Publications by authors named "Wolfgang Happak"

Infections related to orthopedic procedures are considered particularly severe when implantation materials are used, because effective treatments for biofilm removal are lacking. In this study, the relatively new approach for infection control by using an erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) laser was tested. This laser vaporizes all water containing cells in a very effective, precise, and predictable manner and results in only minimal thermal damage.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background:  Radical debridement and wound closure with vascularized flaps has become a standard procedure in the treatment of deep sternal wound infections. Negative pressure incision management systems have been proven to diminish wound infections after sternotomy. In this study, the utility of Prevena Incision Management System (KCI Licensing Inc.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: About 10% of patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1) develop malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours (MPNST) mostly arising in plexiform neurofibroma (PN); 15% of MPNST arise in children and adolescents. 2-[ F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose ([ F]FDG)-PET (where PET is positron emission tomography) is a sensitive method in differentiating PN and MPNST in symptomatic patients with NF-1. This study assesses the value of [ F]FDG-PET imaging in detecting malignant transformation in symptomatic and asymptomatic children with PN.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

With a prevalence of 1 in 3,000 births, neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is one of the most common genetic disorders and is characterized by an uninhibited expansion of neural tissue. Occasionally, severe deformities occur, but frequently considerable cosmetic disfigurement is caused by the development of hundreds of benign cutaneous neurofibromas. The objective of this study was to evaluate the erbium:yttrium-aluminium-garnet (Er:YAG) laser as a therapeutic option for the removal of multiple cutaneous neurofibromas.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: The aim of this ultrasound-anatomical study was to evaluate the ability of high-resolution ultrasound (HRUS) to visualize and infiltrate small subcutaneous nerves of the forearm in anatomic specimens.

Methods: Seven nonembalmed human bodies (4 men, 3 women; mean age at death, 60 years) were included in the study. Two investigators scanned the anatomic specimens using 15-MHz and 18-MHz HRUS transducers.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Meralgia paresthetica (MP) is a mononeuropathy of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN) characterized by pain, numbness or paresthesia on the anterolateral aspect of the thigh. Though several contributing factors have been identified, the cause of its idiopathic form still remains unclear. Anatomic and clinical studies have demonstrated a variable course for the LFCN and have suggested a contribution to the pathogenesis of MP.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Burn injuries secondary to home oxygen therapy (HOT) have become increasingly common in recent years, yet several guidelines for HOT and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) neglect to stress the dangers of open flames. This retrospective review of burn injury admissions secondary to HOT to our burn centre from 2007 to 2012 aimed to establish the extent of this problem and to discuss the current literature and a selection of national guidelines. Out of six patients (five female, one male) with a median age of 72 (range 58-79), four were related to smoking, and two due to lighting candles.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The effectiveness of a new surgical technique for the treatment of severe chronic pain stages was evaluated. For the last 140 years, the treatment of complex regional pain syndrome type II (CRPS II) has been an unsolved problem. Therapeutic approaches have included conventional pain medication, physical therapy, sympathetic blocks, transcutaneous or spinal cord stimulation, injections or infusion therapies, and sympathectomy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Numerous reports have described the use of the temporalis muscle as a pedicled flap in reconstructive surgery. A detailed knowledge of the supplying vessels and nerves is necessary for functionally successful muscle transposition. However, controversial anatomic descriptions exist.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF