Annals of Plastic Surgery最新文献

Background: Collagenase Clostridium histolyticum (CCH) injection, an effective enzymatic fasciotomy treatment for Dupuytren disease (DD), was abruptly withdrawn from the healthcare market outside the United States in 2020. The impact on patients, physicians and hospitals of this helpful surgical alternative no longer being available has been little studied.

Methods: To investigate the impact of the withdrawal of CCH in Japan, we used the National Database Open Data Japan from 2014 to 2020. Published by the government, it contains summary data of the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan. We extracted the numbers of CCH injections with Xiaflex, the product name in Japan, and surgeries identified by "Dupuytren contracture surgery codes." Each treatment was further parsed into one of 12 predefined regions in which it had taken place and by whether it had been delivered on an inpatient or outpatient basis.

Results: From its introduction in 2015, the number of DD patients treated with CCH increased in each successive year, reaching a peak in 2019, while the number of surgeries decreased with time. After the withdrawal in 2020, the number of surgeries increased to 1.5 times the 2019 number notwithstanding the impact of COVID-19, but the total number of patients treated decreased by 43%. In the initial regional analysis, CCH accounted for approximately 40% of all DD treatments in the less populous areas, with the exception of the Tohoku region, and more than 50% in the other regions. By 2019, the share of CCH treatment had increased in all regions. There was no significant correlation between the number of hand surgeons authorized to use CCH and the number of CCH cases within each region.

Conclusions: CCH increased treatment options for patients and surgeons. The withdrawal of this valuable pharmaceutical resulted in an increase in the number of surgeries amidst a decrease in the total number of treatments and lost opportunities for patients.

Background: Policy impacting traditional Medicare beneficiaries may have unintended effects for privately insured patients. After the repeal of a longstanding $1500 outpatient therapy cap in 2018, we aimed to evaluate if this policy change was associated with differences in use of cost of postoperative therapy after common hand surgeries, including carpal tunnel release, trigger finger release, ganglion cyst excision, De Quervain tenosynovitis release, carpometacarpal arthroplasty, and distal radius fracture open reduction/internal fixation or percutaneous pinning.

Methods: The Medicare Supplement and Coordination of Benefits files from Marketscan were used. Frequency of therapy appointments, overall costs, and out-of-pocket costs were obtained. A segmented interrupted time series with Poisson and log-transformed linear regression was performed.

Results: No significant monthly change in odds of therapy use was found in the postpolicy period for patients who underwent trigger finger release, carpal tunnel release, Ganglion cyst excision, De Quervain tenosynovitis release, carpometacarpal arthroplasty, or distal radius fracture, pinning, or open reduction/internal fixation. Overall cost decreased in the postpolicy period by 2% for comprehensive plans (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.03 to -0.01, P < 0.001), by 7% for those with exclusive provider organizations (95% CI: -0.10 to -0.04, P < 0.001), by 1% for HMOs (95% CI: -0.01 to 0.002, P = 0.01), and by 3% for preferred provider organizations (95% CI: -0.03 to -0.02, P < 0.001). In the postpolicy period, no monthly change in out-of-pocket cost was observed for patients with comprehensive, exclusive provider organization, health maintenance organization, preferred provider organization, or point of service with capitation insurance plans.

Conclusions: Patients with employer-sponsored Medicare Advantage plans experienced increased out-of-pocket costs for therapy despite lower net costs. These data highlight an urgent need for policy ensuring that patients benefit when overall costs of care decrease.

Background: In patients who require complex abdominal wall reconstruction (CAWR), the need for a bowel anastomosis could impact procedure choice and outcome. In this retrospective cohort study, we examine the effect of bowel anastomosis on complications and hernia recurrence.

Methods: All patients who underwent CAWR between 2011 and 2021 by the senior author were reviewed in a retrospective cohort analysis. Patients were included if they met the above criteria. Patients were excluded if they did not undergo the above procedure or if they underwent a different procedure simultaneously. Univariate analysis was performed for patients who underwent bowel anastomosis, and multiple variable logistic regression analysis was performed with respect to overall complications.

Results: A total of 264 patients underwent CAWR over a 10-year interval. A total of 41 patients underwent bowel anastomosis (16%), and 223 patients (84%) underwent CAWR without bowel anastomosis. Mean patient age was 55.50 ± 11.55 years. Mean patient body mass index was 32.36 ± 7.31 kg/m 2 . Mean follow-up time was 10.20 months. There was a significant difference in hernia repair etiology, with higher rates of recurrent hernia repair among patients receiving bowel anastomosis (odds ratio, 2.98; 95% confidence interval, 1.49-5.95; P = 0.0018). Acellular dermal matrix was used more frequently in patients who required a bowel anastomosis (odds ratio, 3.74; 95% confidence interval, 1.75-8.00; P = 0.0018). Major and minor complications were also significantly higher in this cohort. Regression analysis for overall complications revealed the presence of bowel anastomosis, fascial repair technique, and follow-up time as independent predictors of overall complications.

Conclusion: Bowel anastomosis performed at the time of CAWR significantly increased the rate of overall and major complications but did not predict hernia recurrence. Plastic surgeons should utilize this information in counseling patients and in deciding the most appropriate hernia repair technique.

Background: Breast cancer survival rates have increased significantly, underscoring the importance of enhancing long-term health-related quality of life. Breast reconstruction following mastectomy has emerged as a common approach that contributes to improved health-related quality of life. Nonetheless, chronic pain following breast reconstruction is a prevalent issue that has a negative impact on overall well-being.

Methods: To examine recent findings on chronic pain after breast reconstruction and progress in pain management, we performed a review of the literature through independent searches using the MEDLINE database within NIH National Library of Medicine PubMed.

Results: The review suggested that autologous reconstruction causes chronic postsurgical pain, especially at specific donor sites, whereas implant-based reconstruction does not seem to increase the risk of chronic pain. Moreover, certain operational and patient factors are also associated with chronic pain. Appropriate pain management can reduce chronic pain and prevent the transition from acute to chronic pain.

Conclusion: This scoping review evaluated the characteristics of long-term chronic pain after breast reconstruction. The findings provide patients with important treatment information and will assist with their decision on their preferred treatment.

Background: Facial feminization surgery (FFS) is an emerging practice that falls under the broader umbrella of gender-affirming surgery. Various approaches exist to feminize the face, yet few published articles describe in detail the techniques of each component procedure. Considering the diversity of interventions employed, the objective of this manuscript is to highlight FFS techniques utilized by the senior author and create a corresponding media gallery.

Methods: All patients with the diagnosis of gender dysphoria that were referred to the senior author for FFS consultation between June 2017 and August 2022 were reviewed. Data were retrospectively collected from electronic medical records according to the institutional review board (IRB)-approved study protocol. Data collected and analyzed included demographics, operative documentation, and postoperative follow-up. Multimedia material was collected intraoperatively and postoperatively.

Results: A total of 231 patients underwent 262 operations with a total of 1224 FFS procedures. The average follow-up time was 7.7 ± 11 months. Out of the 262 operations, 24 (9.2%) patients experienced minor complications, including 3 (1.1%) with wound dehiscence, 13 (5.0%) with hematomas, and 14 (5.3%) with postoperative infection requiring antibiotics. Of those, 3 (1.1%) required a return to the operating room for washout or removal of malar implants.

Conclusion: Although there is a consensus on the fundamental surgical principles to achieve adequate feminization of the facial architecture, the specific techniques to do so differ according to individual practices. As techniques diverge, so do their risk profiles and outcomes; techniques must, thus, align with patients' interventional goals. The material presented here is one of many that can support trainees and junior surgeons as they build a gender-affirming practice.

Abstract: The skin is an intricate network of both neurons and immunocytes, where emerging evidence has indicated that the regulation of neural-inflammatory processes may play a crucial role in mediating wound healing. Disease associated abnormal immunological dysfunction and peripheral neuropathy are implicated in the pathogenesis of wound healing impairment. However, the mechanisms through which neural-inflammatory interactions modulate wound healing remain ambiguous. Understanding the underlying mechanisms may provide novel insights to develop therapeutic devices, which could manipulate neural-inflammatory crosstalk to aid wound healing. This review aims to comprehensively illustrate the neural-inflammatory interactions during different stages of the repair process. Numerous mediators including neuropeptides secreted by the sensory and autonomic nerve fibers and cytokines produced by immunocytes play an essential part during the distinct phases of wound healing.

Objective: This study characterizes the appearance changes associated with aging of the human lower eyelid, grounded in its anatomical basis. Tailored approaches to lower eyelid bag are performed by these anatomical manifestations.

Methods: From January 2017 to January 2023, lower eyelid blepharoplasty was performed on 137 patients, aged 20 to 60 years. These patients were divided into 3 groups according to the periorbital aging appearance, primarily characterized by the presence and location of the "bag" bulge of the lower eyelid. We analyzed the corresponding changes in anatomical structures for each type, which included a weakened fibrous orbital support system, reduced muscle tone, and increased orbital fat. Patients were treated with tailored blepharoplasty techniques according to their classification. All patients in this study ranged in follow-up from 1 to 12 months. With patients' permit, photographs and clinical information were taken to evaluate the preoperative and postoperative outcome.

Results: Our study identified 3 morphologies of the lower eyelid. Type 1 presents a "bubble bag" in the medial and inferior aspect of the lower eyelid. Type 2 features a double convexity contour, with separate fat pad herniations demarcated by fibrous connective tissue. Type 3 exhibits a single convexity with a uniform herniation of fat pads across the entire lower eyelid. We have delineated the anatomical changes associated with each morphology type. With an approach grounded in "remodeling" and "recovery," the surgical treatment targets the fibrous support tissue to improve the outcomes of lower eyelid rejuvenation. No complications occurred. All postoperative results reached both surgeon's and patient's expectations.

Conclusions: Surgeons must recognize the pivotal role of fibrous connective tissues-including the arcuate expansion, fascia of the inferior oblique muscle, and the orbicularis retaining ligament-and endeavor to preserve or reinforce these structures during surgical procedures. An anatomically based surgical approach would more effectively and safely to resist the facial aging process.

Background: Immunosuppressive therapy is essential for to prevent graft rejection in renal transplant patients; however, it is associated with elevating the risk of several pathologies in these patients particularly infectious and neoplastic conditions. In this study, we explore the diagnosis and treatment of skin lesions in renal transplant patients.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of 12 renal transplant recipients referred to plastic and reconstructive surgery with skin lesions from 2000 to 2020 was performed.

Results: The mean age of the 12 patients was 49.6 years. Time to plastic surgery after renal transplantation ranged between 1 and 16 years. Nine cases of basal cell carcinoma, 2 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, and 1 case of skin and soft tissue infection of the lower extremity and cutaneous extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type was observed. Flaps, skin grafts, and artificial dermis grafts constitute the main reconstructive methods. There were no postoperative infections or wound dehiscence.

Conclusions: Cutaneous infections and skin malignancy account for most of the skin lesions developing after renal transplantation. Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder warrants equal attention and should not be disregarded. Early diagnosis and treatment significantly improve prognosis as patients with longer duration of transplant were found to have more aggressive tumors. Plastic and reconstructive surgery offers a safe therapeutic method of treatment in these cases.

Background: The epidemiology of 2 neighboring cities of differing altitude in Northwest China is unknown. The present study investigated the prevalence of rosacea in a high-altitude city and a low-altitude city.

Methods: The prevalence study was conducted via clinical examination of male and female participants in the following age groups: 5-17, 18-30, 31-50, and 51-70 years. Rosacea subtype was also determined as erythematotelangiectatic rosacea (ETTR) or papulopustular rosacea (PPR).

Results: The rosacea prevalence (RP) in the low-altitude city was 33.8% ± 1.2% (95% CI, ETTR = 1794, PPR = 174, n = 5794). RP in the high-altitude city has a notably higher reading of 47.7% ± 1.4% (95% CI, ETTR = 2090, PPR = 219, n = 4796). In both cities, the ETTR subtype predominated, and there was marked increase in RP among females. RP in low-altitude city females was steady across all age groups, while RP in low-altitude city males showed a declining trend with age. RP in high-altitude city females indicated a slightly increasing trend with age, while RP in males again showed a declining trend with age. Based on the results of this high-altitude city and low-altitude city study, there are an estimated 2.1 million people with rosacea, from 2 cities with a total population of 5.4 million.

Conclusions: Due to the high altitude and accompanying increased UV radiation, cold climate, and reduced oxygen density, the greater northwest region of China is expected to experience high RP rates.