Journal of reconstructive microsurgery最新文献

Background:  The intricacies of nerve regeneration following injury have prompted increased research efforts in recent years, with a primary focus on elucidating regeneration mechanisms and exploring various surgical techniques. While many experimental animals have been used for these investigations, the rat continues to remain the most widely used model due to its cost-effectiveness, accessibility, and resilience against diseases and surgical/anesthetic complications. A comprehensive evaluation of all the experimental rat models available in this context is currently lacking.

Methods:  We summarize rat models of cranial nerves while furnishing descriptions of the intricacies of achieving optimal exposure.

Results:  This review article provides an examination of the technical exposure, potential applications, and the advantages and disadvantages inherent to each cranial nerve model.

Conclusion:  Specifically in the context of cranial nerve injury, numerous studies have utilized different surgical techniques to expose and investigate the cranial nerves in the rat.

Background:  The study aims to investigate the zone of injury for major vessels after high-velocity traumas, as it is unclear whether avoiding vascular structures is necessary during microvascular anastomosis or how long it takes for them to be used again.

Methods:  This study uses Doppler ultrasonography and a rat model to evaluate the histopathological changes and flow velocity of major vessels in the zone of injury after high-velocity trauma with closed femoral bone fracture. Osteosynthesis was performed using an intramedullary wire. Samples were collected from day 3 and week 3. The unaffected contralateral side is used as control.

Results:  Results from arterial and venous flow assessments showed no evidence of ischemia in the extremities. Both arteries and veins were patent in both intervals and on the control side. The evaluation of the vessels showed arterial injury with a slightly reduced arterial flow on day 3 and week 3. The venous flow was slightly reduced on day 3 but not on week 3. Statistically, arterial endothelial injury was higher on day 3 than on week 3 (p = 0.006). Media inflammation was also higher on day 3 (p = 0.06). Arterial endothelization distribution was higher in week 3 (p = 0.006). No significant differences were found in arterial media irregularity, necrosis, platelet aggregation, bleeding, and wall rupture. Venous samples showed no significant differences in any parameter (p < 0.05).

Conclusion:  High-velocity trauma increases the risk of thrombosis in vessels. Intravascular repair can start on day 2 and continue till week 3 with significant endothelization. Although physiologic findings do not alter arterial or venous flow, histologic findings support vessel injuries leading to potential complications. Microsurgery should be considered out of the injury zone until adequate vessel healing is achieved.

Background:  Although the deltoid flap is widely described as a thin flap, no studies have reported on the measurement of its thickness. Thus, this study aimed to measure deltoid flap thickness at different points using brightness-mode ultrasonography and report our initial clinical experience.

Methods:  This study included 36 adults (26 males and 10 females; mean age: 34 years) with 72 healthy deltoid regions. Ultrasonography was employed to measure flap thickness at eight designated positions. The ultrasonography results were also applied clinically in 30 patients to evaluate its compatibility.

Results:  The mean deltoid flap thickness was 5.14 ± 0.81 mm, with the thickest point being the emerging point of the flap pedicle. The subcutaneous fat gradually thinned toward the shoulder. No significant differences in the subcutaneous fat layer thickness were observed between the right and left sides, different ages, or the two sexes. Body mass index was the most critical factor related to flap thickness (p < 0.001). All deltoid free flaps were successfully transferred, resulting in good or excellent final clinical outcomes.

Conclusion:  The ultrasonography results suggest harvesting the deltoid flap upward toward the shoulder area and across the acromion from the emerging position of the flap pedicle to optimize flap thinness. The results showed that besides the flaps that have been clinically well established, the deltoid flap should be considered a valuable alternative for reconstructing limb soft-tissue defects, particularly where thin flaps are required and favorable aesthetic results are crucial.

Background:  Surgical drains are a key component for recovery in breast reconstruction procedures. However, they are often cumbersome and carry a risk of infection with prolonged use. We aimed to develop a more thorough understanding of patient and health care provider perspectives on surgical drains, to inform future efforts in improving the breast reconstruction patient experience.

Methods:  Twenty-nine breast reconstruction patients and eight plastic surgery providers were recruited to complete surveys focused on surgical drains. Likert scales ranging from 1 to 5 were developed to gauge how bothersome drains felt, as well as concern for infection. Ordinal variable and categorical multiple-choice analyses were applied as appropriate.

Results:  Fifteen (51.7%) patients underwent implant-based breast reconstruction, and 14 (48.3%) patients underwent autologous breast reconstruction. The most common duration of drain placement was 2 weeks (N = 13). The surgical site infection (SSI) rate requiring antibiotics was 28% (N = 8). On a scale of 1 to 5, both patients (median = 3) and providers (median = 2.5) viewed drains as bothersome. Patients were "frequently" concerned about infection risk (median = 3). Other high-frequency patient concerns included general pain and discomfort.

Conclusion:  Surgical drains are a common component of breast reconstruction procedures and are viewed as cumbersome by both patients and providers. Patients expressed concerns about drain site pain, discomfort, and tugging on clothing. Patients and providers both believed that drains could contribute to SSI. Overall, these data provide insight to drive future improvements in the patient drain experience.

Background:  There has been increasing emphasis on patient-reported satisfaction as a measure of surgical outcomes. While previous research has investigated factors influencing patient satisfaction following breast reconstruction, there are few studies on how patient satisfaction is impacted by revision procedures. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether elective revisions following breast reconstruction are significantly associated with changes in patient-reported outcomes and quality of life.

Methods:  A retrospective review was conducted of patients who underwent immediate autologous or alloplastic breast reconstruction at a single institution from 2015 to 2021. Patients were included if they had completed BREAST-Q preoperatively, post-initial reconstruction, and post-revision procedures. Patients were excluded if they received adjuvant radiation or if they had previously undergone breast reconstruction procedures. The primary outcome measures were BREAST-Q domains. Demographic, clinical, and surgical variables were also analyzed.

Results:  Of the 123 patients included for analysis, 61 underwent autologous breast reconstruction and 62 underwent alloplastic reconstruction. Mean age was 49.31 ± 11.58 years and body mass index (BMI) was 29.55 ± 5.63 kg/m². Forty-eight patients underwent no revision procedures and 75 patients underwent at least one revision. Between these two groups, there were no differences in age, BMI, complication rates, socioeconomic status, or preoperative BREAST-Q scores. Patients reported significantly higher satisfaction with outcome after their first revision compared with after initial reconstruction alone (p = 0.04). Autologous reconstruction patients who had at least one revision had significantly higher satisfaction with outcome (p = 0.02) and satisfaction with surgeon (p = 0.05) in the 2-year follow-up period compared with patients who had no revisions.

Conclusion:  Revision procedures following autologous breast reconstruction are associated with higher patient satisfaction with outcome. Further research should explore specific factors influencing patient decision-making regarding whether to undergo revisions.

Background:  Postoperative free tissue transfer reexploration procedures are relatively infrequent but associated with increased overall failure rates. This study examines the differences between flaps requiring takeback versus no takeback, as well as trends in reexploration techniques that may increase the odds of successful salvage.

Methods:  A retrospective review was conducted on all free tissue transfers performed at our institution from 2011 to 2022. Patients who underwent flap reexploration within 30 days of the original procedure were compared with a randomly selected control group who underwent free flap procedures without reexploration (1:2 cases to controls). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed.

Results:  From 1,213 free tissue transfers performed in the study period, 187 patients were included in the analysis. Of the total flaps performed, 62 (0.05%) required takeback, and 125 were randomly selected as a control group. Free flap indication, flap type, reconstruction location, and number of venous anastomoses differed significantly between the two groups. Among the reexplored flaps, 8 (4.3% of the total) had a subsequent failure while 54 (87.10%) were salvaged, with significant differences in cause of initial flap failure, affected vessel type, and salvage technique.

Conclusion:  Free tissue transfers least prone to reexploration involved breast reconstruction in patients without predisposition to hypercoagulability or reconstruction history. When takeback operations were required, salvage was more likely in those without microvascular compromise or with an isolated venous injury who required a single exploratory operation.

Background:  Lymphedema can occur in patients undergoing axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) and radiation for breast cancer. Immediate lymphatic reconstruction (ILR) is performed to decrease the risk of lymphedema in patients after ALND. Some patients who ultimately require ALND are candidates for attempted sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) or targeted axillary excision. In those scenarios, ALND can be performed (1) immediately if frozen sections are positive or (2) as a second operation following permanent pathology. The purpose of this study is to evaluate immediate ALND/ILR following positive intraoperative frozen sections to guide surgical decision-making and operative planning.

Methods:  A single-center retrospective review was performed (2019-2022) for breast cancer patients undergoing axillary node surgery with breast reconstruction. Patients were divided into two groups: immediate conversion to ALND/ILR (Group 1) and no immediate conversion to ALND (Group 2). Demographic data and operative time were recorded.

Results:  There were 148 patients who underwent mastectomy, tissue expander (TE) reconstruction, and axillary node surgery. Group 1 included 30 patients who had mastectomy, sentinel node/targeted node biopsy, TE reconstruction, and intraoperative conversion to immediate ALND/ILR. Group 2 had 118 patients who underwent mastectomy with TE reconstruction and SLNB with no ALND or ILR. Operative time for bilateral surgery was 303.1 ± 63.2 minutes in Group 1 compared with 222.6 ± 52.2 minutes in Group 2 (p = 0.001). Operative time in Group 1 patients undergoing unilateral surgery was 252.3 ± 71.6 minutes compared with 171.3 ± 43.2 minutes in Group 2 (p = 0.001).

Conclusion:  Intraoperative frozen section of sentinel/targeted nodes extended operative time by approximately 80 minutes in patients undergoing mastectomy with breast reconstruction and conversion of SLNB to ALND/ILR. Intraoperative conversion to ALND adds unpredictability to the operation as well as additional potentially unaccounted operative time. However, staging ALND requires an additional operation.

Background:  Autologous breast reconstruction (ABR) after mastectomy is increasing due to benefits over implant-based reconstruction. However, free flap reconstruction is not universally offered to patients of advanced age due to perceived increased perioperative risk.

Methods:  Patients undergoing free flap breast reconstruction at our institution from 2005 to 2018 were included. Risk-adjusted logistic regression models were fit while controlling for demographic and comorbid characteristics to determine the association of age with the probability of venous thromboembolism (VTE), delayed healing, skin necrosis, surgical site infection (SSI), seroma, hematoma, hernia, and flap loss. Linear predictions from risk-adjusted logistic regression models were used to create spline curves and determine the risk of outcomes associated with age.

Results:  A cohort of 2,598 patients underwent free flap breast reconstruction in the period examined. The median age was 51 with approximately 9% of patients being 65 or older. Increased age was associated with a greater risk of delayed healing, skin necrosis, and hematoma after surgery. There was no increased risk of medical complications such as VTE or complications such as flap loss, seroma, or SSI.

Conclusion:  A set age cutoff for patients undergoing free flap breast reconstruction does not appear warranted. There is no difference in major surgical complications such as flap loss with increasing age. However, older age does predispose patients to specific wound complications such as hematoma, skin necrosis, and delayed wound healing, which should guide preoperative counseling. Further, medical complications do not increase with advanced age. Overall, however, the safety of ABR in older patients appears uncompromised.

Background:  When free tissue transfer is precluded or undesired, the pedicled trapezius flap is a viable alternative for adults requiring complex head and neck (H&N) defect reconstruction. However, the application of this flap in pediatric reconstruction is underexplored. This systematic review aimed to describe the use of the pedicled trapezius flap and investigate its efficacy in pediatric H&N reconstruction.

Methods:  A systematic review was performed using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Articles describing the trapezius flap for H&N reconstruction in pediatric patients were included. Patient demographics, surgical indications, wound characteristics, flap characteristics, complications, and functional outcomes were abstracted.

Results:  A systematic review identified 22 articles for inclusion. Studies mainly consisted of case reports (n = 11) and case series (n = 8). In total, 67 pedicled trapezius flaps were successfully performed for H&N reconstruction in 63 patients. The most common surgical indications included burn scar contractures (n = 46, 73.0%) and chronic wounds secondary to H&N masses (n = 9, 14.3%). Defects were most commonly located in the neck (n = 28, 41.8%). The mean flap area and arc of rotation were 326.4 ± 241.7 cm² and 157.6 ± 33.2 degrees, respectively. Most flaps were myocutaneous (n = 48, 71.6%) and based on the dorsal scapular artery (n = 32, 47.8%). Complications occurred in 10 (14.9%) flaps. The flap's survival rate was 100% (n = 67). No instances of functional donor site morbidity were reported. The mean follow-up was 2.2 ± 1.8 years.

Conclusion:  This systematic review demonstrated the reliability of the pedicled trapezius flap in pediatric H&N reconstruction, with a low complication rate, no reports of functional donor site morbidity, and a 100% flap survival rate. The flap's substantial surface area, bulk, and arc of rotation contribute to its efficacy in covering soft tissue defects ranging from the proximal neck to the vertex of the scalp. The pedicled trapezius flap is a viable option for pediatric H&N reconstruction.

Background:  Decreased autologous flap vascular perfusion can lead to secondary procedures. Fluorescence angiography during surgery reduces the probability of repeat surgery but suffers from interpretation variability. Recently, the OnLume Avata System was developed, which evaluates real-time vascular perfusion in ambient light. This study aims to predict complications in autologous breast reconstruction using measures of relative intensity (RI) and relative area (RA).

Methods:  Patients undergoing autologous breast reconstruction underwent intraoperative tissue perfusion assessment using the OnLume Avata System. Post-hoc image annotation was completed by labeling areas of the flap interpreted to be "Well Perfused," "Questionably Perfused," and "Under Perfused." RIs and RAs were calculated for the marked areas. Primary complications of interest were overall complication rate, fat and mastectomy skin flap necrosis, and surgical revision. Logistic regression was applied to determine the odds of developing a complication based on RI and RA for each image.

Results:  A total of 25 patients (45 flaps) were included. In total, 17 patients (68%) developed at least one complication. Patients who developed any complication (p = 0.02) or underwent a surgical revision for complications (p = 0.02) had statistically lower RI of under-perfused portions of the flap. Patients with greater areas of under-perfused flap had a significantly higher risk of developing fat necrosis (odds ratio [OR]: 5.71, p = 0.03) and required a revision operation (OR: 1.10, p = 0.01).

Conclusion:  Image-based interpretation using the OnLume Avata System correlated with the risk of developing postoperative complications that standard fluorescence imaging systems may not appreciate. This information can benefit surgeons to improve perfusion assessment and intraoperative decision-making.