Laser-Assisted Drug Delivery of Tranexamic Acid by Picosecond Laser in Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation: A Split-Area Double Blind Randomized Prospective Study.

Background: Tranexamic acid has been reported to benefit the treatment of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). Laser-assisted drug delivery (LADD) could facilitate the efficacy of topically applied drugs into the dermis. This split-area randomized prospective study aims to assess whether early utilization of the LADD procedure with tranexamic acid delivery followed by picosecond lasers can attenuate the PIH better than the utilization of picosecond lasers alone. Patients and methods: Ten post-traumatic cases of PIH in 10 patients (8 female and 2 male) with an average age of 34.2 ± 11.2 years were included in this clinical trial. Using block randomization to determine the treatment side, one side of each area of the PIH was separated from the midline into two halves belonging to the control and tranexamic acid groups. The half area of the tranexamic acid group was further topically applied with 10% tranexamic acid solution. This procedure was repeated every 6 weeks, four times in total. Results: The self-assessment of the hyperpigmentation and overall satisfaction of the treatment outcome were not significantly different between the treatment and control sides. Conclusions: This split-area study revealed that, compared with picosecond alone, there was no significant difference adopting tranexamic acid in LADD after nonablative fractional picosecond laser for PIH.

Immediate Negative Pressure Wound Therapy After Free Flap Transfer for Head and Neck Cancer Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the outcomes of administering negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in patients immediately following free flap reconstruction after head and neck cancer surgery and radical neck lymph node dissection. The outcomes were compared with those of patients who received conventional wound care (CWC). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for 58 patients with head and neck cancer who underwent free flap reconstruction after tumor ablation and radical neck dissection between February 1, 2016, and October 31, 2016. All reconstructions were performed by the same plastic surgeon. Charts were reviewed for patient demographics, comorbidities, cancer type, operation time, flap type, postoperative drainage volume, complication rates, length of hospital stay, and wound outcomes. RESULTS: No significant difference was observed between patients receiving NPWT and CWC regarding operation time and drainage volume from the vacuum ball. After the application of NPWT, no patients experienced flap failure or developed a wound infection. Significantly fewer patients receiving NPWT developed complications (9.7% vs. 37.0%; P = 0.025) and developed infections (0.0% vs. 14.8%; P = 0.041) compared with those receiving CWC. CONCLUSION: On the basis of fewer associated complications and infections, this study supports the immediate use of NPWT after free flap reconstruction in patients who have undergone head and neck cancer ablation and radical neck lymph node dissection. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4. Laryngoscope, 2478-2482, 2018.

Patterns Associated with Adult Mandibular Fractures in Southern Taiwan-A Cross-Sectional Retrospective Study.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the patterns associated with adult mandibular fractures from a Level-I trauma center in southern Taiwan. Methods: The data of adult trauma patients admitted between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2014 were retrieved from the Trauma Registry System and retrospectively reviewed. Fracture site and cause of injury were categorized into groups for comparison, and corresponding odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained by multivariate logistic regression. Results: Motorcycle accidents were the most common cause of mandibular fractures (76.3%), followed by falls (10.9%), motor vehicle accidents (4.8%), and being struck by/against objects (4.5%). Of the 503 cases of mandibular fractures, the condylar neck and head were the most common sites (32.0%), followed by the parasymphysis (21.7%), symphysis (19.5%), angle and ramus (17.5%), and body (9.3%). The location of mandibular fractures in patients who had motorcycle accidents was similar to that in all patients. Motor vehicle accidents resulted in a significantly higher number of body fractures (OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.24-8.76, p = 0.017) and struck injury in a significantly higher number of angle and ramus fractures (OR 3.9, 95% CI 1.48-10.26, p = 0.006) compared to motorcycle accidents. The helmet-wearing status and body weight were not associated with the location of mandibular fractures in motorcycle accidents. Conclusions: Our study revealed that the anatomic fracture sites of mandible were specifically related to different etiologies. In southern Taiwan, motorcycle accidents accounted for the major cause of mandibular fractures and were associated with the condylar neck and head as the most frequent fracture sites. In contrast, motor vehicle accidents and struck injuries tended to cause more body fracture as well as angle and ramus fracture compared to motorcycle accidents. Furthermore, the status of helmet-wearing and body weight were not associated with the location of mandible fractures caused by motorcycle accidents.