Use of a new, flexible lipidocolloid dressing on acute and chronic wounds: results of a clinical study.

Objective: To document the performance (efficacy, tolerability and acceptability) of Urgotul Flex, a new, more flexible version of the lipidocolloid dressing Urgotul, in the management of acute and chronic wounds. Efficacy was defined as the reduction in ulcer surface area after 4 weeks of treatment.

Method: This open, non-comparative, multicentre clinical trial recruited patients from 11 centres, which included surgical, burns and rehabilitation units and paediatric, geriatric and dermatology wards.

Guidelines for the management of partial-thickness burns in a general hospital or community setting--recommendations of a European working party.

Most partial-thickness burns in Europe and the United States are managed by non-burns specialists who do not treat burns on a regular basis. To achieve better patient outcomes, partial-thickness burns should be properly managed in non-specialist centres and referred to burn units when appropriate. Although some guidelines have been published to assist non-specialists, few have attempted to provide a comprehensive step-by-step guidance emphasising wound-healing principles.

Efficacy and safety of hyaluronic acid in the management of acute wounds.

Introduction: Hyaluronic acid (hyaluronan) is a key component of the extracellular matrix and is known to be involved in several mechanisms of the wound healing process. It has been shown to improve and accelerate the healing process of chronic wounds. This open-label study investigated whether application of hyaluronic acid could also improve the healing progression of acute wounds.

Using a new lipidocolloid dressing in paediatric wounds: results of French and German clinical studies.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy, tolerance and acceptability of a lipidocolloid dressing, Urgotul (Laboratoires Urgo), in the local treatment of acute and chronic paediatric wounds.

Method: Two non-comparative multicentre prospective clinical studies were conducted using the same protocol in France and Germany. A total of 100 patients were recruited from 16 centres (11 in France and five in Germany), and followed up for four weeks.

[Use of skin expansion in resurfacing defective amputation stumps of the lower limbs. 6 case reports].

Better procedures and materials have enabled us to improve the results of skin expansion under knee level and extend its indications. We have used such procedures to cover defective amputation stumps in the lower extremity. When the local conditions are suitable, skin expansion permits the use of healthy skin from the lateral sides of the stump to provide coverage for the ulcerated areas, thus fulfilling the main goals which are to keep the bone shaft as long as possible and cover the stump with sensitive skin, so that a prosthesis can be fitted.

[Malignant melanoma in children. Apropos of 6 cases].

Six cases of malignant melanoma were observed in children aged 5-14 years, over a 14-year period: both sexes were equally affected. In three cases, the melanoma was a primary tumor, which indicates that this diagnosis should always be born in mind in children and any suspicious lesion should be biopsied and removed. Three cases had a family history: dysplastic naevus in two cases and malignant melanoma in one case, which confirms the increased risk in some families.

[Coverage flaps for loss of substance of the scalp. Our experiences apropos of 42 cases].

We report our experience with 42 coverage flaps for tissue loss involving the scalp. Malignant tumors of the scalp were the major cause of tissue loss. Repair modalites and outcome are reported.

[Prospective study of 100 cases of breast hypertrophy].

The authors performed a prospective study of 100 consecutive cases of mammary hypertrophy. Sixty were treated by McKissock's technique and forty by Thorek's technique. The patients were reviewed at the second and sixth postoperative months.

[Vacuum assisted closure. Wound healing by negative pressure].

"Vacuum Assisted Closure" (VAC) is a noninvasive negative pressure healing process indicated in the treatment of chronic wounds associated with unfavourable local or systemic factors. It is indicated for the treatment of traumatic and/or surgical skin defects in order to accelerate the healing process. VAC is based on a simple technology of controlled depression of the lesion which healing process.

[Repair of skin defects by skin extension procedures].

The repair of defects by skin extension involves various procedures which are thoroughly described by the author. Skin extension is an original concept reflecting the viscoelastic properties of the skin and histological changes. It is based on 3 phenomena: "mechanical creep", "stress relaxation" and mobility of the skin.

[History of the techniques of obtaining skin].

The history of skin gaining techniques, concerns suture, skin extension and skin expansion. Although, for a very long time, suture and skin extension were intimately related and constitute the basis for current techniques, it was only from the second part of the 20th century that skin expansion was developed and that skin extension was submitted to specific studies.

[Kidney traumatism in general surgery (65 cases)].

From September 1989 to September 1994, 65 patients, 15 females and 50 males, with a mean age of 32 +/- 14 years were admitted in the emergency unit for renal trauma. In 38.5% of cases multiple trauma was present.

[Post-traumatic liponecrosis. Apropos of a clinical case].

Localized post-trauma liponecrosis, also called lipoatrophy, is a benign disease with no functional consequences but does cause important aesthetic problems. Diagnosis is often missed. Necrosis of the adipocytes occurs after direct trauma and absorption of the haematoma.

Advantages of early burn excision and grafting in the treatment of burn injuries of the anterior cervical region.

Excision and grafting in deep partial and full skin thickness burns of the anterior cervical region in a series of 40 patients treated between 1982 and 1992 is reported. The advantages of surgical management of deep burns in this region in a single staged operation have proved its efficacy compared to the severe sequelae which appear when the standard conservation treatment is used. A comparative study of two groups of patients treated either by early excision and grafting (n = 19/40), or by delayed excision and grafting (n = 21/40) demonstrated the advantages of elective early excision and grafting with respect to: length of hospital care, complications and their severity, and surgical repair.

[Contribution of abdominal plasty in the treatment of uncomplicated eventrations of the abdominal wall].

From 1987 to 1993, surgery combining two techniques was performed for 12 patients with uncomplicated abdominal wall eventration and excess subcutaneous adipose tissue. In order to meet both the functional and aesthetic needs of these patients, the operations required the co-operation between the plastic surgery and the abdominal surgery teams. Abdominal plasty was required to repair muscle and aponeurosis damage and remove abdominal dermolipodystropy with minimal, good quality scars.