Summary: Deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flap surgery is one of the most common techniques for breast reconstruction using abdominal tissue. Although the DIEP flap reduces donor-site morbidity when compared with the conventional free transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap, violation of the anterior rectus sheath, rectus muscle, and motor nerves cannot be avoided. To further minimize tissue damage in the donor site, the use of a surgical robotic system for DIEP flap harvest with a totally extraperitoneal approach has been suggested. This totally extraperitoneal approach has a long learning curve because of the narrow preperitoneal space and the difficulty of converting a potential space to an actual space. Thus, the authors suggest a single-port robotic system optimized for narrow surgical spaces as a feasible option for DIEP flap harvest by a totally extraperitoneal approach, which has a shorter learning curve.

Background The number of surgical risks recalled by a patient after surgery can be used as a parameter for assessing how well the patient has understood the informed consent process. No study has investigated the usefulness of a self-developed mobile application in the traditional informed consent process in patients with a nasal bone fracture. This study aimed to investigate whether delivery of information, such as surgical risks, through a mobile application is more effective than delivery of information through only verbal means and a paper.Methods This prospective, randomized study included 60 patients with a nasal bone fracture. The experimental group (n=30) received preoperative explanation with the traditional informed consent process in addition to a mobile application, while the control group (n=30) received preoperative explanation with only the traditional informed consent process. Four weeks after surgery, the number of recalled surgical risks was compared for analysis. The following six surgical risks were explained: pain, bleeding, nasal deformity, numbness, nasal obstruction, and nasal cartilage necrosis.Results The mean number of recalled surgical risks among all patients was 1.58±0.56. The most frequently recalled surgical risk was nasal deformity in both groups. The mean number of recalled surgical risks was 1.72±0.52 in the experimental group and 1.49±0.57 in the control group. There was a significant association between mobile application use and the mean number of recalled surgical risks (p=0.047). Age, sex, and the level of education were not significantly associated with the mean number of recalled surgical risks.ConclusionThis study found that a mobile application could contribute to the efficient delivery of information during the informed consent process. With further improvement, it could be used in other plastic surgeries and other surgeries, and such an application can potentially be used for explaining risks as well as delivering other types of information.

Background Trap-door deformity is a biophysical phenomenon in which U-, C-, or Vshaped linear scars tend to become depressed and the tissue circumscribed by them tends to bulge. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the efficacy of triamcinolone acetonide (TCA) injection and subcision as a first-line treatment for post-traumatic acute trap-door deformity. Methods In trap-door deformity patients, a subcision was made by cutting the fibrotic band along the scar line in the depression using a 22-gauge needle. TCA was administered. An intralesional injection was made along areas of scarring that were difficult to penetrate with the needle. Scar quality parameters were assessed at each follow-up by a single observer and the patient, using the patient and observer scar assessment scale (POSAS) with an additional question about bulging. Results The average POSAS score per question on the observer scale improved from 6.6±1.31 to 3.6±1.08, and the average POSAS score per question on the patient scale improved from 5.5±1.57 to 2.5±1.26. The average bulging score on the observer scale decreased from 6.0±0.98 to 3.0±0.83, and that on the patient scale decreased from 5.0±1.67 to 2.0±1.30. The average general opinion score on the observer scale decreased from 5.5±1.12 to 3.5±0.91, and that on the patient scale decreased from 6.0±1.84 to 2.0±0.79. Conclusions Better outcomes can be obtained by using both TCA and subcision as the first-line therapy for post-traumatic acute trap-door deformity.

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