Therapeutic, V.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of negative pressure therapy (NPT) in the treatment of complex wounds, with emphasis on its mechanisms of action and main therapeutic indications. We searched the Pubmed / Medline database for articles published from 1997 to 2016, and selected the most relevant ones. The mechanisms of action of NPT involveboth physical effects, such as increased perfusion, control of edema and exudate, reduction of wound dimensions and bacterial clearance, and biological ones, such as the stimulation of granulation tissue formation, microdeformations and reduction of Inflammatory response. The main indications of NPT are complex wounds, such as pressure ulcers, traumatic wounds, operative wound dehiscences, burns, necrotizing wounds, venous ulcers, diabetic wounds, skin grafts, open abdomen, prevention of complications in closed incisions and in the association with instillation of solutions in infected wounds.

(1) Patients displayed lax, soft skin lacking sufficient collagen fiber network. (2) Elastic fiber content was not damaged, and was even moderately increased in epigastrium; (3) Preoperative obesity negatively correlated with hypogastric collagen concentration; (4) Future studies should pinpoint the roles of obesity, and especially of massive weight loss, on dermal architecture and response to surgery.

The plastic surgeon played an important role in the treatment of complex wounds by adopting early surgical treatment, contributing to the effective resolution of cases.

ObjectiveThis study aims to report the use of the unilateral pectoralis major muscle flap for the treatment of the sternal wound dehiscence.MethodsA retrospective study including patients who underwent unilateral pectoralis major muscle flap was performed for the treatment of sternotomy dehiscence due to coronary artery bypass, valve replacement, congenital heart disease correction and mediastinitis, between 1997 and 2016. Data from the epidemiological profile of patients, length of hospital stay, postoperative complications and mortality rate were obtained.ResultsDuring this period, 11 patients had their dehiscence of sternotomy treated by unilateral pectoralis major muscle flap. The patients had a mean age of 54.7 years, the mean hospital stay after flap reconstruction was 17.9 days (from 7 to 52 days). In two patients, it was necessary to harvest a flap from the rectus abdominis fascia, in association with the pectoralis major muscle flap, to facilitate the closure of the distal wound. In the postoperative period, seroma discharge from the surgical wound was observed in six patients, five reported intense pain (temporary), three had partial cutaneous dehiscence, and two presented granuloma of the incision.ConclusionThe complex wound from sternotomy dehiscences presents itself as a challenge to surgical teams. Treatment should include debridement of necrotic tissue and preferably coverage with well-vascularized tissue. We propose that the unilateral pectoralis major muscle flap is an interesting and low morbidity option for the reconstruction of sternal wound dehiscences, with proper sternum stability and satisfactory functional and aesthetic outcomes.

SUMMARY Introduction Since the 1980s, the use of autologous fat grafting has been growing in plastic surgery. Recently, this procedure has come to be used as a treatment for keloids and hypertrophic scars mainly due to the lack of satisfactory results with other techniques. So far, however, it lacks more consistent scientific evidence to recommend its use. The aim of this study was to review the current state of autologous fat grafting for the treatment of keloids and hypertrophic scars, their benefits and scientific evidences in the literature. Method A review in the Pubmed database was performed using the keywords “fat grafting and scar”, “fat grafting and keloid scar” and “fat grafting and hypertrophic scar.” Inclusion criteria were articles written in English and published in the last 10 years, resulting in 15 studies. Results These articles indicate that autologous fat grafting carried out at sites with pathological scars leads to a reduction of the fibrosis and pain, an increased range of movement in areas of scar contraction, an increase in their flexibility, resulting in a better quality of scars. Conclusion So far, evidences suggest that autologous fat grafting for the treatment of keloids and hypertrophic scars is associated with a better quality of scars, leading to esthetic and functional benefits. However, this review has limitations and these findings should be treated with reservations, since they mostly came from studies with low levels of evidence.

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Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare painful ulcerative neutrophilic inflammatory skin disease, necessitating a high level of diagnostic suspicion associated with appropriate treatment to avoid progression. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been efficiently used in the treatment of different types of wounds. However, the role of NPWT in the management of PG is still controversial, due to the risk of the pathergy phenomenon. In this article, we conducted a systematic review (according