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Advertisements targeted at the elderly population suggest that antioxidant therapy will reduce free radicals and promote wound healing, yet few scientific studies substantiate these claims. To better understand the potential utility of supplemental antioxidant therapy for wound healing, we tested the hypothesis that age and tissue ischemia alter the balance of endogenous antioxidant enzymes. Using a bipedicled skin flap model, ischemic and non-ischemic wounds were created on young and aged rats. Wound closure and the balance of the critical antioxidants superoxide dismutase and glutathione in the wound bed were determined. Ischemia delayed wound closure significantly more in aged rats. Lower superoxide dismutase 2 and glutathione in non-ischemic wounds of aged rats indicate a basal deficit due to age alone. Ischemic wounds from aged rats had lower superoxide dismutase 2 protein and activity initially, coupled with decreased ratios of reduced/oxidized glutathione and lower glutathione peroxidase activity. De novo glutathione synthesis, to restore redox balance in aged ischemic wounds, was initiated as evidenced by increased glutamate cysteine ligase. Results demonstrate deficiencies in two antioxidant pathways in aged rats that become exaggerated in ischemic tissue, culminating in profoundly impaired wound healing and prolonged inflammation.

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Nipple-sparing mastectomy is an option for patients fitting oncologic criteria and may improve cosmetic outcomes of breast reconstruction. When anatomical limitations exist, we propose the use of free nipple grafting, akin to reduction mammaplasty. This study is a retrospective review of patients having a nipple-sparing mastectomy and immediate reconstruction using free nipple grafting (N = 36 breasts). Average graft take was 93.6% with no nipples having complete graft loss. Four nipples (11%) lost all projection and 4 nipples experienced significant hypopigmentation requiring tattooing (11%). For those ineligible for nipple-sparing mastectomy due to anatomical limitations, free nipple grafting is an option with acceptable complication rates similar to free nipple grafting in reduction mammaplasties and, more importantly, saves women a subsequent operation for nipple reconstruction.

BACKGROUND Limited data exist on sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) of the head and neck. OBJECTIVE To review the results of SLNB for patients with cSCC of the head and neck at the authors’ institution. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective review was completed for patients who underwent SLNB for cSCC of the head and neck over 19 years. Patient demographics, immune status, tumor stage, total patients with positive SLNB, local recurrence, nodal recurrence, in-transit metastasis, and disease-specific death were recorded. RESULTS Sixty patients underwent lymphoscintigraphy, and an SLN was identified in 58 patients. The mean follow-up was 3.2 years (range, 15 days–16 years). Four patients (6.9%) had a positive SLNB. All were Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) stage T2b tumors. Three of these patients were immunosuppressed, 3 patients underwent neck dissection, and 2 patients received adjuvant radiation. None developed local or regional recurrence. Of the 53 patients with a negative SLNB, there were 4 local recurrences, 2 in-transit metastases, and no nodal recurrences. CONCLUSION Immunosuppressed patients with tumors BWH stage T2b or greater may be a reasonable cohort to focus future prospective studies on the utility of SLNB in cSCC of the head and neck.