Use of intraoperative fluorescent angiography to assess and optimize free tissue transfer in head and neck reconstruction.

Purpose: Composite tissue defects in the head and neck region present unique challenges. Definitive head and neck reconstruction of these cases is often complicated by complex 3-dimensional defects that may require multiple flap or chimeric flap procedures. These advanced techniques can have serious repercussions should poor perfusion of the flap cause flap failure, which can be devastating.

Wound management and nutrition for optimal wound healing.

The process of wound healing is complicated and requires optimization of wound bed conditions locally through wound management and systemically through proper nutritional care. Although there are a variety of local and systemic factors that can adversely influence healing, the wound environment can be treated through proper dressings to decrease necrotic debris, bacterial load, and foreign bodies. In addition, maintaining or improving patient nutritional status will help the body to supply the necessary building blocks and cellular response for healing to take place.

Pattern and mechanism of traumatic limb amputations after explosive blast: experience from the 07/07/05 London terrorist bombings.

Background: Traumatic amputation of limbs caused by bomb blast carries a high mortality; we present our experience of 07/07 London terrorist bombing that resulted in a large number of survivors with amputated limbs. We think that the unique underground bombing, the shape of the carriages, and the enclosure by the underground tunnel caused amputation of the limb by the channeling of the blast wave as a result of the device being floor based, which resulted in lower-limb amputation without other fatal primary blast injuries. We present our results of the traumatic amputation in the fatalities and survivors as well as the possible mechanism and protective measure that could save lives.

Tympanic membrane rupture in the survivors of the July 7, 2005, London bombings.

Objective: The goal of this study was to analyze the prevalence of tympanic membrane rupture in the survivors of the London bombings of July 2005 and to assess whether tympanic membrane rupture provides a useful biomarker for underlying primary blast injuries.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Subjects And Methods: Survivors of the 4 blasts of London bombings on July 7, 2005.