Infections in Burn Patients: A Retrospective View over Seven Years.

Burn patients represent a challenging cohort because the injuries entail a vulnerability to colonisation by microorganisms. The ensuing infections can lead to serious complications and, in many cases, to the death of the burn patient. Surgical intervention and wound dressings, as well as antibiotic treatment, are crucial for optimising the treatment of the patient.

"Out of Touch"-Recovering Sensibility after Burn Injury: A Review of the Literature.

Background: Full-thickness burn injuries (FTBI) not only lead to a significant burden in multiple ways, including social life and self-esteem, but have also a tremendous impact on environmental interaction by reducing sensibility in manifold ways. On these grounds, possible ways and solutions to recover sensibility in burn wounds are essentials and should not be overlooked.

Methods: A review of experimental, clinical studies and the related literature was performed with the aim to highlight post-burn nerve regeneration and discover ways for sensory re-integration to complement the therapeutic concept.

Wireless microcurrent stimulation improves blood flow in burn wounds.

Rationale: Skin breakdown, as in wounds, leads to an electric potential, defined as current of injury with the intent of wound closure. Burn wounds are defined by different zones of perfusion having a direct influence on further therapy (e.g.

Hanno Millesi: Pioneer of Plastic Surgery and Nerve Surgery (1927-2017).

Recently, plastic surgery lost one of its most prominent surgeons-Dr. Hanno Millesi. His contributions to the field continue to impact the practice of medicine and surgery.

Long-term outcome of sacral neuromodulation for chronic refractory constipation.

Purpose: Sacral neuromodulation has been reported as a treatment for severe idiopathic constipation. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term effects of sacral neuromodulation by following patients who participated in a prospective, open-label, multicentre study up to 5 years.

Methods: Patients were followed up at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months.

Inhibition of calpains fails to improve regeneration through a peripheral nerve conduit.

Intramuscular injection of the calpain inhibitor leupeptin promotes peripheral nerve regeneration in primates (Badalamente et al., 1989 [13]), and direct positive effects of leupeptin on axon outgrowth were observed in vitro (Hausott et al., 2012 [12]).

Nerve fiber transfer by end-to-side coaptation.

To bring some light into the ongoing controversy concerning end-to-side coaptation in brachial plexus surgery, the authors organized a symposium in 2006 titled How To Improve Peripheral Nerve Surgery. The authors sought the participation of experienced surgeons and researchers who had made personal contributions to the field. This article contains information collected at this symposium and presents the authors' clinical results and ideas illustrating the potential of nerve fiber transfer by end-to-side coaptation.

Surgery on muscles in consequence of peripheral nerve lesions.

In peripheral nerve surgery main attention is frequently paid to surgery on the nerves, and possibilities to increase the chances of useful recovery by surgery on the muscles are often overlooked. Overstretching of paralyzed muscles reduces the chances of useful recovery even if the nerve regenerates well. The same is true if the paralyzed muscles have to work against an overwhelming force of antagonists.

Anatomical structures to provide passive motility of peripheral nerve trunks and fascicles.

It is well known that tendons have to be able to move if the muscle contracts. It is still not generally known that any structure in the body has to be able to move passively against other structures. This is especially important for the movement of limbs.

Coordinated function oriented movements after multiple root avulsion.

In the early years of brachial plexus surgery the surgeon was happy if the patient developed voluntary movement of certain muscles especially of the biceps to flex the elbow joint. Degree of flexion and force of flexion were utilized to prove success. For the patient, however, flexion alone is not of much use if he cannot do external rotation.

End-to-side coaptation--controversial research issue or important tool in human patients.

End-to-side coaptation is still a controversial procedure. Many authors reported surprisingly good results; others showed mediocre results only. There are also reports of complete failures.

Bridging defects: autologous nerve grafts.

Autologous nerve grafting has been performed since 1876 without success. Since the 1960s, the interfascicular nerve grafting technique has provided a reliable method to bridge very long nerve defects with predictable results. Personal experience of over 40 years has demonstrated that donor site morbidity is minimal if certain precautions are observed.