Returning to Work is Associated with Higher Quality of Life: A LIMB-Q Analysis in Patients with Limb-Threatening Injuries.

Objectives: To identify clinical, demographic, and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) associated with return to work after lower extremity traumatic injury requiring amputation or limb salvage.

Methods: Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Multi-center across 25 countries.

German Translation and Linguistic Validation of the LIMB‑Q: A Patient-reported Outcome Measure for Lower Extremity Trauma.

Background: Lower extremity trauma can have a significant impact on a patient's quality of life. The LIMB-Q is a recently developed and validated patient-reported outcome measure that assesses patient-specific outcomes and experience of health care. The aim of this study was to translate and linguistically validate the LIMB-Q from English to German.

Optimal Treatment Order With Fibula-Free Flap Reconstruction, Oncologic Treatment, and Dental Implants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Head and neck cancer (HNC) patients benefit from craniofacial reconstruction, but no clear guidance exists for rehabilitation timing. This meta-analysis aims to clarify the impact of oncologic treatment order on implant survival. An algorithm to guide placement sequence is also proposed in this paper.

Socioeconomic Disparities in Postoperative Outcomes of Osteocutaneous Fibula Free Flaps for Head and Neck Reconstruction.

Background: Osteocutaneous fibula free flaps (FFFs) are a fundamental component of reconstructive surgery in the head and neck region, particularly after traumatic injuries or oncologic resections. Despite their utility, FFFs are associated with various postoperative complications, such as infection, flap failure, and donor site morbidity, impacting up to 54% of cases. This study aimed to investigate the influence of socioeconomic variables, with a particular focus on median household income (MHI), on the incidence of postoperative complications in FFF reconstruction for head and neck cancer.

Complications Following Tissue Expander-Based Reconstruction in Pediatric Burn Injuries: A Retrospective Analysis.

Background: Tissue expansion has been widely used to reconstruct soft tissue defects following burn injuries in pediatric patients, allowing for satisfactory cosmetic and functional outcomes. Factors impacting the success of tissue expander (TE)-based reconstruction in these patients are poorly understood. Herein, we aim to determine the risk factors for postoperative complications following TE-based reconstruction in pediatric burn patients.

Evaluating Disparities in Pathways to Breast Reconstruction.

Background:  Rates of postmastectomy breast reconstruction have been shown to vary by racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic factors. In this study, we evaluated disparities across pathways toward breast reconstruction.

Methods:  All women who underwent mastectomy for breast cancer at a single institution from 2017 to 2018 were reviewed.

Mapping Patient Encounters in Breast Cancer Care: An Analysis of 8800 Clinical Encounters Among Patients Undergoing Mastectomy.

Background: Transitions toward value-based systems require a comprehensive definition of the complexity and duration of provider effort required for a given diagnosis. This study modeled the numbers of clinical encounters involved in various treatment pathways among breast cancer patients undergoing mastectomy.

Methods: Clinical encounters with medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, breast surgeons, or plastic surgeons ≤4 years after diagnosis among all patients undergoing mastectomy from 2017 to 2018 were reviewed.

Community collaboration to improve access and outcomes in breast cancer reconstruction: protocol for a mixed-methods qualitative research study.

Introduction: Breast reconstruction plays an important role for many in restoring form and function of the breast after mastectomy. However, rates of breast reconstruction in the USA vary significantly by race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status. The lower rates of breast reconstruction in non-white women and in women of lower socioeconomic status may reflect a complex interplay between patient and physician factors and access to care.