Pseudocyst formation after abdominoplasty--extravasations of Morel-Lavallée.

A soft tissue injury can lead to the formation of a pseudocyst in the subcutaneous adipose tissue, due to a seroma, haematoma or fat necrosis. These cysts were first described in 1853 by the French physician Morel-Lavallée. He observed the phenomenon in the lower limb in women after a tangential trauma with separation of the fatty layers.

Early tissue expansion to close a traumatic defect of scalp and pericranium.

A case is presented in which an extensive area of traumatically denuded skull bone was successfully closed using a tissue expanded, hair-bearing scalp rotation flap, following expander insertion on the third day after injury. No split skin grafting was required and, in view of the high quality of cosmesis achieved, it is recommended that the technique be considered for other cases of acute traumatic soft tissue loss.

Complications of radial forearm flap donor sites.

The complications of radial forearm flap donor sites in 15 patients from two centres have been reviewed. The complications included skin graft failure, swelling of the hand, stiffness of joints, reduced strength and sensation, cold-induced symptoms and fractures of the radius. Methods to reduce the incidence of such complications are discussed.

Giant cyst formation in a fibrous capsule following breast augmentation. A case report and discussion on the pathology.

A report is presented of a patient who developed a giant cyst in the fibrous pseudosheath after removal of a silicone breast prosthesis. Emphasis is put on the histological features of the capsule which differentiate it from other cystic breast conditions and also preclude its spontaneous resolution. These features are capsular thickness, epidermal lining, calcification and chronic lymphocytic reaction.

Mortality after surgery for hypopharyngeal cancer.

Results of 362 patients with squamous carcinoma of the hypopharynx are presented. The hospital mortality was 25 per cent for patients treated surgically. The mortality was increased by previous radiotherapy and poor general condition, and also depended on the method of pharyngeal repair: the mortality for visceral (stomach or colon) transposition was higher than that for repair by skin flaps.

Classifying cancer of the lip: an epidemiological perspective.

A review of papers related to oral cancer reveals some non-uniformity in the classification of cancer of the lip. This paper examines the incidence of lip cancer in England and Wales using age-standardized and age- and sex-specific rates, and relates the results to those for other sites of oral cancer. There is a falling trend in age-adjusted incidence rates for lip cancer but not for intra-oral cancers, and the age-specific incidence shows a plateau effect for lip cancer after about 75 yr of age, whereas the incidence rate continues to rise throughout life for intra-oral cancers.