Make Your Own Deep Inferior Epigastric Artery Perforator Flap: Perforator Delay Improves Deep Inferior Epigastric Artery Perforator Flap Reliability.

Abdominal-based autologous breast reconstruction remains a conflict between blood supply and donor site complication. Optimizing esthetics and minimizing recovery and postoperative pain add further complexity. We present a 2-stage technique of deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap reconstruction to (1) reliably harvest single-vessel flaps while minimizing fat necrosis, (2) decrease abdominal wall morbidity, and (3) improve breast and donor site esthetics. METHODS: Female subjects presenting between August 2017 and January 2019 to the senior surgeon for abdominal-based breast reconstruction were included. After mastectomy, the subjects underwent subcutaneous placement of tissue expanders and in situ selection of a low, centrally located perforator based on preoperative computed tomographic angiography imaging through an infraumbilical "T" incision with ligation of all other perforators and superficial system. Subjects underwent tissue expander explant and flap transfer at a second stage. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-five subjects undergoing 215 free flaps met criteria. Mean age and body mass index were 52.1 years and 29.3 kg/m2, respectively. Seven perforator complications (3.3%) occurred with 2 (0.9%) total and 5 (2.3%) partial flap losses. There were 20 (14.8%) readmissions and 26 (19.3%) reoperations. Breast complications included arterial thrombosis (0.5%), venous congestion (1.9%), and fat necrosis (5.1%). The mastectomy skin flap necrosis rate decreased from 14.9% to 2.3% following staged reconstruction. Abdominal donor site complications included delayed healing (11.1%), seroma (5.9%), and hematoma (2.2%). CONCLUSIONS: The 2-stage delayed deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap technique represents a safe, efficacious modality to allow for reliable harvest of single-vessel flaps with low rates of fat necrosis while improving donor site esthetics and morbidity.

Lymphovenous Anastomosis for the Treatment of Chylothorax in Infants: A Novel Microsurgical Approach to a Devastating Problem.

With the expanding horizon of microsurgical techniques, novel treatment strategies for lymphatic abnormalities are increasingly reported. Described in this article is the first reported use of lymphovenous anastomosis surgery to manage recalcitrant chylothoraces in infants. Chylothorax is an increasingly common postoperative complication after pediatric cardiac surgery, with a reported incidence of up to 9.2 percent in infants. Although conservative nutritional therapy has a reported 70 percent success rate in this patient population, failed conservative management leading to persistent chylothorax is associated with a significant risk of multisystem complications and mortality. Once conservative medical strategies are deemed unsuccessful, surgical or radiologic interventions, such as percutaneous thoracic duct embolization or ligation, are often attempted. However, these procedures lack high-level evidence in the infant population and remain a challenge, given the small size of the lymphatic vessels. As such, we report our experience with performing lymphovenous anastomoses in two infants who had developed refractory chylothoraces secondary to thoracic duct injury following cardiac surgery for congenital cardiac anomalies. In addition, this article reviews the relevant pathophysiology of chylothoraces, current treatment algorithm following failed conservative management, and potential role of the microsurgeon in the multidisciplinary management of this life-threatening problem. As part of the evolving microsurgery frontier, physiologic operations, such as lymphovenous anastomosis, may have a considerable role in the management of refractory pediatric chylothoraces. In our experience, lymphovenous anastomosis can restore normal lymphatic circulation within 1 to 2 weeks, liberate patients from mechanical ventilation, and enable expeditious return to enteral feeding. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, V.

5000 Free Flaps and Counting: A 10-Year Review of a Single Academic Institution's Microsurgical Development and Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The establishment of an effective clinical and academic culture within an institution is a multifactorial process. This process is cultivated by dynamic elements such as recruitment of an accomplished and diverse faculty, patient geographic outreach, clinical outcomes research, and fundamental support from all levels of an institution. This study reviews the academic evolution of a single academic plastic surgery practice, and summarizes a 10-year experience of microsurgical development, clinical outcomes, and academic productivity. METHODS: A 10-year retrospective institutional review was performed from fiscal years 2006 to 2016. Microsurgical flap type and operative volume were measured across all microsurgery faculty and participating hospitals. Microvascular compromise and flap salvage rates were noted for the six highest volume surgeons. Univariate and multivariable predictors of flap salvage were determined. RESULTS: The 5000th flap was performed in December of 2015 within this institutional study period. Looking at the six highest volume surgeons, free flaps were examined for microvascular compromise, with an institutional mean take-back rate of 1.53 percent and flap loss rate of 0.55 percent across all participating hospitals. Overall, 74.4 percent of cases were breast flaps, and the remaining cases were extremity and head and neck flaps. CONCLUSIONS: Focused faculty and trainee recruitment has resulted in an academically and clinically productive practice. Collaboration among faculty, staff, and residents contributes to continual learning, innovation, and quality patient care. This established framework, constructed based on experience, offers a workable and reproducible model for other academic plastic surgery institutions. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.

Geographic Variation in Access to Plastic Surgeons.

INTRODUCTION: While recent studies project a national shortage of plastic surgeons, there may currently exist areas within the United States with few plastic surgeons. We conducted this study to describe the current geographic distribution of the plastic surgery workforce across the United States. METHODS: Using the 2013 to 2014 Area Health Resource File, we estimated the number of plastic surgeons at the health service area (HSA) level in 2010 and 2012. The density of plastic surgeons was calculated as a ratio per 100,000 population. The HSAs were grouped by plastic surgeon density, and population characteristics were compared across subgroups. Characteristics of HSAs with increases and decreases in plastic surgeon density were also compared. RESULTS: The final sample included 949 HSAs with a total population of 313,989,954 people. As of 2012, there were an estimated 7600 plastic surgeons, resulting in a national ratio of 2.42 plastic surgeons/100,000 population. However, over 25 million people lived in 468 HSAs (49.3%) without a plastic surgeon, whereas 106 million people lived in 82 HSAs (8.6%) with 3.0 or more/100,000 population. Plastic surgeons were more likely to be distributed in HSAs where a higher percentage of the population was younger than 65 years, female, and residing in urban areas. Between 2010 and 2012, 11 HSAs without a plastic surgeon increased density, whereas 15 HSAs lost all plastic surgeons. CONCLUSIONS: Plastic surgeons are asymmetrically distributed across the United States leaving over 25 million people without geographic access to the specialty. This distribution tends to adversely impact older and rural populations.

Complex wound management in ventricular assist device (VAD) patients: the role of aggressive debridement and vascularized soft tissue coverage.

BACKGROUND: Infections and complex wounds after ventricular assist device (VAD) placement can result in significant morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to evaluate complex wound management in the VAD patient, and to describe a treatment protocol for these challenging and potentially mortal complications. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed to examine all patients who underwent continuous flow, second-generation VAD placement at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania between March 2008 and April 2013. RESULTS: Overall, 150 VADs were placed, with 12 (8%) patients requiring 15 operative interventions by the plastic surgery services. The most common indication for operative intervention was a complicated wound with VAD exposure (5/12, 41.7%). All patients underwent aggressive operative debridement, and 11/12 (92%) underwent vascularized soft tissue coverage. Flaps commonly utilized included rectus abdominus myocutaneous (n = 4), rectus abdominus muscle (n = 4), pectoralis major (n = 3), and omentum (n = 3). Three patients experienced complications which required a return to the operating room, including 1 flap loss, 1 hematoma, and 1 wound dehiscence requiring further soft tissue coverage. Salvage was achieved, yet a 50% mortality rate in follow-up was noted. CONCLUSION: Complex wound management in VAD patients can be achieved with aggressive debridement and vascularized soft tissue coverage, most commonly utilizing well-vascularized rectus abdominus muscle or omental flaps. Plastic surgeons should be familiar with the armamentarium at their disposal when approaching these challenging cases as VAD wound complications stand to become an increasingly prevalent issue.

Medicinal leeches for surgically uncorrectable venous congestion after free flap breast reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Free tissue transfer is an accepted method for breast reconstruction. Surgically uncorrectable venous congestion is a rare but real occurrence after these procedures. Here, we report our experience with the management of surgically uncorrectable venous congestion after free flap breast reconstruction using medicinal leech therapy. METHODS: We queried our prospectively maintained institutional database for all patients with venous congestion after free flap breast reconstruction since 2005. Chart review was performed for all patients having post-operative venous congestion. We compared patients with surgically correctable venous congestion and surgically uncorrectable venous congestion requiring medicinal leech therapy. RESULTS: Twenty-three patients had post-operative venous congestion, and four of these patients were surgically uncorrectable requiring medicinal leech therapy. Patients who required leech therapy had lower hemoglobin nadirs, received more blood transfusions, and received a higher number of total units of red blood cells than patients who did not require leech therapy. Among four patients who required leech therapy, one flap was partially salvaged and three flaps were completely lost. Leech therapy was associated with higher total flap loss rates (75.0% vs. 42.1%) and longer length of stay (8.0 ± 3.6 days vs. 6.5 ± 2.1 days) when compared to non-leeched flaps. These differences were not statistically significant (P = 0.32 and P = 0.43, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with surgically uncorrectable venous congestion after free flap breast reconstruction, total flap loss is common despite leech therapy. When venous congestion cannot be corrected, total flap removal may be a better option than attempted salvage with leech therapy.