Hyalomatrix coverage in scalp wounds with exposed cranium and dura.

Aim: The armamentarium of options available for soft tissue reconstruction of the scalp spans the reconstructive ladder. The purpose of this paper is to describe a case series of patients with exposed cranium and dura who were successfully reconstructed using esterified hyalomatrix (eHAM, Hyalomatrix, Medline Industries Inc., US).

Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Enhance Cytotoxicity Towards Breast Tumors While Preserving the Wound-Healing Function of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells.

Introduction: Paclitaxel improves the oncologic response of breast cancer resections; however, it may negatively affect the wound-healing potential of human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) for fat grafting and reconstructive surgery. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) modify the epigenetic regulation of gene expression and stabilize microtubules similarly to paclitaxel, thus, creating a synergistic mechanism of cell cycle arrest. We aim to combine these drugs to enhance cytotoxicity towards breast cancer cells, while preserving the wound-healing function of hASCs for downstream reconstructive applications.

Adherence to ventilator-associated pneumonia bundle and incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia in the surgical intensive care unit.

Objective: To examine the impact of adherence to a ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) bundle on the incidence of VAP in our surgical intensive care units (SICUs).

Design: Prospectively collected data were retrospectively examined from our Infection Control Committee surveillance database of SICU patients over a 38-month period. Cost of VAP was estimated at $30,000 per patient stay.