Quantification of Dermal Microcirculatory Changes after Topical Administration of Capsaicin: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study in 46 Subjects.

Background: Dermal blood flow is crucial for wound healing and survival of flaps in dermatologic surgery. To improve flap viability in cases of compromised perfusion topical agents can easily be applied. The aim of this placebo-controlled study was to characterize changes of DBF in healthy subjects by quantitatively assessing perfusion dynamics after application of capsaicin to establish a reference for measurements at injured sites.

The Influence of Topically Administered Heparin on Peripheral Microcirculation of the Skin: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Preliminary Study on 50 Healthy Subjects.

Background:  Venous thrombosis is the most common cause of flap failure in the first days after surgery. Although heparin is one of the most important antithrombotic substances and is implemented in the therapy of various diseases, there are only a few studies addressing its topical administration in the field of flap surgery. Especially, very little is known about the effects of topical heparin and its impact on microcirculation.

Influence of Topical Anesthesia on Superficial Sensitivity: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study on 48 Healthy Subjects.

Background: Topical anesthetics are used in noninvasive transdermal anesthesia to decrease the superficial pain sensation threshold during dermatologic surgery. Combined pain relief and sensitivity loss can avoid discomfort during the surgery.

Objective: The aim of this placebo-controlled study was to compare the efficacy of 3 commonly used topical agents by collating loss of sensitivity over time.

Quantitative Analysis of Heel Skin Microcirculation Using Laser Doppler Flowmetry and Tissue Spectrophotometry.

Objective: To examine perfusion changes in the heel skin of individuals with and without diabetes mellitus to understand how skin is pathologically affected by diabetes mellitus.

Methods: This case-control study was conducted at an academic hospital in Tuebingen, Germany. A total of 30 subjects were enrolled in the study: 15 with known type 2 diabetes mellitus and 15 without.

[Completeness and reproducibility of surgical reports: A retrospective analysis of documentation quality using the example of Dupuytren's disease].

 A surgical report is the surgeon's postoperative documentation of the procedure undertaken. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the completeness and accuracy of data extracted from surgical reports, using the example of Dupuytren's disease.  Between 1999 and 2007, surgical data were retrospectively collected from all primary Dupuytren's disease procedures performed at an academic department for plastic and reconstructive surgery and analysed for completeness.

Skin Perfusion Changes within 12 h after Axillary Plexus Block.

Background/purpose: An improvement of the blood flow would be beneficial in microvascular upper-extremity reconstruction and in digit replantation. In the present work, skin perfusion changes and their duration due to axillary plexus block were quantified.

Methods: The peripheral blood flow of the upper extremities in 20 patients undergoing trapeziectomy under axillary plexus block was analyzed.

Quantification of the vasodilatory effect of axillary plexus block. A prospective controlled study.

Background: Axillary plexus block is a common method for regional anesthesia, especially in hand and wrist surgery. Local anesthetics (e.g.

Meniscus body position, size, and shape in persons with and persons without radiographic knee osteoarthritis: quantitative analyses of knee magnetic resonance images from the osteoarthritis initiative.

Objective: To quantitatively evaluate the position, size, and shape of the menisci in subjects with radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA) compared to subjects without OA, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods: We studied the right knees of 39 Osteoarthritis Initiative participants (24 women and 15 men with a mean age of 59.6 ± 8.

Interobserver reproducibility of quantitative meniscus analysis using coronal multiplanar DESS and IWTSE MR imaging.

The objective of this study was to determine the interobserver reproducibility of quantitative measures of meniscus size and position, and to compare the interobserver reproducibility and agreement between a double echo steady state water excitation and an intermediately-weighted turbo spin-echo sequence. Eight knees (four healthy, four with radiographic knee osteoarthritis) from the Osteoarthritis Initiative cohort were studied. Manual segmentation of the menisci was performed by three observers and quantitative measures of meniscus size and position (i.

Relationship of 3D meniscal morphology and position with knee pain in subjects with knee osteoarthritis: a pilot study.

Objectives: To explore whether quantitative, three-dimensional measurements of meniscal position and size are associated with knee pain using a within-person, between-knee study design.

Methods: We studied 53 subjects (19 men, 34 women) from the Osteoarthritis Initiative, with identical radiographic OA grades in both knees, but frequent pain in one and no pain in the other knee. The tibial plateau and menisci were analyzed using coronally reconstructed double echo steady-state sequence with water excitation (DESSwe) MRI.

Pollicization of the index finger in hypoplasia of the thumb. Experience with the method of Buck-Gramcko and retrospective analysis of the clinical outcome in a series of 19 pollicizations.

Background: In congenital malformation of the thumb index finger pollicization is a proven method for constructing a new thumb all over the world.

Methods: A series of 19 pollicizations in 15 patients is presented. In all cases of index finger pollicization the method of Buck-Gramcko is used and the functional outcome is evaluated after Percival's method.

Comparison of experimental aneurysms embolized with second-generation embolic devices and platinum coils.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to compare the performance of second-generation embolic devices with that of platinum coils in experimental aneurysms.

Methods: Microsurgically constructed bifurcation aneurysms in rabbits were embolized with platinum coils (n = 7), HydroCoils 10 (n = 10), HydroSoft (n = 14) or Cerecyte (n = 6) devices. After 1 month, angiographic occlusion was scored and the aneurysms were histologically evaluated by light microscopy.