Acute kidney injury in patients undergoing elective primary lower limb arthroplasty.

Purpose: Recent research has outlined the increasing incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) and its effect on morbidity/mortality. There is evidence that current rates are significantly under-reported nationally, with uncertainty about pre-operative factors that might influence AKI reduction and the impact on other healthcare outcomes such as mortality and later Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) development. We set out to help address these current deficiencies in the literature.

Successful Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flap Harvest despite Preoperative Therapeutic Subcutaneous Heparin Administration into the Abdominal Pannus.

Abdominal free flaps for microsurgical breast reconstruction are most commonly harvested based on the deep inferior epigastric vessels that supply skin and fat via perforators through the rectus muscle and sheath. Intact perforator anatomy and connections are vital for subsequent optimal flap perfusion and avoidance of necrosis, be it partial or total. The intraflap vessels are delicate and easily damaged and it is generally advised that patients should avoid heparin injection into the abdominal pannus preoperatively as this may compromise the vascular perforators through direct needle laceration, pressure from bruising, haematoma formation, or perforator thrombosis secondary to external compression.