An excessive tissue response to prosthetic arterial graft material leads to intimal hyperplasia (IH), the leading cause of late graft failure. Seroma and abnormal capsule formation may also occur after prosthetic material implantation. The matricellular protein Thrombospondin-2 (TSP-2) has shown to be upregulated in response to biomaterial implantation. This study evaluates the uptake and release of small interfering RNA (siRNA) from unmodified and surface functionalized electrospun PET graft materials. ePET graft materials were synthesized using electrospinning technology. Subsets of the ePET materials were then chemically modified to create surface functional groups. Unmodified and surface-modified ePET grafts were dip-coated in siRNAs alone or siRNAs complexed with transfection reagents polyethyleneimine (PEI) or Lipofectamine RNAiMax. Further, control and TSP-2 siRNA-PEI complex treated ePET samples were placed onto a confluent layer of human aortic smooth muscle cells (AoSMCs). Complexation of all siRNAs with PEI led to a significant increase in adsorption to unmodified ePET. TSP-2 siRNA-PEI released from unmodified-ePET silenced TSP-2 in AoSMC. Regardless of the siRNA-PEI complex evaluated, AoSMC migrated into the ePET. siRNA-PEI complexes delivered to AoSMC from dip-coated ePET can result in gene knock-down. This methodology for siRNA delivery may improve the tissue response to vascular and other prosthetics.

Immediate reconstruction for plantar melanomas can be safely performed with recurrence rates comparable and in line with previously published studies of wide local excision for plantar melanoma. This technique has the potential to achieve oncologically safe outcomes with less overall morbidity.

One of the most feared complications following a massive ventral hernia repair is abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS). ACS is caused by an acute increase in intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), which can lead to multi-organ dysfunction and ultimately result in death. Component separation repair (CST) has been successful for most large hernia repairs in reducing the risk of ACS by increasing abdominal volume and reducing abdominal wall tension during a tight closure. However, reduction of a large hernia can lead to elevated IAP and possible progression to ACS. Here, we describe the detailed intra-operative and post-operative course of a patient who developed abdominal compartment syndrome following CST repair.

Introduction Gorham–Stout Disease (GSD) is a rare disorder of bony destruction due to lymphangiomatosis, and is often triggered by hormones. One complication of GSD is the development of chylothorax, which carries a high mortality rate. Very little experience has been published to guide management in GSD during pregnancy to optimize both fetal and maternal health. Case Study A 20-year-old woman with known GSD presented with shortness of breath at 18 weeks of pregnancy, due to bilateral chylothoraces which required daily drainage. To minimize chylous fluid formation, she was placed on bowel rest with total parenteral nutrition (limiting lipid intake) and received octreotide to decrease splanchnic blood flow and chylous fluid drainage. Treatment options were limited due to her pregnancy. Twice daily home chest tube drainage of a single lung cavity, total parenteral nutrition, octreotide, and albumin infusions allowed successful delivery of a healthy 37 weeks' gestation infant by cesarean delivery. Discussion This case illustrates the management of a rare clinical disease of bone resorption and lymphangiomatosis complicated by bilateral, refractory chylothoraces, triggered by pregnancy, in whom treatment options are limited, and the need for a multidisciplinary health care team to ensure successful maternal and fetal outcomes.

Background Hormone therapy with exogenous estrogen and/or spironolactone is commonly used in transfemales to induce breast development. However, inherent differences in adult male and female anatomy create persistent deformities and inadequate gender congruency despite glandular breast development. This includes nipple characteristics, position of inframammary fold, and the distribution of breast tissue. Accordingly, the Tanner stages do not accurately reflect these persistent deformities because they relate to breast development in transwomen. Herein, we describe a classification system for breast development in transwomen treated with hormone therapy. Methods Ninety-nine transfemale patients who underwent breast augmentation from 2014 to 2018 were retrospectively reviewed and categorized using a novel scheme, the Breast Response to Estrogenic Stimulation in Transwomen (BREST) scale. Preoperative demographics, anatomic measurements, surgical technique, and postoperative results were also compared among BREST types. Results Most patients were rated as BREST type II (25%) or type IV (37%). The BREST scale exhibited moderate interrater reliability (κ = 0.58) between 3 plastic surgeons. Objective breast measurements such as sternal notch-to-nipple distance and nipple-to-inframammary fold distance correlated with the BREST scale. Multivariate logistical regression identified the nipple-to-inframammary fold distance and different between the bust and chest circumference as the strongest predictors of BREST type (odds ratio, 2.57 and 1.96, respectively). Body mass index was not a predictor of BREST type after controlling for confound variables on multivariate analysis. Conclusions The BREST scale uniquely captures the differences in breast phenotypes in transgender women according to hormone therapy response. Although some subjectivity exists with moderate interrater reliability, the BREST scale correlates with objective breast measurements. The BREST scale provides a transwoman-specific metric allowing for a common language in assessment of transgender breast development and optimal communication among providers, different specialties, and insurance companies.

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