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The reconstruction of cartilage defects for cosmetic and/or functional reasons has become routine in plastic and reconstructive surgery. However, it remains challenging due to the slow turnover and low viability of cartilage grafts. Although autologous grafts can be used to determine the shape of the defect in cartilage-reconstruction surgeries, the effect of defect shape on cartilage healing has not been reported. Here, we present the first study aiming to investigate the influence of cartilage graft geometry on healing. Twelve New Zealand white rabbits were used in the study. Square-, rectangle-, sphere-, and fusiform-shaped cartilage defects were applied to both ears with 1-cm2 geometric templates that completely elevated the cartilage tissue without damaging the opposite perichondrium. As a control, the removed cartilage was sutured back to the right ear, whereas the left ear was sutured back without any graft. Histological examinations were made on samples taken during surgery and those taken four months post-surgery. Chondrocyte production and organisation, chondrocyte vacuolisation, collagen synthesis, proteoglycan levels, vascularisation, focal bleeding, and peripheral proliferation were scored independently by two histologists. There was no statistically significant difference in the growth rates of either the control or experimental cartilage tissues when compared with that of the initial cartilage tissue (p = 0.083). Histologic comparisons revealed better outcomes in the grafted cartilage groups compared to those receiving the donor cartilage, but this was not statistically significant. This study demonstrates that the geometric shape of the defect has no significant effect on cartilage healing. 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 .

The infragluteal fold is one of the major concerns in reshaping of the gluteal region. This study reevaluated the fold both histologically and anatomically. Five fixed cadavers were used. The infragluteal fold on the right side was explored by dissection, whereas the infragluteal fold of the contralateral side was removed en bloc. Tissue samples (6 cm long × 2 mm thick) were taken at three points from each fold bloc: the most medial point, the middle point, and the most lateral end of the sulcus. Anatomic dissections and histologic examinations showed that the infragluteal fold consists of strong fibrous bands extending from the dermis of the medial one-third of the fold to the ramus of the ischium and sacrum, forming the letter J. The infragluteal fold, which attaches to both the ischium and the sacrum in a continuous fashion, is an anatomic structure in its medial part and only a crease laterally. © 2008 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

This study investigated the effect of rifampin on the thickness of capsules around silicone implants by bactericidal activity against Stapylococcus epidermidis. Silicone blocks (1 x 1 cm) were placed into pockets created for each of the 40 rats included in the study. In group 1, the operation was performed under aseptic conditions. In group 2, standard S. epidermidis was inoculated into the pocket, whereas rifampin and S. epidermidis were applied in group 3. In group 4, only rifampin was applied topically on implants. After 12 weeks, the peri-implant capsules were removed and examined under a photomicroscope and a scanning electron microscope. The mean thickness of the capsules was 63.307 microm in group 1, 111.538 microm in group 2, 43.076 microm in group 3, and 30.384 mum in group 4. The differences between groups 2 and 3 and groups 2 and 4 were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.001). Rifampin appears to be an agent for preventing peri-implant capsule formation.