Background: The lumbar artery perforator flap is an excellent free flap for breast reconstruction whenever the deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap is not an option. The main indication is a lack of abdominal bulk, often seen in young BRCA-positive women seeking prophylactic amputation and immediate reconstruction. Methods: Between October of 2010 and July of 2016, a total of 661 free flap breast reconstructions were performed. The authors retrospectively analyzed patient demographics, perioperative parameters, and secondary corrections. Results: Seventy-six lumbar artery perforator flaps were retained and compared with a cohort of 560 DIEP flaps. The average body mass index for lumbar patients was 23.8 kg/m2, with a mean age at operation of 46.3 years. Average body mass index for DIEP patients was 25.2 kg/m2, with a mean age at operation of 48.8 years old. Lumbar artery perforator flap weight was 504 g (range, 77 to 1216 g) on average versus 530 g (range, 108 to 1968 g) for the DIEP flaps. The amount of corrective procedures performed was very similar in both cohorts: 13 percent of the lumbar artery perforator and 12 percent of the DIEP patients underwent no procedures, 62 percent in both groups underwent one procedure, and 25 percent versus 27 percent underwent two or more procedures. Lipofilling was performed in 48 percent of lumbar artery perforator flaps compared with 57 percent of the DIEP flaps (p = 0.14). Mean volume injected was 98.0 cc and 125.1 cc for lumbar artery perforator and DIEP flaps, respectively (p = 0.071). Conclusions: The lumbar flap is a good alternative whenever a DIEP flap is not possible. Bilateral autologous reconstruction is possible even in very thin patients, and secondary corrections are comparable to those for the DIEP.
Background Autologous facial fat grafting has gained popularity in recent years and is considered to be safe. We present the case of a patient who died due to massive cerebral micro fat embolism after facial fat grafting. Objectives Raising awareness and providing more evidence on prevention and treatment of this potentially lethal complication of facial fat grafting. Methods A detailed report was made of the case. Two online databases were searched for similar cases of facial fat embolism resulting in neurological and/or visual symptoms. Thereafter a literature search was conducted to verify the etiology, current treatment options, and preventive measures. Results Forty-nine cases with similar events were found in the literature. The most common injected area was the glabella (36.1%), and an average of 16.7 ml fat was injected. The main complications are visual impairment, of which 88.5 % remained blind, and neurological symptoms, who never fully recover. Seven cases were fatal. Fat embolism can occur in veins and arteries of the face. Two possible pathways for fat embolism exist: the macroscopic, mechanical pathway with immediate signs and the microscopic, biochemical pathway with delayed symptoms. Mechanical embolectomy and corticosteroids are suggested treatment options but lack evidence. Several different preventive measures are described. Conclusions Although facial fat grafting is considered a safe procedure, one should be aware of the risk for fat embolism. Underreporting of this adverse event is likely. With no effective treatment and often detrimental outcome, preventive measures are of utmost importance to improve patient safety.
This in vitro study demonstrates important interactions between the main actors in the adipose graft, the adipose-derived stem cells and the mature adipocytes. Although the eventual fate of these cells in a clinically implemented fat graft is still largely unknown, the results of this study support the theory that lipofilling can be conceived as an in vivo tissue engineering approach in which the mature adipocytes within fat grafts support proliferation and differentiation in the co-grafted stromal cell population.
With every hospital admission, a vast amount of data is collected from every patient. Big data can help in data mining and processing of this volume of data. The goal of this study is to investigate the potential of big data analyses by analyzing clinically relevant data from the immediate postoperative phase using big data mining techniques. A second aim is to understand the importance of different postoperative parameters. We analyzed all data generated during the admission of 739 women undergoing a free DIEAP flap breast reconstruction. The patients’ complete midcare nursing report, laboratory data, operative reports and drug schedule were examined (7,405,359 data points). The duration of anesthesia does not predict the need for revision. Low Red Blood cell Counts (3.53 × 106/µL versus 3.79 × 106/µL, p < 0.001) and a low MAP (MAP = 73.37 versus 76.62; p < 0.001) postoperatively are correlated with significantly more revisions. Different drugs (asthma/COPD medication, Butyrophenones) can also play a significant role in the success of the free flap. In a world that is becoming more data driven, there is a clear need for electronic medical records which are easy to use for the practitioner, nursing staff, and the researcher. Very large datasets can be used, and big data analysis allows a relatively easy and fast interpretation all this information.
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