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Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of penile girth enhancement (PGE) using amniotic membrane (AM) as a graft in a rabbit model. Additionally, quantitative histological data of the structure of the penis were obtained by stereological studies., Methods: This study was conducted at the Histomorphometry and Stereology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. In this study, 20 adult male rabbits of similar age and weight were allocated to two groups: sham surgery and surgery+AM. Both groups underwent surgery in which a longitudinal I-shaped midline incision was made in the tunica albuginea on the dorsal surface of the penis. The surgery+AM group underwent PGE using AM as a graft. The penile length and mid circumference were measured using a vernier caliper before and two months after the surgery., Results: The mean total volume and diameter of the penis significantly increased in the surgery+AM group ( P <0.03 and P <0.04, respectively). On stereological evaluation, a significant increase in the mean volumes of the tunica albuginea and corpora cavernosa was observed in the surgery+AM group compared to the sham group ( P <0.01 and P <0.03, respectively). Additionally, the mean volume densities of the collagen bundles, muscle fibres, cavernous sinuses, and the total number of fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells increased in the surgery+AM group compared to the sham group ( P <0.05 each). No infections, bleeding or other complications were observed., Conclusion: The use of AM as a graft is a method that shows promising results for material use in penile enhancement. Thus, it may be considered for PGE in the future., Competing Interests: CONFLICT OF INTEREST The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© Copyright 2023, Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, All Rights Reserved.)

Although the recipient site in burn wounds is dressed with universally accepted materials, the ideal management of split-thickness skin donor sites remains controversial. The aim of our study is to compare two methods of wound dressing in donor sites of split-thickness skin graft in patients undergoing burn wound reconstructive surgery. Forty-two consecutive patients with second- and third-degree burns with a total body surface area between 20 and 40 % were enrolled in this randomized clinical trial conducted in Motahari Burn Hospital in Tehran, Iran. In each patient, two anatomic areas with similar features were randomly selected as intervention and control donor sites. The intervention site was dressed with amniotic membrane, whereas the control site was treated with Vaseline-impregnated gauze. Wounds were examined daily by expert surgeons to measure the clinical outcomes including duration of healing, severity of pain, and infection rate. The mean ± SD age of patients was 31.17 ± 13.72 years; furthermore, burn percentage had a mean ± SD of 31.19 ± 10.56. The mean ± SD of patients' cooperation score was 1.6 ± 0.79 in the intervention group compared with 2.93 ± 0.71 in the control group, revealing a statistically significant difference ( P < 0.05). Duration of wound healing was significantly shorter ( P < 0.05) in the intervention group (17.61 ± 2.56 days) compared with the control group (21.16 ± 3.45 days). However, there was no significant difference in terms of wound infection rate between donor sites in the control and intervention groups ( P > 0.05). Amniotic membrane as an alternative for dressing of skin graft donor sites provides significant benefits by increasing patients' comfort via diminishing the number of dressing changes and facilitating the process of wound healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oropharyngeal malignancies represent management challenges for the head and neck surgeons. Tumor resection and reconstruction with graft is the standard treatment. Split-thickness skin grafts are routinely used to cover the mucosal defects arising from resections. As amniotic membrane (AM) is used as a dressing substitute in bum, we decided to evaluate the efficacy of AM as a biologic wound dressing material for surgical defects of mucosa in the oropharyngeal region. Methods: This was a single-institution prospective study which included 50 patients with primary oropharyngeal malignancy who underwent tumor resection between March 2010 and November 2011, and were up for two to 20 months after the surgical procedure. We used amniotic membrane (AM) for dressing of the defects in the oral cavity and pharynx under general anesthesia. Efficacy of this procedure was assessed by rating of the pain and granulation tissue formation with surface epithelialization at the site of graft. Results: The results were evaluated in the postoperative period. Forty males (80 %) and 10 females (20 %) were participated, age from 20 to 80 years with a mean age of 50 ± 10.41 years. The patients underwent partial glossectomy, or floor of mouth resection according to tumor location. Complete adherence of AM to the wound was detected in all cases. Allergy either systemic or local was not reported in any of the cases. The membrane was very effective in 40 patients, and effective in 10 cases. Conclusion: Amniotic membrane (AM) can be used as a biologic dressing material for covering the mucosal defects in the oropharynx. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]