[Impact of delayed presentation of patients with hand infections to hand surgeons: a retrospective single-centre study of 379 patients].

Objective: This study investigates the impact of the presentation time of patients with hand infections to hand surgeons on hospital stay and the frequency of necessary operations.

Patients And Methods: 379 patients with hand infections treated in our clinic from 2007 to 2014 were evaluated retrospectively for time of presentation to hand surgeon, time of trauma, length of stay, and frequency of necessary operations.

Results: On average, a surgical presentation delayed by more than one day extended the hospital stay by 1.

Preliminary investigations of spider silk in wounds in vivo - Implications for an innovative wound dressing.

The ideal wound dressing in particular for burn wounds has not been found yet. The aim of this study was to investigate native spider silk as a novel wound dressing. Release of inflammatory cytokines of macrophages and neutrophile granulocytes was determined via ELISA after exposure to spider silk.

Observed changes in the morphology and phenotype of breast cancer cells in direct co-culture with adipose-derived stem cells.

Background: Regarding aesthetics and long-term stability, cell-assisted lipotransfer is a promising method for breast reconstruction. Here, autologous fat grafts enriched with autologous adipose-derived stem cells are transferred. However, as adipose-derived stem cells secrete high amounts of growth factors, potential risks of tumor reactivation remain.

Biomechanics and biocompatibility of woven spider silk meshes during remodeling in a rodent fascia replacement model.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate biomechanical and immunogenic properties of spider silk meshes implanted as fascia replacement in a rat in vivo model.

Background: Meshes for hernia repair require optimal characteristics with regard to strength, elasticity, and cytocompatibility. Spider silk as a biomaterial with outstanding mechanical properties is potentially suitable for this application.

Bundles of spider silk, braided into sutures, resist basic cyclic tests: potential use for flexor tendon repair.

Repair success for injuries to the flexor tendon in the hand is often limited by the in vivo behaviour of the suture used for repair. Common problems associated with the choice of suture material include increased risk of infection, foreign body reactions, and inappropriate mechanical responses, particularly decreases in mechanical properties over time. Improved suture materials are therefore needed.

Artificial skin--culturing of different skin cell lines for generating an artificial skin substitute on cross-weaved spider silk fibres.

Background: In the field of Plastic Reconstructive Surgery the development of new innovative matrices for skin repair is in urgent need. The ideal biomaterial should promote attachment, proliferation and growth of cells. Additionally, it should degrade in an appropriate time period without releasing harmful substances, but not exert a pathological immune response.

First investigation of spider silk as a braided microsurgical suture.

Inhibition of axonal outgrowth accompanied by neuroma formation appears in microsurgical nerve repair as reaction to common microsuture materials like silk, nylon, or polyglycolic acid. In contrast, recent findings revealed advantages of spider silk fibers in guiding Schwann cells in nerve regeneration. Here, we asked if we could braid microsutures from native spider silk fibers.

AmbLOXe--an epidermal lipoxygenase of the Mexican axolotl in the context of amphibian regeneration and its impact on human wound closure in vitro.

Objective: The Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) is a well-characterized example for intrinsic regeneration. As lipoxygenase signaling is of crucial importance to scarless mammalian wound healing, we postulated that lipoxygenases might be expressed during amphibian regeneration and they might also influence human cells under appropriate conditions. In this study we identified an amphibian lipoxygenase and evaluated its impact on human cells in an in vitro wound model.

Applying amphibian limb regeneration to human wound healing: a review.

In contrast to the limited regenerative ability found in human wound healing, which often results in unsatisfying and deficient scar formation, urodele amphibians, with the Mexican axolotl as a prime example, expose an extraordinary regenerative capacity. This regeneration leads to a perfect restoration of tissue architecture, function, and aesthetics with the axolotl being actually able to reclaim complete limbs. Evolutionary considerations suggest that regeneration might be a biologic principle which also underlies human wound healing.

Interactions between spider silk and cells--NIH/3T3 fibroblasts seeded on miniature weaving frames.

Background: Several materials have been used for tissue engineering purposes, since the ideal matrix depends on the desired tissue. Silk biomaterials have come to focus due to their great mechanical properties. As untreated silkworm silk has been found to be quite immunogenic, an alternative could be spider silk.

Resection of a large intra-abdominal tumor in the Mexican axolotl: a case report.

Objective: This case report describes the surgical removal of an intra-abdominal tumor from a Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum). The animal was admitted with left abdominal swelling that had increased over 4 months.

Methods: Surgical removal was performed under general anesthesia with MS222 under an operating microscope.