The microbiologic profile of dacryocystitis.

PURPOSE: Recent studies suggest an increasing incidence of gram-negative bacteria and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in dacryocystitis. Since patients are often treated empirically without culture data, a changing microbiologic profile will markedly affect the success of oral treatment. To provide current guidelines for the treatment of this common condition, we investigated the microbiology and antibiogram of dacryocystitis seen at our institution. METHODS: The charts of all patients presenting with acute and/or chronic dacryocystitis in University Hospital, Newark, from 2007 to 2015 were reviewed. Patient demographics, culture isolates, and in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility data were collected. Additional sensitivity data were obtained from the Sanford Guide to Antimicrobial Therapy. RESULTS: A total of 137 patients were included in the study. Of 205 samples collected, S. aureus was the most commonly isolated organism (46 of 156, 30%) followed by Pseudomonas species (19 of 156, 12%) and Propionibacterium acnes (15 of 156, 10%). Based on sensitivity data, the two oral antibiotics that would have been most effective in this population were levofloxacin and amoxicillin/clavulanate; however, even these antibiotics would have encountered at least one resistant organism in 16% and 32% of patients, and potentially in another 15% and 8% of patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Given the broad range of causative organisms, routine treatment of dacryocystitis with any specific antibiotic may fail in up to one-third of patients. Obtaining a culture at the time empiric antibiotic treatment is initiated can prove extremely valuable when treating patients with dacryocystitis.

An Analysis of Malpractice Litigation and Expert Witnesses in Plastic Surgery.

Objective: Expert witness testimony is crucial for juror decision making. The goals of this study were to examine the trends in malpractice litigation in plastic surgery and to examine the characteristics of expert witnesses in litigation. Methods: The Westlaw legal database was queried for jury verdict and settlement reports related to plastic surgery cases from 2009 to 2015. Cases were examined for expert witness testimony, procedure performed, alleged injury, cause of action, verdict, and indemnity payments. Results: Ninety-three relevant cases were examined. Mean plaintiff award was $1,036,469, whereas mean settlement was $633,960. The most commonly litigated procedures involved breast surgery (34.4%), liposuction (18.3%), and body contouring (14.0%). Cases involving body contouring (risk ratio [RR] = 1.48; 95% CI, 1.04-2.10) were more likely to result in favor of the defendant, whereas cases involving breast surgery (RR = 0.27; 95% CI, 0.13-0.57) were more likely to result in favor of the plaintiff (P < .05). Cases in which there was claimed pain (RR = 1.22; 95% CI, 1.01-1.48) or emotional distress (RR = 1.38; 95% CI, 1.11-1.70) were more likely to result in favor of the plaintiff (P < .05). The party of a lawsuit was more likely to win the case if its expert witness was a plastic surgeon (P < .05). Conclusion: Plastic surgery litigation tends to favor defendants. Most litigation involves breast surgery, liposuction, and body contouring. The type of procedure and alleged claim affect case success. Parties with a plastic surgeon as an expert witness tend to be more successful in litigation.

Pediatric orbital blowout fractures.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The current study reviews the recent literature on pediatric orbital blowout fractures and provides guidelines on their management. RECENT FINDINGS: The most common problem among patients requiring surgical revision of a previously repaired orbital floor fracture is an improperly placed orbital floor implant, usually erroneously placed under the posterior bony ledge. Although the transconjunctival incision can be combined with a lateral canthotomy and cantholysis, excellent surgical exposure can be obtained without the need for these latter relaxing maneuvers. In surgically repaired pediatric orbital blowout fractures with preoperative diplopia (both trapdoor and nontrapdoor), approximately 85% of patients recover completely over time. Delayed orbital tissue atrophy may play a role in the development of late enophthalmos. SUMMARY: Most cases of pediatric orbital fracture can initially be followed conservatively to determine if disabling diplopia, when present, resolves without surgery. A notable exception is the trapdoor fracture, in which herniated tissue becomes entrapped by a recoiled bone fragment, causing marked or complete reduction in motility and/or an oculocardiac reflex; we recommend that these fractures be repaired within 24 h from the time of diagnosis. Enophthalmos resulting from an orbital floor fracture does not need to be prevented with early surgery. Enophthalmos can be allowed to develop over time to determine if it is noticeable, and then repair undertaken, if necessary, at that time. When surgery is indicated, a simple transconjunctival incision is preferred over a cutaneous incision, and care should be taken to insure that the implant is placed on the bony ledge at the posterior edge of the defect. Many children with blowout fractures will not require surgery, and those that do usually have excellent outcomes provided the recommendations are closely followed.

Disproportionate Availability Between Emergency and Elective Hand Coverage: A National Trend?

BACKGROUND: Traumatic hand injuries represent approximately 20% of emergency department visits; yet, access to emergency care remains inadequate. Recent surveys from several states report a wider availability of hand specialists providing elective care than emergency care. The authors aim to examine this phenomenon in the state of New Jersey and whether there is a national trend toward disproportionate availability between emergency and elective hand coverage. METHODS: A survey was conducted of all New Jersey hospitals, excepting university hospitals, in August 2014. To assess the availability of hand surgery coverage, the following questions were asked: (1) Does your hospital provide elective hand surgery? and (2) Is there a hand specialist/surgeon on call always, sometimes, or never? RESULTS: A total of 58 hospitals were called, with a 67.2% response rate (n = 39). The majority (87.2%) of hospitals offered elective hand surgery, whereas only 64.1% provided immediate 24/7 hand coverage. Only 38.5% of hospitals located in the same county as a level I trauma center provided 24/7 emergency hand care, whereas 76.9% of hospitals in counties without any level I trauma center did (P < .05). Cities with a higher poverty level were less likely to provide emergency coverage than cities with a lower poverty level (47.4% vs 80.0%; P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: There is a discrepancy between emergency and elective hand care in New Jersey. Similar findings across the nation suggest a concerning trend of limited access to emergency hand health care. Alternative systems that can appropriately triage and treat patients are warranted.

Shiitake Mushroom Dermatitis: A Review.

Shiitake mushroom dermatitis is a cutaneous reaction caused by the consumption of raw or undercooked shiitake mushrooms. Symptoms include linear erythematous eruptions with papules, papulovesicles or plaques, and severe pruritus. It is likely caused by lentinan, a heat-inactivated beta-glucan polysaccharide. Cases were initially reported in Japan but have now been documented in other Asian countries, North America, South America, and Europe, as this mushroom is now cultivated and consumed worldwide. Shiitake mushroom dermatitis may result from mushroom ingestion or from handling, which can result in an allergic contact dermatitis.

Impact of Subspecialty Fellowship Training on Research Productivity Among Academic Plastic Surgery Faculty in the United States.

PURPOSE: The impact of subspecialty fellowship training on research productivity among academic plastic surgeons is unknown. The authors' aim of this study was to (1) describe the current fellowship representation in academic plastic surgery and (2) evaluate the relationship between h-index and subspecialty fellowship training by experience and type. METHODS: Academic plastic surgery faculty (N = 590) were identified through an Internet-based search of all ACGME-accredited integrated and combined residency programs. Research output was measured by h-index from the Scopus database as well as a number of peer-reviewed publications. The Kruskal-Wallis test, with a subsequent Mann-Whitney U test, was used for statistical analysis to determine correlations. RESULTS: In the United States, 72% (n = 426) of academic plastic surgeons had trained in 1 or more subspecialty fellowship program. Within this cohort, the largest group had completed multiple fellowships (28%), followed by hand (23%), craniofacial (22%), microsurgery (15%), research (8%), cosmetic (3%), burn (2%), and wound healing (0.5%). Higher h-indices correlated with a research fellowship (12.5; P < .01) and multiple fellowships (10.4; P < .01). Craniofacial-trained plastic surgeons demonstrated the next highest h-index (9.8), followed by no fellowship (8.4), microsurgery (8.3), hand (7.7), cosmetic (5.2), and burn (5.1). CONCLUSION: Plastic surgeons with a research fellowship or at least 2 subspecialty fellowships had increased academic productivity compared with their colleagues. Craniofacial-trained physicians also demonstrated a higher marker for academic productivity than multiple other specialties. In this study, we show that the type and number of fellowships influence the h-index and further identification of such variables may help improve academic mentorship and productivity within academic plastic surgery.

Reconstruction of Defects After Fournier Gangrene: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Reconstruction of scrotal defects after Fournier gangrene is often achieved with skin grafts or flaps, but there is no general consensus on the best method of reconstruction or how to approach the exposed testicle. We systematically reviewed the literature addressing methods of reconstruction of Fournier defects after debridement. METHODS: PubMed and Cochrane databases were searched from 1950 to 2013. Inclusion criteria were reconstruction for Fournier defects, patients 18 to 90 years old, and reconstructive complication rates reported as whole numbers or percentages. Exclusion criteria were studies focused on methods of debridement or other phases of care rather than reconstruction, studies with fewer than 5 male patients with Fournier defects, literature reviews, and articles not in English. RESULTS: The initial search yielded 982 studies, which was refined to 16 studies with a total pool of 425 patients. There were 25 (5.9%) patients with defects that healed by secondary intention, 44 (10.4%) with delayed primary closure, 36 (8.5%) with implantation of the testicle in a medial thigh pocket, 6 (1.4%) with loose wound approximation, 96 (22.6%) with skin grafts, 68 (16.0%) with scrotal advancement flaps, 128 (30.1%) with flaps, and 22 (5.2%) with flaps or skin grafts in combination with tissue adhesives. Four outcomes were evaluated: number of patients, defect size, method of reconstruction, and wound-healing complications. CONCLUSIONS: Most reconstructive techniques provide reliable coverage and protection of testicular function with an acceptable cosmetic result. There is no conclusive evidence to support flap coverage of exposed testes rather than skin graft. A reconstructive algorithm is proposed. Skin grafting or flap reconstruction is recommended for defects larger than 50% of the scrotum or extending beyond the scrotum, whereas scrotal advancement flap reconstruction or healing by secondary intention is best for defects confined to less than 50% of the scrotum that cannot be closed primarily without tension.

An incidental finding of pleomorphic adenoma of the minor salivary glands in the skin area of the lower lip.

Salivary gland tumors are uncommonly seen and account for less than 3% of the head and neck tumors. Pleomorphic adenoma is a well-described benign tumor of the salivary glands, originating from myoepithelial and intercalated duct cells. It is most commonly found in major salivary glands. We present a rare and unusual case of pleomorphic adenoma of the minor salivary glands in the lower lip. The tumor was diagnosed upon excision of 1.5 × 1.2 cm(2) well-circumscribed nodule at the junction of the lower lip and chin in a 46-year-old man. The histopathological analysis confirmed presence of an epithelial salivary gland tumor with islands of plasmacytoid cells, and duct-like structures within a variable and mixed stroma.

Differential regulation of full-length genome and a single-stranded 7S DNA along the cell cycle in human mitochondria.

Mammalian mitochondria contain full-length genome and a single-stranded 7S DNA. Although the copy number of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) varies depending on the cell type and also in response to diverse environmental stresses, our understanding of how mtDNA and 7S DNA are maintained and regulated is limited, partly due to lack of reliable in vitro assay systems that reflect the in vivo functionality of mitochondria. Here we report an in vitro assay system to measure synthesis of both mtDNA and 7S DNA under a controllable in vitro condition. With this assay system, we demonstrate that the replication capacity of mitochondria correlates with endogenous copy numbers of mtDNA and 7S DNA. Our study also shows that higher nucleotide concentrations increasingly promote 7S DNA synthesis but not mtDNA synthesis. Consistently, the mitochondrial capacity to synthesize 7S DNA but not mtDNA noticeably varied along the cell cycle, reaching its highest level in S phase. These findings suggest that syntheses of mtDNA and 7S DNA proceed independently and that the mitochondrial capacity to synthesize 7S DNA dynamically changes not only with cell-cycle progression but also in response to varying nucleotide concentrations.