Steven C. Bonawitz

Free-tissue transfer in elderly patients

A retrospective survey was undertaken to evaluate the success of free-tissue transfer (free flap) in the elderly. During a 70-month period, 199 free flaps were performed in 151 patients at the Western Pennsylvania Hospital, 60 of these involving 47 patients over the age of 60. Primary coverage rates differed significantly between the elderly and younger age groups (68.5 versus 85.3 percent, respectively); however, eventual coverage rates (92.6 versus 96.3 percent), minor complication rates (34.0 versus 34.6 percent), mortality rates (2.1 versus 1.0 percent), flap revision rates (32 percent of patients versus 30 percent), and length of postoperative hospitalization (18.7 versus 18.8 days) were not significantly different in the two groups. Among the elderly, significant increases in flap loss rates were noted with the use of end-to-side arterial anastomosis, placement of the anastomosis within a zone of injury, and the use of the gracilis muscle donor site. Our data suggest that the primary cause of free-flap failure is construction of the anastomosis within a zone of injury. Free-tissue transfer is a valuable option in the repair of tissue defects in the elderly and should not be denied as a treatment because of patient age.

Plastic surgery and smoking: a prospective analysis of incidence, compliance, and complications.

Background: Tobacco use remains a persistent risk factor in elective plastic surgery. Although nicotine is thought to increase complications, which procedures are affected and the reliability of patient-provided histories remain poorly defined. The authors sought to examine nicotine use and its impact on outcomes. Methods: All patients in a single-surgeon practice undergoing surgery with general anesthesia during a 2-year period were enrolled. Preoperative evaluation included a thorough smoking history. All patients had urine samples taken on the day of surgery to assess for nicotine metabolites. Patients were followed for a minimum of 3 months after surgery and monitored for complications. Results: Four hundred fifteen patients were enrolled. Of these, 139 (33.5 percent) stated that they had quit smoking and 39 (9.4 percent) were admitted active smokers. For the 362 patients with urine nicotine analysis available, 54 showed active smoking. Fifteen of these (4.1 percent) had denied current tobacco use. Patients stating that they had quit smoking were more likely to be deceitful than those stating they had never smoked (p < 0.001). Smokers had significantly higher overall complication rates (OR, 3.7; p < 0.001) and tissue necrosis rates (OR, 4.3; p = 0.02) and were likelier to require reoperation (OR, 3.7; p < 0.001). Conclusions: In a large cohort study examining the prevalence and impact of nicotine in the general plastic surgery population, substantial rates of deception regarding smoking status were found. Furthermore, active smoking was strongly correlated with complications. A methodologic approach to the detection and management of patients using tobacco products can help to optimize outcomes. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Risk, II.

Secondary Alveolar Bone Grafting Using Milled Cranial Bone Graft: A Retrospective Study of a Consecutive Series of 100 Patients

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of secondary bone grafting of alveolar clefts using milled cranial bone graft. PATIENTS The study included a consecutive series of 100 patients who were operated on between 1986 and 1995 by a single senior surgeon. MEASUREMENTS The patients were divided into four groups; (1) unilateral alveolar cleft or (2) bilateral alveolar cleft, (3) before eruption of the canine teeth or (4) after eruption. Follow-up ranged from a minimum of 12 months to 10 years, and evaluation included a physical examination, medical photography, orthodontic reports, and a panorex X-ray and/or a three-dimensional computed tomography scan of the maxilla produced using Denta-scan software. Patient outcomes were judged to be good, acceptable, or poor. Patients who developed any fistula or required regrafting were defined as poor outcomes. RESULTS The combined good and acceptable outcomes represented 83% of the entire consecutive series. These two groups were defined as successful outcomes. In patients with unilateral and bilateral clefts who were under 12 years old, the success rate was 90% and 88%, respectively. In patients grafted following full canine eruption (>12 years old), success rate decreased to 83% in patients with unilateral and 66% in bilateral clefts, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Our results support the use of milled cranial bone graft, which produces a stable closure of the alveolar cleft with good contour and support for adjacent tooth eruption. Our data further support the conclusion by others that outcomes of early secondary grafting are superior to delayed grafting. The experience presented here, including the success rate, ease of harvesting, and minimal morbidity, makes the cranium our preferred donor site for alveolar cleft grafting.

Overcoming cross-gender differences and challenges in Le Fort-based, craniomaxillofacial transplantation with enhanced computer-assisted technology.

BackgroundSex-specific anthropometrics, skin texture/adnexae mismatch, and social apprehension have prevented cross-gender facial transplantation from evolving. However, the scarce donor pool and extreme waitlist times are currently suboptimal. Our objective was to (1) perform and assess cadaveric facial transplantation for each sex-mismatched scenario using virtual planning with cutting guide fabrication and (2) review the advantages/disadvantages of cross-gender facial transplantation. MethodsCross-gender facial transplantation feasibility was evaluated through 2 mock, double-jaw, Le Fort–based cadaveric allotransplants, including female donor-to-male recipient and male donor-to-female recipient. Hybrid facial-skeletal relationships were investigated using cephalometric measurements, including sellion-nasion-A point and sellion-nasion-B point angles, and lower-anterior-facial-height to total-anterior-facial-height ratio. Donor and recipient cutting guides were designed with virtual planning based on our team’s experience in swine dissections and used to optimize the results. ResultsSkeletal proportions and facial-aesthetic harmony of the transplants (n = 2) were found to be equivalent to all reported experimental/clinical sex-matched cases by using custom guides and Mimics technology. Cephalometric measurements relative to Eastman Normal Values are shown. ConclusionsOn the basis of our results, we believe that cross-gender facial transplantation can offer equivalent, anatomical skeletal outcomes to those of sex-matched pairs using preoperative planning and custom guides for execution. Lack of literature discussion of cross-gender facial transplantation highlights the general stigmata encompassing the subject. We hypothesize that concerns over sex-specific anthropometrics, skin texture/adnexae disparity, and increased immunological resistance have prevented full acceptance thus far. Advantages include an increased donor pool with expedited reconstruction, as well as size-matched donors.

Pyoderma Gangrenosum After Breast Surgery: Diagnostic Pearls and Treatment Recommendations Based on a Systematic Literature Review.

BackgroundPyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare cutaneous disorder that poses a diagnostic challenge in the postoperative period. A systematic literature review was performed to determine distinguishing characteristics of PG in the setting of breast surgery that can facilitate timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment. MethodsPubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were systematically searched for articles with cases of PG occurring after breast surgery. Forty-three relevant articles, including 49 case reports, were identified. ResultsPG manifested bilaterally in 30 of 34 cases (88%) in which bilateral surgery was performed. Abdominal wounds were present in 6 of 7 cases in which an abdominal donor site was used for breast reconstruction. Nipples were spared from wound involvement in 33 of 37 cases (89%) in which nipples were present after surgery. Presence of fever was noted in 27 cases (55%) and leukocytosis in 21 cases (43%). A total of 33 patients (67%) underwent wound debridement. Successful medical treatment most commonly involved steroids (41 cases, 84%) and cyclosporine (10 cases, 20%). ConclusionsPertinent clinical features were identified that may aid in timely diagnosis and treatment of PG after breast surgery. Appearance of discrete wounds involving multiple surgical sites that surround but spare the nipples should raise suspicion for PG rather than infection or ischemia, even with concomitant fever and leukocytosis. Wound debridement should be minimized and skin grafting considered only after medical therapy is initiated. Cognizance of these features may enable prompt therapeutic intervention that minimizes morbidity and improves outcomes.

Establishing Cephalometric Landmarks for the Translational Study of Le Fort-based Facial Transplantation in Swine: Enhanced applications using computer-assisted surgery and custom cutting guides

Background: Le Fort–based, maxillofacial allotransplantation is a reconstructive alternative gaining clinical acceptance. However, the vast majority of single-jaw transplant recipients demonstrate less-than-ideal skeletal and dental relationships, with suboptimal aesthetic harmony. The purpose of this study was to investigate reproducible cephalometric landmarks in a large-animal model, where refinement of computer-assisted planning, intraoperative navigational guidance, translational bone osteotomies, and comparative surgical techniques could be performed. Methods: Cephalometric landmarks that could be translated into the human craniomaxillofacial skeleton, and that would remain reliable following maxillofacial osteotomies with midfacial alloflap inset, were sought on six miniature swine. Le Fort I– and Le Fort III–based alloflaps were harvested in swine with osteotomies, and all alloflaps were either autoreplanted or transplanted. Cephalometric analyses were performed on lateral cephalograms preoperatively and postoperatively. Critical cephalometric data sets were identified with the assistance of surgical planning and virtual prediction software and evaluated for reliability and translational predictability. Results: Several pertinent landmarks and human analogues were identified, including pronasale, zygion, parietale, gonion, gnathion, lower incisor base, and alveolare. Parietale-pronasale-alveolare and parietale-pronasale–lower incisor base were found to be reliable correlates of sellion-nasion–A point angle and sellion-nasion–B point angle measurements in humans, respectively. Conclusions: There is a set of reliable cephalometric landmarks and measurement angles pertinent for use within a translational large-animal model. These craniomaxillofacial landmarks will enable development of novel navigational software technology, improve cutting guide designs, and facilitate exploration of new avenues for investigation and collaboration.

Modified orticochea pharyngoplasty for treatment of unilateral velopharyngeal incompetence

Unilateral nasopharyngeal paralysis is a relatively rare cause of velopharyngeal incompetence. Few therapeutic modalities for this problem have been described. A modification of the orticochea sphincter pharyngoplasty was developed using only a unilateral flap for treatment of the symptoms of hypernasality and nasal reflux. This preliminary report summarizes the operative approach and the successful outcomes in 2 patients.

A modified heterotopic swine hind limb transplant model for translational vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) research.

Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation (VCA) such as hand and face transplants represent a viable treatment option for complex musculoskeletal trauma and devastating tissue loss. Despite favorable and highly encouraging early and intermediate functional outcomes, rejection of the highly immunogenic skin component of a VCA and potential adverse effects of chronic multi-drug immunosuppression continue to hamper widespread clinical application of VCA. Therefore, research in this novel field needs to focus on translational studies related to unique immunologic features of VCA and to develop novel immunomodulatory strategies for immunomodulation and tolerance induction following VCA without the need for long term immunosuppression. This article describes a reliable and reproducible translational large animal model of VCA that is comprised of an osteomyocutaneous flap in a MHC-defined swine heterotopic hind limb allotransplantation. Briefly, a well-vascularized skin paddle is identified in the anteromedial thigh region using near infrared laser angiography. The underlying muscles, knee joint, distal femur, and proximal tibia are harvested on a femoral vascular pedicle. This allograft can be considered both a VCA and a vascularized bone marrow transplant with its unique immune privileged features. The graft is transplanted to a subcutaneous abdominal pocket in the recipient animal with a skin component exteriorized to the dorsolateral region for immune monitoring. Three surgical teams work simultaneously in a well-coordinated manner to reduce anesthesia and ischemia times, thereby improving efficiency of this model and reducing potential confounders in experimental protocols. This model serves as the groundwork for future therapeutic strategies aimed at reducing and potentially eliminating the need for chronic multi-drug immunosuppression in VCA.

Le fort type III osteotomy for midface deficiency in selected cleft palate patients

The comprehensive treatment of cleft lip and palate continues to evolve as understanding of the pathogenesis of this malformation and refinement of surgical techniques for its treatment have improved. The malformation, although varying in severity from individual to individual, is now considered an abnormality of the entire maxilla. Our experience indicates that a finite minority of cleft patients exists with significant malar and midfacial projection deficiency in addition to class III malocclusion who will benefit from a more extensive midfacial advancement. We have treated 10 patients with a diagnosis of cleft lip and palate as well as malar and midfacial retrusion with a Le Fort type III advancement. In this group of patients, there were two early postoperative complications. Two patients (20%) experienced late occlusal changes; 4 patients underwent orthodontic correction; and the other required a Le Fort type I osteotomy. Three patients (30%) experienced predicted velopharyngeal insufficiency requiring a pharyngeal flap for correction. All patients demonstrated both subjective and objective improvement in facial aesthetics and Angles class I occlusion after surgery. In patients with cleft lip and palate who also have midfacial retrusion, the Le Fort type III advancement provides a more complete correction of the facial deformity as well as the malocclusion. This approach should be integrated into the comprehensive management of this deformity by individuals trained in craniofacial techniques.

Pyoderma gangrenosum following autologous breast reconstruction

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is an uncommon disorder characterized by the development of painful cutaneous ulceration, commonly precipitated by dermal injury at surgical sites. It is a diagnostic challenge as it manifests as necrotizing wounds which are commonly misdiagnosed as postoperative wound infection or ischemia. We discuss the clinical features and histopathological findings that allow for rapid identification of PG following autologous breast reconstruction and suggest an algorithm to aid diagnosis.