Dr Patricia Clugston-A Spirit of Determination.

Dr Patricia Clugston was a British Columbia native who completed her plastic surgery residency training in Vancouver in 1993 before pursuing a fellowship in Nashville with Dr Patrick Maxwell in 1994. When Dr Clugston returned to Vancouver, she helped to establish a comprehensive and renowned breast reconstruction program. She spent her career advocating for and working towards better treatment options for women seeking breast reconstruction.

The Vascular Basis of the Pronator Quadratus Muscle Flap and Its Use in Clinical Cases.

 Pronator quadratus (PQ) is a deeply situated muscle in the forearm which may occasionally be utilized for soft-tissue reconstruction. The purpose of this anatomical and clinical study was to confirm vascular supply of PQ muscle (PQM) in order to optimize its transfer and confirm its utility in clinical situations.  In Part A of the anatomical study, fresh human cadavers ( = 7) were prepared with an intra-arterial injection of lead oxide and gelatin solution, and PQM and neurovascular pedicle were dissected ( = 14).

Shaping Plastic Surgery in British Columbia-The Courtemanche Legacy.

Dr Albert Douglas Courtemanche was born in Gravenhurst, Ontario on November 16, 1929. In 1949, he was accepted to the University of Toronto Medical School, graduating in 1955. After completing his internship at the Toronto General Hospital and at the Hospital for Sick Children, he completed his surgical training in Vancouver and in the United Kingdom.

Dr Michael Bell: A Surgeon With Boundless Ingenuity.

Dr Michael Bell was born in Kingston, Ontario, on October 14, 1944. He was always a curious child who exhibited a tendency toward innovation and experimentation. Dr Bell was accepted into the MD program at the University of Toronto graduating in 1969 before completing his plastic surgery residency there.

Dr Henry Shimizu: The Journey of a Canadian Plastic Surgeon, Advocate, and Artist.

Dr Henry Shimizu was a dedicated Canadian plastic surgeon with Japanese roots who spent his career practicing in Edmonton at the University of Alberta Hospital. He relished the opportunity to share his expertise by training residents and medical students. Dr Shimizu completed his plastic surgery training in the United States and was central to establishing the plastic surgery training program in Edmonton.

Three-Dimensional Vascular Anatomical Study of the Tensor Fasciae Latae Muscle and Perforators.

Background:  To harvest any flap on the lateral circumflex femoral artery (LCFA) including tensor fasciae latae (TFL) muscle, a precise description of the vascular anatomy is required. There have been conflicting reports of the vascular supply of TFL and its overlying skin. The objective of this study was to evaluate the anatomy of the TFL muscle according to the location, origin, type, caliber, and length of vessels that supply the muscle.

Computed Tomographic Angiography Used for Localization of the Cutaneous Perforators and Selection of Anterolateral Thigh Flap "Bail-Out" Branches.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the territory supplied by the lateral circumflex femoral artery for the consistency of a proximal perforator that could be used as an alternative pedicle for the anterolateral thigh flap if a tedious intramuscular course is encountered during elevation of the perforator used to develop the initial surgical plan. It is hypothesized that a consistent "bail-out" perforator supplying the proximal thigh would facilitate a simpler anterolateral thigh flap harvest, with minimal modification to flap design.

Methods: Computed tomographic images of 9 fresh cadavers were imported using Materialize's Interactive Medical Imaging Control System software to create surface-rendered 3-dimensional reconstructions of 15 lower limbs.

The Effect of Written Information on Recall of Surgical Risks of Carpal Tunnel Release Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Background: Written information has been thought to help patients recall surgical risks discussed during the informed consent process, but has not been assessed for carpal tunnel release, a procedure with the rare but serious risk of complex regional pain syndrome. The authors' objective was to determine whether providing a pamphlet would improve patients' ability to remember the risks of surgery.

Methods: Sixty patients seen for carpal tunnel release were included in this prospective, single-blind, randomized study.

Reverse Radial Artery Flap Perforator Anatomy and Clinical Applications.

The pedicled reverse radial forearm flap is a well-known option for the treatment of a variety of soft tissue wounds including dorsal hand wounds. We document the number, emerging diameter, length from origin, course, and location of all perforators of the radial artery in a series of 6 fresh human cadavers after whole body lead oxide and gelatin injection to confirm and comprehensively document the anatomy of the radial artery perforators. This data provide an anatomic basis for a modification to the reversed radial forearm flap used to decrease venous congestion in the postoperative period.

The Lumbar Artery Perforator Flap: 3-Dimensional Anatomical Study and Clinical Applications.

Background: The lumbar region is a potential donor site for perforator-based rotational or free flaps or as a recipient site for free flaps to obtain coverage for deficits in the sacral region. Because of the lack of consensus regarding the microvascular anatomy of this potential flap site, a robust investigation of the anatomy of this region is required.

Methods: Three-dimensional reconstructions (n = 6) of the microvasculature of the lumbar region were generated using MIMICS software (Materialise, Belgium) for each of the four paired lumbar vessels.

Anatomical Study of the Princeps Pollicis Artery Perforator Flap.

Background: The volar aspect of the thumb often requires local flaps for reconstruction. This study characterizes perforators of the princeps pollicis artery (PPA) and evaluates the potential of a local propeller-type flap raised using these perforators for reconstruction of these defects.

Methods: Cadavers underwent whole-body lead-oxide injection and were then imaged using a 64-slice spiral computed tomographic scanner.

Anatomy and physiology of perforator flaps of the upper limb.

Perforator flaps are an excellent reconstructive option for a functional upper limb reconstruction. This article explores the physiology and general principles of perforator flaps and their indications for use in reconstruction of the upper extremity. Workhorse perforator flaps of the upper extremity, such as the radial artery perforator, ulnar artery perforator, lateral arm perforator, posterior interosseous artery, first dorsal metacarpal artery perforator and perforator-based propeller flaps, are discussed in greater detail.

Factors influencing prioritization for carpal tunnel syndrome consultation.

Background: In a socialized medicine model, prioritization of referrals for specialist consultation is highly important in the distribution of heath care. For high-burden diseases, such as carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), the factors that influence prioritization are not well understood.

Objective: To determine the factors that influence the prioritization of referrals for CTS consultation by plastic surgeons in Canada.

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Michigan Hand Questionnaire.

Background: When the Michigan Hand Questionnaire (MHQ) was originally developed, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to reduce the originally large number of generated items to the 63 items currently present on the questionnaire. Confirmation of the implied factor model of the existing MHQ has never been performed. The objective of this study was to confirm the factor model used to create the existing MHQ, and to possibly shorten the existing MHQ using factor analysis.

Reliability and internal validity of the michigan hand questionnaire.

Background: The Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ) remains one of very few to be based on validated and systematic methods in its creation. However, test-retest reliability and internal validity have not been appropriately investigated in any other English-speaking population outside the original development sample. The objective of this study is to examine the reliability and internal validity of the MHQ in a Canadian population.

Local flaps, including pedicled perforator flaps: anatomy, technique, and applications.

Learning Objectives: After reading this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Discuss the types of local flaps. 2.

Computed tomographic angiography for localization of the cutaneous perforators of the leg.

Background: Results of vascular anatomical studies of the lower limb in the past have been primarily descriptive in nature and are therefore less useful in directing the design of local perforator-based flaps. The purpose of this study was to document the three-dimensional anatomy of the cutaneous perforators arising from the anterior tibial, posterior tibial, and peroneal arteries and provide a statistically verified method for predicting perforator location for use in the clinical setting.

Methods: Computed tomographic angiography and three-dimensional reconstructions of the lower limb using Mimics software were completed for five lead oxide-injected cadavers.

The use of retrograde limb of internal mammary vein in autologous breast reconstruction with DIEAP flap: anatomical and clinical study.

Background: It has been postulated that the abdominal skin may have either predominantly deep or superficial venous drainage. This may account for complications arising from autologous breast reconstruction using the deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEAP) flap. In this study, we evaluate the use of the retrograde limb of the internal mammary vein (IMV) as a second recipient vein in reconstructions with the DIEAP flap.

Propeller DICAP flap for a large defect on the back-case report and review of the literature.

Reconstruction of large soft tissue defects of the back is a challenging problem. Large defects of the back were reconstructed with multiple random pattern or local pedicled muscle (and skin graft) or musculocutaneous flaps. The clinical use of perforator flaps has demonstrated that harvesting of flaps on a single perforator is possible for reconstruction of large defects.

Dorsolateral musculocutaneous perforators of posterior intercostal artery: an anatomical study.

Background: The posterior intercostal artery (PICA) is divided into four segments, vertebral, costal, intermuscular, and rectus, based on the neurovascular branching pattern. Dorsal branches arise from the vertebral segment. Several musculocutaneous perforators and a lateral branch originate from the costal segment.

Three-dimensional analysis of the internal mammary artery perforator flap.

Background: The internal mammary artery perforator flap is a versatile flap used for reconstruction of the head and neck. Using dissection, angiograms, and three-dimensional reconstruction, the authors describe the vascular anatomy of the internal mammary perforator arteries, including their course, diameter, location of perforation, and relationship to other tissues (e.g.

Risk factors influencing transfusion rates in DIEP flap breast reconstruction.

Background: As the popularity of deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap breast reconstruction grows, there remains little information on the transfusion rate of this more technically challenging procedure. The purpose of this study was to examine the perioperative blood loss and patient characteristics of women undergoing DIEP flap breast reconstruction in an attempt to identify independent risk factors that predict increased blood loss and transfusion requirements.

Methods: A retrospective chart review identified 144 patients who underwent DIEP flap breast reconstruction performed at Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Center between January of 2002 and July of 2009.

Medial plantar artery perforator flap for soft-tissue reconstruction of the heel.

Soft-tissue wounds of the foot and especially the heel are challenging problems for reconstructive surgeons. An important principle that guides heel reconstruction is to provide sensate skin with a similar thickness to resurface the weight-bearing heel and avoid late flap ulceration. Among various techniques to achieve this result, the sensate medial plantar perforator flap is an excellent option, which provides durability to friction, a cushioning effect, and sensation.