Midline platysma muscular overlap for neck restoration

A variation of platysmaplasty, consisting in the overlapping (double-breasted fashion) of the platysma muscles in the midline, solely through submental approach, is described. It allows excellent platysmal suspension and neck recontouring, eliminating the need of posterior traction of the platysma muscle and avoiding in many cases the cervical incisions.     

Experimental mouse models of susceptible and resistant pneumococcal pneumonia with special reference to the cause of bacteremia

The popularity of submental suctioning, platysmaplasty neck lifts, and now Botulinum A exotoxin injections into the neck has increased dramatically. A detailed working knowledge of clinical platysma and lip depressor muscle anatomy is of paramount importance to successfully anesthetize and block the treated areas, to avoid injury to important vessels, nerves, and deeper cervical structures, and to optimally treat the problem areas. A simple, user-friendly knowledge can be obtained by remembering simple mnemonics relating to (1) specific target areas, (2) anatomic relationships, and (3) topographic clinical landmarks.     

Application of endoscopic techniques in aesthetic plastic surgery

Although plastic surgeons had been slow to incorporate endoscopic techniques into their surgical armamentarium, there has been considerable interest in this field during the last 2 years. The aim of endoscopic brow lifting has been to achieve elevation of the brow through small scalp incisions without the associated nerve damage of the open approach and to accurately address excision of the muscles responsible for frowning. Endoscopic neck lift is a more recently pioneered technique which, although still in developmental stages, appears to provide good results. The technique involves undermining the skin of the neck extending from the chain to the jawline around the ear. Endoscopic facelifting is still very much in the experimental stages. Endoscopic techniques reduce the need for an incision in front of the ears. Using the endoscope, it has become a simple matter to perform a transaxillary breast augmentation using very small axillary incisions and precise placement of the implants. This results in excellent symmetry postoperatively and easy scar concealment. Abdominoplasty is another example of a procedure usually associated with a long incision and some degree of postoperative pain and immobility. Endoscopic abdominoplasty has been devised to provide not only contouring of abdominal fat through liposuction, but correction of the weakened abdominal muscle through a small incision placed just above the suprapubic hairline.     

The early days of the British Journal of Nutrition

Twenty patients were treated for intraoral epidermoid carcinoma with a single-stage reconstructive technique using a myocutaneous flap based on the platysma muscle. This flap carries on its distal tip a portion of isolated cervical skin to be used for intraoral replacement of the resected tissue. The superior vascular pedicle, the submental branch of the facial artery, was used. The platysma skin flap will survive if the blood supply from at least one region is preserved. In addition, it may be beneficial to include the external jugular and/or the communicating veins in the flap. Only three minor complications were seen and healed spontaneously. The flap has proved to be highly reliable and has significant benefits over many other techniques commonly used for head and neck reconstruction.     

Botulinum A exotoxin for the management of platysma bands

Injections of botulinum A exotoxin are successfully used to treat neuromuscular disorders and to improve hyperkinetic muscles and dynamic rhytids of the upper face. Using these principles, we extended its use to the treatment of the aging neck (hypertrophic platysma muscle bands). A classification system (I to IV) based on horizontal neck rhytids, platysma bands, and skin laxity was devised to categorize the degree of deformity and serve as a guideline for suggested dosages of botulinum. The results correlated with the degree of age-related neck degeneration. Type II (mild horizontal neck rhytids; thin, mild platysma muscle flaccidity; and mild skin laxity) and III (moderate horizontal neck rhytids; thick, moderate platysma muscle flaccidity; and moderate skin laxity) patients were the most satisfied, followed closely by types I and IV. A total of 1500 patients were treated by three independent practices. The majority of them achieved good-to-excellent results, as evaluated by both the physician and patient. The degree of muscle flaccidity and hypertrophy were the factors that most influenced success rates, not the anatomic variations in muscle configuration.     

Current systematic definition and terminology of the face lifting technique

OBJECTIVE: A more precise definition of the term "face lifting" appears to be necessary. The development of new techniques and modifications in the last decade has been the main reason for the proliferation of definitions. Nearly every author has his own terminology for describing his procedures. METHODS: Three criteria are helpful in achieving an overview. 1. The selection according to the anatomical areas of the face and the neck which have to be rejuvenated 2. The selection according to procedures, involving resection of soft tissues as opposed to techniques that solely involve soft tissue reposition, modification of facial bones, and combinations of these principles. 3. The selection according to the different layers of soft tissue or to the combination of different layers which are to be lifted. CONCLUSIONS: The terms "face lifting" and "lifting" are used synonymously in international literature. They refer to those surgical procedures which aim a achieve facial rejuvenation and a younger appearance of the neck. Definitions that refer only to a lifting of the facial skin do not correspond to the actual techniques, which often involve the surgical treatment of different soft tissue layers and sometimes facial bone. A classification is possible because some terms are used more often.     

A probable explanation for mild extra-articular manifestations in Indian patients of rheumatoid arthritis: a preliminary study

The combination of a total lower lip, chin, and anterior mandibular defect following cancer resection is an extremely complex problem that requires a sequence of operations to optimize functional and aesthetic results. One patient is presented in whom the defect was reconstructed with a free fibular flap followed by a series of ancillary procedures using both modern and traditional techniques. At the time of tumor ablation, the through-and-through oromandibular defect was reconstructed with a fibular osteocutaneous flap. The lower lip and gingivolabial sulcus was reconstructed later with a tongue flap. Tissue expansion was subsequently used to replace the fibular skin with expanded submental hair-bearing skin. A polyethylene implant was added later to the fibular bone for chin augmentation. Subsequently the lower lip was supported with a tendinous graft suspended to the anterior masseter bilaterally. Lastly, the vermilion border was elevated by removing a rim of the tongue flap and covering the secondary wound with a full-thickness skin graft. At the end of the reconstructive procedures, lip seal and oral aperture were good with no drooling and excellent speech.     

Craniofacial resection. An alternative incision and skull base repair

Neoplasia of the superior group of paranasal sinuses (frontal, ethmoidal and sphenoidal) has an extremely poor prognosis. Resection, preceded or followed by radiotherapy offers a 5 year survival of less than 30% (1). Satisfactory surgical excision has been undermined by difficulties of access to the cribriform plate area, a common site for residual disease. Furthermore the practice of piecemeal removal invariably resulted in inadequate clearance. The craniofacial approach allows not only excellent access to the anterior skull base but also in bloc excision. The results of treating 7 patients with craniofacial resection for tumours in this area are presented. Particular reference is made to a horizontal forehead skin crease incision for intracranial access. A new technique using a combination of surgical, pericranium, partial thickness skin and fibrin glue to repair the skull base defect is described.     

Changes of the complement system in myelodysplastic syndromes

A retrospective chart review identified patients who had surgery through Henry's standard anterior and anterolateral approaches to the humerus. Of the patients contacted, 62% had problems with the skin incision with reports of pain, numbness, and tingling around the scar. The frequency of cutaneous problems including neuroma prompted an anatomic study; the lower lateral cutaneous nerve branches to the arm were dissected in seven cadaver arms to determine their course. Henry's incision was then compared with a midline anterior incision. The cutaneous nerves were noticeably less numerous and smaller in diameter in the midline incision, probably related to the internervous, or watershed zone of cutaneous nerves in the anterior midline of the arm. Henry's standard intermuscular humeral exposure was no more difficult with the anterior midline incision. This study supports the notion that an anterior midline incision to approach the shaft of the humerus would minimize scar discomfort from cutaneous nerve injury.     

Human humoral immune response to Dirofilaria species

BACKGROUND: Keloids are relatively common sequelae of trauma to the skin of the head and neck. A wide variety of treatment approaches developed over the years document the difficulty in eradicating these lesions. OBJECTIVE: To review the senior author's (W.H.L) 15-year experience in treating keloids both medically and surgically. DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of 202 patients with histologically documented keloids of the head and neck with at least a 2-year follow-up. RESULTS: A combination of precise surgical excision, postoperative steroid infiltration, silicone sheeting, and conservative auricular radiotherapy has resulted in an acceptable 15% recurrence rate overall. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment of facial keloids remains a challenge for the facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon. Precise surgical techniques with adjuvant therapies have resulted in a relatively low recurrence rate.     

Computed tomography of the ethmoid labyrinth and adjacent structures]

Esthetic body contouring has become the most common esthetic surgical procedure since the advent of liposuction. The interest in this surgery led us to focus on the physiology of adipose tissue that behaves differently according to its localisation. Besides, a better knowledge of the anatomy of the subcutaneous tissue has helped us to treat the deep and superficial adipose deposits more effectively. Many technical refinements have been proposed in order to improve the results and decrease the risks. Local infiltration allows us to remove large amounts of fat with a minimal blood loss. Syringe aspiration is less traumatic and avoids the purchase of an expensive suction pump. However, although the technique of suction lipectomy looks simple, this procedure can induce important local complications (contour deformities, skin waves, ...) and general complications (pulmonary embolism, fat embolism, cardio-pulmonary decompensation). A rigorous technique, performed by a well trained surgeon in an adequate medical environment is essential to obtain the best results with suction lipectomy. In order to correct excesses of skin on the abdomen or the thighs after an important weight loss, skin excisions will be necessary. In there cases, the scars are often wide and sometimes difficult to hide.     

Standardization in photography for body contour surgery and suction-assisted lipectomy

Despite the existence of basic clinical standards in plastic surgery, specific guidelines for body contour photography have not been detailed previously. In this report we propose standard and supplemental views for positioning of the subject for suction-assisted lipectomy and body contour surgery. Also demonstrated are specialty views for the face, where liposuction has become an integral component of the procedures. Finally, recommendations for photographic documentation of skin "textural" changes and "cellulite" improvement with liposuction, as well as regions requiring lipectomy, are discussed. A professional photographic studio and a model were utilized. Proper lighting, equipment, and backgrounds are described to achieve such standards. General principles for clinical photography are reviewed. We present standard and supplemental views for suction-assisted lipectomy and body contour surgery, with an emphasis on methods to address advanced liposuction techniques (i.e., superficial suction lipectomy) that may affect texture and contour of the skin. These techniques provide consistency for all practitioners, allowing comparison of results and techniques.     

Nonsurgical treatment of platysmal bands with injection of botulinum toxin A

Botulinum toxin A has been used therapeutically in humans for over 20 years for a variety of medical indications. For the past 7 years, the author has injected it for cosmetic purposes in a variety of muscles of the head and neck. Fifty patient-injections of the platysma muscle were performed in an attempt to correct platysmal banding. An improvement was seen in all patients who presented to the office for follow-up in a timely manner (44 injections). Results were limited by redundant skin. No incidence of dysphagia or airway obstruction was encountered. The only complication noted was bruising. Although at least a small improvement in platysmal banding was seen in all patients, in no patient was there evidence of lifting of the lower face. All results were temporary.     

Sternal traction after open heart operation: an effective alternative to delayed sternal closure

BACKGROUND: Routine closure of the sternum after cardiovascular surgical procedures sometimes causes severe cardiac depression because of a tamponade-like reduction in ventricular filling, leading to cardiogenic shock. Leaving the sternal halves apart, sealing the mediastinum by simply approximating the skin or using a prosthetic patch, and then performing delayed sternal closure in several days is a widely practiced life-saving maneuver. METHODS: Described herein is an experience with 5 patients with severe cardiac output depression of the type usually treated by delayed sternal closure. Instead, upward (outward) traction was applied to the anterior chest while the sternum was primarily closed. Traction was maintained with full-thickness chest wall sutures. RESULTS: The traction sutures were removed successfully in the intensive care unit between 1 and 4 days postoperatively, after appropriate vigorous treatment of postbypass myocardial enlargement and pulmonary distention and edema. CONCLUSIONS: This method of sternal traction allows physiologic improvement equivalent to delayed sternal closure in some patients and obviates the need for returning to the operating room to close the sternum in the early postoperative period.     

Minimally invasive cardiac surgery in the adult: surgical instruments, equipment, and techniques

To clarify the special instruments and equipment used for minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS), we examined the initial experiences with MICS operations with ministernotomy or minithoracotomy at our institution. Fifty adult patients with congenital, valvular, and/or ischemic heart diseases underwent MICS operations, and all surgical procedures were completed without conversion to full sternotomy. The length of the skin incision was about 10 cm or less in all patients. Postoperative recovery was favorable, and the majority of the patients were discharged from the hospital around the end of the second postoperative week. In this series of patients, an oscillating bone saw, lifting type retractor, 2 blade spreader, cannula with a balloon, and right-angled aortic clamp among other items, were very useful for successfully performing various operations with MICS approaches and techniques. The associated results suggest that MICS with ministernotomy or minithoracotomy was feasible using special instruments and equipment and could be encouraged for adult patients with various cardiovascular diseases.     

The surgical management of giant cervicofacial lymphatic malformations

Giant cervicofacial lymphatic malformation, a potentially life-threatening congenital malformation, historically has been removed in staged resections. However, complete surgical extirpation is desirable and can be achieved with the aid of a multidisciplinary team. The authors present the case of a 12-year-old girl who had an extensively enlarged cervicofacial lymphatic malformation. Effective treatment involved aggressive surgical excision, facilitated by mandibular osteotomies to provide access to the floor of the mouth, the tongue, and the pharyngeal wall. In addition, total removal of involved facial and neck skin was performed. The remaining soft tissue defect was reconstructed primarily with an abdominal musculocutaneous free flap. In the 5 years since the procedure, there has been no recurrence. Based on this experience, excision of involved skin and mandibular access osteotomies are important techniques to help completely remove cervicofacial lymphatic malformations with oral involvement, thus potentially reducing the number of recurrences. In addition, these cases require the best efforts of a multidisciplinary team to achieve a successful result so that complete and radical excision can be performed with the hope of avoiding the pitfalls of multiple resections.     

Thymoma-associated cutaneous graft-versus-host-like reaction

In spite of the high incidence of pilonidal disease at young population and prolonged disabling period that it demands, colorectal surgeons have not reached consensus about etiology or best treatment for this condition. The authors intend to analyse results from 154 cases operated on at HCFMUSP through a retrospective chart analysis regarding patients' sex, age and race, operative technique, complications and recurrence. Half patients were male. Eighty-three percent were between 11 and 30 yr-old. Incision and curettage was offered to 74.7% of the patients. Excision technique was used in 25.3%. In patients who underwent excision technique, there were no recurrences and a cicatrization defect was diagnosed in 2 (5.1%) patients. For patients who underwent incision and curettage, recurrence was 3.5% and cicatrization defect was seen in 1 (0.9%) case. Excision or incision plus curettage techniques seem to be both effective for treatment of chronic pilonidal disease although the former may produce healing defect more commonly. Patients who present with complex lesions may benefit from excisional techniques associated to skin or myocutaneous flaps in a first attempt instead of conservative approaches.     

Video-assisted minimal access in excision of left atrial myxoma

BACKGROUND: Minimal access surgery with video-assisted endoscopy has been applied to the correction of intracardiac lesions. We report our experience using this technique in surgical excision of left atrial myxoma in 3 patients. METHODS: From November 1995 to March 1997, 3 female patients, ages 45 to 80 years (mean, 62.7 years), received emergency operations for excision of left atrial myxoma. These operations were performed through a right anterior submammary minithoracotomy or right parasternal incision with the assistance of endoscopy during femoro-femoral cardiopulmonary bypass. The myocardium was protected by continuous coronary perfusion with fibrillatory arrest or cardioplegic arrest with aortic cross-clamping. RESULTS: All the tumors were excised completely through the right atrial approach. The bypass time was 92 to 148 minutes (mean, 111 minutes). The operation time was 3.2 to 4.4 hours (mean, 3.7 hours). There were no hospital deaths. Follow-up, which ranged from 6 to 19 months (mean, 10.5 months), was complete in all patients. Transthoracic echocardiographic examination showed good ventricular function without any residual tumors. Patients were found to be in New York Heart Association functional class I or II. They were satisfied with the good cosmetic healing of the incision. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience demonstrates that minimal access surgery is a technically feasible, safe, and effective procedure in surgical excision of left atrial myxoma.     

The contribution of Davide Giordano (1864-1954) to pituitary surgery: the transglabellar-nasal approach

This report describes the fundamental contribution made by Davide Giordano, proposing the transglabellar surgical approach in a period in which transfacial and transbasal operative approaches to the pituitary gland were considered inadvisable because of their risk. His idea was to gain access through bilateral paranasal and frontal skin incisions, allowing removal of the ethmoid bone and the anterior wall of the sphenoidal cube. With the anterior and inferior aspects of the sella turcica thus exposed, bone is removed and the gland is exposed by incision of the dura mater. The technique proposed by Giordano is undoubtedly a forerunner of the transsphenoidal route to the pituitary gland. The importance of his contribution was confirmed by Cushing, who reported his first use of the approach of Giordano in 1909 in a patient with a pituitary adenoma. The efforts of Giordano clearly inspired surgeons of his era to perform this operation clinically, giving impetus to the further development of neurosurgery.     

Economic longitudinal lateral posterior thoracothomy. Minimally invasive option in pulmonary resections

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary resections are usually performed through posterolateral thoracotomy. However this approach has been associated largely with early and late incidence of postoperative morbidity. Several lateral chest approaches have been reported in the medical literature with the objective to decrease morbidity due to thoracotomy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of pulmonary resection, performed by means of a minor thoracotomy in the posterior axillary region. METHODS: The skin incision was longitudinal and scapular; shoulder and chest wall muscles were not cut, a subperiosteally lateral portion of rib was removed and the thoracic wall was opened in the rib bed. The approach in this place allowed a smaller skin incision, skin flaps were not necessary and the chest wall opening stayed in a better position in relation to the pulmonary hilum, facilitating the exposition of its anterior and posterior faces. From January 1994 to December 1996 seventy-eight consecutively non-selected patients underwent eighty surgical procedures for several kinds of pulmonary resections. RESULTS: All surgical procedures occurred without difficulties and with a lower number of postoperative complications. A very good aesthetic result was reached. CONCLUSIONS: We believe this chest approach may be a good choice for pulmonary resection.