Tissue Characterization after a New Disaggregation Method for Skin Micro-Grafts Generation

Several new methods have been developed in the field of biotechnology to obtain autologous cellular suspensions during surgery, in order to provide one ...

AOU “Ospedali Riuniti”

The treatment of severe wounds of the extremities, characterized by large posttraumatic tissue loss, represents a clinical problem difficult to resolve, especially when the lesion is surrounded by large areas of ischemic distrophic tissue which progressively aggravate and extend the initial lesion, with frequent exposure of bone and joint structures making the amputation of the limb an inevitable outcome. The authors present their experience based on combined treatments by medical support methods such as hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) and vacuum-assisted closure therapy (VAC) and microsurgical reconstruction of the limbs, within a precise therapeutic protocol. The use of this protocol in appropriate times and ways allowed us to successfully treat severe posttraumatic sequelae of the limbs, avoiding the delayed healing typical of these pathologies, both on the donor site of the flap and on the repaired area, and avoiding unsuitable microsurgical reconstruction of limbs, allowing satisfactory morpho-functional restoration and a reduction of the hospitalization period.

Delayed microsurgical reconstruction of the extremities for complex soft-tissue injuries.

Ischemia/reperfusion injury is regarded as the main cause of failure in revascularization of limbs and transfer of free flaps in the so called nonreflow phenomenon. This type of damage is caused by the production of free radicals, above all, of neutrophils that release great quantities of extracellular superoxide through the action of a membrane enzyme. In our study we used 40 white rabbits. Rabbit rectus femoris muscle is perfused by a single artery and vein and is therefore a valuable model for study of ischemia-induced reperfusion injury of skeletal muscle. The objective of this study was to individualize a valid method of protection for the muscle from damage by ischemia-induced reperfusion injury. We have tested the effectiveness of WEB2170, a PAF antagonist, of hyperbaric oxygen therapy one (HBO), and of combined employment of WEB2170 and HBO. The results show that both PAF and HBO play important protective roles against damage from ischemia/reperfusion injury, and that the combined employment of both therapies has a synergistic effect. We propose therefore a new therapeutic protocol for the prevention of damage resulting from ischemia/reperfusion injury with the simultaneous employment of this PAF and HBO.

Combined use of WEB2170 and HBO therapy can reduce ischemia and reperfusion injury to the skeletal muscle in a rabbit model.

Severe injuries at foot and ankle level with loss of soft tissues and bone are often treated by means of amputation. The transfer of composite free flaps from various donor sites may provide anatomical reconstruction of the foot and ankle and function. Ten patients who sustained severe combined tissue injuries of the foot requiring reconstruction with composite free flaps were studied with a mean follow-up of 3.4 years. A thorough clinical examination was performed, and gait analysis was carried out with kinetic and kinematic parameters. Bone integration and healing was observed with satisfactory foot morphology. All the patients returned to normal activities, although biomechanical gait analysis showed some functional disorders mainly in joint angular kinematics. Our results showed that microvascular flaps afford successful combined tissue reconstruction of the foot.

Microvascular reconstructions of traumatic-combined tissue loss at foot and ankle level.

Lip cancer is the most frequent malignant neoplasm of the oral cavity. Defects larger than one-fourth of total upper lip length require reconstruction by established techniques or multiple procedures.

Central upper lip reconstruction by two vermillion flaps and a rotational skin flap.

The use of autologous sural nerve grafts is still the current gold standard for the repair of peripheral nerve injuries with wide substance losses, but with a poor rate of functional recovery after repair of mixed and motor nerves, a limited donor nerve supply, and morbidity of donor site. At present, tubulization through the muscle vein combined graft, is a viable alternative to the nerve autografts and certainly is a matter of tissue engineering still open to continuous development, although this technique is currently limited to a critical gap of 3 cm with less favorable results for motor function recovery. In this report, we present a completely new tubulization method, the amnion muscle combined graft (AMCG) technique, that consists in the combination of the human amniotic membrane hollow conduit with autologous skeletal muscle fragments for repairing the substance loss of peripheral nerves and recover both sensory and motor functions. In a series of five patients with loss of substance of the median nerve ranging 3-5 cm at the wrist, excellent results graded as S4 in two cases, S3+ in two cases, and S3 in one case; M4 in four cases and M3 in one case were achieved. No iatrogenic damage due to withdrawal of a healthy nerve from donor site was observed. This technique allows to repair extensive loss of substance up to 5 cm with a good sensory and motor recovery. The AMCG thus may be considered a reasonable alternative to traditional nerve autograft in selected clinical conditions.

The amnion muscle combined graft (AMCG) conduits: a new alternative in the repair of wide substance loss of peripheral nerves.

When Expanding a Margin of Skin Cancers After Reconstruction with Local Flap: Where to Do It?

Usually, clinical evaluation of facial reanimation provides accurate information about contraction of the mimetic muscles and phonation but fails to identify smile recovery and to quantify the motility of the lower third of the face during a smile. The purpose of this study was to verify that, in longstanding facial palsy, the modified temporalis muscle transfer (MTMT) can result in the ability to smile, not only voluntarily with chewing, but also spontaneously with a sudden emotional stimulus, and to confirm that a symmetric smile can be obtained.

Michele Riccio

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

AOU “Ospedali Riuniti”

Tissue Characterization after a New Disaggregation Method for Skin Micro-Grafts Generation

Michele Riccio

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

AOU “Ospedali Riuniti”

Tissue Characterization after a New Disaggregation Method for Skin Micro-Grafts Generation

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery