Treatment of Stage 4 Pressure Injuries With Autologous Heterogenous Skin Construct: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Background: Pressure injuries (PIs) are a challenging problem in health care affecting 2.5 million people per year in the US, with 60,000 deaths directly attributed to PIs annually. Surgical closure is the treatment of choice for stage 3 and 4 PIs, but with complication rates of 59% to 73%, less invasive and more effective treatments are needed. Autologous heterogeneous skin construct (AHSC) is a novel autograft made from a small full-thickness harvest of healthy skin. This single-center retrospective cohort study sought to determine the effectiveness of AHSC in the treatment of recalcitrant stage 4 pressure injuries. Methods: All data were collected retrospectively. The primary efficacy outcome was complete wound closure. Secondary efficacy outcomes included percent area reduction, percent volume reduction, and coverage of exposed structures. Results: Seventeen patients with 22 wounds were treated with AHSC. Complete closure was achieved in 50% of patients in a mean time of 146 (SD ± 93) days, and the percent area and volume reductions were 69% and 81%, respectively. A 95% volume reduction was achieved in 68.2% of patients at a mean time of 106 (SD ± 83) days, and critical structures were fully covered in 95% of patients in a mean time of 33 (SD ± 19) days. After AHSC treatment, there was a mean decrease of 1.65 hospital admissions (P = .001), 20.92 hospital days (P < .001), and 2.36 operative procedures per year (P < 0.001). Conclusions: AHSC demonstrated the ability to cover exposed structures, restore wound volume, and achieve durable wound closure in chronic refractory stage 4 PIs with better closure and recurrence rates than current surgical and nonsurgical treatments. AHSC represents a minimally invasive alternative to reconstructive flap surgery that preserves future reconstructive options while minimizing donor-site morbidity and promoting improved patient health.

Traction-assisted Internal Negative Pressure Wound Therapy With Bridging Retention Sutures to Facilitate Staged Closure of High-risk Wounds Under Tension.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Loss of domain often complicates attempts at delayed wound closure in regions of high tension. Wound temporization with traction-assisted internal negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), using bridging retention sutures, can minimize the effects of edema and elastic recoil that contribute to progressive tissue retraction over time. The investigators evaluated the safety and efficacy of this technique for complex wound closure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between May 2015 and November 2015, 18 consecutive patients underwent staged reconstruction of complex and/or contaminated soft tissue defects utilizing either conventional NPWT or modified NPWT with instillation and continuous dermatotraction via bridging retention sutures. Instillation of antimicrobial solution was reserved for wounds containing infected/exposed hardware or prosthetic devices. Demographic data, wound characteristics, reconstructive outcomes, and complications were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Eighteen wounds were treated with traction-assisted internal NPWT using the conventional (n = 11) or modified instillation (n = 7) technique. Defects involved the lower extremity (n = 14), trunk (n = 3), and proximal upper extremity (n = 1), with positive cultures identified in 12 wounds (67%). Therapy continued for 3 to 8 days (mean, 4.3 days), resulting in an average wound surface area reduction of 78% (149 cm² vs. 33 cm²) at definitive closure. Seventeen wounds (94%) were closed directly, whereas the remaining defect required coverage with a local muscle flap and skin graft. At final follow-up (mean, 12 months), 89% of wounds remained closed. In 2 patients with delayed, recurrent periprosthetic infection (mean, 7.5 weeks), serial debridement/hardware removal mandated free tissue transfer for composite defect reconstruction. CONCLUSION: Traction-assisted internal NPWT provides a safe and effective alternative to reduce wound burden and facilitate definitive closure in cases where delayed reconstruction of high-tension wounds is planned.

Assessing Patient-Reported Outcomes Following Orthognathic Surgery and Osseous Genioplasty.

Primary outcomes for orthognathic surgery and genioplasty patients include satisfaction with appearance, improved motor function, and enhanced quality of life. The goal of this study was to assess outcomes among patients undergoing these procedures, and to highlight the potential use of FACE-Q instrument for use in patients with dentofacial deformities. A total of 56 patients presenting for orthognathic surgery and/or osseous genioplasty completed the FACE-Q during preoperative and/or at postoperative visits. FACE-Q scores increased following surgery in satisfaction with facial appearance overall (+24.5, P < 0.01), satisfaction with lower face and jawline (+40.7, P < 0.01), and in all satisfaction with chin items (profile, prominence, shape, and overall). Patients also demonstrated increased social confidence (+8.9, P = 0.29). There was no improvement in psychologic well-being (-0.8, P = 0.92). All 3 surgical groups of patients experienced gains in satisfaction with appearance following surgery. Patients who underwent orthognathic surgery either alone or in combination with genioplasty demonstrated statistically significant improvements in satisfaction with facial appearance overall (P < 0.01 for both groups), whereas patients who underwent genioplasty alone did not (P = 0.13). In addition, patients who underwent orthognathic surgery combined with genioplasty demonstrated greater improvement in satisfaction with chin than patients who underwent genioplasty alone. In conclusion, patients who underwent orthognathic surgery and/or genioplasty demonstrated improvement in appearance and social confidence. The use of this model supports the successful outcomes possible for patients undergoing these procedures.

Assessing Demographic Differences in Patient-Perceived Improvement in Facial Appearance and Quality of Life Following Rhinoplasty.

BACKGROUND: As rhinoplasty patient demographics evolve, surgeons must consider the impact of demographics on patient satisfaction. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to identify independent demographic predictors of differences in satisfaction with appearance and quality of life following rhinoplasty utilizing the FACE-Q patient-reported outcome instrument. METHODS: Patients presenting for rhinoplasty completed the following FACE-Q scales: Satisfaction with Facial Appearance, Satisfaction with Nose, Social Function, and Psychological Well-being. Higher FACE-Q scores indicate greater satisfaction with appearance or superior quality of life. Pre- and post-treatment scores were compared in the context of patient demographics. RESULTS: The scales were completed by 59 patients. Women demonstrated statistically significant improvements in Satisfaction with Facial Appearance and quality of life while men only experienced significant improvement in Satisfaction with Facial appearance. Caucasians demonstrated statistically significant improvement in Satisfaction with Facial Appearance and quality of life while non-Caucasians did not. Patients younger than 35 years old were more likely to experience enhanced Satisfaction with Facial Appearance and quality of life compared with patients older than 35 years old. Patients with income ≥$100,000 were more likely to experience significant increases in Satisfaction with Facial Appearance and quality of life than patients with incomes <$100,000. CONCLUSIONS: In an objective study using a validated patient-reported outcome instrument, the authors were able to quantify differences in the clinically meaningful change in perception of appearance and quality of life that rhinoplasty patients gain based on demographic variables. The authors also demonstrated that these variables are potential predictors of differences in satisfaction.

Periorbital Mohs reconstruction: characterization of tumor histology, anatomic location, and factors influencing postoperative complications.

BACKGROUND: When addressing skin malignancies of the periorbita, it is important to limit the excision of healthy tissue and preserve normal anatomic features while minimizing complications. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify perioperative risk factors associated with postoperative complications in a single-surgeon cohort. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of consecutive patients who underwent periorbital Mohs reconstruction by a single surgeon at a teaching institution from 2008 to 2012. Demographics, patient and tumor characteristics, reconstructive technique, and postoperative complications were reviewed. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify perioperative risk factors associated with postoperative complications. RESULTS: A total of 135 patients met the inclusion criteria. Local tissue rearrangement was performed for 74% of reconstructions, followed by full-thickness skin graft (FTSG) (20%) and cheek rotational flap (6%). Complications occurred in 23% of reconstructions, and 19% of complications required secondary surgery. Two variables were significantly associated with primary complications (p < .05): FTSG (p = .0017) and lid graft donor site (p = .0006). Reconstruction of a multisubunit defect trended toward a significant association with complications (p = .1005). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that FTSG and lid graft, in particular, result in a higher overall rate of complications when controlling for defect size.