Publications by authors named "Andrew D H Wilson"

Adequate tissue perfusion is essential to minimize postoperative complications following microsurgery. Intraoperative knowledge of tissue perfusion could aid surgical decision-making and result in reduced complications. Laser speckle imaging is a new, noninvasive technique for mapping tissue perfusion.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Peripheral nerve injury frequently results in functional morbidity since standard management fails to adequately address many of the neurobiological hurdles to optimal regeneration. Neuronal survival and regeneration are neurotrophin dependent and require increased aerobic capacity. Acetyl-l-carnitine (ALCAR) facilitates this need and prevents neuronal loss.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the infection and hypertrophic scar rates in unilateral cleft lip repairs, having had Steri-Strips or Dermabond tissue glue applied across the repair as the final stage.

Design: Retrospective study over 13 years of 307 unilateral cleft lip repairs by a single surgeon. The application of either Steri-Strips from 1992 to 1998 (121 patients) or Dermabond tissue adhesive from 1998 to 2006 (186 patients) was used in the final stage of the repair.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We present a rare case of atypical cellular neurothekeoma arising in the area of a previous nose piercing on the ala of a 34-year-old female. Neurothekeoma is a benign tumour of probable nerve sheath origin. The cell of origin for neurothekeoma is still unknown but most ultrastructural and immunohistochemical studies have favoured the Schwann cell perineurium or fibroblasts.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Protection of sensory neurons after peripheral nerve injury is clinically crucial since inadequate sensory recovery is seriously affected by the death of up to 40% of sensory neurons. Immediate acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR) treatment eliminates this cell loss, but may not always be clinically feasible, hence we studied the effect of delaying the initiation of ALCAR treatment. Five groups of rats (n=5 per group) underwent unilateral sciatic nerve axotomy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) disrupt neuronal mitochondrial DNA synthesis, impairing energy metabolism and resulting in a distal symmetrical polyneuropathy (DSP), an antiretroviral toxic neuropathy (ATN) that causes significant morbidity in HIV disease. Serum acetyl-l-carnitine (ALCAR) levels are decreased in neuropathy associated with NRTI therapy. ALCAR enhances neurotrophic support of sensory neurons and promotes energy metabolism, potentially causing nerve regeneration and symptom relief.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The following case report illustrates the successful use of the reverse digital artery island flap in elderly patients. The reverse digital artery island flap is a recognised method of providing good quality soft tissue cover to the amputated fingertip. First described in 1986 by Kojima, Lai and Han have reported their experience of 52 and 120 of these flaps, respectively.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The loss of a large proportion of primary sensory neurons after peripheral nerve axotomy is well documented. As a consequence of this loss, the innervation density attained on completion of regeneration will never be normal, regardless of how well the individual surviving neurons regenerate. Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR), an endogenous peptide in man, has been demonstrated to protect sensory neurons, thereby avoiding loss after peripheral nerve injury.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF