Effect of Tumescent Lidocaine and Epinephrine Infiltration on Blood Loss in Inferior Pedicle Wise-Pattern Breast Reduction: A Prospective Randomized Study

The idea of infiltrating epinephrine-containing solution in reduction mammoplasty with the aim of reducing blood loss dates back to 1985. Although its use is fairly common among surgeons, scientific evidence supporting such use has been feeble and inconsistent. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effects of tumescent infiltration of lidocaine- and epinephrine-containing solution on blood loss in reduction mammoplasty. A prospective, randomized, double-blinded study is planned. Forty patients admitted to our clinic for mammary hypertrophy are randomly assigned to experiment and control groups, each of a size of 20 patients. Control group underwent conventional Wise-pattern, inferior pedicle breast reduction, whereas experiment group received tumescent fluid infiltration 20 min prior to making of the incisions. Data including age, body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, operative time, length of hospitalization along with preoperative, postoperative 2nd and 12th hour complete blood counts are recorded for each patient and compared between groups. Data analysis showed no significant difference between groups in terms of age, BMI, comorbidities or preoperative hematocrit levels. Operative time and hospitalization were significantly shorter in experiment group (p < 0.05*). The drop in hematocrit level in both the 2nd (4.93 ± 2.44% to 15.53 ± 7.17%) and 12th hour (9.4 ± 6.79 compared to 21.28 ± 10.15) was lower in the experiment group (p < 0.01*). A multiple variate analysis incorporating preoperative, postoperative 2nd and 12th hour hematocrit levels demonstrated a significant reduction in blood loss with the use of tumescent infiltration (Wilks' lambda F = 12.84, p < 0.01*). Multiple regression analysis revealed age, BMI, comorbidities, preoperative hematocrit levels and hospitalization did not affect postoperative blood loss (p > 0.05). Duration of operation, however, seemed to affect amount of blood loss postoperatively (p < 0.05*). With outcomes obtained from this study, it is clearly shown that tumescent infiltration significantly reduces blood loss in Wise-pattern, inferior pedicle breast reduction. Furthermore, tumescent infiltration is also shown to decrease operative time and length of hospital stay. EBM LEVEL II: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Effect of dipyridamole on random pattern skin flap viability in rats

Ischemic necrosis has been most dreaded complication of flap reconstruction. Therefore, researchers have tried to improvise modalities to prevent or treat it since the onset of flap surgery. So far these researches have failed to identify a pharmacological therapy equally effective as surgical delay in augmenting skin flap viability. In the path of search for this substance, dipyridamole attracted our attention as an antiaggregant agent. Put together with pathophysiological mechanisms underlying ischemic flap necrosis, we concluded dipyridamole might have beneficial effect on survival of skin flaps. In this research random pattern dorsal rat skin flap model of McFarlane is used. Subjects are separated in a randomized fashion between two groups. Experiment group is given dipyridamole with a dose of 20 mg/kg twice daily. Control group is given same amount of saline. At seventh day viability of skin flaps is assessed and compared between groups. Also on 7th day, pathologic specimens are obtained and evaluated histopathologically in terms of neutrophil and lymphocyte infiltration, edema and fibrosis. Necrosis percentage in experiment group is found to be significantly lower than that of control group (p < 0.01*). Neutrophil infiltration and edema found to be significantly lower in dipyridamole group (p < 0.05*). No significant difference is observed in lymphocyte infiltration and fibrosis. Dipyridamole is shown in this research to be effective in augmenting viability of random pattern skin flaps in rats. Nevertheless, more extensive researches are needed to fully determine its precise mechanism, side effects and appropriate doses.

Heel Reconstruction With Bipedicled Flap: A Salvage Procedure

Reconstruction of the heel region poses great challenge to plastic surgeons not only due to calcaneal bone lying just deep to the subdermal fat pad but also due to easily exposed Achilles tendon. In order to achieve permanent closure of the heel defect, exposed bone or tendon-or both-should be covered with durable, preferably sensate, well-vascularized, thin skin flaps. Even though fasciocutaneous free flaps remain the gold standard in the reconstruction of heel defects with exposed bone or tendon, a significant number of these patients are older individuals with multiple comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and peripheral vascular disease. In this study, with a clinic series consisting of 6 patients (1 female, 5 males), we present a new technique of reconstruction with a bipedicled flap as a safe, reliable, and efficient reconstructive modality in the treatment of heel defects in cases where free flaps and other more sophisticated reconstructive options are either not feasible or have failed. Achieving complete reconstruction of defects in all 6 patients, this technique proves to be successful as a salvage procedure in reconstruction of heel defects.