Surgical practices of cosmetic breast augmentation by implants among 411 French plastic surgeons.

INTRODUCTION: Breast augmentation is one of the most frequently performed cosmetic surgeries in the world. However, there is no standardized surgical procedure for performing breast augmentation. Many modalities exist for this surgery which may explain why practices vary greatly from one surgeon to another. The aim of this study was to evaluate current practices of breast augmentation by implant in France and changes in practices among French plastic surgeons. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This observational study was conducted between February 2020 and January 2021. An online questionnaire with 62 questions was sent to 729 French plastic surgeons. The questions concerned: the population of surgeons interviewed, pre-operative aspects, surgical technique and post-operative management. RESULTS: 411 plastic surgeons responded, 5.1% of surgeons impose a nicotine screening test on patients. 99.76% and 95.59% reported that they used silicone gel implants and round prostheses. All used smooth or micro-textured shells. The inframammary approach was the most used by 66.2% of plastic surgeons. The implants placed were between 250 and 300 cc on average and were mainly placed in "Dual plane" by 42% of surgeons. In order to reduce bacterial contamination, 26% of surgeons soaked the implants in a povidone-iodine solution and 23% used an insertion sleeve. The most frequent early complication was hematoma, while capsular contracture was a late complication. CONCLUSION: This study provides new data on current surgical practices of breast augmentation in France, allowing more informed choices and opening up perspectives for more standardized practices in the future.

[Dorsal skin defect: What solutions exist?] / Perte de substance cutanée médiane du dos : quelles solutions s'offrent à nous ?

Dorsal subcutaneous or cutaneous defects can be of multiple origin: tumor, congenital malformation, trauma, chronic radiodermitis ulceration, parting of sutures or spine surgery infection, pressure sore, etc. Wound healing of these defects can be really difficult to obtain with simple processes, such as direct sutures or skingrafts, and often implies skin flap surgery. The rarity of recipients vessels from the dorsal area makes free flaps surgery harduous. Various local or locoregional back cover solutions are available: muscular or musculocutaneous flaps (latissimus dorsi, trapezius muscle, spinal muscles, gluteus maximus), perforator flaps (DICAP, DLICAP, SCAP and IGAP…), random flaps. These flaps are really useful and must be mastered in order to propose the best-suited cover solution for each patient after a precise evaluation of their medical and clinical background. Our study, based on the Literature and some clinical cases, aims to draw up a complete table of local, locoregional and microsurgical coverage solutions by anatomical area for median and paramedian back wound defects and thus to produce a decisional algorithm facilitating our care.

Coverage losses of substance in the shoulder.

Losses of substance of the shoulder are less common than elsewhere in the upper limb. They arise essentially from tumors (sarcomas), infectious diseases (hidradenitis) or traumatic events, (burns). The objectives of reconstruction depend on whether the losses of substance are located on the curve of the shoulder or in the axillary area. There exist numerous regional solutions, including perforator, propeller, pedicled and free flaps. The donor region may be the thorax (latissimus dorsi, serratus anterior), the back (trapezium, scapular or subscapular flaps, occipito-cervico-thoracic flap), the anterior surface of the thorax (pectoralis major or minor, supraclavicular, perforators of the acromiothoracic artery, delto-pectoral flap) or arm (brachial lateral or medial). Multitissular reconstructions are also possible in regional and pedicled form, as well as microanastomosed flaps in exceptional conditions.