Stigmata: part I. Shame, guilt, and anger.

The aesthetic surgeon may occasionally be consulted by a patient who wishes to discuss what can be done for the scars of self-inflicted wounds on the forearms. These scars are popularly referred to as "hesitation marks" or "suicide gestures." Unlike patients suffering from factitial ulcers or Münchhausen syndrome, these patients will admit to the physician that the scars are the result of self-inflicted wounds. These scars often consist of multiple, parallel, white lines extending up and down the forearms (usually volar surface), with more on the nondominant side. Although the pattern of these scars is apparently what drives these patients to the aesthetic surgeon for relief (because even lay people identify these scars as self-inflicted suicide marks), the authors propose a new and deeper motivation for surgery. Recent experiences with three of these patients resulted in an epiphany that prompted this report. Once the symbolic meaning of these scars was broached, a torrent of thoughts and theories followed. This article will recount these three cases and present a central thesis for this type of self-inflicted injury. A proposal for the proper surgical treatment of this condition will be offered. Uniquely, two of the patients will relate their own stories and propose guidelines and warnings for the aesthetic surgeon.

History of tumescent anesthesia, part I: from American surgical textbooks of the 1920s and 1930s.

The current technique of "tumescent anesthesia," popularized by Dr. Jeffrey A. Klein, has evolved from the developments of local anesthetic agents and various infusion devices over the last 110 years. "Tumescent anesthesia" is really a variation of a much older technique known as "massive infiltration" or "hard infiltration." By 1915 "massive infiltration analgesia with weak analgesic solutions" was a well-developed and widely used form of analgesia. Various pressurized or motorized devices for the propulsion of the solutions, flexible needles, multiple formulas, and many applications of the technique were described and illustrated in several standard American surgical textbooks of the 1920s and 1930s. The goal was to render a large field anesthetic and relatively bloodless by use of only regionally injected solutions. In our current era, Dr. Ed Hamacher et al. and Dr. Klein deserve credit for reintroducing this old technique and for establishing new parameters for lidocaine toxicity. It is important for us to remember that the current technique of "tumescent anesthesia" really evolved over the last 110 years as the synthesis of the ideas of many individuals throughout the world.

An assessment of the ability of various materials to seal furcation canals in molar teeth.

Ninety-seven maxillary and mandibular molar teeth were evaluated for the presence of naturally occurring furcation canals using the fluid filtration method. Only one specimen demonstrated a naturally occurring patent furcation canal. An artificial furcation canal was created with a 0.33-mm drill bit in the 96 teeth lacking naturally occurring furcation canals. Fluid filtration measurements were made before and after the artificial canal was made, and these served as the negative and positive controls for each tooth. The 96 teeth were randomly divided into eight equal groups, and the floor of the pulp chambers was sealed using 3 mm of either Tytin or Dispersalloy amalgams, Vitremer, FluoroCore, gutta-percha with sealer, Tytin with Ali-Bond 2 or Amalgambond, or Dispersalloy with Ali-Bond 2. Analysis of measured microleakage at 3 months indicated that Tytin amalgam used alone had significantly more microleakage than all other materials; however, this difference did not exist when bonding agents were used with Tytin. All materials leaked significantly less than the positive controls.

A comparative evaluation of the safety and contraceptive effectiveness of 65 mg and 100 mg of 90-day norethindrone (NET) injectable microspheres: a multicenter study.

The first of a second generation of slow-release injectable contraceptives is the norethindrone (NET) microspheres with a 90-day duration of action. It was evaluated at 65-mg and 100-mg doses for safety and contraceptive effectiveness in two randomized, single-blind trials among 131 women: 94 women for 12 months and 37 women for 6 months. The 6-month trial included additional evaluations of ovarian function and serum NET values. In the 6-month trial, no indication of ovulation was detected in the 100-mg dose group, while 3 of the 19 women in the 65-mg group showed signs of ovulation (progesterone greater than 3 ng/ml). No pregnancies were reported in the 100-mg group and one pregnancy in the 65-mg group resulted in a life-table pregnancy rate for that dose of 2.6 per 100 woman-years (95% confidence interval, 0 to 7.5). Days of vaginal bleeding were analyzed for 30 days before treatment and in 90-day reference periods after treatment. The mean number of vaginal bleeding and spotting days increased initially after the first injection in both dose groups, but decreased to below baseline in both dose groups after 6 months. The two doses appear comparable in clinical safety, side effects, vaginal bleeding patterns, and laboratory measures. With the preliminary estimate of efficacy, the 65-mg dose would be the minimally effective dose for the NET 90-day injectable contraceptive.

The photography of fluorescein.

The last few years have seen a number of new flaps described and a renewed interest in the use of fluorescein, but there have been few photographs of the fluorescein effect, because special light sources were required with the filters that were employed. The realization that fluorescein can be excited by electromagnetic radiation in the visible range allows a simplified technique in which an ordinary electronic flash unit may serve as the only light source. The photography of fluorescein is not difficult to perform, and since minimal additional equipment is required, all workers who use fluorescein should begin to document their work more accurately and dramatically.