Repair of Pediatric Split Earlobe Deformity With Anterior Straight-Line Closure and Posterior Z-Plasty: Surgical Technique and Review of 26 Cases.

BACKGROUND: Split earlobe deformity typically results from earring-related trauma or, less commonly, from congenital malformation. Several surgical approaches to repair the earlobe have been described, with the goals of reconstructing normal contour of the earlobe, avoiding notching of the free margin, and minimizing scar visibility. METHODS: The authors reviewed 26 consecutive patients who underwent earlobe reconstruction using the senior author's novel technique, which involves anterior straight-line closure paired with a posterior Z-plasty. Baseline demographic characteristics, etiology of split earlobe, follow-up, outcomes, and rate of complications were analyzed. RESULTS: The median age at surgical repair was 8.04 (interquartile range, 4.53-12.84) years. Most patients had acquired split earlobe deformity secondary to trauma. Median follow-up was 86.5 (interquartile range, 29-385.5) days. Only 4 patients had less than satisfactory results, 3 having residual contour abnormality and 1 noting earlobe asymmetry. None of these patients desired revision. No keloid formation, dehiscence, or other postoperative complications were reported. CONCLUSIONS: The authors describe a novel and effective surgical technique that successfully reconstructs split earlobe deformity. This technique minimizes visible scarring with an anterior straight-line repair combined with posterior Z-plasty to avoid notching.

Is Epinephrine Safe for Infant Digit Excision? A Retrospective Review of 402 Polydactyly Excisions in Patients Younger than 6 Months.

BACKGROUND: Conventional dogma suggests that the use of local anesthetic with epinephrine is contraindicated in the digits because of fear of ischemia and necrosis. Although several reports have refuted this notion, the precept is still propagated in many clinical forums. For many years, the authors have used lidocaine with epinephrine to perform removal of postaxial polydactyly in infants and have observed few complications and no cases of digital ischemia or necrosis. This investigation details the authors' outcomes with this anesthetic modality in neonates and supports the growing body of literature documenting the safety of using lidocaine with epinephrine in the digits. METHODS: A retrospective review of all infants younger than 6 months who underwent preaxial and postaxial polydactyly excision and removal of their sequelae of the hand or foot under local anesthesia, from 2011 to 2017, was completed. All demographic characteristics, frequency of complications, and descriptive statistics of the sample clinical group were documented. RESULTS: In the 215 patients who met inclusion criteria, a total of 402 procedures were performed. Mean follow-up was 19.9 months for 140 patients, or 264 procedures (65.7 percent). The total complication rate was 2.6 percent. There were two cases of minor bleeding, one wound dehiscence, and four surgical-site infections. CONCLUSIONS: In 402 procedures of surgical excision of polydactyly in infants, there were few short-term complications, none of which were necrosis or any vascular complication related to the use of epinephrine. The authors believe that, with the use of a low-dose epinephrine injection (1:200,000), the risk for digital infarction is low in this population. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.

Neonatal Compartment Syndrome as a Result of Thromboembolic Event.

Neonatal compartment syndrome is a rare condition characterized by progressive limb ischemia and tissue necrosis manifesting at birth or in the immediate postpartum period. Early recognition of clinical features and immediate surgical intervention offer the best prognosis, but unfamiliarity with this uncommon entity often results in delayed diagnosis and catastrophic consequences, including limb amputation. We present a case in a preterm neonate who developed a proximal arterial thrombus after sustaining limb ischemia in utero. This case demonstrated that even delayed treatment with appropriate therapy can result in salvage of the limb. Clinicians should be aware of the characteristic skin findings and institute appropriate measures to determine the presence or absence of compartment syndrome.

Vagal Stimulation as Result of Pleural Stretch Secondary to Retraction during Internal Mammary Anastomosis.

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Operative Management of Abdominal Wound Dehiscence: Outcomes and Factors Influencing Time to Healing in Patients Undergoing Surgical Debridement With Primary Closure.

INTRODUCTION: Plastic surgeons are often consulted by other surgical teams for management of wound dehiscence following abdominopelvic surgery. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to determine whether operative debridement and primary closure of abdominopelvic wounds are safe and expeditious for patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on a database of patients who underwent operative debridement and closure at a single institution between January 2011 and December 2015 for dehisced abdominal or pelvic wounds acquired from prior obstetric, gynecologic, transplant, plastic, or general surgery procedures. RESULTS: Of the 163 patient records identified, 43 patients met inclusion criteria. The median time from final debridement and primary surgical closure to complete wound healing was 27 days. Time to healing differed significantly by index procedure type (P = .004), with obstetric procedures requiring the shortest median time (12.0 days) and general surgery procedures requiring the longest (39.5 days). Wound healing took 3.6 times longer for patients with diabetes (P = .046) and 11.4 times longer for patients who experienced delayed superficial wound healing or redehiscence (P = .003). Nevertheless, with the exception of 4 patients who died of other causes, all wounds (39/39; 100%) achieved complete wound closure. CONCLUSIONS: Operative debridement and closure of abdominopelvic wound dehiscence through a multidisciplinary team approach with plastic surgery results in expeditious wound healing with minimal complications, and it may be safer and more cost effective than healing by secondary intention.

Reducing Infection Rates in Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction: Impact of an Evidence-based Protocol.

BACKGROUND: Infection is the most significant complication in implant-based breast reconstruction, potentially leading to reconstructive failure. We hypothesized that implementation of an evidence-based protocol marked by preoperative decolonization and sterility optimization would result in a decline in postoperative infection rates. METHODS: Informed by a literature review, we developed an evidence-based, perioperative infection prevention protocol implemented in 2015. Surgical outcomes were compared between patients who had undergone implant-based breast reconstruction before and after protocol implementation. A Fisher exact test was used to compare infection rates before and after protocol implementation. A logistic regression analysis was modeled to evaluate the impact of the protocol on infection rate while controlling for nonmodifiable risk factors. RESULTS: Three hundred fifty-eight breasts underwent reconstruction before protocol implementation and 135 afterward. Patients were similar in terms of demographics and surgical characteristics. There was a significantly reduced incidence of clinically relevant infection after protocol implementation (9.5%-2.9%, P = 0.013). Logistic regression analysis confirmed that the protocol was independently associated with a decrease in infection risk (odds ratio, 0.244; P = 0.021). After protocol implementation, no gram-positive bacteria were isolated among cultures obtained from infected periprosthetic fluid. Radiation and drain duration greater than 21 days were independently associated with greater risk for infection. CONCLUSIONS: Our evidence-based protocol was associated with a significant decline in infection rates among implant-based breast reconstruction patients and was particularly effective for gram-positive infections. We will continue to use this protocol in our practice and will consider future directions for addressing gram-negative infections as well.

Reducing Infectious Complications in Implant Based Breast Reconstruction: Impact of Early Expansion and Prolonged Drain Use.

INTRODUCTION: The most common modality of breast reconstruction continues to be implant based, with infection being the most significant complication. Risk factors including radiation, obesity, and smoking have been associated with infection and other surgical complications. We hypothesized that prolonged drain use may likewise be associated with postoperative complications, particularly infection, and that early postoperative expansion may allow for earlier drain removal and improved outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed to identify all immediate, tissue expander-based breast reconstruction patients using acellular dermal matrix. Time to first expansion, postoperative day (POD) of drain removal, and complication data including infection, seroma, wound separation, and skin necrosis were collected. Early expansion was defined as occurring before POD14, and prolonged drain duration as removal after POD21. Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for complications. Fisher's exact test was used to compare complications between early and late drain removal and early and late expansion. Spearman correlation was used to define the relationship of early expansion and drain duration. RESULTS: Three hundred twenty-three breast reconstructions met inclusion criteria. Our overall infection rate was 11.8%, seroma was 2.2%, skin necrosis 1.9%, and wound separation 4.3%. Logistic regression revealed prolonged drain use as an independent risk factor for infection (odds ratio, 3.3; P = 0.002). Earlier expansion was correlated with earlier post operative drain removal (r = 0.3, P = 0.001) with fewer early expansion patients (7.4%) requiring prolonged drain use than those undergoing late expansion (24.7%). Smoking was also associated with skin flap necrosis (odds ratio, 8.0; P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Prolonged drain use was associated with postoperative infection and may represent an independent source of infection or may be an indicator of delayed healing. Early tissue expansion was associated with earlier drain removal and so may help avoid infectious complications and improve outcomes. Early expansion was not associated with an increase in complications. Results from this study have informed our current drain management practice. Whether this has led to a reduction in our infection rate is a future topic of study.

A surgeon's historical perspective: Dr. Leonard Furlow on the early years of human composite flexor tendon allografts.

"I think that probably convenience is what did in the flexor mechanism allograft," Dr. Leonard Furlow explained in response to why tendon allografts in the 1960s were overshadowed by the Hunter rod, which is still routinely used for flexor tendon reconstruction today. At 83 years old, Dr. Furlow had graciously made the trip from his home in Gainesville, FL up to Charlottesville, VA for a special interview with the Department of Plastic Surgery at the University of Virginia. Furlow is perhaps better known for developing the double-opposing Z-plasty for cleft palate repair, but his interest in hand surgery led to a year in Chapel Hill, NC where he trained with the creator of the flexor mechanism allograft, Dr. Erle E. Peacock, Jr. Through innovative experimental work on flexor tendon reconstruction, Peacock had pioneered the use of fresh composite tendon allografts, which transplant the unscarred synovial space between the tendon and its sheath such that scar formation only occurs outside the sheath. Inspired by our recent research interest in this subject, we asked Dr. Furlow to reflect on his experience with the tendon allograft in the 1960s with the late Dr. Peacock. The picture he painted was of a simple, elegant, and astonishingly successful solution for flexor tendon reconstruction that suffered from a lack of practicality at the time.

Acellular flexor tendon allografts: a new horizon for tendon reconstruction.

Flexor tendon injuries continue to pose a significant challenge to the hand surgeon. In particular, chronic tendon ruptures with adhesions of the tendons and sheath, damage or loss of the intrasynovial flexor tendons in zone II, and combined soft tissue and bone injuries present especially difficult problems for restoring satisfactory digital function. This challenge in flexor tendon reconstruction has motivated hand surgeons to explore and develop novel solutions for nearly a century. Recent advances and techniques in processing and decellularizing allograft human flexor tendon constructs may prove to be a new horizon for tendon reconstruction.

Low degree of formal education and musical experience predict degree of music-induced stress reduction in relatives and friends of patients: a single-center, randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the factors that may predict music-induced relaxation in friends and family of patients in the emergency department. BACKGROUND: It remains unclear to date which demographic and experiential factors predict the effectiveness of music-induced relaxation. Furthermore, in-hospital stressors for friends and family of patients rather than patients themselves are underresearched and deserve in-depth investigation to improve this group's experience in health care environments. METHODS: A total of 169 relatives and friends of patients in the emergency department-waiting area completed a series of questionnaires, including the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Music Experience Questionnaire (MEQ), and a demographic survey. They were then randomly assigned to either Case Group (1 hour in the waiting area with classical music in the background) or Control Group (1 hour with no music) before completing a second, identical copy of the STAI to measure change from baseline. Data were analyzed for associations between music intervention, change in STAI scores, MEQ scores, and demographic characteristics. RESULTS: Participants who underwent the music intervention experienced a 9.8% decrease in overall mean State Anxiety, whereas those in the Control Group experienced no change over time (P = 0.001). Higher education significantly inversely correlated with the effectiveness of music intervention: participants with no formal education beyond high school showed a greater overall mean decrease in State Anxiety than those with a college education or beyond in response to classical music (P = 0.006). Furthermore, MEQ scores indicated that the Social Uplift scale (a measure of one's tendency to be uplifted in a group-oriented manner by music) was highly predictive of the effectiveness of music intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Music is an effective and inexpensive means of reducing anxiety in friends and family of patients, who are underresearched in medicine. Moreover, low educational attainment and tendency to respond positively to music in a group setting can predict the effectiveness of music-induced relaxation.

The impact of music on metabolism.

The study of music and medicine is a rapidly growing field that in the past, has been largely focused on the use of music as a complementary therapy. Increasing interest has been centered on understanding the physiologic mechanisms underlying the effects of music and, more recently, the suggested role of music in modulating metabolic responses. Research has established a role for music in the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, the sympathetic nervous system, and the immune system, which have key functions in the regulation of metabolism and energy balance. More recent findings have shown a role for music in the metabolic recovery from stress, the regulation of gastric and intestinal motility, the moderation of cancer-related gastrointestinal symptoms, and the increase of lipid metabolism and lactic acid clearance during exercise and postexercise recovery. The purpose of this article is to summarize the most current understanding of the mechanisms by which music affects the metabolic responses in the context of potential applications.