Pallab Chatterjee

Comparative efficacy of intralesional verapamil hydrochloride and triamcinolone acetonide in hypertrophic scars and keloids

There is not much level 1 evidence based literature to guide management of hypertrophic scars and keloids despite an array of therapeutic modalities at disposal. Intralesional (i/l) triamcinolone injections have remained a gold standard in non surgical management. Sporadic reports on use of i/l verapamil suggest its efficacy. Since verapamil has not found sufficient mention as an effective alternative modality, it was decided to undertake a randomized study which could also address some additional clinical parameters. A randomized, parallel group and observer blinded comparison with 40 patients (48 scars) was carried out to compare the effects of i/l triamcinolone (T) (22 scars) and verapamil injections (V) (26 scars). 1.5 ml was the maximum indicative volume decided in the study protocol for both the drugs (triamcinolone @40 mg/ml and verapamil @ 2.5 mg/ml). Patients included were aged between 15-60 years with scars ranging between 0.5-5 cm (but total area roughly <6 cm(2)), and scars under 2 years duration. Patients with keloidal diathesis were excluded. Injections were scheduled every three weeks until complete flattening of the scar or eight sessions, which ever came earlier. No concomitant therapies like massage, silicone gel or pressure garments were used. Scar evaluation at each stage was done by serial photographic records as well as by Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS). Comparative survival analysis between the two drugs was done using Kaplan Meier curves, and VSS scores were analyzed using Wilcoxon test and log rank test. Mean zero VSS scores were achieved with treatments in respect of scar height (T-12 weeks, V-21 weeks), vascularity (T-15 weeks, V-18 weeks) and pliability (T-15 weeks, V-21 weeks). The improvement in scar vascularity and pliability kept pace with decrease in scar height, in both the groups. There was not much difference in the rate of change of scar pigmentation with either drug but almost 60% patients in both the groups regained normal pigmentation. Our study adds to evidence of verapamils capability in flattening the raised scars. With an extremely low cost and fewer adverse effects it deserves better positioning in the wide armamentarium against hypertrophic scars. It also offers several therapeutic possibilities to alternate with triamcinolone or be used simultaneously in larger (or multiple) scars.

Securing aesthetic outcomes for composite grafts to alar margin and columellar defects: A long term experience.

Introduction: Composite grafts for nasal reconstruction have been around for over a century but the opinion on its virtues and failings keeps vacillating with a huge difference on the safe size of the graft for transfer. Alar margin and columellar defects are more distinct than dorsal nasal defects in greater difficulty in ensuring a good aesthetic outcome. We report our series of 19 consecutive patients in whom a composite graft was used to reconstruct a defect of alar margin (8 patients), alar base (7 patients) or columella (4 patients). Patients and Methods: Patient ages ranged from 3-35 years with 5 males and 14 females. The grafts to alar margin and base ranged 0.6-1 cm in width, while grafts to columella were 0.7-1.2 cm. The maximum dimension of the graft in this series was 0.9 mm x 10 mm. Composite grafts were sculpted to be two layered (skin + cartilage), three layered wedges (skin + cartilage + skin) or their combination (two layered in a portion and three layered in another portion). All grafts were cooled in postoperative period for three days by applying an indigenous ice pack of surgical glove. The follow up ranged from 3-9 months with an average of 4.5 months. Results: All of our 19 composite grafts survived completely but they all shrank by a small percentage of their bulk. Eleven patients rated the outcome between 90-95% improvement. We noticed that composite grafts tended to show varied pigmentation in our patients, akin to split skin grafts. Conclusion: In our opinion, most critical to graft survival is its size and the ratio of the marginal raw area to the graft bulk. We recommend that graft width should not exceed 1 cm to ensure complete survival even though larger sized grafts have been reported to survive. We recommend cooling of the graft and justify it on the analogy of ‘warm ischemia time’ for a replantation, especially in warmer climes like ours in India. We have outlined several considerations in the technique, with an analysis of differing opinions that should facilitate a surgeon in making an informed choice.

A new paradigm in facial reanimation for long-standing palsies?

Background: A chance observation of return of excellent facial movement, after 18 months following the first stage of cross-face nerve grafting, without free functional muscle transfer, in a case of long-standing facial palsy, lead the senior author (RBA) to further investigate clinically. Patients and Methods: This procedure, now christened as cross-face nerve extension and neurotization, was carried out in 12 patients of very long-standing facial palsy (mean 21 years) in years 1996-2011. The mean patient age and duration of palsy were 30.58 years and 21.08 years, respectively. In patients, 1-5 a single buccal or zygomatic branch served as a donor nerve, but subsequently, we used two donor nerves. The mean follow-up period was 20.75 months. Results: Successive patients had excellent to good return of facial expression with two fair results. Besides improved smile, patients could largely retain air in the mouth without any escape and had improved mastication. No complications were encountered except synkinesis in 1 patient. No additional surgical procedures were performed. Conclusion: There is experimental evidence to suggest that neurotization of a completely denervated muscle can occur by the formation of new ectopic motor end plates. Long-standing denervated muscle fibres eventually atrophy severely but are capable of re-innervation and regeneration, as validated by electron microscopic studies. In spite of several suggestions in the literature to clinically validate functional recovery by direct neurotization, the concept remains anecdotal. Our results substantiate this procedure, and it has the potential to simplify reanimation in longstanding facial palsy. Our work now needs validation by other investigators in the field of restoring facial animation.

Management of Postburn Alopecia

In extensive burns the scalp may be involved in 25–45% of cases, and deep partial- or full-thickness burns lead to alopecia. Repeated split skin graft (SSG) harvesting from the scalp may also result in alopecia, a risk more common if associated with scalp burns. Alopecia may be a patch of scar, skin graft, nonhealing wound, or an exposed calvarium. Reconstructive options include serial excision, scalp reduction, bipedicle flaps, modified rotation flaps, other local flaps (Juri flap, Orticochea flap), tissue expansion, and hair grafting. Ultimately the best tissue match is provided by local tissues, either by serial excision or by a modified rotation flap template. Tissue expansion generates a local skin flap when none exists. Use of tissue expanders have massively improved the outcomes for reconstruction of large alopecia patches. Losses between 50% and 75% of hair-bearing skin require two expanders placed either simultaneously or sequentially. Areas of more than 75% require camouflage with a wig.

The management of postburn contractures of trunk, groin, and perineum: A review

While the trunk is injured in about one-fifth of burn incidents, the groin and perineal contractures are relatively infrequent. Truncal and groin/perineal involvement with disfiguring and functionally restrictive contractures are usually seen in the setting of large surface area burn injuries. In a majority of cases, the treatment of truncal contractures is aimed at mitigating the effects of hypertrophic scarring. In groin/perineal contractures, the contractures are treated to restore movements that enable the important functions of excretion, squatting, and sexual intercourse. Many innovative local and regional flaps have been described to treat such contractures that provide a durable result. Even then, split skin grafting remains a valuable method to treat these contractures, especially for the severe ones. Although tissue expansion can be frequently used to provide color and texture-matched skin resurfacing after the release of truncal contractures, it is deemed unsuitable for groin/perineal contractures owing to high complications rates.

Total upper eyelid reconstruction by single staged malar-cheek flap

We report a case of total upper eyelid reconstruction by a new technique after excision of an eyelid tumour. The eyelid was reconstructed by a horizontal, laterally based flap from just under the lower eyelid combined with a chondro-mucosal graft from the nasal septum. Surgical outcome was an excellent aesthetically reconstructed eyelid, which was mobile and properly gliding on the globe to achieve complete eye closure.

A novel route for placing free flap pedicle from a palatal defect

One of the better options available to repair a large palatal defect is by employing a free flap. Almost all the times such free flaps are plumbed to facial vessels. The greatest challenge in such cases is the placement of the pedicle from palatal shelf to recipient vessels because there is no direct route available. As majority of large palatal fistulae are encountered in operated cleft palates there is a possibility of routing the pedicle through a cleft in the maxillary arch or via pyriform aperture. When such a possibility doesn’t exist the pedicle is routed behind the maxillary arch. We describe a novel technique of pedicle placement through a maxillary antrostomy, in this case report, where a large palatal fistula in a 16 year old boy was repaired employing a free radial artery forearm flap. The direct route provided by maxillary antrostomy is considered the most expeditious of all possibilities mentioned above.