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Cyropreservation of blood vessels has been carried out for some decades with variable results. A rabbit model was used to compare cryopreserved femoral artery allografts (n = 12 arteries), fresh autografts (n = 15 arteries), and fresh allografts (n = 16 arteries) at 1 and 3 months postoperatively. Patency rates were highest in the fresh autografts (86.7 percent), followed by the cryopreserved allografts (66.7 percent at 1 month and 83.3 percent at 3 months) and fresh allografts (62.5 percent at 1 month and 75 percent at 3 months). The fresh allografts showed the greatest alterations in endothelial cells and intima and muscle layer, followed by cryopreserved allografts, and then fresh autografts. Changes observed included pseudoendothelium formation, thickened intima, and thinner muscle layer. Cellular infiltrate appeared on the vessel walls only in the cryopreserved allografts (25 percent), but this did not have an effect on vascular patency. Fresh autografts remain the graft of choice for vascular defects, but cryopreserved allografts serve as the most appropriate option when the former are unavailable.

Background: Multiple techniques have been described for breast reconstruction surgery after breast implant exposure; breast implant removal and delayed breast reconstruction is the procedure of choice. However, in some mild exposures and infections, we propose an alternative treatment. Methods: This is a case series of a 14-year study in 16 female patients with mild exposure of a breast implant after breast reconstruction surgery. Salvage surgery was performed on these cases. The defects were between 1 and 6 cm, with a median size of 3.9 × 2.9 cm. Eighteen intercostal artery perforator flaps were used with an island of skin from the inframammary fold; 83.3% were anterior intercostal artery perforator flaps‚ and 16.7% were lateral intercostal artery perforator flaps. Results: Thirteen of the 16 patients presented infection (81.25%). There was no necrosis of any flap, and the success rate of salvage surgery was 62.5% of all patients. The success of surgery was 53.8% in patients with breast infection and 100% in patients without infection. Seven patients received chemotherapy and radiotherapy, six received only chemotherapy, and nine patients received only radiotherapy. Five of the six patients whose salvage surgery failed were treated with radiotherapy. Conclusion: This technique can be used as an alternative when there is exposure of the implant‚ even in cases with a mild breast infection and in patients undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

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Simultaneous reconstruction of both feet with a single vascularized latissimus dorsi free flap is reported. The authors describe the repair of extensive dorsal and plantar defects, as well as of heel lesions secondary to osteitis of the calcanei. The latissimus dorsi free flap serves well in combining the classic cross-leg procedure with microsurgical techniques.

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