Multiorganizational consensus to define guiding principles for perioperative pain management in patients with chronic pain, preoperative opioid tolerance, or substance use disorder.

Significant knowledge gaps exist in the perioperative pain management of patients with a history of chronic pain, substance use disorder, and/or opioid tolerance as highlighted in the US Health and Human Services Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force 2019 report. The report emphasized the challenges of caring for these populations and the need for multidisciplinary care and a comprehensive approach. Such care requires stakeholder alignment across multiple specialties and care settings. With the intention of codifying this alignment into a reliable and efficient processes, a consortium of 15 professional healthcare societies was convened in a year-long modified Delphi consensus process and summit. This process produced seven guiding principles for the perioperative care of patients with chronic pain, substance use disorder, and/or preoperative opioid tolerance. These principles provide a framework and direction for future improvement in the optimization and care of 'complex' patients as they undergo surgical procedures.

Telemedicine and Plastic Surgery: Principles from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Health Policy Committee.

SUMMARY: In the wake of the recent coronavirus disease of 2019 public health emergency, care delivery by means of telemedicine using audiovisual virtual platforms has become an important tool for patient communication. There are many logistic, medicolegal, and practical aspects of telemedicine that should be considered by the practicing plastic surgeon. Successful virtual patient interactions require an understanding of medical licensure requirements to perform telemedicine visits in a certain region. In addition, it is imperative to be familiar with specific liability and malpractice concerns, in addition to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act regulations before conducting electronic visits. During consultations, providers should be aware of proper physician conduct and the potential role of chaperones. Furthermore, appropriate visit documentation, in addition to telemedicine billing and coding, has to be ensured. Lastly, plastic surgeons should adhere to the rules of controlled substance prescription by means of telemedicine platforms. This article describes these salient topics surrounding telemedicine visits that are faced by plastic surgeons and discusses strategies to optimize and ensure safe use of virtual platforms.

Complex abdominal wall hernias: a new classification system and approach to management based on review of 133 consecutive patients.

BACKGROUND: Plastic surgeons are increasingly involved in the repair of complex ventral hernias. Although this typically involves recurrent incisional hernias, operative strategies can be applied to most abdominal wall defects, including chronic wounds with or without exposed mesh, enterocutaneous fistulas, or hernias associated with significant pannus formation. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of a single institution/single surgeon experience of complex ventral hernia repair performed over a 5-year period. Patients were classified into different hernia types based on their characteristics and underwent hernia repair according to the presented algorithm. RESULTS: A total of 133 patients underwent a complex ventral hernia repair between January 2005 and September 2009. The separation of components technique was used in the majority of cases. Permanent or biologic mesh was added in select patients. Adjunctive procedures were performed as indicated. The majority of short-term (less than 1 year) recurrences occurred in patients expected to have impaired wound healing due to comorbid conditions. In these patients, the recurrence rate was reduced when autologous repair was reinforced with mesh. CONCLUSION: Autologous tissue is the preferred method for reconstruction of complex ventral hernias. In certain instances, such as contamination, use of an acellular dermal matrix mesh is added as a temporizing measure. A subset of patients who will be prone to recurrence remains. Long-term follow-up is needed to confirm reliable and reproducible results.

Calcium-dependent signaling in Dupuytren's disease.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies suggest that Dupuytren's disease is caused by fibroblast and myofibroblast contractility. Cell contractility in smooth muscle cells is caused by calcium-dependent and calcium-independent signaling mechanisms. In the calcium-dependent pathway, calcium/calmodulin activates myosin light chain kinase (MLCK). In this study, the effects of calcium/calmodulin inhibition with the FDA-approved drug fluphenazine on Dupuytren's fibroblast contractility and MLCK expression were tested. METHODS: Fibroblast lines from the palmar fascia of patients with Dupuytren's disease were explanted and used for in vitro study. The effect of fluphenazine on Dupuytren's fibroblast migration was determined using a scratch migration assay, and contractility was determined using fibroblast-populated collagen lattice (FPCL) assays. Immunohistochemical staining of MLCK in different samples of Dupuytren's tissue and normal fascia were compared. RESULTS: Fluphenazine demonstrated a dose-dependent inhibition of Dupuytren's fibroblast migration, with the maximum inhibition of migration observed at 20 µM (69.8 ± 1.9%). Fluphenazine also inhibited FPCL contraction in a dose-dependent manner. Maximal inhibition was observed at a fluphenazine concentration of 20 µM (52.5 ± 6.1%). Immunohistological staining illustrated that MLCK was predominantly expressed throughout the cytoplasm of select fibroblasts within Dupuytren's nodules, yet was absent in the fibroblasts of Dupuytren's cords and normal palmar fascia. CONCLUSIONS: Fluphenazine inhibits Dupuytren's fibroblast contractility and migration through inhibition of MLCK in vitro. However, the inconsistent expression of MLCK throughout Dupuytren's tissue suggests that calcium-dependent signaling may not be a primary mode of contracture formation. Fluphenazine inhibition of MLCK is not likely to be a target for the treatment of Dupuytren's disease.

Total scapholunate dislocation with complete scaphoid extrusion: case report.

A case of complete dislocation of the lunate and scaphoid resulting from a fall is reported. We are unaware of any previously reported case of simultaneous dislocation with the scaphoid completely extruded from the wrist at the time of injury. The patient was treated with a proximal row carpectomy.

Evaluation and management of pediatric hand injuries resulting from exercise machines.

Traumatic injury to the hand in the pediatric population unfortunately remains common in the spectrum of accidental injuries sustained in this population. This is particularly true regarding stationary exercise equipment. The popularity of home exercise equipment continues to rise in the United States, particularly stationary bicycles and treadmills. Additional safety mechanisms are required to prevent the anticipated increase in the number of hand injuries to children as a result of these machines. The aim of this paper was to review the incidence and management of pediatric hand injuries sustained as a result of stationary exercise equipment in the home, in addition to increasing awareness of these types of injuries.

Delayed primary closure in damage control laparotomy: the value of the Wittmann patch.

Damage control laparotomy has become an accepted practice in trauma surgery. A number of methods leading to delayed primary closure of the abdomen have been advocated; complications are recognized with all these methods. The approach to staged repair using the Wittmann patch (Star Surgical Inc., Burlington, WI) combines the advantages of planned relaparotomy and open management, while minimizing the rate of complications. The authors hypothesized that use of the Wittmann patch would lead to a high rate of delayed primary closure of the abdomen. The patch consists of two sheets sutured to the abdominal fascia, providing for temporary closure. Advancement of the patch and abdominal exploration can be done at bedside. When the fascial edges can be reapproximated without tension, abdominal closure is performed. Twenty-six patients underwent staged abdominal closure during the study period. All were initially managed with intravenous bag closure. Eighty-three per cent (20 of 24) went on to delayed primary closure of the abdomen, with a mean time of 13.1 days from patch placement to delayed primary closure. The rate of closure using the Wittmann patch is equivalent to other commonly used methods and should be considered when managing patients with abdominal compartment syndrome or severe abdominal trauma.

Blunt handlebar injury of the common femoral artery: a case report.

Bicycle handlebar-related blunt trauma to the femoral vessels with resulting arterial injury has been described previously. However, significant injury to the ileofemoral tree with underlying arterial occlusive disease in the face of handlebar-related trauma has not been reported. We present the case of an all-terrain vehicle accident with isolated injury to the common femoral artery in a patient with underlying atherosclerotic disease.