Plastic Surgery Unit Research Articles

The impact of COVID-19 on Australian plastic and reconstructive surgery trainees: a survey study

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the training of plastic and reconstructive surgeons and the wellbeing of surgical trainees internationally. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Australian plastic and reconstructive surgery trainees. Method: A web-based self-administered survey was distributed by the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons to all Australian plastic and reconstructive surgery registrars in October 2021. A questionnaire developed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on plastic and reconstructive surgery trainees in the United States of America was adapted for the Australian context. Subgroup analysis evaluated differences in responses between early and late Surgical Education and Training trainees and between Australian states. ​Results: Of 103 Australian plastic and reconstructive surgery trainees invited to participate, 24 responded (23%). Of these, 52 per cent were in their first two years of training. Total working hours were reduced for 61 per cent of respondents, 54 per cent reported less direct operative supervision, and 75 per cent reported missing out on critical operative learning experiences due to elective operating changes. Overall impact on trainee education was reported to be negative by 71 per cent of respondents. Self-assessed overall wellbeing was negatively impacted in 92 per cent of respondents: all reported feeling isolated from colleagues and 67 per cent reported burnout due to changes during the pandemic. Positive innovation in plastic and reconstructive surgery unit management was reported by 29 per cent of respondents. There were no statistically significant differences in responses between early and late Surgical Education and Training trainees. There were some differences identified in senior supervision and frequency of organised teaching between states. Conclusion: Australian plastic and reconstructive surgery trainees in our cohort reported that the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on their clinical training opportunities, formal education and wellbeing. These findings should be considered in planning for future periods of significant disruption to try to mitigate the negative impacts on trainees.

Finnish translation, validation, and reproducibility of BREAST-Q modules relevant to breast cancer treatment

Background and objective: Breast cancer and its treatments can have a marked impact on the patient health-related quality of life. The aim of this study was to produce and validate Finnish versions of the breast-conserving treatment, mastectomy and breast reconstruction modules of the BREAST-Q, a patient-reported outcome tool designed specifically for women undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Methods: The relevant BREAST-Q modules were translated to Finnish according to established guidelines. Altogether 777 preoperative women were recruited at the Breast Surgery Unit and the Plastic Surgery Unit of Helsinki University Hospital between December 2019 and March 2021. This included 541 patients scheduled for breast-conserving surgery, 86 for mastectomy, and 150 for breast reconstruction. Postoperative patients were recruited through a postal survey, approaching 500 women operated for breast cancer in 2017, including 250 women who had undergone breast-conserving surgery and 250 women who had undergone mastectomy, as well as 339 women who had undergone breast reconstruction between August 2017 and July 2019. The patients were invited to fill the BREAST-Q modules relevant to their treatment and the general health-related quality-of-life instrument SF-36. A repeat administration of the BREAST-Q was done 2 weeks later. Results: A total of 665 (41%) women participated in the study, 339 (44%) preoperatively and 326 (39%) postoperatively. The BREAST-Q subscales showed high internal consistency with most Cronbach’s alphas > 0.8. The repeatability of the subscales was excellent with most intra-class correlation coefficients > 0.75. Low or negligible correlation was observed between BREAST-Q subscales and SF-36 domains. Conclusions: The Finnish version of the BREAST-Q modules breast-conserving treatment, mastectomy, and breast reconstruction performs well in assessing the health-related quality of life of women undergoing surgery for breast cancer or breast reconstruction.

The microbial etiology and resistance patterns of cosmetic tourism-related infections in Ireland.

Cosmetic tourism is an increasingly common phenomenon, both in Ireland and internationally. Complications associated with procedures performed abroad may manifest after the patient has traveled back to their home country with patients often presenting to local health services. Such complications can be infectious in nature requiring either antimicrobial therapy and/or source control in the form of wound debridement or radiologically guided interventional procedures. Patients who had presented to a regional plastic surgery unit between September 2021 and December 2022 with complications related to aesthetic procedures performed outside Ireland were identified in this retrospective-prospective design. Medical records were reviewed to ascertain what procedures were performed, where the procedure had taken place, the nature of complications, and microbial culture and sensitivity results. Thirty patients were identified during the study timeframe, predominantly female (n = 28) with a mean age of 40.27years (SD 10.6). Abdominoplasty was the most common procedure (n = 17), and Turkey was the most frequently cited destination (70%). Wound dehiscence accounted for the majority of complications (n = 18). Wound cultures were obtained in 80% (n = 24) of patients and a causative organism was isolated in 85% (n = 34) of cultures. Eighteen species of bacteria were identified and antimicrobial sensitivities were obtained for 16 of these. Antimicrobial resistance to commonly prescribed empiric antibiotics was noted in several isolates. Post-operative infections related to cosmetic tourism are a growing concern in plastic surgery. The bacterial etiology is varied, and antimicrobial resistance poses significant challenges, highlighting the need for early intervention and wound cultures to guide effective management.

Meta-Analysis of the Global Mortality Rate Due to Infection in Burn Patients Admitted for Plastic Surgery.

Burn patients are generally prone to infection, which causes the patient's condition to be even worse. However, there is no study regarding the difference between the mortality rate of infected and non-infected patients. Therefore, the aim was to identify and compare the global mortality rate between infected and non-infected patients who were admitted to plastic surgery units. We searched PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar and finally included five articles for this meta-analysis.We determined the odds ratio (OR) value by forest plot and assessed the study bias by a funnel plot. We also analyzed the quality and heterogeneity. The OR was determined as 0.43 (95%CI: 0.07-2.60), indicating a higher mortality rate in infected burn patients as compared to non-infected patients. The funnel plot showed no significant study bias. The quality of the studies was assessed high as well, and the heterogeneity was determined significant (I2>75%). The sensitivity analysis with the fixed effect model reconfirmed our main outcome. However, as a study limitation, we could not specifically determine the impact of strain-specific infection on the mortality rate and could not find more relevant research regarding this issue. We conclude that the overall non-infected burn patient mortality rate is lower as compared to the infected burn patients; however, non-infected patients can be prone to death if the burn degree is higher, the respiratory organ is injured, or the treatment is poor or delayed.

Plastic surgery minor procedure room: a cost-effective way to operate

Introduction: Surgery using local anaesthetic without sedation outside of a formal operating theatre is particularly applicable to plastic surgery. This paper reviews the benefits and pitfalls of a minor procedure room as a novel solution to tackling the emergency and elective surgery caseload in a tertiary metropolitan plastic surgery unit. Methods: From February 2022 until February 2023 local anaesthetic only procedures were undertaken in a minor procedure room. Patients included ranged from 18 to 88 years of age. Outcomes included complications and procedure failure requiring repeat procedure in an operating theatre. Estimated cost savings were calculated according to staff wages and do not account for consumables. Estimated duration of minor procedure room operation was one hour per case. Results: Overall, 350 patients (285 male, 65 female) underwent local anaesthetic only procedures in the minor procedure room. The mean age of patients was 42. There were 309 hand/upper limb cases, 31 general plastic surgery cases, two skin cancer excisions and eight lower limb cases. There were no complications and no procedure failures. The average cost saved per procedure is estimated to be AU$486 with an average reduction of 44 theatre sessions per year. Conclusion: A minor procedure room for local anaesthetic only surgery can generate significant cost and time savings for a hospital when implemented and managed appropriately. This model has been successful in our institution and can likely be replicated in other centres.

Reduction Mammoplasties: Risk Factors and Early Complications-About 1442 Cases.

Breast reduction surgery is a widely performed plastic surgery procedure. The incidence of such complications has been steadily decreasing in recent years but is still nonetheless 5.6%. The primary aim of this study was to analyze the incidence of the main postoperative complications of breast reduction surgery. In addition, we identified cause-and-effect links between complications and characteristics of the patients, such as smoking, age, weight resection, BMI, and wound drainage. This retrospective study was performed on a population of 1442 women who underwent breast reduction surgery between January 2016 and October 2022 in the plastic surgery unit at Saint-Louis Hospital, Paris, France. At the follow-up examination, we evaluated the patients for complications. The average resection weight was 1297.7 g in a population for which the average BMI was 28.9. We found 19.9% rate of total complications, of which 3.5% were major complications. We found that only the resection weight was a risk factor for complications. The main strength of our study is the size of our sample. The large number of patients allowed us to conduct numerous analyses and obtain significant results despite the rarity of certain events. This large cohort was also responsible for the high statistical power of our results. The risk of developing a postoperative infection was 7.5% for resections of less than 2.4 kg, increasing to 13.9 % when greater than that. Thus, the administration of prophylactic antibiotic therapy to affected women to reduce the risk of infection is a distinct consideration. For the other factors, while none of them appeared to promote the occurrence of adverse events and, therefore, do not formally contraindicate breast reduction surgery, some preventive measures still strike us as being relevant, such as blade drainage, weight loss, diabetes control, and smoking cessation. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

1152 Soft Tissue Infections of the Hand – Reducing Inpatient Cost and Duration of Stay in a London Plastic Surgery Department

Abstract Introduction Soft tissue infections of the upper limb referred to plastic surgery units often require hospital admission for intravenous antibiotics, irrespective of surgical intervention. Aim We explored approaches to reducing the cost and duration of inpatient admission for antibiotic treatment for soft tissue infections. Method We sampled data over a two-month period in 2023 to explore the number, type, and severity of soft tissue infections of the upper limb seen in London Plastic Surgery department. Results 35 patients with soft tissue infections of the upper limb were included. We found no correlation between age; white cell counts or c-reactive protein levels on day of presentation with duration of inpatient stay. Our studies showed that 78% of patients were discharged within 72 hours of admission or procedure, with a greater number of inpatient bed-days for patients receiving intravenous antibiotics without surgery, compared to patients receiving antibiotics and discharge within 3 days of receiving surgical intervention (36 days vs 25 days). 84% of patients were not located within post-codes accessible to existing outpatient antibiotic therapy (OPAT) services. By extending outpatient antibiotic cover for these patients, we projected a total 568 bed-day saving through 202 bed days annual avoidable inpatient bed-stay savings (3+ days, non-OPAT post-codes) and 366 bed days for additional annual avoidable short inpatient bed-stay savings (≤3 days admission, all post-codes), with projected annual cost savings of £319,558. Conclusions Our study projects a possible reduction in inpatient cost and duration of stay through extended OPAT cover in patients requiring intravenous antibiotics for soft-tissue infections of the upper limb.

Distribution Patterns and Antibiotic Resistance Profiles of Bacterial Pathogens Among Patients with Wound Infections in the Jiaxing Region from 2021 to 2023.

To systematically assess the distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility of pathogens in wound infections, and analyze risk factors associated with multidrug resistance (MDR). Retrospectively analyzing Jiaxing-region medical records between January 2021 and December 2023, we identified a cohort of 461 wound infection patients. Cultures were grown on various agars, with bacteria identified via Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry. The antimicrobial susceptibility of the organisms were conducted by VITEK 2 system, Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method and Epsilometer test. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 was used for statistical analysis. Multivariable logistic regression models were developed to pinpoint risk factors for multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) infections and predict occurrences. From 461 patients, 549 bacterial pathogens were isolated, predominantly consisting of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterobacter cloacae, and Enterococcus faecalis. Vancomycin, linezolid, and tigecycline maintained their efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus species, while Pseudomonas aeruginosa demonstrated sensitivity to aminoglycosides. Conversely, Escherichia coli exhibited high amoxicillin resistance (85.4%). More than half of the isolates were resistant to levofloxacin, ceftriaxone, cotrimoxazole, and gentamicin, with Acinetobacter baumannii strains showing considerable resistance (65.8-68.4%) to advanced cephalosporins and carbapenems. Within this group, 58 MDROs were detected, primarily originating from Burn Plastic Surgery, Emergency, and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) departments. Multivariate logistic regression identified hyperglycemia, hypoalbuminemia, surgery, extended hospitalization, and exposure to multiple antibiotic classes as independent risk factors for MDRO wound infections. Based on these findings, a predictive model for MDRO occurrence in wounds was constructed, which had a sensitivity of 0.627, specificity of 0.933, and an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.838. Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa dominated in wound infections with differential antibiotic resistance. Independent risk factors included hyperglycemia, hypoalbuminemia, surgery, extended hospitalization, and polyantibiotic use. We urge prioritizing culture, susceptibility tests, and personalized antibiotic strategies to address MDRO risks and improve wound infection management specificity and efficacy.

Bone-flap-harvest-related donor site morbidity in reconstructive jaw microsurgery: Retrospective analysis based on 220 patients over a ten-year period

Microsurgery is the gold standard for hard and soft tissue reconstruction in head and neck neoplasia and malformations. Fibular, iliac crest, and scapular free flaps are the main choices for reconstructive surgery of the jaws. Although widely described in the literature, no statistical comparison analysis of the donor site morbidity of these has been performed to our knowledge. Therefore, in this study, the medical records of patients who underwent microsurgical jaw reconstruction at the Maxillofacial Oncological Reconstructive Surgery Unit of Umberto I General Hospital in Rome between 2011 and 2021 were analysed retrospectively. Inclusion criteria were complete clinical and radiological records, microsurgical reconstruction harvesting one of the three flaps, and a minimum follow up of 12 months. Principal donor site complications were recorded and compared among the flaps. The data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics (28.0.1.1, IBM Corp). The study enrolled 220 patients: 103 with deep circumflex iliac artery (DCIA) flaps, 87 with fibular free flaps (FFF), and 30 with scapular bone flaps (SBF). The main DCIA donor site complications were dysaesthesia (13.6%), abdominal hernia (2.9%), dehiscence (1.9%), infection (1.9%), and anterior superior iliac spinal fracture (1.9%). Similarly, the main FFF complications were dehiscence (8%), skin graft necrosis (6.9%), infection (5.7%), and dysaesthesia (3.4%). Subcutaneous seroma occurred in 13.3% of SBF patients and dehiscence in 6.7%. Regional dysaesthesia occurred significantly (p < 0.05) more often in DCIA than FFF or SBF patients. Dehiscence was significantly (p < 0.05) more frequent in FFF than DCIA or SBF patients. All flaps were safe and associated with low donor site morbidity. The jaws should be reconstructed selecting the flap that best satisfies the reconstructive needs based on the patient’s clinical features.

Paediatric composite fingertip grafts: a comparative 7-year experience from a tertiary plastic surgery unit and a proposed management algorithm

Paediatric composite fingertip grafts: a comparative 7-year experience from a tertiary plastic surgery unit and a proposed management algorithm

A Deep Dive into the Role of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Enhancing Burn Wound Healing

Burn injuries are a significant cause of admissions to burn and plastic surgery units. One treatment modality for burn injury patients is hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). HBOT exposes patients to high concentrations of oxygen at increased atmospheric pressure levels. It can enhance burn wound healing by promoting cellular response, inflammatory cytokines, neovascularization, and collagen formation. This review explores the role of HBOT in enhancing burn wound healing, particularly in plastic surgery. We gathered and analyzed information from various web databases, using specific keywords related to burn wound injuries and HBOT. Inclusion criteria encompassed open-access journals and articles relevant to the subject matter. This review revealed that despite some controversial findings and the absence of treatment guidelines for burn patients, HBOT can complement other modalities. Side effects may include neurological and ophthalmic toxicity, as well as mild effects such as nausea and gastrointestinal disturbance. In conclusion, HBOT serves as an adjunctive therapy for promoting wound healing, including in burn patients. Evidence suggests its effectiveness in plastic surgery, potentially reducing hospital stays, costs, and recovery times. Further prospective randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes and blinding are necessary to address remaining controversies and evaluate the full benefits of HBOT.

The cost of cosmetic surgery tourism complications to the NHS: A retrospective analysis

IntroductionMedical tourism refers to the process of patients travelling outside of their native country to undergo elective surgical procedures and is a rapidly expanding healthcare phenomenon [1–3]. Whilst a multitude of established Private Healthcare Providers (PHPs) offer cosmetic surgical procedures within the United Kingdom (UK), a growing number of patients are opting to travel outside of the UK to undergo cosmetic surgery. AimTo assess the number of patients presenting to the Canniesburn Plastic Surgery Unit, with cosmetic surgery tourism complications, from outside of the UK, and the associated costs to NHS Scotland over a five-year period. MethodsA retrospective case review of a prospectively maintained trauma database, which records all acute referrals, was undertaken analysing patients referred from January 1st 2019 to December 31st 2023 inclusive. Results81 patients presented over five years with complications of cosmetic surgery tourism. The most common presenting complaints were wound dehiscence (49.4%) or wound infection (24.7%). The total cost to NHS Scotland was £755,559.68 with an average of £9327.90 per patient. ConclusionThis is the largest single centre cohort of cosmetic surgery tourism complications reported within the NHS to date; with rates on the rise, demand grows for increased patient information regarding healthcare tourism risks, a national consensus on the extent of NHS management and urgent international collaboration with policymakers is required to address this issue across borders.

An Analysis of Hospitalized Burn Injuries in a Burn Care Unit of Northern Bangladesh

Introduction: Burn injuries remain a significant public health issue, especially in low- and middle-income countries where comprehensive data is scarce. This study provides a detailed analysis of burn injuries in Northern Bangladesh, focusing on epidemiological characteristics and factors influencing burn severity and incidents. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 477 cases of acute, unintentional burns recorded between January 2022 and December 2022 at the Rangpur Medical College Hospital's Burn and Plastic Surgery unit. Data on demographics, burn types, etiology, and severity were collected from hospital registers. Statistical analysis, including chi-square tests and logistic regression, was used to identify predictors of burn severity. Result: Of the 477 documented cases, females represented 62.05% (296 cases) and males 37.95% (181 cases). Flame burns predominated, comprising 70% of incidents, significantly impacting females engaged in cooking activities. The data revealed a distinct seasonal trend with a significant peak in January, where 40% (191 cases) of annual burn incidents occurred due to campfire exposure. The analysis further demonstrated that burns covering more than 30% of total body surface area (TBSA) were significantly associated with higher morbidity and mortality, with third-degree burns occurring in 92.9% of females compared to 55.8% of males. Logistic regression identified age (OR = 1.28, CI [1.13-2.71]), gender (OR = 1.75, CI [1.11-1.47]), and the cause of ignition (OR = 0.56, CI [0.41-0.76]) as significant predictors of burn severity. Conclusion: The findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions to address the high incidence of burns among young to middle-aged women, particularly through safer cooking practices and awareness campaigns. Additionally, public health strategies should consider seasonal risks and promote safer heating methods during colder months. This study underlines critical areas for intervention and highlights the importance of culturally tailored public health strategies to reduce burn injuries in Northern Bangladesh.

Public-Private Partnership: Optimising the Outcomes for Plastic Surgery in a Resource-Limited Setting at the University of Port Harcourt, (UPTH) Rivers State, Nigeria

Background: Public Private Partnership (PPP) refers to a form of cooperation between public authorities and the world of business which aims to ensure the funding, construction, renovation, management and maintenance of an infrastructure or the provision of better services, better quality, better and better health in a relatively cost- effective manner or approach to the society.  Aim and Objectives: This paper highlights the role of PPP in optimizing outcomes for patients who require plastic surgical services.  Materials and Methods: This study was carried out to bring to light the perennial problems of the health care mixes within a period of 6 months in the Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery unit of The University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. This work looked at the Public Private sector mixes in health care system using Nigeria as a case study.  Results: Cases managed at the public facility alone, cases managed at the private facility alone and the cases managed through the combined effort of both the Private and Public sector (PPP) were analyzed.  Conclusion: Public Private Partnership is key to the success and effectiveness of healthcare delivery in a resource poor setting as the PPP drives the marriage of effectiveness in administration and business prototype in the marriage of government infrastructure and large medical market with turn over into a partnership where the private component brings in the specific funding and equipment and expertise needed to make the medical business model.

THE SU-PERIOSTEUM: IMPROVING BONE BIOLOGY USING NOVEL CHIMERIC FIBULA-PERIOSTEAL FLAP

IntroductionThe presence of pluripotent mesenchymal cells in the periosteum along with the growth factors produced or released following injury provides this tissue with an important role in bone healing. Utilising this property, vascularised periosteal flaps may increase the union rates in recalcitrant atrophic long bone non-union. The novel chimeric fibula-periosteal flap utilises the periosteum raised on an independent periosteal vessel, thus allowing the periosteum to be inset freely around the osteotomy site, improving bone biology.Materials &amp; MethodsTen patients, with established non-union, underwent fibula-periosteal chimeric flaps (2016–2022) at the Canniesburn Plastic Surgery Unit, UK. Preoperative CT angiography was performed to identify the periosteal branches. A case-control approach was used. Patients acted as their own controls, which obviated patient specific risks for non-union. One osteotomy site was covered by the chimeric periosteal flap and one without. In two patients both the osteotomies were covered using a long periosteal flap.ResultsUnion rate of 100% (11/11) was noted with periosteal flap osteotomies, versus those without flaps at 28.6% (2/7) (p = 0.0025). Time to union was also reduced in the periosteal flaps at 8.5 months versus 16.75 months in the control group (p = 0.023). Survival curves with a hazard ratio of 4.1, equating to a 4 times higher chance of union with periosteal flaps (log-rank p = 0.0016) was observed.ConclusionsThe chimeric fibula-periosteal flap provides an option for atrophic recalcitrant non-unions where use of vascularised fibula graft alone may not provide an adequate biological environment for consolidation.

The prevalence, patterns and factors associated with work related musculoskeletal symptoms among surgical residents in Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya

Background: In the medical sector, surgeons work in an environment that is not ergonomically ideal, and many suffer work-related musculoskeletal symptoms that may result in reduced quality of life, disability, and diminished career longevity. While data exists on musculoskeletal symptoms in practising surgeons, this is not the case for trainee surgeons. Objective: To determine the prevalence, patterns and factors associated with work-related musculoskeletal symptoms among surgical residents working in Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was done to determine the prevalence, patterns and factors associated with work-related musculoskeletal symptoms among surgical residents working in Kenyatta National Hospital. An electronic questionnaire based on the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) was sent to all participants via electronic messaging. Results: Two hundred and seventeen responses were received. The overall prevalence of workrelated musculoskeletal symptoms was 93%. The most commonly affected anatomic region was the lower back (68%) followed by the neck (47%). Residents from the thematic units of urology, paediatric surgery and general surgery had a 100% prevalence rate of work-related musculoskeletal symptoms. Residents from plastic surgery and ophthalmology units had the lowest prevalence rates (83% and 84% respectively). Neck symptoms were associated with using loupes (OR, 2.9, p=0.02) and microscopes (OR, 2.2, p=0.05). Female gender was associated with wrist/hand symptoms (OR, 3.84, p=0.01). Increasing age was associated with symptoms in the neck (OR, 1.22 p=0.002) and lower back (OR, 1.15 p=0.03). No association was found between overall prevalence and thematic unit (p=0.13), year of study (p=0.903) or hours in theatre (p=0.97). Conclusion and recommendations: Surgical residents experience a significantly high prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal symptoms. Urology, paediatric surgery and general surgery residents had the highest overall prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal symptoms.

Propeller Flap: A Feasible Flap for Distal Third of Leg Defects – Two Cases Done at the Plastic Surgery Unit of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital

Introduction: The traditional way of reconstructing soft tissue defects of the lower limb utilized muscle flaps as the ‘gold standard’ for Gustillo Anderson Grade III B fractures of the upper and middle thirds of the leg. Defects of the lower third of the leg are usually reconstructed with free flaps because of paucity and decreased reach of muscles. In resource constrained environments where free flaps are not routine with high failure rates, fasciocuataneous flaps are the only option left. We present our experience with the novel pedicled propeller perforator flaps for reconstruction of soft tissue defects in the lower limb. Case Presentation: Between June and October 2020, 2 consecutive patients - a 34-year-old male and a 51-year-old female, were referred for cover for their distal leg defects from the Orthopedics and trauma Unit. All patients were operated on under spinal anaesthesia. Perforators from posterior tibial and peroneal arteries respectively, were identified pre-operatively with hand-held doppler and the propeller-pattern skin paddle was designed around the perforator closest to defect. After elevation of flaps and skeletonization of perforators, they were then rotated (180 degrees) and inset into defects. Case 1 had whole flap (104 cm2) surviving with only minor marginal epidemiolysis at tip whilst the second flap (58.5cm2) had necrosis of only the business end of the flap but subsequently healed by secondary intention after serial dressings. Both had secondary defects proximally after the rotation, which were skin grafted with 100% take. Conclusion: Propeller flap in our experience, is a feasible versatile option for reconstruction of soft tissue defects in the distal third of the leg.

Burns in epileptic patients: Pattern and outcome.

Objective: To determine the pattern and outcome of burns in epileptic patients. Study Design: Retrospective study. Setting: Plastic and Burn Unit, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar. Period: January 2021 to Decmber 2022. Material &amp; Methods: The research was conducted at the Plastic surgery and burn unit of Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar. Digital records of 35 epileptic patients admitted in the last five years were extracted. The demographics, burn pattern, total body surface area, level of burn, surgical outcome, complications, and length of hospital stay of epileptic patients were extracted from the electronic record. IBM-SPSS version 20 was used to analyze the data. Results: Over the last five years, 35 epileptic patients have been admitted to our unit. Males made up 28.6% of our patients, while females were 71.4%. The patient's average age was 24.14 years ±16. 28 SD. The most common pattern in our patients was fire burn (62.9%), followed by scald (25.7%), and the least common pattern was 11.4%. 10 to 20% of body surface area burns were seen in 51.4% of patients, less than 10% in 20% of patients, and &gt;20% burns in 28.6% of patients. The majority of the patients (37.1%) had a full-thickness burn, followed by mixed burns (31.4%), deep partial-thickness burns (20%), and superficial partial-thickness burns (11.4%). Twenty-eight patients stayed in the hospital for 1 to 14 days, 04 patients for 15 to 30 days, and 03 patients for 31 to 45 days. Conclusion: Epilepsy-related burns are a serious public health concern in developing nations, putting a significant burden on burn units due to the severity of the burns and the duration of hospital admissions.

Off‐label application of the breast expander magnet: An alternative approach to enable localisation and removal of ferromagnetic subcutaneous foreign bodies

AbstractObjectiveIncluded foreign bodies of a metallic nature are commonly found. They are often small, asymptomatic, with few or non‐visible scars or even clinically invisible. Sometimes the patient does not remember their existence. The condition is benign and does not require special attention, unless a magnetic resonance imaging scan is necessary. Indeed, magnetic field interactions could pose significant risks, and the procedure is typically contraindicated unless the ferromagnetic foreign body (FFB) has been previously removed. For such purposes, the magnet that is commonly used in breast and plastic surgery units for breast expanders port injection site identification could represent a time‐saving and cost‐effective solution.MethodologyThis paper presents an alternative technique based on off‐label application of the breast expander magnet to localize FFBs.ResultsBetween April 2023 and June 2023, the breast expander magnet allowed successful pre‐operative localisation and intra‐operative guidance for removal of FFBs in four clinical cases. The post‐operative ultrasound confirmed the absence of metal residues after the procedure in all cases.ConclusionOff‐label application of the breast expander magnet allows for FFB pre‐operative localisation and safe intra‐operative surgical guidance, thus representing a promising off‐label application of the device. After surgical removal of FFBs, the magnetic resonance imaging is allowed without any risk.

Implementation of robot-assisted lymphaticovenous anastomoses in a microsurgical unit

BackgroundNumerous papers have been published evaluating the clinical benefits of robot-assisted microsurgery. In this study, we describe the incorporation of the MUSA-2 robot (Microsure, Eindhoven, The Netherlands) into a plastic surgery unit outside of its development centre. We aimed to assess robot implementation timeframes, areas of future development, and key learning points for centres considering the establishment of a robot-assisted microsurgery service.MethodsWe identified 12 female patients with upper limb lymphoedema secondary to breast cancer treatment, who consented to have a robotic-assisted lymphaticovenous anastomosis (LVA) from September 2022 to March 2023. All patients had at least one robot-assisted LVA. Post operatively, a surgical evaluation of the robot’s performance and of the surgeon’s intraoperative workload was measured. Each patient completed a postoperative Likert scale, which measured their surgical experience.ResultsThe mean robot time per case was 60.25 min. The mean time taken for the first robot-assisted anastomosis was 32 min. The second robot anastomoses was 30% faster than the first, taking a mean of 22.5 min. The average anastomosis had 4.5 sutures placed robotically. Initial mean scores in the workload survey completed by the surgeon were highest for frustration and effort, both reduced with increasing volume of cases. In 91% of cases, physical intraoperative discomfort was reported by the surgeon but completely resolved following repositioning.ConclusionsThe current technology can be readily incorporated into a microsurgical unit. We developed four key learning points from the implementation of robot-assisted LVA in our microsurgical unit.Level of evidence: Level IV, risk/prognostic study