Inlay-onlay flap urethroplasty for hypospadias and urethral stricture repair

PURPOSE: The absence of a segment of the urethral plate renders the onlay urethroplasty procedure impossible. The plate may be too short (in hypospadias), or scarred after previous repair or due to a dense urethral stricture. A modified approach with restoration of urethral plate continuity is proposed instead of the tubularized island flap associated with higher complication rates. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 12 of 20 patients with a partially deficient urethral plate the inlay-onlay preputial island flap was used. The wider part of the flap is inlaid in place of the missing plate and anastomosed to the residual plate. Formation of the urethra is then completed with standard onlay overlapping of the flap. In another 8 patients the combined (partially tubularized in advance) tube-onlay flap was used. RESULTS: The inlay-onlay flap technique was used in 3 new hypospadias patients, in 4 with a scarred, hair-bearing plate after previous operations and in 5 with virtually no urethral plate because of a dense urethral stricture. No urethral complications were encountered. Of the 8 patients undergoing the combined tube-onlay repair 3 had complications, including meatal stenosis (2) and partial dehiscence (1). CONCLUSIONS: Inlay-onlay flap urethroplasty allows correction of complex cases of hypospadias or urethral stricture with a partially deficient urethral plate in 1 stage with a low complication rate.     

The dartos flap as an adjunct in preventing urethrocutaneous fistulas in repeat hypospadias surgery

PURPOSE: Vascularized flaps for repeat hypospadias repair are often limited. We report our experience with the dartos flap in children undergoing secondary hypospadias and complex urethral repair. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The dartos flap is fibroadipose tissue between the scrotal skin and tunica vaginalis layers with its vascular pedicle based at the penoscrotal angle. The flap reaches the distal penile shaft without tension. Eight patients 1 to 17 years old (mean age 6) underwent urethral surgery and an interposed dartos flap procedure in 1994 to 1995. RESULTS: Of 6 patients cosmesis was excellent in 84%, erections were straight in 100%, and urinary streams were of good quality and without fistula in 100% after repeat hypospadias surgery. Following staged repair for anterior urethral valves a urethrocutaneous fistula developed in 1 patient and following urethral duplication repair results were excellent in 1. Mean followup was 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: The dartos flap is easy to mobilize and it provides excellent coverage for repeat proximal hypospadias surgery, since the dartos remains undisturbed. We endorse its use for complex urethral surgery and believe that the extra layer of closure helps to prevent urethrocutaneous fistulas.     

Skin flap closure by dermal laser soldering: a wound healing model for sutureless hypospadias repair

OBJECTIVES: Laser tissue soldering (LTS) with the diode laser and human albumin-hyaluronate-indocyanine green solder is a safe and effective method of providing an immediate leak-free closure during hypospadias repair. In this report, we compare the physiology, histology, and immunohistochemistry of wound healing following LTS and suturing in a rat skin flap model. METHODS: A 4 x 5-cm skin flap was raised and bisected (4 cm) on the dorsum of 48 Sprague-Dawley rats. The central wound was either closed from a dermal approach by suturing or LTS or left open, and studied at 0, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, and 21 days postoperatively. An intraoperative comparison was made between suturing and LTS with respect to operative time. Postoperatively, flaps were excised for tensiometric analysis, and sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin to define wound architecture. Resting skin temperature, laser exposed temperature without solder, and maximum temperature with solder (one drop) were measured at the level of the deep dermis, superficial striated muscle layer, and within the solder. Mean peak temperatures were recorded during a 1-minute laser activation time. RESULTS: Mean continuous suturing time (4.9 +/- 1.1 minutes) was significantly (P < 0.001) faster than either LTS (7.7 +/- 0.77 minutes) or discontinuous suturing (8.2 +/- 0.62 minutes). Two seromas (sutured) and two instances of partial wound dehiscence (1 sutured, 1 LTS) were noted. Tensile strength was increased significantly (P < 0.001) for up to 5 days in the LTS group, but was equal to suturing at 7 and 10 days. Immediate tensile strength after LTS was equivalent to a 7-day healed wound. At 14 days, wounds initially left open and those closed by LTS were stronger than sutured wounds (P < 0.05). There was no evidence of thermal injury or foreign body reaction in the LTS group. Solder was incorporated within the dermis in all wounds at 21 days. Laser activation of solder resulted in significant increases in temperature at all three tissue levels: 65.0 +/- 5.2 and 69.9 +/- 6.8 degrees C in the deep and superficial skin (no significant difference between the two), and 101 +/- 15.6 degrees C within the solder (P < 0.001 versus superficial and deep skin). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that sutureless dermal LTS of skin flaps provides increased tensile strength for up to 7 days, with relatively greater tensile strength provided within the first 3 days. Our laser technique does not appear to alter the normal wound healing process. Rather, solder-tissue interaction initially, and extracellular matrix infiltration of solder later, provide the basis for improved wound strength. For hypospadias repair using skin flaps, these wound attributes may permit sutureless surgery.     

Free flap closure of recurrent palatal fistula in the cleft lip and palate patient

Recurrent palatal fistulas present a particularly vexing problem for the cleft surgeon. In this setting, the cycle of repair followed by breakdown results in increasing scar formation with associated soft tissue contracture and a resultant increase in fistula size. This pernicious cycle of events renders random local tissue transfers obsolete. As such, the cleft surgeon must look to tongue flaps or local axial pattern flaps as a means of bringing well-vascularized, pliable tissue into the defect. Although this approach has been the standard of care for the last few decades, we believe that the modern-day success rates of free tissue transfers (95%) make them a viable, one-stage means of closing these defects. In this report we present our clinical experience with recurrent palatal fistulas and highlight the effective use of the dorsalis pedis-first dorsal metatarsal artery free flap as a means of repair.     

Onlay island flap urethroplasty in the treatment of urethral strictures

A skin island flap was used to create a neourethra in 65 patients aged 2 to 66 years with prolonged or multiple stricture of the anterior urethra. Before, all patients were treated repeatedly and unsuccessfully by open or endoscopic surgery. The principle of the used onlay technique was to supplement the missing lumen of the urethra by an island, usually preputial flap. In case of as missing segment of the urethra the original inlay-onlay technique was applied. After a mean follow-up period of 27 months 12 complications (18.4%) were recorded, six strictures of the proximal anastomosis, three fistulas and three dehiscences of the glans. CONCLUSION: The onlay island flap urethroplasty makes it possible to cure prolonged and multiple strictures of the urethra in one stage and with a relatively low complication rate.     

Modified rhombic flap for closure of circular or irregular defects

Using two patients as examples we describe the therapy and results of children with fractures of the tarsale os navicular. A conservative therapy is striven generally for slight dislocated fractures without interruption in the articular facet. At dislocated fractures, fractures with luxation or interruption of the articular facet an open reposition and retention with K-wire or screw is recommendable. Our functional check-up by means of dynamic pedography, the measurement of pressure, force and time under the sole locally and time wise dissolved, show subjectively not visible standard deviations, which normalized during a period by about 1 1/2 years. Differential diagnosis are aseptic bone necrosis as well as additional apophysis.     

Experiences with primary fascia closure of the abdomen in gastroschisis--a 16 year review

47 children with gastroschisis were operated at the Hannover Medical School between 1980 and 1995. The average gestation period was the 36th week of pregnancy with an average birthweight of 2370 gr. A primary layered closure of the abdominal wall was performed on 46 children. A multi-sided closure of the abdominal wall defect using Gore-Tex was necessary in only one case. Post-operative intubation lasted for an average of 56 hours. The children were fed by parenteral nutrition for an average of 32 days, with oral feeding starting on the 15th post-operative day. The average weight on discharge was 3035 gr. 18% of the children had post-operative problems such as sepsis, necrotic enterocolitis and ileus. A death rate of only 2% is proof of the progress that has been made in prenatal care of the newborn child suffering from gastroschisis and suggests that primary closure of the abdomen is the operative method to be aimed for.     

Cutaneous advancement flap closure: alternative method for treatment of complicated anal fistulas

PURPOSE: A retrospective chart review of 20 consecutive patients with 23 anal fistulas treated with cutaneous advancement flap closure was undertaken to ascertain the efficacy of this previously unreported technique. METHODS: The so-called "diamond" and "house" flaps are commonly used to treat anal stenosis, and mucosal advancement flaps are successfully used to close fistulas. The authors began, in 1994, to close selected fistulas with skin advancement flaps after suture closure of the internal opening and adequate drainage of the external opening. Fourteen patients (4 females; average age, 42 years; a total of 14 fistulas) without inflammatory bowel disease and 6 patients (3 females; average age, 35 years) with inflammatory bowel disease (5 with Crohn's disease; 1 with chronic ulcerative colitis; a total of 8 fistulas) were treated. Indications were low internal opening with transsphincteric fistula in both groups. Mucosal advancement was relatively contraindicated, either because of fear of ectropion or, in the inflammatory bowel disease patients, diseased mucosa. No one in the noninflammatory bowel disease group was diverted or kept without anything by mouth, and all were treated as outpatients or with overnight observation. The inflammatory bowel disease group was either diverted (1 patient) or kept on home total parenteral nutrition (5 patients) for three to six weeks. Cyclosporine, antibiotics, 5-acetylsalicylic acid, and other medications were used judiciously in the inflammatory bowel disease group. RESULTS: In the noninflammatory bowel disease group, complete healing of all wounds occurred in 11 patients in an average of 6.5 weeks (average follow-up, 18 months). Complications included donor site separation in two patients and minor incontinence of flatus in one patient. In the inflammatory bowel disease group, five fistulas healed, two failed, and one patient developed a new fistula during an average follow-up of 16 months. Deep venous thrombosis and catheter sepsis occurred in one patient in this group. There were no fatalities in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Although the numbers, especially in the inflammatory bowel disease group, are very small, the results are encouraging. This technique appears to have a place in the armamentarium of the surgeon repairing anal fistulas.     

Clinical experience and indications of the free serratus fascia flap: a report of 21 cases

The free "serratus fascia" flap as a free flap was first described by Wintsch and named a free fascia flap of gliding tissue; however, it has not yet been given a distinct name. The particular advantages of this flap consist of an easy access and a low donor-site morbidity without functional deficit. Additionally, it may be designed very variably and molded even three-dimensionally as a tendon wraparound flap or folded to fill up cavities. In our clinic, we used this flap in 21 patients for distinct indications and in 7 patients as a vascular graft in fingers or great toe with a minimal adjacent layer of gliding tissue around the vessels for the treatment of cold intolerance after finger replantation or severe finger or toe trauma. In the other cases, this versatile flap served for the coverage of traumatically exposed tendons or bones at the extremities, covered with a skin graft. Eighteen flaps survived completely, whereas 3 flaps developed partial or superficial necrosis. Only once did a major complication by unintentional sacrification of the long thoracic nerve during flap harvesting occur, resulting in a wing scapula. We recommend this flap for defect cover at sites where a thin vascularized gliding layer for defect cover is needed, especially in distal extremities with exposed tendons or nerves, and present the current indications in discussing our experiences.     

Sliding myofascial flap of the rectus abdominus muscles for the closure of recurrent ventral hernias

Despite a reported incidence of up to 11 percent of incisional/ventral hernias following celiotomies, there is no universally applicable preventive or reconstructive technique in practice. Among patients undergoing repair of ventral incisional herniation, the reported recurrence rates are typically in the 30- to 50-percent range. This study concentrates on the patient with a large, recurrent abdominal incisional hernia in whom conventional surgical repair has failed. We report our recent 4-year experience with the use of components separation of the myofascial layers of the abdominal wall for repair of these recurrent herniations. During 4-year period, 35 patients with large, recurrent ventral hernias underwent repair by the same surgeon (J. H. M.) using the method described below. Abdominal defects as large as 875 cm2 were repaired, with a median defect size of 255 cm2. The repair was based on the compound flap of the rectus muscle with its attached internal oblique-transversus abdominus muscle with advancement to the midline to recreate the linea alba. Any repairs that were attenuated were supported with either ePTFE (8.6 percent) or Vicryl mesh (34 percent). The study group consisted of 35 patients, 34 percent male and 66 percent female; mean age was 55 years. Length of follow-up ranged from 1 to 43 months, with a mean follow-up of 22 months. Overall recurrence rate for herniation was 8.5 percent (3/35). Additional complications, namely seroma, wound infection, and hematoma, occurred at rates of 2.8, 5.7, and 5.7 percent, respectively. There were no mortalities. The compound flap of the rectus and internal oblique-transversus can be advanced medially to recreate the linea alba to provide dynamic, stable support for defects as large as 875 cm2. A recurrence rate of 8.5 percent was achieved in a relatively high-risk population with acceptable morbidity and no mortalities. In our 4-year experience, the sliding rectus abdominus myofascial flap has proved to be a safe and effective tool for dealing with patients in whom conventional means of repair have failed.     

Bulbocavernous myocutaneous flap: a new technique in repair of recurrent urethrovaginal fistula

This paper describes the case of a recurrent post-partum urethrovaginal fistula. The extent of the vaginal tissues loss and the perilesional scarring made the direct closure of the defect non practicable. After suturing the urethra, the anterior vaginal wall was reconstructed with an island bulbocavernous musculocutaneous flap raised from the left labium majus. Nineteen months after surgery the flap healed well without peri urethral suffusion.     

Pedicled and microvascular reanastomosed transplants for reconstruction in the head-neck area

In seizures starting gradually, careful examination of the background is required to determine the time and region of onset. We propose a method for displaying EEG variables which characterize seizure onset: changes in amplitude and in average frequency compared to background. These variables are displayed topographically for each EEG channel so that 1 or 2 min of EEG may be viewed on a standard screen, thus representing pre-ictal and ictal periods. We evaluated the ability of this display to indicate seizure onset, by comparing the times and regions of seizure onset indicated by traditional EEG and by the display. The comparison was performed on 30 seizures from scalp recordings and 49 seizures from depth recordings. Seizures were selected for having a gradual onset with no or minimal artefact. Onset times from traditional EEG and the computer method, examined independently, coincided (within 3 sec) in 77% of scalp seizures and 63% of depth seizures. In 14% of seizures the computer display indicated an onset more than 3 sec earlier than visual examination; upon reexamination, however, this onset was thought to be possibly correct. This quantitative display, which in practice should be used with traditional EEG, may thus be useful for computer-assisted seizure interpretation and for a condensed representation of seizures.     

Effect of suture closure of coronary artery fistula on aneurysmal coronary artery and myocardial ischemia

This study indicates the importance of coronary angiography and myocardial scintigraphy on long-term follow-up of patients after surgery for coronary arterial fistula in view of the progression to coronary artery obstruction and myocardial ischemia.     

Successful closure and embolization of a fistula between the pancreatic duct and a pseudocyst using ethibloc

In this study the morphologic features and subpopulation of lymphocytes in the blood of women with uterine cervical cancer HPV 16 positive and HPV 16 negative was compared. The essential morphological differentiation in two groups of cancer was not found, but a statistically significant increase in CD 19 lymphocytes in the blood of women with cervical cancer HPV 16 positive was discovered. The authors suggest, that an increase in CD 19 might be connected with stronger expression of virus-oncogenic antigens on the neoplasma cells.     

Release of oral submucous fibrosis and reconstruction using superficial temporal fascia flap and split skin graft—a new technique

Long standing oral submucous fibrosis is associated with involvement of the oral submucosa and the muscles of mastication leading to difficulty in mouth opening. Various surgical modalities are mentioned for release but each has its own limitations. This article introduces a new technique of release of submucous fibrosis and reconstruction using superficial temporal fascia flap and split skin graft. The surgical technique involves a pre-auricular incision extending into the temporal region with dissection carried out in the sub follicular plane to develop the superficial temporal fascia flap to its maximum extent. The masseter muscle origin is released from the zygomatic arch and the temporalis muscle insertion is released from the coronoid process through an external approach. The entire fibrosed mucosa is released intraorally to create a mucomuscular defect thus achieving full mouth opening. The superficial temporal fascia flap is then brought in and sutured to the intraoral defect, which is then covered with a split thickness skin graft. This procedure is performed bilaterally.A total of five patients were treated with this new technique and all of them showed good mouth opening in long term follow up. There was no donor site morbidity. The incision line is well hidden in the hair bearing area. A well vascularised superficial temporal fascia flap brings in good blood supply to the area of affected muscle and mucosa to improve its function.     

A unique method of closure for an aortocaval fistula in association with a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm: report of a case

We report herein the case of a 78-year-old man in whom an aortocaval fistula caused by spontaneous rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) was successfully treated by a unique surgical technique. The aortocaval fistula had been revealed by an aortography after the patient presented with high-output heart failure. During the operation, massive bleeding from the fistula was evident. The fistula measured 2 cm in diameter, and was located between the right posterior wall of the AAA and the inferior vena cava (IVC). Direct suturing of the defect in the IVC failed to close the fistula because the tissue around it would not hold together due to degeneration. However, the bleeding was finally able to be controlled by plugging the fistula with isolated and properly trimmed omentum packed within the excluded aneurysmal sac. Unfortunately, the patient died due to respiratory failure on the 201st postoperative day. A pathological autopsy revealed that the aortocaval fistula had been closed by fibrous tissue and that the IVC was patent. Although such a drastic operative measure to repair an aortocaval fistula has never before been reported, it could be an alternative when direct closure proves unsuccessful.     

Long-term follow-up of fascia lata transfer for the paralytic hip in myelodysplasia

We evaluated the results of fifty-eight fascia lata transfers and anterior hip releases in thirty-three myelodysplastic patients with a minimum follow-up of 10.9 years. The procedure does not appear to achieve hip stability or prevent recurrent flexion deformity. Pelvic obliquity occurs secondary to scoliosis and results in increased instability of the hip on the high side and ischial decubitus ulcers on the low side. The degree of scoliosis and pelvic obliquity is related to the level of neural involvement. Similarly, ambulatory status is dependent on neural function and is not affected by instability of the hip.     

Bilobed fasciocutaneous flap for primary repair of a large upper arm defect with secondary closure of the donor site without a skin graft

The authors described two cases of airborne contact dermatitis caused by 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP 100) in two subjects with periorbital erythema and itching skin. The AMP 100 has been used to replace ammonia as a hair dye component in the cosmetic industry with the purpose to eliminate its smell. Patch tests proved positive only to dilutions of 10% and 20% in the two described patients, as well as in other six asymptomatic subjects operating in the same working environment. The authors have diagnosed an irritative airborne contact dermatitis by AMP 100.