Combined Rothia dentocariosa and Streptococcus viridans Corneal Ulcer in an Immunocompromised Patient

Keratitis is a very common condition seen by ophthalmologists. However, many factors can complicate the treatment of this depending on the causative organism and other patient comorbid conditions. The objective of this clinical case report is to highlight the treatment of keratitis caused by Rothia dentocariosa. It also looks at the unique considerations in keratitis presentations for patients immunocompromised by chemotherapy agents. Our patient is a 58 yo female undergoing chemotherapy with folinic acid, fluorouracil, irinotecan, and panitumumab who presented with several days of a red, painful right eye with mucous discharge. Cultures were positive for Rothia dentocariosa and Streptococcus viridans. The patient ultimately underwent a conjunctival flap procedure as medical therapy with proper oral and topical antibiotics failed to resolve keratitis. This case is unique as previously, only a couple of cases of keratitis caused by Rothia dentocariosa have been reported and none of those patients were immunocompromised nor failed antibiotic therapy.

Modified Recipient Blood Flow-Preserved Cross-Leg Anterolateral Thigh Flap Procedure for Complex Lower Extremity Reconstruction

Background Complex lower limb reconstruction following severe trauma remains a challenge for reconstructive surgeons. Here, we introduce a modified recipient blood flow-preserved cross-leg anterolateral thigh flap procedure and evaluate its clinical efficacy. Methods Between January 2013 and December 2019, 22 patients (range 10 to 64 years old) with unilateral lower limb injuries underwent modified recipient blood flow-preserved cross-leg anterolateral thigh flap procedures. Among them, 16 cases were traffic accidents, 5 cases were persistent ulcers, and 1 case was a degloving injury. The arterial pedicle of the flap was prepared in a Y-shaped fashion and microanastomosed to the contralateral posterior tibial artery in a flow-through style. A split-thickness skin graft was applied to wrap the vascular pedicle after anastomosis. The flap was designed in a single or bilobed fashion according to the shape of the defects. The tissue defects ranged from 12 × 6 to 21 × 18 cm2. The vascular pedicle was divided 4 weeks after vascular anastomosis. Doppler ultrasound was performed to evaluate the blood flow of the recipient posterior tibial artery during postoperative follow-up. Results All 22 flaps survived. The flap sizes ranged from 14 × 7.5 to 24 × 21 cm2. Eighteen flaps were designed in a single fashion, and four flaps were bilobed. Twenty patients underwent fasciocutaneous flap transplantation, and two underwent musculocutaneous flap transplantation. Two cases developed local lysis of the flap, and the wound healed after further debridement. Direct suture of the donor-site incision was performed in 16 cases, while additional full-thickness skin grafting was performed in the remaining 6 cases. Further bone transport procedures were performed in 15 patients with severe tibia bone defects. Blood flow of recipient posterior tibial arteries was confirmed during follow-up. All flaps recovered sensation at the final follow-up. The postoperative follow-up ranged from 18 to 84 months, and no long-term complications were observed. Conclusions The modified recipient blood flow-preserved cross-leg anterolateral thigh flap procedure is an ideal method to repair large tissue defects without sacrificing the major artery of the uninjured lower limb.

Hemodynamic Principles in Free Tissue Transfer: Vascular Changes at the Anastomosis Site

Purpose: Various factors such as blood velocity, turbulent flow,and intimal injury are the most basic elements in free tissue transfers. However, how blood flow is reestablished, maintained, and changed after vascular anastomosis has rarely been studied.Methods: A 54-year-old male sustained an unreplantable severe crushing injury to his right hand. The middle finger was transferred to the thumb as an ectopic replantation using an anastomosis between the radial and digital arteries. However, secondary reconstruction for the first web space defect was inevitable and an anteromedial thigh free flap procedure was performed 2 months later using the previously anastomosed vessels. During the procedures, we noted morphologic changes in the microvessels and tried to explain those phenomena by applying the principles of hemodynamics.Results: Due to the discrepancy in vascular size between the radial and digital arteries, the velocity of the blood flow in the post-anastomotic site, which was the digital artery, must have been increased by Poiseuille’s law. Supposing that the velocity through the post-anastomotic site of the digital artery was increased, the pressure exerted by that flow decreased, resulting in more shrinkage of the vessel lumen of the digital artery by Bernoulli’s principle. Pascal’s law could also be applied in confined spaces with a static flow; where there is a constant pressure, as the radius of the post-anastomotic digital artery diminishes, the tension within the digital artery’s wall also simultaneously decreases. By Laplace’s law, the post-anastomotic digital artery’s wall thickens as less tension is exerted on the wall.Conclusion: Understanding these simple flow mechanics will enable microsurgeons to better avoid the risk factors causing thrombosis, which is related to flap failure.

TP7.2.19 Review of bascom cleft lift and flap-procedures versus excision for pilonidal disease in a single centre (2017-2019)

Introduction Pilonidal disease continues to be managed with varying surgical techniques. We review results with Bascom cleft lift comparing to other practices at our institution. Methods All elective procedures for pilonidal disease reviewed from December 2017 to December 2019. Patient demographics, previous emergency and elective procedures for pilonidal disease, follow-up, dehiscence and recurrence rates, and all-cause morbidity were examined retrospectively. Results In the study period there were 106 procedures. Average age was 27 years (range 15-64). Male to female ratio was 83:23. Procedures were excision and primary closure (48), excision and packing (19), rhomboid flap (2), Bascom cleft lift flap (31), other rotational/perforator or V to Y flaps (6). Rates of previous elective procedures in the flap procedures versus excision group were 31% and 10% respectively (P = 0.01). Rates of previous emergency procedures in the flap-procedures versus excision group were 41% and 31% respectively (P = 0.40). In 50 procedures there was a documented follow up encounter at a mean time of 55 days (median 34 days, range 2-239). Dehiscence (partial and full) in flap procedures versus excision and closure was 33% and 27% respectively (P = 0.64). Recurrence rates in flap procedures versus excision +/- closure or packing were 0% and 8% respectively (P = 0.16). Conclusion Flap procedures have a lower rate of recurrence and comparable dehiscence rates despite being performed in patients with higher rates of prior procedures for pilonidal disease. Bascom cleft lift was the simplest flap procedure most commonly performed and matches the results of more complex flaps.

Correlation between workload and teamwork among residents in DIEP Flap surgery

The goal of this study was to evaluate residents’ workload and teamwork and the correlation between their workload and teamwork subscales during deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap surgery. Ten residents who assisted during DIEP flap procedures completed an electronic survey following each DIEP flap procedure from July 2019 to August 2020. The survey contained items from the NASA-TLX and SURG-TLX and questions to measure teamwork subscales. Across 29 surgical cases, 38 surveys were recorded. Overall, the means of workload subscales were mostly greater than 10 and less than 15 (range=020) and the means of all teamwork subscales were greater than 15 (range=0-20). Good teamwork was correlated with lower distractions (Rs= -0.36 to -0.48) and better performance (Rs=0.35 to 0.52). Also, all the teamwork subscales were highly correlated (Rs= 0.59 to 0.92). Our findings suggest that good teamwork, low distractions, and successful performance are generally observed together; however, a causative relationship could not be established based on these results.

A Comparative Study on flap necrosis following Karydakis Flap Reconstruction and Z-Plasty in Patients with Sacrococcygeal Pilonidal Disease – Our experience

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate patients with sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus disease(SPSD) who underwent the Karydakis procedure and Z plasty at our centre concerning theperioperative findings, late postoperative results and recurrence. Patients and Methods: A total of30 patients presenting with SPSD at our centre underwent Karydakis flap repair and Z plasty fromMay 2019 to June 2021. These patients were then followed up and evaluated concerning operativetime, drain use, hospital stay, suture removal, complications, and recurrence. The adipocutaneousflap of Karydakis was devised to shift the natal cleft, while Z-plasty involves a fasciocutaneous flap.Results: The mean operative time was 60 min with a median hospital stay of 4 days. Drains wereremoved at a median of 5 days and sutures at a median of 15 days. The duration of hospitalisationfor the Karydakis procedure was found significantly lesser than that for Z-plasty Patients who werefollowed up for a median of 12 months. The overall complications were more in Z-plasty. Flapnecrosis developed in 30 % of the cases in the Z-plasty group, comparable to no recurrence seen inthe Karydakis procedure. Conclusion: Karydakis flap was found superior to Z-plasty, having lessseroma formation, no flap necrosis and no local hematoma Karydakis flap procedure is a relativelysimple procedure for SPSD and has advantages over Z-plasty technique like keeping scar away fromthe midline and flattening of the natal cleft, thus reducing local recurrence rates.

The Role of Free Tissue Transfers for Defect Coverage over the Body in Geriatric Populations

The treatment of soft tissue defects in multimorbid frail patients requires optimized preoperative and perioperative management with a differentiated interdisciplinary approach. Preoperative assessment with established scores, such as the ASA score, is important in order to stratify the operative complication risk. Following the reconstructive ladder is important to avoid unnecessary long operations and consecutively higher operative risks. In cases where a free flap procedure is needed, infections should be treated properly, and vascular status and coagulation should be optimized before performing a free flap procedure. Attention should be paid to maintain independency, functionality and quality of life while choosing the best treatment option.

Implementation and Validation of Free Flaps in Acute and Reconstructive Burn Care

Microsurgical free flap reconstruction in acute burn care offers the option of reconstructing even challenging defects in a single stage procedure. Due to altered rheological and hemodynamic conditions in severely burned patients, it bears the risk of a higher complication rate compared to microsurgical reconstruction in other patients. To avoid failure, appropriate indications for free flap reconstruction should be reviewed thoroughly. Several aspects concerning timing of the procedure, individual flap choice, selection and preparation of the recipient vessels, and perioperative measures must be considered. Respecting these specific conditions, a low complication rate, comparable to those seen in microsurgical reconstruction of other traumatic limb defects, can be observed. Hence, the free flap procedure in acute burn care is a relatively safe and reliable tool in the armamentarium of acute burn surgery. In reconstructive burn care, microsurgical tissue transfer is routinely used to treat scar contractures. Due to the more robust perioperative condition of patients, even lower rates of complication are seen in microsurgical reconstruction.