1,720,974 research outputs found

    The Oxygen Therapy Tube as a Tool for Breast Squeezing during Pedicle De-epithelialization in Reduction Mammaplasty

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    During breast reduction, pedicle de-epithelialization, as meticulous as possible, is necessary to ensure satisfying breast sculpting and to avoid any epidermoid cyst. To perform an effective and rapid de-epithelialization, a good tension of the skin is mandatory. Several techniques to improve skin tension of the breast are described in the literature. We report a cheap, effective, and easily reproducible method, based on the use of an oxygen tube with nasal cannula

    An unusual case of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans misdiagnosed as vascular malformation for over 30 years: A case report

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    Introduction: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a rare and slowly growing soft tissue tumor and it is frequently misdiagnosed and mismanaged like more common masses. Therefore diagnostic delays are common and may result in challenging reconstructions. Case presentation: We report the peculiar case of a 36-year-old patient with dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans of the right iliac fossa misdiagnosed as vascular malformation for over 30 years. Due to the delayed diagnosis resulting in a large tumor to be resected, surgical reconstruction was performed with a miniabdominoplasty approach with an excellent cosmetic and functional result. Discussion: The review of the literature showed that mismanagements and delayed diagnosis of this sarcoma are frequent. Large skin and soft-tissue defects are frequently encountered in the surgical treatment of this tumor, and adequate knowledge of the reconstructive options is mandatory to provide the best possible outcome. Conclusions: Superficial skin masses could be easily misdiagnosed. These diagnostic delays may lead to increased patient morbidity and more challenging reconstructive procedures. In this scenario, preoperative biopsies of suspicious lesions may be useful to avoid mismanagement of rare malignant neoplasms such as DFSP. In some challenging cases, the use of a surgical approach typical of cosmetic procedures may be useful to obtain satisfactory aesthetic and functional results

    A case report of metastatic giant sarcomatoid melanoma with BRAF V600E mutation: a complete response to targeted therapy

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    Sarcomatoid melanoma is an extremely rare pattern of malignant melanoma, and only few cases have been described throughout the literature. We herein report a case of a patient with newly diagnosed, metastatic giant sarcomatoid melanoma of the arm. The patient underwent surgical removal of the huge mass, and NGS sequencing demonstrated BRAF V600E mutation. In view of histological, immunohistochemical and molecular findings, a combined BRAF/MEK inhibitor (BRAF/MEK-i) therapy was prescribed as first line treatment. A complete response (over one year) to targeted therapy was obtained, and no adverse events have been reported. The patient maintained a full range of shoulder and elbow movements, and she is able to live independently and resume her daily activities. We therefore recommend that all patients with undifferentiated melanomas, sarcomatoid cutaneous malignancies or other mesenchymal tumours, should undergo BRAFV600E mutation testing

    Heel reconstruction for a Marjolin’s ulcer in a patient with multiple limb amputations: a case report

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    Coverage of the heel defects usually represents a challenge for the proper reconstructive requirements of the weight-bearing area of the foot. The presence of multiple limb amputation may represent a further concern for conventional free flap donor sites and the patient’s functional limitation, thus making reconstruction even more challenging. Amputee patients may be subjected to a higher risk of foot ulcerations and choosing the more appropriate reconstructive option in such patients is crucial. Here we describe the application of the medial plantar flap as a first-line option in a 66-year-old amputee patient with a squamous cell carcinoma arising from chronic ulceration on the left heel, that was successfully treated with limited functional limitations and excellent anatomical contour of the foot. Despite its use has been widely described for heel reconstruction, we believe that medial plantar flap would deserve greater relevance in the reconstructive scenario in such challenging cases

    Breast Implant Texturization Does Not Affect the Crosstalk Between MSC and ALCL Cells

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    In the last decade, there has been a growing interest about the possible association between anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) and breast implants (BIA-ALCL). Many variables, such as breast implants texturization, have been investigated. Breast implants often lead to the formation of a periprosthetic capsule, characterized by inflammation. The presence of the inflamed capsule has been found in the majority of patients with BIA-ALCL. Inflammation may be sustained or counteracted by mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) by the secretion of pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokines. MSCs were isolated from three capsules surrounding micro-textured (micro-MSCs) and from three capsules surrounding macro-textured (macro-MSCs) implants; after characterization, MSCs were co-cultured with KI-JK cells (a cell line derived from the cutaneous form of ALCL). The secretion of cytokines related to inflammation, the proliferation rate, and the expression of genes referred to pro-tumoral mechanisms were evaluated. Co-cultures of KI-JK cells with micro- or macro-MSCs gave the same results about the secretion of cytokines (increase of IL10, G-CSF, and TGF-β1 and decrease of IL4, IL5, IL12, IL13, IL17A, IFN-γ (p < 0.05) with respect to mock sample), expression of selected genes (increase for ACVR1, VEGF, TGF-βR2, CXCL12, and MKi67 (p < 0.05) with respect to control sample), and the proliferation rate (no variation between mock and co-cultured samples). Our results suggest that MSCs derived from capsules surrounding micro- and macro-textured implants display the same effects on the ALCL cells

    The Role of Surgical Drainage on Complications after Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Melanoma

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    The real benefit of using drains for reducing the risk of complications in sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has not been investigated yet. We aimed to evaluate the role of drain after SLNB and to determine if a correlation exists between drains and early complications. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of patients who underwent SLNB for melanoma from 2016 to 2021. Patients were dichotomized into two groups according to the use of drain. The between-group comparison (drainage group versus no drainage group) was performed by using Mann-Whitney U test and chi-square test. A regression analysis was conducted to identify predictors of complications. RESULTS: Of 218 individuals analyzed, 18 (8.4%) had postoperative complications. The most common complications were seroma (5.1%) and wound dehiscence (1.4%). The between-group analysis showed no significant differences in complication rate, whereas the operative time was significantly higher in the drainage group (P = 0.007), as well as the hospital stay (P ≤ 0.0001) and the duration of postoperative antibiotic therapy (P = 0.02). The regression analysis found body mass index and multiple basins of SLNB (axilla with groin) to be significant predictors of having a complication (P = 0.03 and P = 0.05, respectively). The operative time was found to be a predictor of seroma (P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Drainage use in SLNB prolonged hospital stays and duration of postoperative antibiotic therapy, thus resulting in higher costs. The preemptive use of drainage is suggested in selected settings of patients
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