One Versus 2 Venous Anastomoses in Free Flap Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: The necessity of a second venous anastomosis in free flap surgery is controversial. The purpose of this systematic review is to determine whether venous flap failure and reoperation rates are lower when 2 venous anastomoses are performed. The secondary objective is to determine whether venous flap failure and reoperation rates are lower when the 2 veins are from 2 different drainage systems.

The Epidemiology of Cleft Lip and Palate in Canada, 1998 to 2007.

Objective: To examine the birth prevalence, gender distribution, and pattern of surgical intervention for clefts in Canada (1998 to 2007). Also to highlight the difficulties associated with studying the epidemiology of clefts using the current data collection mechanisms.

Methods: Epidemiologic data acquired from the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

Vertical Scar Breast Reduction: Does Gathering the Incision Matter?

Background: The vertical scar bilateral breast reduction is a highly effective technique to reduce breast volume and create long-lasting aesthetic improvements. A cited disadvantage is the inability to adequately shorten the vertical scar, leading to chest wall scars or inframammary puckers. Gathering or cinching sutures have been described as a strategy to confront this issue.

Indirect injury stimulates scar formation-adaptation or pathology?

In several animal models of osteoarthritis induced by cruciate ligament transection, a dense, scar-like tissue mass forms rapidly on the medial side of the knee joint. This mass mimics clinical fibrosis that sometimes occurs after joint surgery. It is unknown exactly why this medial tissue mass forms and what cells are involved in its formation.

Persistent DNA contamination in competitive RT-PCR using cRNA internal standards: identity, quantity, and control.

Accurate quantification of mRNA by competitive RT-PCR demands that the quality of the cRNA internal standard be strictly controlled and that at least two criteria should be satisfied. First, genomic DNA should be removed from the total RNA being analyzed; second, template DNA should be removed from the cRNA internal standard following in vitro transcription. We observed that the routine use of RNase-free DNase I is insufficient for removing template DNA from cRNA samples and can degrade cRNA.