[Christmas article: The effect of correct use of face masks in preventing disease transmission in a standardised study population].

Introduction: Through centuries, face masks have been used by health professionals to prevent disease transmission. Currently, there is an increased use of face masks due to the corona pandemic. However, the preventive effect of face masks is still unclear.

ICG angiography in immediate and delayed autologous breast reconstructions: peroperative evaluation and postoperative outcomes.

Postoperative complications in patients undergoing autologous breast reconstruction should be kept at the lowest possible level. Optimization of autologous breast reconstruction, especially techniques that can identify tissue perfusion and ischemia, will greatly benefit the patients and consequently society. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate the complication rates for autologous pedicle flap breast reconstructions, with and without the use of ICG-angiography.

Long-term evaluation of postmastectomy breast reconstruction with the pedicled transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap.

The transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneus (TRAM) flap is ideal for unilateral breast reconstruction. It can produce a breast with a lasting natural look, soft feeling, and good resemblance to the opposite breast. The aim was to evaluate long-term results of the TRAM flap reconstruction in an homogenous study population and to examine the impact on abdominal competence, appearance, and function relative to patient satisfaction.

Long-term evaluation of postmastectomy breast reconstruction.

Background: Reconstructing a breast mound constitutes the basis of breast reconstruction. The breast can be reconstructed using autologous tissue, implants or a combination thereof. The number of women wishing a breast reconstruction has increased, but evaluation of the results is lacking.

Ischaemic preconditioning causes increased myocardial vascular resistance but no myocardial contractility changes in pigs after OPCAB.

Unlabelled: The coronary vascular resistance (CVR) after off pump coronary bypass (OPCAB) surgery has never been clarified and ways of preventing stunning are wanted. We wished to investigate the effect of ischaemic preconditioning (IPC) on the CVR and stunning in the postoperative period after OPCAB. In 20 pigs (80 kg), 7 piezo-electric crystals were placed on the left ventricle to assess global and local myocardial contractility.

Quantitative evaluation of a novel sensor for measuring muscular tissue flow and gases.

Information about muscular tissue flow is important for diagnosing, treating and monitoring patients with tissue ischemia. For this purpose an objective method which is reproducible and continuous is needed. In co-operation with the company Unisense A/S, we have developed a sensor for instantaneous and continuous monitoring of muscle tissue flow in vivo.

Intraoperative and postoperative evaluation of cavitation in mechanical heart valve patients.

Background: Cavitation has been claimed partly responsible for the increased risk of thromboembolic complications, hemolysis, and fatal valve failure seen in mechanical heart valve patients. In vivo studies have investigated cavitation using high-pass filtering of the high-frequency pressure fluctuations with the root mean square values as an assessment of intensities. In vitro studies have shown that this well-known method may not be ideal owing to loss of data as a consequence of filtering, and because it requires a priori knowledge of the valve resonance pattern.