Vacuum Assisted Closure (V.A.C.) Therapy has previously been shown to facilitate healing of wounds. However, the physiological mechanism(s) of this treatment modality and its systemic effects require further investigations. The goal of this porcine study was to investigate the effect of V.A.C. Therapy on the systemic distribution of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10, and transforming growth factor-beta1. Twelve pigs were each given one full-thickness excisional wound, using electrocautery. Six of the pigs were treated with V.A.C. Therapy and six with saline-moistened gauze. Serum samples were collected immediately after wound creation, and hourly for 4 hours. Samples were analyzed using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. During the initial 4 hours of treatment, V.A.C. Therapy resulted in earlier and greater peaking of IL-10 and maintenance of IL-6 levels compared with saline-moistened gauze controls, which showed decreased IL-6 values over the first hour (both at p<0.05). No other treatment-based differences were detected.

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Non-salvageable extremities have been utilized for harvesting fillet flaps as part of the "spare parts" concept in traumatic and oncologic settings. Here we report on the use of a pedicled fillet flap of the upper arm for chest wall reconstruction after excision of a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor in a patient with neurofibromatosis. Pedicled flaps as part of the "spare parts" concept provide the advantage of reduced donor-site morbidity, immediate closure, intact vasculature, and adequate soft tissue coverage of large defects. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor is a rare aggressive tumor with a poor prognosis that may result in large defects post resection. Limited data describes the use of pedicled fillet flaps of the upper extremity. We report the use of a pedicled fillet flap of the upper arm as a viable option that can be successfully used for coverage of soft tissue defects of the shoulder and chest wall post complex resections in an oncologic setting.

We report a case that showed reversibility of a generalized narrowing of the left internal mammary graft in response to interruption of collateral flow to the distal vessel supplied by the graft.