Bilateral Simultaneous Breast Reconstruction with DIEP- and TMG Flaps: Head to Head Comparison, Risk and Complication Analysis.

Background: A two center retrospective cohort study of simultaneous bilateral breast reconstructions using double deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flaps and double transverse myocutaneous/upper gracilis (TMG) flaps was conducted. The aim of this study was to compare surgical procedures, complications, and overall outcome.

Patients And Methods: Two study groups, either receiving a simultaneous bilateral breast reconstruction, with double DIEP flaps ( = 152) in group 1, or double TMG flaps ( = 86) in group 2, were compared.

Brief Report: Loss of Muscle Strength Prior to Knee Replacement: A Question of Anatomic Cross-Sectional Area or Specific Strength?

Objective: To determine whether loss in thigh muscle strength prior to knee replacement is caused by reductions of muscle strength in the anatomic cross-sectional area or by reductions of specific strength.

Methods: All 100 of the participants in the Osteoarthritis Initiative who underwent knee replacement and whose medical records included data on thigh isometric muscle strength and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (58 women, and 42 men, mean ± SD age 65 ± 8 years, mean ± SD body mass index [BMI] 29 ± 5 kg/m ) were matched with a control (no knee replacement) for age, sex, height, BMI, and radiographic severity. Thigh muscle anatomic cross-sectional area was determined by MRI at the research visit before knee replacement (time 0) and 2 years before time 0 (time -2).