Circumferential torsoplasty.

The abdominal deformities remaining after massive weight loss of 30% or more body weight often are not satisfactorily corrected by standard abdominoplasty techniques. Redundant lateral flank and hip rolls may in fact be accentuated by the operation. Accordingly, a circumferential torso excision was designed by the senior author and utilized for 7 patients during the past two years.

The gastrocnemius muscle as a free-flap donor site.

Despite the fact that the pedicled gastrocnemius flap has been used clinically for almost two decades, precise data on its neurovascular anatomy are lacking. A detailed knowledge of the neurovascular anatomy of this flap may encourage its more extensive use as a donor site by the means of microvascular free-tissue transfer. The femoral or popliteal artery in 27 fresh cadavers was injected with radiopaque contrast material to study the gross vascular supply of 54 medical and 50 lateral gastrocnemius muscles.

The quantitative study of the use of dextranomer in the management of infected wounds.

Open wounds using quantitative cultures and dextranomer were analyzed. Dextranomer has been shown to be an extremely effective local wound care agent, provided that the wound has an adequate blood supply and complete removal of the used dextranomer is achieved. Under these circumstances, dextranomer provides a rapid and effective means for the treatment of open, exudative wounds.