ischaemic time was 7.3 hours and postoperative angiography was performed in 25 patients (69.4%). Surgical reconstruction of the popliteal artery was accomplished by interposition or bypass of autogenous saphenous vein graft in 29 (80.5%), by saphenous vein patch in 5 (13.9%) and by primary end-to-end anastomosis in 1 (2.8%) and by PTFE prosthesis in 1 patient (2.8%). In all cases with bone fracture and/or dislocation bone stabilization was followed by the vascular procedure. The average time of follow-up was 76 months, 28 patients could be evaluated in the postoperative study: in 25 (89.2%) the reconstruction was patent, in 3 (10.8%) occluded. In 13 patients (46.4%) there was a complete success, 7 had a nerve deficit (25.0%), 3 had a claudication (10.7%), in one patient an amputation was necessary (3.6%) and 4 (14.3%) suffered from miscellaneous skeletal problems. Of the 36 patients originally operated, 29 (80.5%) received anticoagulant therapy for at least one year.

[Considerations on direct magnification in radiology]. / Considerazioni sull'ingrandimento diretto in radiologia.

Magnification in mammography is changing for the worse if the goal is to show objects (microcalcifications) which are smaller or of the same size as the focal spot of the x-ray tube. A radiograph without intensifying screens offers more information than a standard screen-film mammography. Magnification yields an easier visibility of microcalcifications larger in size than the focal spot; there are the disadvantages of the microfocal tube. With the intensifying screens now in use the most profitable focal spot size in mammography seems to be 0.4-0.6 mm.