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Male genitourinary trauma often results in devastating physical and psychological sequellae. Traditional options for autologous reconstruction do not fully restore form and function and are prone to significant complications involving urinary strictures and fistulae as well as prosthesis extrusion; we believe that reconstructive transplantation may provide improved outcomes for select patients. Thus far, penile allotransplantation has been performed twice with mixed results. Prior to more widespread implementation, carefully attention must be directed toward minimizing the benefits and minimizing the risks associated with this procedure. There are also a number of ethical considerations unique to penile transplantation that must be considered. In this article, we review the potential risks, benefits and ethical considerations pertaining to penile transplantation and discuss approaches to optimize outcomes.

BackgroundPatients seeking vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) often had devastating injuries requiring multiple blood transfusions to ensure acute patient survival Transfusions carry ...

Surgical site infections (SSIs) complicate the postoperative course of a significant proportion of general abdominal surgical patients and are associated with excessive health care costs. SSIs increase postoperative morbidity and mortality, and may require hospital admission, intravenous antibiotics, and even surgical reintervention. Risks associated with SSIs are related to both host and perioperative factors. However, a vast majority of these infections are preventable. More recently, quality initiative programs such as American College of Surgeons National Sur- gical Quality Improvement Program are expanding their roles to help better monitor adherence to improvement measures. Indeed, standardizing preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis timing is perhaps the most persuasive example and this has been integral to reducing postoperative SSI rates. Herein, the authors provide an update on the epidemiology, risk factors, identification, and management of wound infections following abdominal surgery.