British journal of plastic surgery最新文献

Reconstruction of the vagina has always been a formidable surgical challenge. A variety of procedures with varying degrees of success have been described, but none has proved to be the ideal method. We have done 15 vaginal reconstructions using labia minora flaps. In the first eight patients, we used two labia minora flaps and sutured them together to create a neovagina. In the last eight patients this new technique of vaginoplasty using horse shoe labia minora flap was used. The neovagina is dilated gradually for a period of 3 months and at the end of 3 months the patient has an adequate sized vagina. All were done for vaginal agenesis.

Horse shoe flap vaginoplasty in Mayer, Rokitansky–Kuster–Hauser syndrome is a new technique. The entire hairless skin within the labia majora is used to create a neovagina. Both the labia minora along with the prepucial skin of the clitoris is elevated as a single flap thereby increasing the dimension of the Neovagina and also augmenting the blood supply of the flap, making it more reliable and finally the design simplifies the technique of suturing the neovaginal tube.

Blasius designed the first orbitonasolabial flap in 1842, which has since, been reshaped by many other surgeons.

Three years ago, we were confronted with a difficult reconstructive case where ipsilateral local flaps were insufficient to cover a huge defect of the periorbital region. We performed 11 cadaver dissections to determine the type of vascularisation of the orbitonasolabial flap and to define its arc of rotation prior to contralateral use. This contralateral orbitonasolabial flap was subsequently applied to seven cases with satisfactory results.

Keloid disease (KD) is a fibroproliferative dermal tumour of unknown aetiology. The increased familial clustering in KD, its increased prevalence in certain races and its presence in identical twins suggest a strong genetic predisposition to keloid formation. Transforming growth factor beta isoforms (TGFβ) play a central role in wound healing and fibrosis and have been implicated in KD pathogenesis. Recent data has suggested that TGFβ₃ has an important role in scar formation. There is little known about the genetic variation present within the TGFβ₃ gene, which contains seven exons and six introns spanning 43 000 base pairs of the human genome. Exons one to seven and the promoter region (1000 bp upstream from exon 1 in the 5′-flanking regions) were screened in 95 Caucasian KD cases and 95 Caucasian controls for the presence of novel mutations using a high throughput DHPLC mutation detection technology. There were no mutations identified in any of the exonic regions, however, multiple nondisease associated mutations were found in the promoter region of the TGFβ₃ gene. These data demonstrate that there is no association between the exonic and promoter regions of TGFβ₃ gene and keloid scarring in our cohort of Caucasian patients.

Neurofibromatosis of the orbitopalpebral complex is a debilitating disease. The development of safe craniofacial surgical technique has greatly improved outcome in the surgical palliation of this progressive condition, and various centres have reported their experience. Extensive upper eyelid neurofibroma creates a functional and aesthetic problem, which is inadequately addressed in the literature. The experience of the senior author (DM) representing the treatment of 27 such patients is currently reported. The stigmata of eyelid neurofibromatosis were scored retrospectively by a novel scale applied to standardised photographs at patient presentation. A numeric severity score was given to each of: upper eyelid ptosis, canthal malposition, and oculo-palpebral diastasis. Disease progression and post-operative result were similarly scored at various stages follow-up photography. All patients underwent a full thickness, transverse or transverse-oblique resection of upper eyelid disease, with immediate levator reconstruction and canthopexies as necessary. A mean improvement of 3.33 points was achieved in the majority of patients (median one operation per patient; mean 1.5, range 1–3). Secondary eyelid procedures (n=9 pts) represented tumour debulking, canthopexy, or procedures to deepen the fornix in patients with prostheses. This series demonstrates that a tailored, often radical palpebral remodelling in orbitopalpebral neurofibromatosis may provide functional and aesthetic benefit.

We describe a case of chondrosarcoma of the sternum requiring wide full thickness chest wall excision thereby creating a difficult defect for reconstruction. A mesh was used for support and two extended deep inferior epigastric artery fasciocutaneous flaps were mobilised medially into the defect.

The purpose of this study was to investigate how different amounts of visual assessment information influence the recommended treatment for velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI). Is a patient presented with videofluoroscopy (VF) in lateral projection recommended the same treatment as when frontal projection, nasoendoscopy, or both, are added?

Retrospective material with video recorded assessment of VPI was blinded and copied in random order. Each patient was then presented in four separate combinations: VF in lateral projection; VF in lateral and frontal projection; VF in lateral projection and nasoendoscopy; and VF in lateral and frontal projection and nasoendoscopy (all of the available assessment material). The cleft palate team of Göteborg, Sweden, mutually rated velopharyngeal function and recommended action based on the presented material.

Subjects

Nineteen consecutive patients (median age 7:5 years, range 4:4–19:7) investigated with VF in lateral and frontal projection and nasoendoscopy during 1997–99 at the cleft palate centre in Göteborg, Sweden. Post operative assessments were excluded. Percent agreement and Kappa calculations were used to compare the different combinations of parts of information to all of the available information.

Results

Thirteen of the 19 patients (68%) were recommended the same action regardless of the amount of presented information. Percent agreement (Kappa) between parts and all of the available information: VF in lateral projection 84% (0.75), VF in lateral and frontal projection 79% (0.74), and VF in lateral projection and nasoendoscopy 84% (0.72).

Conclusions

VF in lateral projection is recommended to be the first step in visualising velopharyngeal function, and nasoendoscopy the next when further investigation is required.

Regional silicone gel migration from a ruptured breast implant has been reported at different locations including the upper extremity, chest wall muscles, axilla and back.

We report a patient who presented with an axillary mass that mimicked a regional recurrence 5 years after breast cancer reconstruction with a latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap and silicon gel expander-prosthesis. Surgical exploration revealed that the mass contained silicone gel around the port of the breast expander that had ruptured. The mass was confluent with an intracapsular silicone leak through a tract along the tube of the expander port.

Moving a misplaced nipple-areola complex (NAC) without causing additional scarring has proved to be difficult, especially if it is to be moved medially, laterally or inferiorly.

This study investigated the possibility of migrating the NAC without leaving additional scarring by using the technique of serial excision.

Two adult female pigs were used. Three pairs of pseudo-areolas of similar size were tattooed around a teat in each pig. Crescentic serial excisions of skin were undertaken at 2 weekly intervals on the upper and middle pairs of pseudo-areolas in each pig and the lower pairs were left as controls. The crescentic excision on the upper set of nipples consisted of skin only. The crescentic excision on the middle set of nipples consisted of 75% skin and 25% tattooed pseudo-areola.

Results showed that nipple migration by serial excision is possible. However, each set of nipple pseudo-areola complex (NPAC) behaved differently. When skin only was excised, the NPAC's became distorted and enlarged but when skin and areola was excised, the NPAC maintained its dimensions.

Taking our findings into account, an approach to moving a misplaced NAC using this technique in the clinical situation is described. Its use to move a misplaced NAC in two women is demonstrated.

Giant basal cell carcinoma is a rare skin tumour with aggressive biological behaviour, and deep invasion and metastasis have been reported.

The authors describe a giant basal cell carcinoma involving the anterior chest wall. The lesion infiltrated the mediastinum, occluding the left brachiocephalic vein. Vascular invasion caused venous occlusion affecting the left upper limb. Neither surgical treatment nor radiotherapy were practicable.

Lateral canthopexy is a commonly performed procedure in craniofacial and cosmetic surgery. In craniofacial surgery, lateral canthal fixation is performed in conjunction with a wide range of transcranial or subcranial procedures during the process of soft tissue re-suspension. A number of fixation materials have gained popular use. A case of craniofrontonasal dysplasia is reported in which a wire loop canthopexy fixation has become disengaged 3 months after a history of trauma and rotated to present a sharp surface against the sclera. Urgent surgical exploration prevented the apparently imminent complication of globe penetration with associated threat to vision.