[Diagnosing and treating tuberous breast deformity].

Tuberous breast deformity is a relatively rare breast anomaly, manifesting during puberty. Patients usually complain of small breasts, asymmetry or dissatisfaction with the shape of the breast. Objectively, patients present with reduced breast base, displaced inframammary fold, hypoplasia, asymmetry, ptosis and areola herniation. The surgical options are multiple, and either one- or two-stage procedures can be planned, using expanders, implants, "unfurling", lipografting or a combination of these. Surgical treatment leads to a high degree of patient satisfaction and low complication rates.

Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in plastic surgery: a survey of the practice in Denmark.

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism is a well-documented complication of surgery, including plastic surgery. However, few consensus guidelines on thromboembolism prophylaxis exist in plastic surgery and, thus, the different approaches in the public as well as the private clinics in Denmark were investigated using a web-based survey. METHODS: Forty-two clinics were contacted and 45% responded. RESULTS: The collected data reveals a lack of consensus in plastic surgery in Denmark, not only regarding the use of mechanical and chemical prophylaxis, but also which type of prophylaxis to apply, the duration of prophylaxis, and how to risk stratify the patients. CONCLUSION: The development of a guideline, based on plastic surgical data, using a validated risk assessment model, which combines the surgical risk with the patient related risk and recommends guidelines for mechanical as well as chemoprophylaxis is advised.

[Local anaesthesia with vasoconstrictor is safe to use in areas with end-arteries in fingers, toes, noses and ears].

For decades the commonly held belief that local anaesthesia (LA) with vasoconstrictor can cause necrosis in end-arteries has been sustained by medical teachers, text books and clinical practice. This literature review, identifying 24 articles investigating the use of LA with epinephrine in fingers, toes, noses and ears, including more than 15,000 patients, finds no evidence to support this belief. No case of necrosis has been reported since the introduction of commercial lidocaine with epinephrine in 1948. This review concludes that it is safe to use lidocaine with adrenaline in end-arteries.

[Knowledge and perceptions of complementary and alternative medicine among medical students in Copenhagen]. / Københavnske medicinstuderendes kendskab og holdninger til komplementaer og alternativ medicin.

INTRODUCTION: Medical faculties worldwide are integrating courses on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), accepting that knowledge of population's health behaviour, including CAM, increases physicians' ability to communicate, council and treat their patients. The aim of this survey was to assess attitudes towards and knowledge of CAM, and to determine if medical students at the University of Copenhagen perceived a need for education on CAM. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Self-administered questionnaires were distributed among 508 students on 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th semester. A total of 470 questionnaires were included. RESULTS: In all, 94% reported knowledge of one or more CAM modalities, 34% reported knowledge of more than five. Most were acquainted with, had tried and would recommend the modalities herbal medicine/supplements, acupuncture and reflexology. Females were more CAM-positive than males and older students were less positive than the aggregate average. The students showed poor knowledge of the general population's use of CAM. CONCLUSION: A surprisingly large part of the medical students in Copenhagen reported knowledge and use of CAM compared with other countries, and with the general population, and the students are generally positive towards CAM. The majority agrees that physicians need to possess basic knowledge of CAM, and that courses on CAM should form part of the curriculum.