Use of Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy With Instillation and Dwell Time: An Overview.

SUMMARY: The use of negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has become an established therapy for wound management. There have been many advancements in the technology of NPWT including NPWT with instillation and dwell (NPWTi-d). NPWTi-d promotes wound healing by wound cleansing, irrigation, and nonexcisional debridement. NPWTi-d has been shown in comparative clinical studies to decrease the time to definitive wound healing and length of hospitalization. NPWTi-d-using a reticulated open-cell foam dressing with "through" holes (ROCF-CC)-has been postulated to facilitate solubilization, detachment, and elimination of infectious materials, such as slough and thick exudate, before or after operative debridement, and in cases where surgical debridement is not an option. The authors provide an overview on the use of NPWTi-d by reviewing the components of the system, proposed mechanism of action, clinical outcomes, and current consensus guidelines for its utilization.

Revisiting the musculocutaneous external oblique flap as a versatile alternative in large thoracic wall defects.

BACKGROUND: The external oblique myocutaneous flap has been previously described for reconstruction of chest-thoracic wall defects smaller than 400-500 cm2. However, it is utilized less often than workhorse flaps such as the omental, pectoralis, rectus abdominis, and latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps as many plastic surgeons are not aware that the flap can cover larger areas than previously documented. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a 57-year-old female tobacco user who underwent a resection of a grade 3 breast angiosarcoma resulting in a high left chest wall soft tissue defect approximating 900 cm2. The patient underwent an external oblique myocutaneous pedicle flap reconstruction of the defect, most notably in anticipation of postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy. No gross flap complications and or patient impairment were noted. Thirteen months status post flap reconstruction, the patient underwent an aortic valve replacement requiring re-elevation of the same flap for exposure. The flap demonstrated excellent viability during the procedure and postoperatively. CONCLUSION: The pedicled external oblique myocutaneous flap should be considered when reconstructing larger high chest wall defects when other more common flaps used in chest reconstruction may not be indicated. The external oblique myocutaneous flap is an excellent tool in the armamentarium of any reconstructive surgeon; it is a straightforward and versatile flap that can be safely and reliably used in durable reconstruction of defects of the chest wall and covers defects larger than previously described in the literature.

A Case Review of Wound Bed Preparation in an Infected Venous Leg Ulcer Utilizing Novel Reticulated Open Cell Foam Dressing with Through Holes during Negative Pressure Wound Therapy with Instillation.

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) and venous leg ulcers (VLUs) have major financial implications for patients and healthcare professionals. VLUs, in particular, require significant care, can be slow to heal, and have a high rate of recurrence. These factors combine to make VLUs a major burden on the healthcare system. Recent estimates show that the cost of treatment of VLUs per patient in the United States is $10,000 to $12,000 per year, with the average lifetime cost of care greater than $40,000. Infected VLUs often require surgical debridement for the removal of bacterial burden and biofilm. The use of negative pressure wound therapy with instillation and dwell (NPWTi-d) has shown to decrease OR visits, length of hospitalization, and therapy days in lower extremity and trunk wounds. In 2017, a novel reticulated open cell foam dressing with through holes (ROCF-CC) was introduced as a dressing option with NPWTi-d. ROCF-CC assists in removing thick wound exudate and infectious materials. This dressing option is especially helpful for wound cleansing when debridement is not possible or appropriate in patients.

Free tissue transfer: comparison of outcomes between university hospitals and community hospitals.

BACKGROUND: In university hospitals, free tissue transfer has become a standard method of reconstruction for a broad spectrum of defects. Because of its complexity, free tissue transfer has not been routinely performed in a community hospital setting. This study reports the outcomes of two equal groups of free tissue transfer performed by the same surgeons, comparing the university versus the community hospital setting. METHODS: A total of 735 free tissue transfers were performed at one university hospital and six community hospitals in our region over a 10-year study period. Outcome parameters used in this study included wound complications such as infection, dehiscence, delayed healing, hematoma, and fat necrosis. RESULTS: A total of 674 operations were performed using 735 free tissue transfers: 386 free tissue transfers were performed at the university hospital (53 percent) and 349 (47 percent) were performed at the community hospital. Categories of free tissue transfer reconstruction included breast, lower extremity, head and neck, and upper extremity reconstructions. Most of the breast reconstructions were performed in the community hospital, whereas most of the lower extremity and head and neck reconstructions were performed at the university hospital. Fifty-one major postoperative complications occurred in the university hospital (14 percent), while 31 (10 percent) occurred in the community hospital. Complication rates did not differ significantly between settings; however, there was a trend toward more wound infections in the university hospital and more cases of fat necrosis in the community hospital, most likely reflected in the differing case mix between hospital settings. CONCLUSION: Free tissue transfer is an effective and practical method of reconstruction that has been safely performed in both university and community hospital settings.

TRAM flap breast reconstruction for patients with advanced breast disease.

Transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) breast reconstruction in patients with advanced breast cancer is controversial. Management of these patients is often complex and consists of surgical extirpation, postoperative radiation, chemotherapy, and in some cases bone marrow transplantation. Few studies have attempted to examine patient long-term survival and overall satisfaction with the surgical procedure. This study examines one center's experience with patients undergoing breast reconstruction for stage III and stage IV breast carcinoma. A retrospective review was performed of all patients undergoing TRAM reconstruction with stage III or IV breast cancer. Surviving patients and family members were contacted for follow-up. Patients were asked to grade their satisfaction with the reconstructive procedure on a 5-point scale (5 points, extremely satisfied; 1 point, extremely dissatisfied). Postoperative complications and time to return to work were also recorded. During a 10-year period (1991-2000) 21 women underwent TRAM reconstruction for advanced breast cancer. Twenty patients had stage III disease and 1 patient had stage IV disease. Mean patient age was 49 years. A total of 26 TRAM flaps were performed; 5 patients had bilateral procedures. Of the 26 TRAM flaps, 17 were immediate and 9 were delayed, and 20 were free and 6 were pedicled. Follow-up averaged 6.5 years (range, 2-10 years). Postoperative complications occurred in 7 patients and included fat necrosis (N = 3), hematoma (N = 2), cellulitis (N = 1), delayed donor site healing (N = 2), and seroma (N = 1). There were no flap losses. Patients were able to return to normal activities or work at an average of 10.6 weeks. Eleven patients developed recurrent disease. Nine patients (43%) succumbed to their disease during the follow-up period. In these patients the average interval between TRAM reconstruction and death was 3.7 years (range, 1-6.5 years). Eleven patients or surviving family members participated in the patient satisfaction survey. The average satisfaction grade was 4.6 points. All patients would repeat the TRAM reconstruction again. Patients with advanced breast cancer can be considered appropriate candidates for TRAM reconstruction. The results of this study indicate that patients with advanced breast cancer do not have an increased rate of postoperative complications, and they recover within a reasonable time from their surgical procedure despite adjuvant radiation and chemotherapy. Furthermore, the majority of patients are satisfied with their reconstructed breast and postoperative course, and would choose this reconstructive option again.

An outcome analysis comparing the thoracodorsal and internal mammary vessels as recipient sites for microvascular breast reconstruction: a prospective study of 100 patients.

The thoracodorsal vessels have been the standard recipient vessels for the majority of surgeons performing free transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) flap reconstructions. Recently, the internal mammary vessels have been recommended as the first-choice recipient vessels for microvascular breast reconstruction. This approach requires a shorter pedicle length, allows for central placement of flap tissue, and avoids axillary scarring. The use of the internal mammary vessels may provide for a shorter operative time and a higher-quality aesthetic reconstruction. The authors performed a prospective trial examining the differences in operative and aesthetic outcomes between each recipient site. A prospective trial of 108 consecutive free-tissue transfers was conducted in 100 patients. The first 60 TRAM flap patients were randomized so that 30 flaps were anastomosed to the internal mammary vessels and 30 were anastomosed to the thoracodorsal vessels, whereas the recipient vessels for the remaining 40 patients were left to the discretion of the surgeon. Of the 40 nonrandomized patients, 10 patients underwent reconstruction using the internal mammary vessels and 30 patients underwent reconstruction using the thoracodorsal vessels. The patients' medical history and hospital course were noted. To evaluate aesthetic outcome, a group of five blinded nonmedical observers and three blinded plastic surgeons graded the reconstructions in the 60 TRAM flap patients for symmetry and overall aesthetic result on a scale of 1 to 5. Blinded practitioners administered postoperative questionnaires to patients regarding recovery time and satisfaction with the aesthetic result. Forty-three flaps were transferred to the internal mammary vessels and 65 were transferred to the thoracodorsal vessels. No significant differences existed between groups with regard to age of preoperative risk factors. Average operative time was 6 hours in each group. Average hospital stay was 5.8 days in each group. Conversion from initial recipient vessel to a secondary recipient site occurred in 12.5 percent of internal mammary reconstructions and 7 percent of thoracodorsal reconstructions. All converted internal mammary cases occurred in left-sided reconstructions and were attributable to problems with the veins. Overall, 20 percent of left-sided internal mammary reconstructions were found to have an inadequate recipient vein. Unusable thoracodorsal vessels were found only in delayed reconstructions, at a rate of 15 percent in the delayed setting. All flaps from converted procedures survived without complications. Average follow-up was 20 months, during which time there was one flap loss in the thoracodorsal group. There were no significant differences in complication rates between groups. Average aesthetic grade was 3.6 in each group. Postoperative recovery time and overall patient satisfaction were not significantly different between groups. Either recipient site can provide for a safe and acceptable result; however, surgeons should be aware of conversion rates and plan appropriately if recipient vessels appear unusable for free-tissue transfer.