Comparison of Polypropylene and Bioabsorbable Mesh for Abdominal Wall Reinforcement following Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction.

Background:  Abdominal wall morbidity following microvascular breast reconstruction continues to be an area of interest due to both functional and aesthetic concerns. Donor-site closure technique has been shown to affect bulge and hernia rates and ranges from primary closure to various uses of mesh. Few studies to date have compared types of mesh.

An Overview of Fat Grafting.

The use of autologous fat grafting for a wide variety of clinical applications has increased dramatically over the past few decades. The article provides an overview of the technique, a historic background, and briefly explores some of the current ways in which fat grafting is being used in plastic surgery.

The limited incision harvest of the rectus femoris flap for complex groin wound management.

Background: Muscle flaps can be effective in the protocol of complex groin wound management, yet donor-site morbidity remains a continued concern. The purpose of this study was to present a minimally invasive approach to the harvest of the rectus femoris flap (RFF) for groin wound vascularized tissue coverage.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective study examined all patients undergoing RFF coverage and reconstruction of a complex groin wound between July 1, 2010, and December 31, 2011.

Long-term follow-up experience with carbonated calcium phosphate cement (Norian) for cranioplasty in children and adults.

Background: Despite the growing popularity of calcium-based bone cements as a cranioplasty material, the long-term success and complication rates of these materials remain largely controversial. The authors reviewed their extended experience with Norian, a carbonated calcium phosphate bone cement, for cranioplasty.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of all patients who underwent cranioplasty using Norian over the past 9 years was conducted.

The natural history of patients treated for FGFR3-associated (Muenke-type) craniosynostosis.

Background: Muenke-type craniosynostosis is defined as fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3)-associated coronal craniosynostosis with or without mental retardation. With complementary genetic information, more precise diagnosis and long-term functional outcome of cranial vault remodeling in affected patients can be studied, and additional distinct features of Muenke syndrome can now be investigated. This study was undertaken to assess craniofacial growth and long-term functional outcome in patients with Muenke-type craniosynostosis.

Submucosal injection of micronized acellular dermal matrix: analysis of biocompatibility and durability.

Background: Posterior pharyngeal augmentation is a recognized treatment for velopharyngeal insufficiency in selected candidates. To date, however, the procedure has failed to gain widespread acceptance because of the absence of an implant material with sufficient safety, durability, and biocompatibility. In this study, the use of micronized acellular dermal matrix injection for augmentation of the posterior pharynx was investigated.

Differential effects of TGF-beta isoforms on murine fetal dural cells and calvarial osteoblasts.

Background: Proteins within the transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta family play a central role in both normal and pathologic calvarial morphogenesis. Previous work has suggested differential functions of the TGF-beta isoforms in these processes. Little is known, however, about effects of TGF-betas on the underlying dura.

Cleft lip and palate repair in Hay-Wells/ankyloblepharon-ectodermal dysplasia-clefting syndrome.

Hay-Wells/ankyloblepharon-ectodermal dysplasia-clefting syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by ankyloblepharon, ectodermal dysplasia, and cleft lip and/or cleft palate. Mutations in the p63 gene recently have been shown to be etiologic in the majority of cases of ankyloblepharon-ectodermal dysplasia-clefting syndrome. To date, there have been no reports to document wound healing after cleft lip and/or palate repair in ankyloblepharon-ectodermal dysplasia-clefting patients.

Repair of oronasal fistulae with acellular dermal matrices.

Background: The authors examined the efficacy of a novel technique for oronasal fistula repair using acellular dermal matrix grafts. In part I, an animal model was used to demonstrate proof-of-concept; in part II, the method was applied to oronasal fistula repair in the clinical setting.

Methods: In part I, oronasal fistulas were created in Yorkshire piglets (n = 6) and allowed to mature for 2 weeks.

Selective marginal mandibular neurectomy for treatment of the marginal mandibular lip deformity in patients with chronic unilateral facial palsies.

Background: For unilateral facial palsies, reanimation techniques such as cross-facial nerve grafting with free muscle transfer have been very successful at improving symmetrical lip elevation when smiling. However, these procedures do not address the residual asymmetry with respect to lip depression resulting from an uncorrected marginal mandibular nerve palsy. Techniques that do address this residual lip asymmetry have had variable results.