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Marco Morelli Coppola,* Rosa Salzillo,* Francesco Segreto, Paolo Persichetti Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, “Campus Bio-Medico” University of Rome, Rome, Italy *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Keloids are pathological scars presenting as nodular lesions that extend beyond the area of injury. They do not spontaneously regress, often continuing to grow over time. The abnormal wound-healing process underlying keloid formation results from the lack of control mechanisms self-regulating cell proliferation and tissue repair. Keloids may lead to cosmetic disfigurement and functional impairment and affect the quality of life. Although several treatments were reported in the literature, no universally effective therapy was found to date. The most common approach is intralesional corticosteroid injection alone or in combination with other treatment modalities. Triamcinolone acetonide (TAC) is the most commonly used intralesional corticosteroid. The aim of this article was to review the use of TAC, alone or in combination, in the treatment of keloid scars. The response to corticosteroid injection alone is variable with 50–100% regression and a recurrence rate of 33% and 50% after 1 and 5 years, respectively. Compared to verapamil, TAC showed a faster and more effective response even though with a higher complication rate. TAC combined with verapamil was proved to be effective with statistically significant overall improvements of scars over time and long-term stable results. TAC and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) intralesional injections were found to achieve comparable outcomes when administered alone, although 5-FU was more frequently associated with side effects. Conversely, the combination of 5-FU and TAC was more effective and showed fewer undesirable effects compared to TAC or 5-FU alone. Several kinds of laser treatments were reported to address keloids; however, laser therapy alone was burdened with a high recurrence rate. Better results were described by combining CO2, pulsed-dye or Nd: YAG lasers with TAC intralesional injections. Further options such as needle-less intraepidermal drug delivery are being explored, but more studies are needed to establish safety, feasibility and effectiveness of this approach. Keywords: keloids, scars, intralesional corticosteroid injections

OBJECTIVE: Acrodermatitis Continua of Hallopeau (ACH) is a variant of pustular psoriasis often very difficult to treat. Secondary syndactyly, also called "pseudosyndactyly", is rare and can be a complication of burns, dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa or trauma. If left untreated, joint complications and definitive functional impairments may occur. CASE REPORT: We report a case of a 74-yearold man with acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau involving the toes and complicated by syndactyly. ACH regression following Iloprost administration was also observed. DISCUSSION: Published studies are mainly limited to case reports only, due to the rarity of the disease. Therefore, there are no clear-cut therapeutic management guidelines available for this chronic and sometimes debilitating disease. ACH is often recalcitrant to the available therapies. Topical and systemic treatments have been described in literature with no long-lasting results. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first report of foot syndactyly associated to ACH. In our patient, ACH symptoms regressed with Iloprost administration: this finding has never been previously described in literature. If confirmed by other clinical experiences, Iloprost could be a further therapeutic option in ACH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Facial ageing, particularly in the periorbital region, is a growing concern in contemporary culture. Upper blepharoplasty, a widely performed cosmetic surgery, addresses both aesthetic and functional issues related to eyelid dermatochalasis. This study aims to investigate patient satisfaction, the relationship between satisfaction and preoperative dermatochalasis severity, and the functional impact of preoperative skin excess., Methods: A prospective study was conducted from April 2022 to April 2023, evaluating primary upper blepharoplasty outcomes. Patient-reported outcomes were measured using the FACE-Q questionnaire, assessing quality of life and satisfaction. Preoperative symptoms were evaluated using a functional questionnaire. Dermatochalasis severity was classified into three groups. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS., Results: Seventy-nine patients met inclusion criteria. Postoperative FACE-Q results demonstrated significant improvements in upper eyelid appraisal and satisfaction with eyes. Functional questionnaire results indicated an overall clinical improvement (p < 0.01). Visual field tests showed statistically significant improvement in group 3. No correlation was found between preoperative dermatochalasis severity and postoperative aesthetic satisfaction., Conclusion: The study emphasizes the importance of validated questionnaires, particularly FACE-Q, in evaluating patient satisfaction and discomfort with upper lid ageing. Regardless of functional impairments, any degree of dermatochalasis may warrant treatment to ensure patient satisfaction with the cosmetic outcome. On the other hand, the functional benefits and improvements in the visual field also support the impact that the procedure has beyond purely aesthetic aspects., Level of Evidence Iv: 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 ., (© 2024. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature and International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.)

Introduction: Grafts play key roles in functional and aesthetic rhinoplasty. Autologous grafts are generally preferred for their biocompatibility and less visibility when used in a fragmented fashion. The aim of this study was to review mechanically fragmented cartilage grafts techniques described in the literature, outlining indications, outcomes, and complications., Material and Methods: A systematic review of articles published from 1999 until December 2022 was conducted, using the following key words: "rhinoplasty," "cartilage," and "graft." Studies were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and data were extracted and grouped for subgroup analysis. Rates of partial resorption, total resorption, surgical revision, and major and minor complications were statistically analyzed., Results: Thirty eligible studies were included. Three cartilage fragmentation methods were identified: diced, shaved, and crushed. Cartilage grafts were further divided into injectable and noninjectable grafts. Diced cartilage was the most commonly used. Dorsal irregularities were the main indication. Overall, 1.68% of patients experienced partial resorption, 0.27% experienced total resorption, and 1.46% needed revision. The partial resorption rate in the diced group was significantly lower than that in the shaved group. Injectable grafts showed a higher rate of partial resorption. The revision rate was higher with noninjectable grafts., Conclusion: The partial resorption rate was lower in patients treated with diced cartilage. Injectable grafts are malleable and suitable for the correction of minimal irregularities, although they are affected by a higher rate of partial resorption. Wrapping materials may be used when significant augmentation is required., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement All authors do not have any commercial associations that might pose or create a conflict of interest with the information presented in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Precise tip contouring is paramount to achieve pleasant cosmetic results in rhinoplasty. Loss of tip projection or rotation, supratip deformities, and long-lasting edema may jeopardize the outcome and lead to patient dissatisfaction or to reintervention. Several approaches have been reported, sometimes with considerable drawbacks or conclusions supported mainly by experience. The aim of this study was to describe the interalar ligament flap for tip and supratip contouring and to comparatively assess its efficacy and safety., Methods: The study included 147 patients who underwent primary structured open rhinoplasty and were divided into 2 groups: group 1 underwent harvesting and repositioning of the interalar ligament flap, and group 2 underwent conventional tip dissection. Tip edema, supratip definition, and fullness were blindly scored at 2-, 6-, and 12-month postoperative follow-up. Nasolabial angle was measured at 2 and 12 months postoperatively. Univariate analysis and multivariable regression modeling were performed., Results: Supratip definition was significantly higher in group 1 at the 2-, 6-, and 12-month postoperative follow-up visits ( P < 0.05, P < 0.01, and P < 0.01, respectively). Tip edema and supratip fullness were significantly lower in group 1 at each time point ( P < 0.01). Nasolabial angle, and its modification between 2 and 12 months after intervention, did not differ in the 2 groups. All findings were confirmed when controlled for eventual confounders., Conclusions: The interalar ligament flap has proven to be versatile, effective, and consistently reliable in reducing tip edema and improving supratip definition. It may be tailored to the patient, partially folded to improve tip projection, or used to camouflage tip grafts., Clinical Question/level of Evidence: Therapeutic, III., (Copyright © 2023 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Background: Inverted-T scar reduction mammaplasty is still the most chosen technique for breast reduction even if scars are relevant. Sometimes, surgical scars may be esthetically unpleasant and may cause severe pain, tenderness, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression in these patients. This study aimed to assess any possible correlation between general satisfaction with the breast and appearance of the scars in patients who underwent inverted T-scar reduction mammaplasty. Secondary aim was to evaluate average variations of BREAST-Q and SCAR-Q at different postoperative times., Materials and Methods: 121 patients who underwent breast reduction using Pitanguy technique with inferiorly based dermo-adipose flap according to Ribeiro were enrolled in this prospective cross-sectional study. All patients filled the BREAST-Q REDUCTION and SCAR-Q questionnaires in paper form at 1, 6 and 12 months after surgery. BREAST-Q REDUCTION "Satisfaction with breast" scale was also administered preoperatively. Values were exported in Prism 9 for the statistical analysis., Results: Correlation index of Pearson between "Satisfaction with breast" and "Appearance of scar" was 0.09 at 1 month post-operative and - 0.07 and 0.21 at 6 and 12 months PO respectively. "Satisfaction with breast" mean value tends to rise over time. "Appearance of scar" mean value tends to decrease over time., Conclusion: No correlation at different postoperative times between the general satisfaction with the breast and appearance of the scars was found. Data showed that satisfaction with the breast and appearance of the scars in patients who underwent inverted T-scar reduction mammaplasty tend to improve over time., Level of Evidence Iv: 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 ., (© 2024. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature and International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.)

Background: Rhinoplasty procedure has a strong impact on patient quality of life. Plastic surgery patients show a degree of appearance-related distress higher than general population, especially patients undergoing rhinoplasty. Relationship between patient-reported outcome after rhinoplasty and self-consciousness of appearance needs further studies. The aim of this study is to investigate this correlation, considering the surgeon external evaluation as well., Materials and Methods: A total of 50 consecutive patients underwent primary cosmetofunctional rhinoseptoplasty. Appearance-related distress and surgical outcome were assessed by DAS59 (Derriford Appearance Scale 59) and SCHNOS (Standardised Cosmesis and Health Nasal Outcomes Survey), administered before and after surgery. Follow-up period was 12 months. Third-party clinical outcome was evaluated by three plastic surgeons by a scale ranging from 1 (poor outcome) to 5 (excellent outcome)., Results: A first division in Group 1 (satisfied) and Group 2 (unsatisfied) was done. DAS59 mean score in Group 1 showed to be statistically lower than Group 2 (p value < 0.05). Spearman's test showed a large strong positive correlation between preoperative and postoperative DAS59 and SCHNOS-C score variations (Delta 0-12 months) (r = 0.7514, p<0.001), as well as between DAS59 and SCHNOS-O (r = 0.5117, p<0.001) and between SCHNOS-C and SCHNOS-O (r = 0.6928, p<0.001)., Conclusion: Rhinoseptoplasty has a significant impact on the patient self-consciousness of appearance, in both negative and positive terms. We emphasize the surgeon's burden, who need to carefully assess and address the patient's expectations during the first evaluation. This distinction is crucial since unrealistic expectations may lead to dissatisfaction even after a properly performed procedure., Level of Evidence Iv: 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., (© 2024. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature and International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.)

Background: Duramesh (Mesh Suture Inc., Chicago, IL) is a new suturing concept, combining the principles of mesh with the precision, flexibility, and versatility of a suture, suitable also for abdominal rectus diastasis (ARD) correction., Objectives: This prospective research aimed to compare mesh with the standard polypropylene suture plication for rectus diastasis repair with regard to safety (infection, seroma, hematoma, surgical wound dehiscence, and fistula rates and hospital stay); effectiveness (ARD recurrence by ultrasound sonography, palpability of the muscular suture, surgical time, and postoperative pain evaluation); and satisfaction of the patients based on the BODY-Q, a patient-reported outcome measure., Methods: Sixty-five of the initial 70 patients who underwent rectus diastasis repair with a 6-month follow-up were randomly divided into 2 groups, comprising 33 patients treated with Duramesh and 32 patients treated with standard 0 polypropylene suture plication. Data regarding infection, seroma, hematoma, surgical wound dehiscence, and fistula rates; hospital stay; ARD recurrence; palpability of the muscular suture; surgical time; postoperative pain evaluation (measured by visual analog scale, or VAS); and the BODY-Q were analyzed by Prism 9 (GraphPad Software Inc., San Diego, CA)., Results: No significant differences were reported between the 2 groups with regard to infection, seroma, hematoma, surgical wound dehiscence, and fistula rates and hospital stay. The mesh decreased the time required to perform plication compared with standard polypropylene detached sutures. No statistically significant differences were found with respect to the VAS and BODY-Q data., Conclusions: Duramesh 0 application for rectus diastasis repair is safe and effective without compromising aesthetic improvement when compared with standard 0 polypropylene plication., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Aesthetic Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Capsular contracture is the most common complication following breast implant placement. Cathelicidin LL-37 is a cationic peptide involved in innate immunity. Initially investigated for its antimicrobial role, it was found to have pleiotropic activities, such as immunomodulation, angiogenesis stimulation, and tissue healing. The aim of the study was to investigate the expression and localization of LL-37 in human breast implant capsules and its relationship with capsular formation, remodeling, and clinical outcomes., Methods: The study enrolled 28 women (29 implants) who underwent expander substitution with definitive implant. Contracture severity was evaluated. Specimens were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, Masson trichrome, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence for LL-37, CD68, α-smooth muscle actin, collagen type I and type III, CD31, and Toll-like receptor-4., Results: LL-37 was expressed in macrophages and myofibroblasts of capsular tissue in 10 (34%) and nine (31%) of the specimens, respectively. In eight cases (27.5%), it was expressed by both macrophages and myofibroblasts of the same specimen. In infected capsules, expression by both cell types was found in all (100%) specimens. LL-37 expression by myofibroblasts positively correlated with its expression by macrophages ( P < 0.001). Moreover, LL-37 expression by macrophages of periexpander capsules negatively correlated with the severity of capsular contracture on definitive implants ( P = 0.04)., Conclusions: This study demonstrates the expression of LL-37 in macrophages and myofibroblasts of capsular tissue and its negative correlation with the severity of capsular contracture following permanent implant placement. Expression or up-regulation of LL-37 may be involved in myofibroblast and macrophage modulation, thus playing a role in the pathogenic fibrotic process underlying capsular contracture., Clinical Relevance Statement: This is the first study to demonstrate LL37 expression in capsular tissue and to hypothesize its role in contracture and as a prognostic marker for contracture severity. If confirmed, medical strategies or implant coating could be implemented to reduce the risk of contracture for high-risk patients., (Copyright © 2023 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Background: Scarring at the incision site represents one of the most impactful outcomes in breast augmentation surgery for both the patient and the surgeon. Few studies exist with the aim of assessing patient perception of scarring outcomes in primary breast augmentation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact on quality of life of scars by submitting the SCAR-Q in patients who underwent primary augmentation mammoplasty., Methods: The SCAR-Q was administered at one and at 6 months after surgery to 54 consecutive patients underwent primary breast augmentation with inferior hemi-periareolar or inframammary incision. A total of 50 patients were divided into two groups of 21 patients with inferior hemi-periareolar incision and 29 patients with inframammary fold incision, respectively. Statistical analysis was performed with Prism 9., Results: All mean values of the three SCAR-Q scales tend to decrease at the second administration meaning that the perception of the scar is better at time 6 from the patient perspective. In the "Psychosocial scale," lower values at both 1 month and 6 months for group 2 compared to group 1 were shown. Unpaired T tests with Welch's correction showed significance for delta values variations between the two groups with P values <0.0001., Conclusion: Data show that patients undergoing primary breast augmentation have a scar that has no significant impact. Patients with inframammary fold scar have less psychosocial impact than those with inferior hemi-periareolar scar. There were no statistically significant differences in scar-related symptoms and scar appearance between scar along the inframammary groove and inferior hemi-periareolar scar., Level of Evidence Iv: Case series study. 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 ., (© 2023. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature and International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.)

Background: Primary breast augmentation is one of the most sought-after procedures in cosmetic surgery. It is generally related to a high degree of patient satisfaction, but it is not always obvious which factors have greater influence on patient satisfaction., Objectives: The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate how anthropometric, psychological, and social parameters, in association with the main surgical variables, influenced patients' satisfaction with their breasts after surgery., Methods: Patients undergoing primary breast augmentation between October 2018 and February 2022, who completed a 12-month follow-up without complications, were enrolled in the study. For each patient we recorded: BMI, pinch test (upper pole of the breast), surgical access, implant pocket, implant volume, bra size increase, age, smoking habit, civil status, education level, pregnancies, and psychiatric disorders. Each variable was statistically correlated with patient's satisfaction, assessed by BREAST-Q questionnaire preoperatively and 12 months postoperatively., Results: Analyzing the data of the 131 patients, we found 3 factors affecting their satisfaction (P<.05); BMI: underweight patients were less satisfied than normal and overweight patients; pinch test: patients with a pinch test >2 cm were more satisfied; volume of the implant and bra size increase: patients with implant volume <300 cc and a less than 2 bra size increase were less satisfied than patients with larger augmentation., Conclusions: BMI, pinch test, implant volume, and extent of volumetric enhancement should be taken into careful consideration by the surgeon during preoperative consultation and surgical planning, because they can be critical to patient satisfaction., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Aesthetic Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objective: A few studies have focused on the quality of life (QoL) of patients with chronic non-responsive pressure skin ulcers. The aim of this study was to assess how correct treatment (advanced wound care [AWC] dressings alone or vacuum assisted closure [VAC] therapy alone) changes the QoL of these patients. Approach: One hundred six patients with chronic non-responsive pressure skin ulcers, who had previously used galenic dressings, applied without proper therapeutic indication, were included in this study. We administered the WOUND-Q, at time 0 and after 1 month of appropriate therapy, to assess patient-reported outcome measures. Group 1 consisted of 30 patients treated with advanced dressings, Group 2: 22 patients treated with VAC therapy, and Group 3: 30 patients continuing conventional galenic dressings (Control group). Statistical analysis allowed us to analyze QoL changes over time and to compare WOUND-Q Group 1 and 2 deltas with those of Group 3. The study followed the STROBE statement. Results and Innovation: In all the scales evaluated (Assessment, Drainage, Smell, Life impact, Psychological, Social, Sleep and Dressing), there were significant improvements in mean values for Groups 1 and 2. Kruskal-Wallis tests with Dunn's multiple-comparisons tests and Brown-Forsythe and Welch Analysis of Variance tests demonstrated significant differences between deltas of Group 1 and Group 2 compared with those of Group 3 for most scales analyzed. Conclusions: Administration of the WOUND-Q demonstrated that the application of advanced dressings alone or VAC therapy alone positively affects the QoL of patients with chronic nonresponsive pressure wounds, in comparison with galenic dressings alone. The WOUND-Q has been shown to be a valid tool in studying changes in QoL of these patients.

Background: Polyurethane (PU) coating and implant texturization were designed to reduce the incidence of capsular contracture (CC), even if the link between surface type and CC remains unclear. To date, the etiopathogenetic aspects have not been fully clarified. The aim of this study was to evaluate capsules formed around five different breast expanders., Methods: Thirty patients were divided into randomized groups implanted with five different expanders: smooth, coated with PU foam (poly), with a low-microtextured, high-microtextured, and macrotextured surface (L-micro, H-micro, macro). Specimens of the capsules were removed at implant reconstruction and evaluated for morphology and immunohistochemistry expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen type I and III, CD68, CD34, and CD3. Remodeling Combined Index was also evaluated., Results: Expression of α-SMA was significantly increased in smooth capsules versus poly, low-microtextured, and high-microtextured groups ( P = 0.007; P = 0.010; P = 0.028), whereas the prevalence of collagen type I in smooth capsules and collagen type III in poly capsules identified a stable versus an unstable tissue. Remodeling Combined Index and α-SMA showed an inverted correlation. CD68 and CD34 cellular expression increased significantly in poly capsules with respect to smooth ( P < 0.001; P < 0.001) and macrotextured groups ( P < 0.001; P < 0.001). CD3 showed no significant difference among the groups., Conclusion: In this human study, the authors observed that increased tissue remodeling and reduced myofibroblast activation, along with the inflammatory infiltration and neoangiogenesis, especially in the poly and low-microtextured groups, might promote the formation of an unstable and less fibrotic capsule, lowering the risk of CC., Clinical Question/level of Evidence: Therapeutic, III., (Copyright © 2023 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Background: Adult spinal deformity (ASD) represents a major cause of disability in the elderly population in the United States. Surgical intervention has been shown to reduce disability and pain in properly indicated patients. However, there is a small subset of patients in whom nonoperative treatment is also able to durably maintain or improve symptoms., Objective: To examine the factors associated with successful nonoperative management in patients with ASD., Methods: We retrospectively evaluated a cohort of 207 patients with nonoperative ASD, stratified into 3 groups: (1) success, (2) no change, and (3) failure. Success was defined as a gain in minimal clinically importance difference in both Oswestry Disability Index and Scoliosis Research Society-Pain. Logistic regression model and conditional inference decision trees established cutoffs for success according to baseline (BL) frailty and sagittal vertical axis., Results: In our cohort, 44.9% of patients experienced successful nonoperative treatment, 22.7% exhibited no change, and 32.4% failed. Successful nonoperative patients at BL were significantly younger, had a lower body mass index, decreased Charlson Comorbidity Index, lower frailty scores, lower rates of hypertension, obesity, depression, and neurological dysfunction (all P < .05) and significantly higher rates of grade 0 deformity for all Schwab modifiers (all P < .05). Conditional inference decision tree analysis determined that patients with a BL ASD-frailty index ≤ 1.579 (odds ratio: 8.3 [4.0-17.5], P < .001) were significantly more likely to achieve nonoperative success., Conclusion: Success of nonoperative treatment was more frequent among younger patients and those with less severe deformity and frailty at BL, with BL frailty the most important determinant factor. The factors presented here may be useful in informing preoperative discussion and clinical decision-making regarding treatment strategies., (Copyright © Congress of Neurological Surgeons 2023. All rights reserved.)

Background: Patient satisfaction is the primary goal in breast augmentation, but in a few cases patient satisfaction and surgeon satisfaction are in disagreement., Objectives: The authors try to explain the reasons associated with disparity between patient and surgeon satisfaction., Methods: Seventy-one patients who underwent primary breast augmentation with dual-plane technique, with inframammary or inferior hemi-periareolar incision, were enrolled in this prospective study. Quality of life was evaluated with BREAST-Q preoperatively and postoperatively. Preoperative and postoperative photographic analysis was performed by a heterogeneous group of experts who completed the validated Breast Aesthetic Scale (BAS). The patient satisfaction score was compared with the overall appearance as determined by the validated BAS; a difference in score of 1 or more was considered a discordant judgement. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS version 18.0, with values of P < .01 considered statistically significant., Results: BREAST-Q analysis showed a significative improvement in quality of life on the psychosocial well-being, sexual well-being, and physical well-being chest scale and satisfaction with the breast (P < .01). Of the 71 pairs, 60 had a concordant judgment between patient and surgeon, and 11 were discordant. The score expressed by the patients (4.35 ± 0.69) was on average higher than that of the third-party observers (3.88 ± 0.58), with P < .001., Conclusions: Patient satisfaction is the main goal following the success of a surgical or medical procedure. BREAST-Q and photographs during the preoperative period are helpful to understanding the patient's real expectations., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Aesthetic Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Introduction: Postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) has a primary role in the treatment of locally advanced breast cancer; however, the most appropriate timing of irradiation in immediate tissue expander breast reconstruction (ITEBR) still remains unknown., Methods: A retrospective review was performed on all women undergoing mastectomy and retropectoral ITEBR at Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital in Rome, Italy, between 2010 and 2019. The patients were categorized into three cohorts: patients undergoing PMRT with the tissue expander (TE) in situ, patients with PMRT delivered to the permanent implant (PI), patients who were not administered RT. Complications and failure rates were analysed and compared. Potential predictors of adverse outcomes were analysed., Results: Over 10 years, 183 patients underwent retropectoral ITEBR (55 PMRT-TE, 50 PMRT-PI, 78 no-PMRT). The three groups were well matched with respect to patient- and treatment-related factors (p > 0.05), with the exception of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and irradiation. The mean follow-up was, respectively, 4.58, 7 and 5.75 years. Radiotherapy either to the TE or to the PI was independently associated with failure and conversion to autologous procedures (p < 0.0001). Failure rate was significantly higher when TE was irradiated (p = 0.03). PMRT was associated with severe capsular contracture development (p < 0.00001), the odds being higher when irradiation was delivered after implant exchange (p = 0.04). Increased BMI was significantly associated with failure., Conclusions: When PMRT is delivered to the TE, the risk of failure is higher (OR 2.77); when the PI is irradiated, reconstruction will more likely be affected by severe capsular contracture (OR 2.7). However, considering that the overall risk of severe capsular contracture correlated to PMRT is higher than failure, we believe that irradiation should be delivered to the TE. Performing a proper capsuloplasty at the time of implant exchange, indeed, allows to correct the deformities related to radiation-induced capsular contracture. Patients with unfavourable outcomes after TE placement and RT, instead, can be directly switched to autologous reconstruction., Level of Evidence Iv: 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 ., (© 2022. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature and International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.)

Acne is one of the most frequent dermatological afflictions especially for people in their first 30 years of age. Several studies have shown that nutrition is one of the key factors involved in acne pathogenesis. Data show that a high glycemic index diet may be a trigger in acne pathogenesis, while patients with a low glycemic index diet have fewer acne lesions. Milk and chocolate are also involved in the exacerbation of acne. However, foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids suppress the production of inflammatory cytokines with therapeutic effect. Additionally, docosapentaenoic acid and γ-linolenic acid have demonstrated improved acne lesions. The aim of this review was to summarize current knowledge on the association between acne and diet with special attention to the most frequently discussed factors involved in its pathogenesis: milk, chocolate, omega-3 fatty acids, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinism, and IGF-1., (© 2021 the International Society of Dermatology.)

Melasma is a common chronic refractory disorder of pigmentation affecting people with darker skin types. Overall prevalence varies between 8.8% and 40%, depending on the ethnicity of the population and the geographical area. Therapeutic management of melasma is challenging, with high recurrence rates which significant impacts on the quality of life. No single treatment is universally efficacious. Systemic treatments with tranexamic acid and polypodium leucotmatous had promising results, although the former was related to systemic side effects. Microneedling and peeling were also efficacious, although their superiority to topical hydroquinone, the gold standard in melasma treatment, remains to be established. Similarly, laser and light devices have been beneficial. However, recurrence rates remain high in all treatment groups. Combination therapies, either in double or triple combinations yielded the best results when compared to single terapies. Treatment choice should be made after Wood's lamp examination, as well as dermatoscopic evaluation, in order to select the best treatment option, targeted at each melasma subtype.

Background: For cervical deformity (CD) surgery, goals include realignment, improved patient quality of life, and improved clinical outcomes. There is limited research identifying patients most likely to achieve all three., Objective: The objective is to create a model predicting good 1-year postoperative realignment, quality of life, and clinical outcomes following CD surgery using baseline demographic, clinical, and radiographic factors., Methods: Retrospective review of a multicenter CD database. CD patients were defined as having one of the following radiographic criteria: Cervical sagittal vertical axis (cSVA) >4 cm, cervical kyphosis/scoliosis >10°° or chin-brow vertical angle >25°. The outcome assessed was whether a patient achieved both a good radiographic and clinical outcome. The primary analysis was stepwise regression models which generated a dataset-specific prediction model for achieving a good radiographic and clinical outcome. Model internal validation was achieved by bootstrapping and calculating the area under the curve (AUC) of the final model with 95% confidence intervals., Results: Seventy-three CD patients were included (61.8 years, 58.9% F). The final model predicting the achievement of a good overall outcome (radiographic and clinical) yielded an AUC of 73.5% and included the following baseline demographic, clinical, and radiographic factors: mild-moderate myelopathy (Modified Japanese Orthopedic Association >12), no pedicle subtraction osteotomy, no prior cervical spine surgery, posterior lowest instrumented vertebra (LIV) at T1 or above, thoracic kyphosis >33°°, T1 slope <16 and cSVA <20 mm., Conclusions: Achievement of a positive outcome in radiographic and clinical outcomes following surgical correction of CD can be predicted with high accuracy using a combination of demographic, clinical, radiographic, and surgical factors, with the top factors being baseline cSVA <20 mm, no prior cervical surgery, and posterior LIV at T1 or above., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2021 Journal of Craniovertebral Junction and Spine.)

Among different laser types, the carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) laser remains one of the most used by dermatologists. Its usefulness has been demonstrated both for therapeutic and cosmetic purposes. This review aims to provide an overview of the applications of CO 2 laser in dermatology, focusing on the treatment of infective, neoplastic, and antiaesthetic lesions., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

There have been increasing reports of skin manifestations in COVID-19 patients. We conducted a systematic review and included manuscripts describing patients with positive RT-PCR coronavirus testing from nasopharyngeal swabs who also developed cutaneous manifestations. A total of 655 patients were selected, with different types of skin rashes: Erythematous maculopapular ( n = 250), vascular ( n = 146), vesicular ( n = 99), urticarial ( n = 98), erythema multiforme/generalized pustular figurate erythema/Stevens-Johnson syndrome ( n = 22), ocular/periocular ( n = 14), polymorphic pattern ( n = 9), generalized pruritus ( n = 8), Kawasaki disease ( n = 5), atypical erythema nodosum ( n = 3), and atypical Sweet syndrome ( n = 1). Chilblain-like lesions were more frequent in the younger population and were linked to a milder disease course, while fixed livedo racemosa and retiform purpura appeared in older patients and seemed to predict a more severe prognosis. For vesicular rashes, PCR determined the presence of herpesviruses in the vesicle fluid, which raised the possibility of herpesvirus co-infections. The erythema-multiforme-like pattern, generalized pustular figurate erythema and Stevens-Johnson syndrome were most frequently linked to hydroxychloroquine intake. A positive PCR determination of SARS-COV-2 from conjunctival swabs suggest that eye discharge can also be contagious. These cutaneous manifestations may aid in identifying otherwise asymptomatic COVID-19 carriers in some cases or predict a more severe evolution in others., Competing Interests: The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Reconstruction of chronic ulcers is often hampered by lack of local tissues and poor general conditions. Conservative approaches with debridement and advanced medications, such as polyurethane foam, stand as mainstays. However, the healing process is often slow, thus increasing the risk for infection or other complications. In such cases, porcine dermis (PD) and polynucleotides-added hyaluronic acid (PAHA) were previously reported to accelerate healing. The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy of PD, PAHA and polyurethane foam in chronic ulcers. Thirty patients were randomly divided into 3 groups: group 1 was treated with advanced medications, group 2 with PD, group 3 with PAHA. Standardised photographs and biopsies were taken before treatment and at 30-day follow-up. Photographs were processed to calculate the wound area. Specimens were stained with Haematoxylin/Eosin, Masson trichrome, and immunohistochemically for CD34, alpha-Smooth Muscle Actin (α-SMA), Collagen types I and III, Ki67. The re-epithelialized area was larger in patients treated with PD and PAHA compared with those treated with polyurethane foam (P < .05 and P < .01, respectively). Specimens from patients treated with PD and PAHA showed a higher number of myofibroblasts (α-SMA+, P < .01), neo-angiogenesis (CD34+, P < .01), proliferating dermal cells (Ki67+, P < .01), proliferating keratinocytes (Ki67+, P < .01) and collagen type 1 deposition (P < .05). No difference was found between PD and PAHA. PD and PAHA proved to be more effective than polyurethane foam in the treatment of chronic ulcers. These approaches are a versatile and reliable option to address such cases., (© 2020 Medicalhelplines.com Inc (3M) and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Postoperative seroma is a common complication of many surgical procedures in which anatomical dead space has been created. A particular case of lesion in which seroma occurs is the Morel-Lavallée lesion (MLL), which is an uncommon closed soft-tissue degloving injury that develops after high-energy trauma or crush injury where shearing forces separate the subcutaneous tissue from the underlying fascia. The diagnostic evaluation begins with an adequate history and physical examination, followed by instrumental research with ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Postoperative seromas and MLLs share a similar pathology and natural evolution as both injuries, once chronic, develop a pseudobursa; thus, the authors think that the same treatment algorithm may be suitable for both the lesions. Several strategies for the treatment of post-surgical and post-traumatic seromas have been described in the literature, ranging from conservative measures for acute and small injuries to surgical management and sclerotherapy for chronic and large ones. Despite some seromas resolving with conventional management, lesion recurrence is a matter of concern. The authors present their experience in the treatment of both post-surgical and post-traumatic chronic seromas not responsive to conservative treatments by surgical drainage of the seroma, capsulectomy, and application of vacuum-assisted closure therapy to allow granulation tissue formation, dead spaces obliteration, and wound healing. Primary wound closure with closed suction drain placement and an elastic compression bandaging are finally performed. From 2014 to 2019, a total of 15 patients (9 females and 6 males) were treated for recurrent chronic seromas with the proposed surgical approach. Five cases were MLLs, while 10 cases were postoperative seromas. The patients were between 33 and 79 years old, and they were followed up at 4 weeks and 3 and 6 months after surgery. All 15 patients with chronic seromas not responsive to conservative treatment showed a complete resolution of the lesions with the proposed treatment approach with no evidence of lesion recurrence, proving its effectiveness., (© 2020 Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Purpose: Tethered cord syndrome (TCS) is an occult spinal dysraphism that includes low lying conus, tight filum terminale, lipomeningomyelocele, split cord malformations, dermal sinus tracts, and dermoids. This congenital disorder has been associated with musculoskeletal, neurological, and gastrointestinal abnormalities. This study presents a retrospective review of the prospectively collected data of TCS patients and their concurrent diagnoses or associated anomalies., Methods: The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2003 to 2012 was used for data collection. Hospital- and year-adjusted weights allowed for accurate assessment of the incidence of TCS, as well as cardiac and gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) anomalies. K-means clustering analysis was run to discover patterns of concurrent cardiac, GI, GU, and other system anomalies in TCS patients., Results: A total of 13,470 discharges with a diagnosis of TCS were identified in the NIS database, and at least one additional anomaly was identified in 40.7% of TCS patients. The most common secondary anomalies by system were: spine (24.48%), cardiac (6.27%), and urinary (5.37%). For patients with multiple anomalies, the most common combinations were GI and cardiac (4.55%), urinary and GI (4.26%), and urinary and cardiac (4.19%). The most common spinal association was spina bifida (13.65%). The most common neurological or musculoskeletal anomaly was any VACTERL association (13.45%). The top relation in GI and GU anomalies was cervix and female genitalia anomalies (69.1%). The most common specific anomalies were spina bifida, large intestine atresia, Rubenstein-Taybi syndrome, and atrial and ventral septal defects., Conclusion: This study provides a nationwide prospective on congenital anomalies and concurrent conditions present in tethered cord syndrome patients in the United States and demonstrates that 40.7% of TCS patients have at least one associated anomaly. The most common congenital anomalies studied were spina bifida, urogenital with or without cardiac septal defects, and cystourethral anomaly or cystic kidney disease with or without large intestinal atresia.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study of prospective patients undergoing minimally invasive lumbar fusion at a single academic institution., Objective: To assess differences in perioperative outcomes between primary and revision MIS (minimally invasive surgical) lumbar interbody fusion patients and compare with those undergoing corresponding open procedures., Methods: Patients ≥18 years old undergoing lumbar interbody fusion were grouped by surgical technique: MIS or open. Patients within each group were propensity score matched for comorbidities and levels fused. Patient demographics, surgical factors, and perioperative complication incidences were compared between primary and revision cases using means comparison tests, as appropriate., Results: Of the 214 lumbar interbody fusion patients included after propensity score matching, 44 (21%) cases were MIS, and 170 (79%) were open. For MIS patients, there were no significant differences between primary and revision cases in estimated blood loss (EBL; 344 vs 299 cm 3 , P = .682); however, primary cases had longer operative times (301 vs 246 minutes, P = .029). There were no differences in length of stay (LOS), intensive care unit LOS, readmission, and intraoperative or postoperative complications (all P > .05). For open patients, there were no differences between primary and revision cases in EBL ( P > .05), although revisions had longer operative times (331 vs 278 minutes, P = .018) and more postoperative complications (61.7% vs 23.8%, P < .001). MIS revision procedures were shorter than open revisions (182 vs 213 minutes, P = .197) with significantly less EBL (294 vs 965 cm 3 , P < .001), shorter inpatient and intensive care unit LOS, and fewer postoperative complications (all P < .05)., Conclusions: Clinical outcomes of revision MIS lumbar interbody fusion were similar to those of primary surgery. Additionally, MIS techniques were associated with less EBL, shorter LOS, and fewer perioperative complications than corresponding open revisions.

Introduction: Pedicled perforator flaps are widely used for soft tissue reconstruction, but evidence in literature about risk factors associated with complications is still controvert. The aim of this study is to evaluate risk factors and outcomes associated with pedicled perforator-based flaps harvested at different anatomical sites., Patients and Methods: Seventy-one propeller and 59 V-Y advancement flaps were performed to reconstruct defects of the face (24 cases), trunk (47 cases), and extremities (59 cases). Mean defect and flap area were 32.43 and 43.2 cm 2 , respectively. The average age recorded was 66 years. We statistically analyzed whether patient and flap-related variables had an impact on flap vascular complications rate. Patients were asked to rate on a 5-point Likert scale the aesthetic and functional outcomes of the surgery., Results: Overall flap complications rate was 23.07%. Coronary heart disease was an independent risk factor for flap complications (p = .010), while hypertension was associated with a lower complication rate (p = .010). The increasing degree of pedicle rotation had a significant impact on the development of flap vascular complications (p = .008). Mean patients' aesthetic and functional ratings were 4.23 of 5 and 4.37 of 5, respectively., Conclusions: We found a positive correlation between both coronary heart disease and increasing degree of pedicle rotation and complications. Other factors tested were not significantly associated with complications. Patients were overall satisfied with both the aesthetic and functional outcomes of the procedure. The decisional algorithm hereby suggested yields a 93.1% overall success rate and we believe it could be of help to plastic surgeons approaching soft tissue defects., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Introduction: Patient reported outcomes measurement information system (PROMIS) is a quality of life metric that has gained increased popularity due to computer adaptive testing. Previous studies have shown that PROMIS correlates with Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) in patients with back pain and takes significantly less time to complete. However, the ability of PROMIS to capture disability from spinal malalignment relative to established metrics is unknown. The aim of the present study is to validate the correlation between ODI and PROMIS in patients with back pain, analyze correlations of PROMIS and legacy metrics to sagittal alignment, and identify major drivers of PROMIS scores and ODI in patients with back pain., Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of a prospectively collected outcome measures database (PROMIS, ODI, VAS Back, VAS Leg, VAS Neck, and VAS Arm) of spine patients > 18 years. Inclusion criteria for the present study was a chief complaint of back pain and full length weight bearing X-rays within 30 days of health related quality of life (HRQL) completion. Demographic information, radiographic alignment, psychiatric diagnoses, and comorbidities were recorded. PROMIS metrics were correlated to legacy metrics (ODI and VAS). Next, outcome metrics were correlated with sagittal alignment variables T1 Pelvic Angle (TPA), SVA, PT, and PI-LL. Patients were grouped based on the presence of spinal deformity (defined radiographically as any one of SVA > 4 cm, PI-LL > 10°, PT > 20°) and mean HRQL scores were investigated for the adult spinal deformity (ASD) and non-ASD groups. Finally, drivers of PROMIS PF scores and ODI scores were determined using multiple stepwise regression., Results: 150 patients met inclusion criteria including 60 patients with ASD and 90 patients without. For the whole cohort, PROMIS PF correlated with ODI (r = - 0.651, p < 0.001), VAS Back (r = - 0.260, p = 0.014) and Charleson Comorbidity Index (r = - 0.336, p < 0.001). PROMIS PF had higher correlations than ODI for each sagittal alignment parameter tested, including TPA, SVA, PT, and PI-LL. When patients with ASD were compared to non-ASD patients, the PROMIS score was different between the groups but the ODI and VAS scores were not. Finally, stepwise linear regression showed that SVA, PI-LL, and VAS Leg were significant drivers of PROMIS PF (r 2  = 0.406, p < 0.001). VAS Leg and VAS Back were significant contributors to ODI (r 2  = 0.376, p < 0.001)., Conclusions: In a cohort of 150 patients with back pain, PROMIS correlated strongly with legacy outcome metrics, including VAS and ODI. PROMIS PF correlated more strongly with sagittal malalignment than ODI. Additionally, patients with spinal deformity had significantly worse PROMIS PF scores but similar ODI scores as patients without ASD. Finally, sagittal alignment was found to be a significant driver of PROMIS PF scores but not ODI scores. PROMIS PF should be utilized as a disability assessment tool in patients with spinal deformity due to ease of use, strong correlations with legacy metrics, and ability to capture disability resulting from sagittal alignment.

Background: Surgical reconstruction of chronic wounds is often infeasible due to infection, comorbidities, or poor viability of local tissues. The aim of this study was to describe the authors' technique for improving the regenerative and antimicrobial potential of a combination of modified nanofat and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in nonhealing infected wounds., Methods: Fourteen patients met the inclusion criteria. Fat tissue was harvested from the lower abdomen following infiltration of a solution of 1,000 mL of NaCl solution, 225 mg of ropivacaine, and 1 mg of epinephrine. Aspiration was performed using a 3-mm cannula with 1-mm holes. The obtained solution was decanted and mechanically emulsified, but was not filtered. Non-activated leukocyte-rich PRP (naLR-PRP) was added to the solution before injection. Patients underwent three sessions of injection of 8-mL naLR-PRP performed at 2-week intervals., Results: Thirteen of 14 patients completed the follow-up. Complete healing was achieved in seven patients (53.8%). Four patients (30.8%) showed improvement, with a mean ulcer width reduction of 57.5%±13.8%. Clinical improvements in perilesional skin quality were reported in all patients, with reduced erythema, increased thickness, and increased pliability. An overall wound depth reduction of 76.6%±40.8% was found. Pain was fully alleviated in all patients who underwent re-epithelization. A mean pain reduction of 42%±33.3% (as indicated by visual analog scale score) was found in non-re-epithelized patients at a 3-month follow-up., Conclusions: The discussed technique facilitated improvement of both the regenerative and the antimicrobial potential of fat grafting. It proved effective in surgically-untreatable infected chronic wounds unresponsive to conventional therapies.

Background: Physiotherapeutic scoliosis-specific exercise (PSSE) has proven to be an important treatment for patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. However, there is a lack of understanding of the role of PSSE in older adults with spinal deformity., Methods: An electronic, 14-question survey with questions regarding the use of physical therapy (PT) and PSSE for adult spinal deformity was administered to all Scoliosis Research Society members. Physician location, age, specialty, years in experience, and management preferences were quantified using descriptive analyses., Results: Of the 98 surgeons who participated in this study, the majority of respondents were from North America (71.1%), and the mean age was 51.87 ± 10.93 years; approximately 98% of respondents were orthopedic surgeons, and 48.0% had been in practice for more than 21 years. Sixty-four percent reported they prescribed PT in their practice, with 52% of respondents often using PT as nonoperative treatment; 21.4%, preoperative; and 40.8% postoperative. The primary reason for PT referral was persistent pain (40.3%), followed by impairments to the patient's balance or gait (34.3%) and difficulty with daily living activities (25.4%). The primary indications for not referring postoperative patients to PT were lack of perceived value from PT (50%), lack of evidence supporting the benefits from PT (31.3%), and a lack of physical therapists appropriately trained for scoliosis (18.8%). Of the respondents, 74% were familiar with PSSE and 66% were comfortable prescribing PSSE postoperatively. In addition, 28% of respondents agreed that >12 weeks postoperation was the ideal time for PSSE referral, followed by 6 to 8 weeks postoperation (26.2%) and immediately postoperation (18%)., Conclusions: The results show that the majority of respondents prescribed PSSE solely for nonoperative treatment. Respondents who did not prescribe PSSE reported skepticism due to a lack of perceived value. This suggests the need for further research into the benefits of PSSE., Level of Evidence: 5., Clinical Relevance: Physiotherapeutic Scoliosis Specific Exercises (PSSE) is an important non-operative treatment for patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) but is understudied in Adult Spinal Deformity (ASD) patients, suggesting further clinical research. This study demonstrates that only two-thirds of the respondents familiar with PSSE were comfortable prescribing PSSE postoperatively suggesting the need for further research into the effectiveness and benefits of PSSE in ASD patients., Competing Interests: Disclosures and COI: The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article and report no conflicts of interest., (©International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery 2019.)

Background: Nonroutine discharge, including discharge to inpatient rehab and skilled nursing facilities, is associated with increased cost-of-care. Given the rising prevalence of cervical deformity (CD)-corrective surgery and the necessity of value-based healthcare, it is important to identify indicators for nonroutine discharge., Objective: To identify factors associated with nonroutine discharge after CD-corrective surgery using a statistical learning algorithm., Methods: A retrospective review of patients ≥18 yr with discharge and baseline (BL) radiographic data. Conditional inference decision trees identified factors associated with nonroutine discharge and cut-off points at which factors were significantly associated with discharge status. A conditional variable importance table used nonreplacement sampling set of 10 000 conditional inference trees to identify influential patient/surgical factors. The binary logistic regression indicated odds of nonroutine discharge for patients with influential factors at significant cut-off points., Results: Of 138 patients (61 yr, 63% female) undergoing surgery for CD (8 ± 5 levels; 49% posterior approach, 16% anterior, and 35% combined), 29% experienced nonroutine discharge. BL cervical/upper-cervical malalignment showed the strongest relationship with nonroutine discharge: C1 slope ≥ 14°, C2 slope ≥ 57°, TS-CL ≥ 57°. Patient-related factors associated with nonroutine discharge included BL gait impairment, age ≥ 59 yr and apex of CD primary driver ≥ C7. The only surgical factor associated with nonroutine discharge was fusion ≥ 8 levels. There was no relationship between nonhome discharge and reoperation within 6 mo or 1 yr (both P > .05) of index procedure. Despite no differences in BL EQ-5D (P = .946), nonroutine discharge patients had inferior 1-yr postoperative EQ-5D scores (P = .044)., Conclusion: Severe preoperative cervical malalignment was strongly associated with nonroutine discharge following CD-corrective surgery. Age, deformity driver, and ≥ 8 level fusions were also associated with nonroutine discharge and should be taken into account to improve patient counseling and health care resource allocation., (Copyright © 2019 by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.)

Botulinum neurotoxin-A and botulinum neurotoxin-B have been shown to play a potential role in improving flap survival in animal models. The aim of this study is to review indications as well as to study injection timing, technique, and doses of botulinum neurotoxin-A and botulinum neurotoxin-B in animal models. Seventeen articles describe a total of 266 animals that underwent botulinum toxin injections before or during flap harvesting or vascular anastomosis procedure. All the studies demonstrated a beneficial effect of botulinum toxin administration in flap surgery or vascular anastomosis. Botulinum neurotoxin-A injection was shown to be a reliable approach in reducing vascular complications rate and increasing survival of flaps in animal models. The main conclusions drawn from the study include the following: perivascular injections targeting each vascular pedicle are preferred in cases of free flaps or axial flaps; subdermal injections are favorable in cases of random pattern skin flaps; and injections should be performed 7 days before flap elevation.

Background: Klippel-Feil syndrome (KFS) includes craniocervical anomalies, low posterior hairline, and brevicollis, with limited cervical range of motion; however, there remains no consensus on inheritance pattern. This study defines incidence, characterizes concurrent diagnoses, and examines trends in the presentation and management of KFS., Methods: This was a retrospective review of the Kid's Inpatient Database (KID) for KFSpatients aged 0-20 years from 2003 to 2012. Incidence was established using KID-supplied year and hospital-trend weights. Demographics and secondary diagnoses associated with KFS were evaluated. Comorbidities, anomalies, and procedure type trends from 2003 to 2012 were assessed for likelihood to increase among the years studied using ANOVA tests., Results: Eight hundred and fifty-eight KFS diagnoses (age: 9.49 years; 51.1% females) and 475 patients with congenital fusion (CF) (age: 8.33 years; 50.3% females) were analyzed. We identified an incidence rate of 1/21,587 discharges. Only 6.36% of KFS patients were diagnosed with Sprengel's deformity; 1.44% with congenital fusion. About 19.1% of KFS patients presented with another spinal abnormality and 34.0% presented with another neuromuscular anomaly. About 36.51% of KFS patients were diagnosed with a nonspinal or nonmusculoskeletal anomaly, with the most prevalent anomalies being of cardiac origin (12.95%). About 7.34% of KFS patients underwent anterior fusions, whereas 6.64% of KFS patients underwent posterior fusions. The average number of levels operated on was 4.99 with 8.28% receiving decompressions. Interbody devices were used in 2.45% of cases. The rate of fusions with <3 levels (7.46%) was comparable to that of 3 levels or greater (7.81%)., Conclusions: KFS patients were more likely to have other spinal abnormalities (19.1%) and nonnervous system abnormalities (13.63%). Compared to congenital fusions, KFS patients were more likely to have congenital abnormalities such as Sprengel's deformity. KFS patients are increasingly being treated with spinal fusion., Level of Evidence: III., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2019 Journal of Craniovertebral Junction and Spine.)

Background: Given the paucity of literature regarding compensatory mechanisms used by obese patients with sagittal malalignment, it is necessary to gain a better understanding of the effects of obesity on compensation after comparing the degree of malalignment to age-adjusted ideals. This study aims to compare baseline alignment of obese and nonobese patients using age-adjusted spino-pelvic alignment parameters, describing associated spinal changes., Methods: Patients ≥ 18 years with full-body stereoradiographs were propensity-score matched for sex, baseline pelvic incidence (PI), and categorized as nonobese (body mass index < 30kg/m 2 ) or obese (body mass index ≥ 30). Age-adjusted ideals were calculated for sagittal vertical axis, spino-pelvic mismatch (PI-LL), pelvic tilt, and T1 pelvic angle using established formulas. Patients were stratified as meeting alignment ideals, being above ideal, or being below. Spinal alignment parameters included C0-C2, C2-C7, C2-T3, cervical thoracic pelvic angle, cervical sagittal vertical axis SVA, thoracic kyphosis, T1 pelvic angle, T1 slope, sagittal vertical axis, lumbar lordosis (LL), PI, PI-LL, pelvic tilt. Lower-extremity parameters included sacrofemoral angle, knee flexion (KA), ankle flexion (AA), pelvic shift (PS), and global sagittal angle (GSA). Independent t tests compared parameters between cohorts., Results: Included: 800 obese, 800 nonobese patients. Both groups recruited lower-extremity compensation: sacrofemoral angle ( P  = .004), KA, AA, PS, GSA (all P  < .001). Obese patients meeting age-adjusted PI-LL had greater lower-extremity compensation than nonobese patients: lower sacrofemoral angle ( P  = .002), higher KA ( P  = .008), PS ( P  = .002), and GSA ( P  = .02). Obese patients with PI-LL mismatch higher than age-adjusted ideal recruited greater lower-extremity compensation than nonobese patients: higher KA, AA, PS, GSA (all P  < .001). Obese patients showed compensation through the cervical spine: increased C0-C2, C2-C7, C2-T3, and cervical sagittal vertical axis (all P  < .001), high T1 pelvic angle ( P  < .001), cervical thoracic pelvic angle ( P  = .03), and T1 slope ( P  < .001), with increased thoracic kyphosis ( P  = .015) and decreased LL ( P  < .001) compared to nonobese patients with PI-LL larger than age-adjusted ideal., Conclusions: Regardless of malalignment severity, obese patients recruited lower-limb compensation more than nonobese patients. Obese patients with PI-LL mismatch larger than age-adjusted ideal also develop upper-cervical and cervicothoracic compensation for malalignment., Level of Evidence: III., Clinical Relevance: Clinical evaluation should extend to the cervical spine in obese patients not meeting age-adjusted sagittal alignment ideals., Competing Interests: Disclosures and COI: The authors report no conflicts of interest concerning the materials or methods used in this study or the findings specified in this paper. Ethics Review Committee Statement: Institutional Review Board approval was obtained for this study, prior to patient enrollment.

Background: Nonsurgical rhinoplasty with hyaluronic acid (HA) has gained popularity due to its efficacy and minimal downtime. From a structural standpoint, it is like performing a tridimensional reshaping where only enhancement by grafts is allowed. To date, indications, technique, and products are still debated. The aim of this study is to describe the author's experience with nonsurgical nasal reshaping, focusing on the indications and maneuvers to safely achieve, by mean of HA, the grafts previously described for surgical rhinoplasty., Materials and Methods: A total of 70 consecutive patients underwent nonsurgical rhinoplasty using the same type of HA. The rhinoplasty module of FACE-Q was administered to all patients before treatment and 15 days posttreatment. Statistical analysis was performed., Results: No complication was experienced. Two (2.8%) patients required a retouch after 15 days for further dorsal correction. There was a statistically significant difference between preoperative and postoperative values in all domains and overall scores of the rhinoplasty module of FACE-Q., Conclusions: The graft-based technique proved to be safe, effective, and reliable. It may allow correction of selected nasal defects with reduced cost and minimal downtime., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Background: The study aims to evaluate differences in alignment and clinical outcomes between surgical cervical deformity (CD) patients with a subaxial upper-most instrumented vertebra (UIV) and patients with a UIV at C2. Use of CD-corrective instrumentation in the subaxial cervical spine is considered risky due to narrow subaxial pedicles and vertebral artery anatomy. While C2 fixation provides increased stability, the literature lacks guidelines indicating extension of CD-corrective fusion from the subaxial spine to C2., Methods: Included: operative CD patients with baseline (BL) and 1-year postop (1Y) radiographic data, cervical UIV ≥ C2. Patients were grouped by UIV: C2 or subaxial (C3-C7) and propensity score matched (PSM) for BL cSVA. Mean comparison tests assessed differences in BL and 1Y patient-related, radiographic, and surgical data between UIV groups, and BL-1Y changes in alignment and clinical outcomes., Results: Following PSM, 31 C2 UIV and 31 subaxial UIV patients undergoing CD-corrective surgery were included. Groups did not differ in BL comorbidity burden (P=0.175) or cSVA (P=0.401). C2 patients were older (64 vs . 58 yrs, P=0.010) and had longer fusions (9 vs . 6 levels, P=0.002). Overall, patients showed BL-1Y improvements in TS-CL (P<0.001), cSVA (P=0.005), McGS (P=0.004). Cervical flexibility was maintained at 1Y regardless of UIV, assessed by CL flexion (-0.2° vs . 6.0°, P=0.115) and extension (13.9° vs. 9.9°, P=0.366). While both subaxial and C2 patients showed BL-1Y improvements in McGS (both P<0.030), C2 patients improved to a larger degree (7.3° vs . 6.2°). Between UIV groups, there were no differences in BL-1Y changes in HRQLs, overall complication rates, or operative complication rates (all P>0.05)., Conclusions: C2 UIV patients showed similar cervical range of motion and baseline to 1-year functional outcomes as patients with a subaxial UIV. C2 UIV patients also showed greater baseline to 1-year horizontal gaze improvement and had complication profiles similar to subaxial UIV patients, demonstrating the radiographic benefit and minimal functional loss associated with extending fusion constructs to C2. In the treatment of adult cervical deformities, extension of the reconstruction construct to the axis may allow for certain clinical benefits with less morbidity than previously acknowledged., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Objective: We investigated the 30-day complication incidence and 1-year radiographic correction in obese patients undergoing surgical treatment of cervical deformity., Methods: The patients were stratified according to World Health Organization's definition for obesity: obese, patients with a body mass index of ≥30 kg/m 2 ; and nonobese, patients with a body mass index of <30 kg/m 2 . The patients had undergone surgery for the treatment of cervical deformity. The patient baseline demographic, comorbidity, and radiographic data were compared between the 2 groups at baseline and 1 year postoperatively. The 30-day complication incidence was stratified according to complication severity (any, major, or minor), and type (cardiopulmonary, dysphagia, infection, neurological, and operative). Binary logistic regression models were used to assess the effect of obesity on developing those complications, with adjustment for patient age and levels fused., Results: A total of 124 patients were included, 53 obese and 71 nonobese patients. The 2 groups had a similar T1 slope minus cervical lordosis (obese, 37.2° vs. nonobese, 36.9°; P = 0.932) and a similar C2-C7 (-5.9° vs. -7.3°; P = 0.718) and C2-C7 (50.1 mm vs. 44.1 mm; P = 0.184) sagittal vertical axis. At the 1-year follow-up examination, the T1 pelvic angle (1.0° vs. -3.1°; P = 0.021) and C2-S1 sagittal vertical axis (-5.9 mm vs. -35.0 mm; P = 0.036) were different, and the T1 spinopelvic inclination (-1.0° vs. -2.9°; P = 0.123) was similar. The obese patients had a greater risk of overall short-term complications (odds ratio, 2.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-6.1) and infectious complications (odds ratio, 5.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-25.6)., Conclusions: Obese patients had a 5 times greater odds of developing infections after surgery for adult cervical deformity. Obese patients also showed significantly greater pelvic anteversion after cervical correction., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background Context: Distal junctional kyphosis (DJK) is a primary concern of surgeons correcting cervical deformity. Identifying patients and procedures at higher risk of developing this condition is paramount in improving patient selection and care., Purpose: The present study aimed to develop a risk index for DJK development in the first year after surgery., Study Design/setting: This is a retrospective review of a prospective multicenter cervical deformity database., Patient Sample: Patients over the age of 18 meeting one of the following deformities were included in the study: cervical kyphosis (C2-7 Cobb angle>10°), cervical scoliosis (coronal Cobb angle>10°), positive cervical sagittal imbalance (C2-C7 sagittal vertical axis (SVA)>4 cm or T1-C6>10°), or horizontal gaze impairment (chin-brow vertical angle>25°)., Outcome Measures: Development of DJK at any time before 1 year., Methods: Distal junctional kyphosis was defined by both clinical diagnosis (by enrolling surgeon) and post hoc identification of development of an angle<-10° from the end of fusion construct to the second distal vertebra, as well as a change in this angle by <-10° from baseline. Conditional Inference Decision Trees were used to identify factors predictive of DJK incidence and the cut-off points at which they have an effect. A conditional Variable-Importance table was constructed based on a non-replacement sampling set of 2,000 Conditional Inference Trees. Twelve influencing factors were found; binary logistic regression for each variable at significant cutoffs indicated their effect size., Results: Statistical analysis included 101 surgical patients (average age: 60.1 years, 58.3% female, body mass index: 30.2) undergoing long cervical deformity correction (mean levels fused: 7.1, osteotomy used: 49.5%, approach: 46.5% posterior, 17.8% anterior, 35.7% combined). In 2 years after surgery, 6% of patients were diagnosed with clinical DJK; however, 23.8% of patients met radiographic definition for DJK. Patients with neurologic symptoms were at risk of DJK (odds ratio [OR]: 3.71, confidence interval [CI]: 0.11-0.63). However, no significant relationship was found between osteoporosis, age, and ambulatory status with DJK incidence. Baseline radiographic malalignments were the most numerous and strong predictors for DJK: (1) C2-T1 tilt>5.33 (OR: 6.94, CI: 2.99-16.14); (2) kyphosis<-50.6° (OR: 5.89, CI: 0.07-0.43); (3) C2-C7 lordosis<-12° (OR: 5.7, CI: 0.08-0.41); (4) T1 slope minus cervical lordosis>36.4 (OR: 5.6, CI: 2.28-13.57); (5) C2-C7 SVA>56.3° (OR: 5.4, CI: 2.20-13.23); and (6) C4&#95;Tilt>56.7 (OR: 5.0, CI: 1.90-13.1). Clinically, combined approaches (OR: 2.67, CI: 1.21-5.89) and usage of Smith-Petersen osteotomy (OR: 2.55, CI: 1.02-6.34) were the most important predictors of DJK., Conclusions: In a surgical cohort of patients with cervical deformity, we found a 23.8% incidence of DJK. Different procedures and patient malalignment predicted incidence of DJK up to 1 year. Preoperative T1 slope-cervical lordosis, cervical kyphosis, SVA, and cervical lordosis all strongly predicted DJK at specific cut-off points. Knowledge of these factors will potentially help direct future study and strategy aimed at minimizing this potentially dramatic occurrence., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background Context: Cost-utility analysis, a special case of cost-effectiveness analysis, estimates the ratio between the cost of an intervention to the benefit it produces in number of quality-adjusted life years. Cervical deformity correction has not been evaluated in terms of cost-utility and in the context of value-based health care. Our objective, therefore, was to determine the cost-utility ratio of cervical deformity correction., Study Design: This is a retrospective review of a prospective, multicenter cervical deformity database. Patients with 1-year follow-up after surgical correction for cervical deformity were included. Cervical deformity was defined as the presence of at least one of the following: kyphosis (C2-C7 Cobb angle >10°), cervical scoliosis (coronal Cobb angle >10°), positive cervical sagittal malalignment (C2-C7 sagittal vertical axis >4 cm or T1-C6 >10°), or horizontal gaze impairment (chin-brow vertical angle >25°). Quality-adjusted life years were calculated by both EuroQol 5D (EQ5D) quality of life and Neck Disability Index (NDI) mapped to short form six dimensions (SF6D) index. Costs were assigned using Medicare 1-year average reimbursement for: 9+ level posterior fusions (PF), 4-8 level PF, 4-8 level PF with anterior fusion (AF), 2-3 level PF with AF, 4-8 level AF, and 4-8 level posterior refusion. Reoperations and deaths were added to cost and subtracted from utility, respectively. Quality-adjusted life year per dollar spent was calculated using standardized methodology at 1-year time point and subsequent time points relying on maintenance of 1-year utility., Results: Eighty-four patients (average age: 61.2 years, 60% female, body mass index [BMI]: 30.1) were analyzed after cervical deformity correction (average levels fused: 7.2, osteotomy used: 50%). Costs associated with index procedures were 9+ level PF ($76,617), 4-8 level PF ($40,596), 4-8 level PF with AF ($67,098), 4-8 level AF ($31,392), and 4-8 level posterior refusion ($35,371). Average 1-year reimbursement of surgery was $55,097 at 1 year with eight revisions and three deaths accounted for. Cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained to 1-year follow-up was $646,958 by EQ5D and $477,316 by NDI SF6D. If 1-year benefit is sustained, upper threshold of cost-effectiveness is reached 3-4.5 years after intervention., Conclusions: Medicare 1-year average reimbursement compared with 1-year QALYdescribed $646,958 by EQ5D and $477,316 by NDI SF6D. Cervical deformity surgeries reach accepted cost-effectiveness thresholds when benefit is sustained 3-4.5 years. Longer follow-up is needed for a more definitive cost-analysis, but these data are an important first step in justifying cost-utility ratio for cervical deformity correction., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)