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Summary: Introduction: Combined hemiglossectomy and floor-of-the-mouth defects need accurate reconstructive planning to restore swallowing and speech function. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate outcomes of the bilobed design applied to perforator free flaps for combined hemitongue and floor-of-the-mouth defects. Patients and methods: Twelve patients with a mean age of 71 years (range, 60–84) addressed to combined hemiglossectomy and floor-of-the-mouth resection and bilobed-shaped perforator free-flap reconstruction were prospectively enrolled. Defects were classified as follows: type 1, including only the anterior mobile portion of the tongue (n = 3); type 2, involving both mobile tongue and tongue base (n = 6); and type 3, including segmental mandibulectomy combined with a type 1 or type 2 defect (n = 3). The Kruskal–Wallis and Bonferroni post hoc tests were used to compare outcomes. Results: Type 1 defects were reconstructed by three anterolateral thigh (ALT) perforator flaps; type 2 defects were reconstructed by four ALT flaps and two vertical deep inferior epigastric perforator flaps; and type 3 defects were restored by three osteocutaneous fibula flaps. Eleven flaps (91.6%) healed uneventfully, while one (8.4%) suffered a small area of skin necrosis whose revision did not compromise functional results. Six patients achieved normal intelligible speech, five had acceptable intelligible speech and one had unintelligible speech (p = 0.356). Swallowing function was considered normal in eight patients and with mild impairment in four (p = 0.178). Cosmesis resulted excellent in seven patients and good in five (p = 0.855). Conclusion: The bilobed-shaped perforator free flaps were shown to be a safe and predictable solution for combined hemitongue and floor-of-the-mouth defects providing optimal aesthetic and functional outcomes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: The vascular architecture within a perforator flap is different from a conventional muscle or myocutaneous flap. The purpose of this paper is to understand the correlation between flow rate and flap size in perforator flaps. With extrapolation of these data, we have provided an indirect analysis of the venous drainage and its correlation with flap size. A prospective study was planned. Twenty-five patients were enrolled in this study: six patients were operated on using an anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap and 19 using a deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEAP) flap. One month postoperatively, echo-colour-Doppler measurements were performed on pedicle and perforator arteries to calculate blood flow rate in the flaps. A correlation between weight and flow rate was analysed. Spearman ρ statistic was calculated. A linear regression model was made from patient data of flow rate/flap weight and predicted values of flow per flap weight were calculated. Then, flow rate values of veins of various diameters were estimated using Hagen-Poiseuille''s formula. Our data show that flow rate measured postoperatively on flap arteries is significantly correlated with flap weight [ρ(23 d.f.)=0.725, P <0.01 (two-tailed)]. Moreover, we have calculated the minimum size of veins able to drain flaps of increasing weights with different patterns, i.e. our data show that veins of 1.30, 1.50 and 1.75mm diameter could safely drain flaps of, respectively, 300, 500 and 900g in weight. This can be useful preoperatively to estimate the risk of flap congestion and in planning additional drainage. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Upper and lower eyelid unilateral full thickness reconstruction in a patient with no available adjacent tissues because of burns or trauma sequelae is a surgical challenge. A case of severe thermal burn with unilateral complete defect of both upper and lower eyelids is reported, together with the surgical technique of reconstruction. The patient was a 65-year-old man who sustained deep burns of the head and neck with upper airway burns after falling into a fireplace. After tracheostomy and acute resuscitation, he underwent escharectomy and coverage of his head and neck burns with split thickness skin grafts and with full thickness skin grafts to the eyelids. There was incomplete take of the skin grafts to the upper and lower left eyelids. In these areas, infection and loss of the tarsum and subsequent eyelid retraction led to exposure keratitis and blurred vision. After healing and respiratory rehabilitation, he was referred to our microsurgical unit for upper and lower eyelid reconstruction. A free forearm flap was first considered, but the Allen test was negative. Therefore, a free anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap was chosen to provide skin eyelid coverage. The flap was harvested including fascia and centred on one perforator. The levator muscle stump and conjunctiva from both upper and lower cul-de-sacs were dissected and advanced. Flap vessels were anastomosed to the superficial temporal artery and vein. The conjunctiva and the fascia replaced the new inner upper and lower lamella. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the use of a perforator flap, the ALT flap, in full thickness reconstruction of both upper and lower eyelids and may be a reliable option in such selected and challenging situations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Nowadays, microsurgery performed for oral reconstruction of cancer patients, has become the standard treatment in restoring oral functions. The free radial forearm flap (FRFF) is still apparently the first reconstructive choice in oral cavity cancers. Recently the anterolateral thigh flap (ALTF) seemed to challenge the superiority of FRFF. The lack of functional data on which to base this recent supposition is the reason for this new research. Twenty reconstructed patients were enrolled for this study. Speech, swallowing, and donor site complications were studied to assess differences between the two techniques. Results show that difference in function between ALTF and FRFF groups is statistically insignificant. Donor site risks and complications seem to be the only variables among groups. These variables may be used as indicators when making a surgical choice. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Perforator flaps are perfused through a long vessel whose calibre decreases from its origin to the skin, because all branches have been sealed, resulting in a conduit with resistances in series, rather than a tree with resistances in parallel, as in the normal systemic circulation. This study was planned to assess whether the differences between perforator flap and normal systemic vasculature have an impact on haemodynamic parameters in perforator flaps and on their clinical significance. The study was performed on 10 patients. Echo-colour-Doppler measurement of diameters, velocity of flow and calculations of flow rate were made at the level of flap pedicle artery and skin perforator artery, pre- and post-operatively in each patient. Statistical analysis used the Wilcoxon matched pairs signed sum rank test. Our data show that in the donor area pre-operatively, blood velocity in skin artery perforator is lower that in the corresponding pedicle artery, whereas post-operatively, in perforator flaps, blood velocity in the perforator is higher than in the pedicle. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). There is an inversion of the gradient of blood velocity between pedicle artery and perforator artery compared to normal circulation. Furthermore, in normal circulation flow through the perforator was found smaller than that at the pedicle, whereas in perforator flaps, flow through the perforator is smaller but is a greater proportion of the flow through the pedicle and the difference is statistically significant (P<0.01). Therefore, the velocity of blood and the rate of flow reaching the skin are higher in perforator flaps than in normal circulation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Bites from Loxosceles spiders can cause few symptoms to gangrenous skin necrosis or even death. To date, the treatment of the violin spider bite is largely unsatisfactory. Although no specific therapy exists, it has been suggested that heparin, steroids, dapsone, experimental antivenin and/or surgical excision may be beneficial. Three rare cases of suspected spider bite and their surgical treatment are reported. On the basis of geographical area, anamnesis and clinical symptoms, we suppose Loxoceles rufescens responsible for these bites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, a recent operating technique that consists of using perforator instead of axial flaps in reconstructive surgery is investigated from the hemodynamic point of view. By means of a mathematical modeling resting on the fluid dynamical aspects of the technique, we describe the hemodynamic enhancements with respects to the classical surgical method. Finally, we report some clinical data showing how the model projections meet the clinical findings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Secondary shaping of the transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap is a routine treatment, and includes liposuction, skin excision, inframammary fold replacement, dermal fat grafts or lipofilling. Major flap revision may include an augmentation procedure with implants or expanders. We present an inferior pedicle breast reduction in a woman who underwent breast reconstruction using a free TRAM flap. To our knowledge, there are no reports about reduction mammaplasty or mastopexy in Free TRAM flap breast reconstruction. Reduction mammaplasty should be regarded as a valuable option in free TRAM or deep inferior epigastric perforator secondary reshaping. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: The goals of the treatment of chronic osteomyelitis are infection eradication with systemic antibiotic therapy and local management with radical excision of the infected tissue and obliteration of the remaining dead space. Adequate debridement and coverage with a well-vascularised tissue are mandatory for successful outcomes. Use of muscle covering for chronic osteomyelitis in the lower extremities is considered the best procedure. However, there have been instances where debridement of the bone tissue did not leave a deep cavity along the leg bones and fasciocutaneous flaps can be used in these instances to cover the defect and to restore function without recurrence of the disease. Recently, free non-muscle flaps have been used and assessed for chronic osteomyelitis or covering of exposed bone. Perforator flaps have been shown to be well vascularised due to a structural haemodynamic enhancement. In the light of these findings we report a successful case of chronic osteomyelitis of the right fibula treated with excision of the affected tissue and covering with a propeller flap. Instead of free flap covering, in order to optimise surgical reconstruction, reducing the operative time, donor and recipient site morbidity and risk of total flap failure, local perforator flaps and particularly the propeller flap may be indicated in the treatment of chronic osteomyelitis in selected patients when the defect is limited and there is no need to fill a deep bone cavity or a dead space. To our knowledge, this the first report of the use of a propeller flap in the treatment of chronic osteomyelitis in the lower extremities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Many techniques have been described to create an aesthetic and functional neo-phallus after penile amputation or in female-to-male transsexuals. Microsurgical free-flap phalloplasty seems to be the preferred method of penile reconstruction. For many years the radial forearm free flap has been considered the best procedure, but other flaps have been attempted to minimize donor site morbidity and optimize outcome. Pedicled flaps are considered to be reliable and to decrease the risk of total failure. Recently, a one-stage non-microsurgical technique was described for phallic reconstruction in a young male patient. We report successful total phallic reconstruction in a female-to-male transsexual patient using an island pedicled anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap. Urethral reconstruction was left as a possible further procedure due to patient''s preference. A malleable soft silicone penile prosthesis was inserted within the flap and the lateral cutaneous femoral nerve stump was sutured to the dorsal clitoris branch from the pudendal nerve for flap sensation. After 6 months, the patient demonstrated successful aesthetic and functional reconstruction referring to satisfactory sexual activity. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an innervated island pedicled ALT flap used for female-to-male penile reconstruction in a transsexual patient. The pedicled ALT flap may be a reliable option to avoid visible scarring at the donor site on exposed parts of the body, and reduce the risk of total flap failure from microsurgical procedures for reconstruction of a neo-phallus in this increasing population of patients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are severe adverse drug reactions, characterized by a low incidence but high mortality, initially described as separate entities, but today considered variants of the same pathologic process and differing only for severity. The majority of cases appear to be related to idiosyncratic drug reactions. The drugs most commonly involved are: antibiotics such as sulfonamides, beta-lactam, tetracyclines and quinolones; anticonvulsants such as phenytoin, phenobarbital and carbamazapine; antiretroviral drugs; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, allopurinol. There is common agreement to consider TEN as the manifestation of a disregulated immune reaction against epithelial cells. During the first stages of TEN, apoptosis mediates keratinocyte death and the pivotal role of Fas-FasL pathway activation during TEN is undoubted. T cell cytotoxicity, demonstrated during TEN, has been shown to be mediated by the perforin-granzyme pathway. It seems, also, clear that a peculiar cytokine pattern plays an important role in TEN pathogenesis. The cutaneous findings result in an acute macular erythematous rash with bullae. These lesions rapidly exhibit Nikolsky's sign and a separation of large sheets of epidermis from the dermis and a subsequent localised shedding develops rapidly, which can become very extensive. When feasible, admission in burn or intensive care unit, positioning the patients in air-fluidised beds, is universally considered crucial in TEN treatment. The prompt withdrawal of the suspected drug, fluid and electrolyte replacement and topical wound care are the first line of therapy. The use of corticosteroids has been abandoned and the role of immunosuppressants, despite some success, is not well defined and is not considered as a standard. A trial comparing thalidomide versus placebo in TEN patients was suspended because mortality rate increased in the treated group. Infliximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody to TNF-alpha, has been administered to a patient, in single infusion, with a favourable outcome. Plasmapheresis is reported to lead to some success in TEN treatment, with improvement of clinical conditions and high percentage of survival. Different authors reported good results in terms of decreasing mortality and morbidity or improving clinical conditions of the use of human intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIGs). Regardless, the true utility of this treatment remains controversial. In 2005, the authors (ML and RC), dealing with a number of severe TEN cases, proposed a new protocol based on the combination of these last two techniques reporting their preliminary results in the treatment of severe TEN patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]