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Goals Of Work: The goal of this study was to describe the incidence of Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD) in children with solid tumours.Patients and Methods: After documentation of a case of C. difficile-associated pseudomembranous colitis in a patient with neuroblastoma, the presence of C. difficile toxins A and B was prospectively tested in all children undergoing antineoplastic chemotherapy for solid tumours or lymphomas at the "G. Gaslini" Children Hospital in Genoa who presented abdominal pain.Main Results: From January 2005 to December 2006, nine (6%) out of 141 patients treated for solid tumours had C. difficile toxin A detected in their stools in the presence of abdominal symptoms including vomit, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. The majority of patients had a normal neutrophil count at onset of gastrointestinal disease No patient developed pseudomembranous colitis, and none died. All patients received antibiotics and/or antineoplastic drugs previously associated with CDAD.Conclusions: CDAD may be a complication of children with solid tumours. Since this disease may be life threatening and cause epidemic clusters, this possibility must be kept in mind for the differential diagnosis of abdominal diseases in children with cancer, especially in absence of neutropenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Surgical therapy of basal cell carcinomas (BCC) is based on complete excision of the neoplasm and its immediate suitable reconstruction. The aim of this work was to evaluate the possibility of creating a reconstructive algorithm in cases of scalp BCC, depending on the amplitude of the tumor., Evidence Acquisition: A literature search was carried out using the databases of PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane., Evidence Synthesis: Based on the experiences reported in the literature, it was possible to structure a decision-making algorithm that summarizes the various steps involved in the choice of the most suitable reconstructive surgical therapy., Conclusions: The algorithm described we hope will be of reference or help to less experienced reconstructive plastic surgeons.

Background: Modern surgical therapy of chronic headaches/migraines is essentially based on the release/neurolysis of extracranial nerves, which, when compressed or inflamed, act as trigger points and, as such, trigger headache attacks. The aim of this article was to describe a novel maneuver we use as an aid in the preoperative planning of occipital trigger sites., Methods: In the period of January 2021-September 2023, we operated on 32 patients (11 men, 21 women, age range: 26-68 years), who underwent migraine surgery for occipital trigger point release. All patients were evaluated using the described preoperative maneuver. In a dedicated card, the levels of tenderness at each point were marked accordingly, differentiating them by intensity as nothing (-), mild (+), medium (++), or high (+++). Patients were then operated on at the points corresponding only to the ++ and +++ signs., Results: At 6-month follow-up, we observed significant improvement (>50%) in 29 patients (91%), with complete recovery in 25 patients (78%)., Conclusions: In our experience, the maneuver described, in addition to being very simple, has been shown to have good sensitivity and reproducibility. We therefore recommend its use, especially for those surgeons beginning their practice in this particular area of plastic surgery., Competing Interests: The authors have no financial interests to declare in relation to the content of this article., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest CG has received grants from Italian Ministry of Health and BMS and Honoraria for presentations or lectures from AstraZeneca, BMS, Lilly, MSD, Roche, Sanofi, Takeda, Thermo Fisher; ML has received personal fees (advisory role and/or speaker honoraria) from Roche, Takeda, Sandoz, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Novartis Exact Sciences and Ipsen; LDM has reported consulting fees from Roche, Novartis, MSD, Pfizer, Ipsen, AstraZeneca, Genomic Health, Eli Lilly, Seattle Genetics, Eisai, Pierre Fabre, and Daiichi Sankyo, speaker Honoraria from Roche, Novartis, Eli Lilly and MSD, travel grants from Roche, Pfizer and Celgene; FS has reported Honoraria for presentations or lectures from Sanofi Genzyme, Roche, BMS, Novartis, Merk, Sun Pharma, MSD, Pierre Fabre and for advisory board for Novartis, Philogen, SunPharma, MSD.

Background: Cosmetic and social aspects of breast anomalies in Poland syndrome are not negligible. Early diagnosis and appropriate therapeutic timing may have a positive impact on quality of life., Methods: Females affected by Poland syndrome, who had breast reconstruction between 2014 and 2018, were asked to complete the Body Uneasiness Test and the postoperative Breast-Q. Correlation between scores was evaluated. Correlation between scores was statistically evaluated., Results: Thirty patients who had completed breast reconstruction at 20.9 ± 6.5 yo fulfilled the questionnaires at the average age of 26.5 ± 8.1 yo. BUT scores were similar to healthy population considering different age groups, with the exception of Compulsive Self-Monitoring subscale for 16-17-year age group. A correlation between Depersonalization and "Thighs" and "Legs" was present. On average, satisfaction with breast resulted 79.1%, satisfaction with surgical outcome was 94.9%, psychosocial well-being was 78.5%, sexual well-being was 75.3%, and relative physical well-being in chest and upper body was 36.9%. Global Uneasiness, Avoidance, Weight Phobia, Body Image Concern and Depersonalization were significantly correlated with lower psychosocial well-being. Avoidance was significantly correlated with lower sexual well-being., Conclusions: Breast reconstruction in Poland syndrome can help to improve quality of life. However, general body uneasiness can affect satisfaction with the final result., Level of Evidence Iv: 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 http://www.springer.com/00266 ., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Massive weight loss (MWL) has a positive impact on the comorbidities associated with obesity but leaves patients with ongoing body issues due to skin excess. Almost all patients present some degree of breast ptosis and breast volume deficiency, which can be addressed with different techniques including autologous flaps., Material and Methods: A literature search was conducted by using PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane databases. Patient's characteristics, type of bariatric surgery, amount of weight loss, flap size and design, simultaneous breast and extra-breast procedures were analyzed. Aesthetic and patient-reported outcomes, postoperative complications, revision rate, and donor site morbidity were also registered., Results: Twelve articles fulfilled inclusion criteria, and 79 patients were included, for a total of 157 flaps. Different flap designs and flap combinations were described; those originating from lateral chest wall area were the most commonly used. Simultaneous breast procedures were reported in 72 patients. Simultaneous extra-breast body contouring (BC) procedure was performed in 40 cases. The overall complication rate was 9.55% and a total of ten revisionary procedures were performed. Satisfaction of the patients was globally quite high., Conclusions: Advantages of the use of autologous tissue in breast reshaping after MWL is the avoidance of implant-related complications and the simultaneous improvement of the silhouette. The complication rate resulted in acceptable, aesthetic, and patient-reported outcomes resulted to be encouraging, even if there was a lack of standardization in the evaluation. A comparative randomized study to confront the use of autologous flaps combined with mastopexy versus the use of implants combined with mastopexy can be useful to confirm the promising results., Level of Evidence Iii: 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 ., (© 2021. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature and International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.)

This study aimed to investigate psychiatric symptomatology in a sample of patients affected by breast cancer undergoing surgery, evaluating the potential mediators on perceived stress levels, depression and hopelessness. The study was conducted on eighty-five patients with breast cancer, admitted consecutively to the Breast Unit of the IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, between May 2018 and December 2019. Sociodemographic (age of diagnosis, gender, marital and occupational status, educational level, having children) and clinical (type and side of surgery, previous breast surgery, neoadjuvant chemotherapy and axillary dissection) characteristics were investigated through a semi-structured interview. The following rating scales were administered: Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Hopelessness Scale, and Perceived Stress Scale. Our findings indicate that the presence of children and of a partner was associated with a lower total score on the clinical dimensions evaluated. Furthermore, we found demolitive surgery to be a mediator between perceived stress and hopelessness, while history of previous breast surgery was found to be a mediator between demolitive surgery and perceived stress. In conclusion, patients affected by breast cancer undergoing more complex and demolitive surgery or with history of previous breast surgery should be mostly monitored from a psychological and psychiatric point of view from the beginning of treatments to evaluate the first manifestations of psychiatric symptomatology.

Competing Interests: None

Breast-conserving surgery followed by radiotherapy represents the standard of care for early-stage breast cancer. The aim of this article was to provide a review of the literature about the use of the lateral thoracic artery perforator (LTAP) flap, the lateral thoracodorsal (LTD) flap, and the lateral intercostal artery perforator (LICAP) flap in lateral partial breast defect., Methods: A literature search was performed via PubMed, Medline, and Cochrane. Patient's characteristics, topography and size of breast defect, flap size and design, number of perforators, and operative time were analyzed. Aesthetic and patient-reported outcomes, postoperative complications, and donor site morbidity were also registered., Results: Thirteen articles fulfilled inclusion criteria, and 432 patients were included. Different flap designs and flap combinations were described. Satisfactory outcomes were reported for between 78% and 100% of cases. Patient satisfaction ranged from 75.8% to 92.5% of cases. The overall complication rate was 9.25%, and donor site morbidity was very low (3.7%)., Conclusions: A distinct advantage of LTAP, LTD, and LICAP flap reconstruction is that the thoracodorsal pedicle is not sacrificed, not compromising eventual delayed breast reconstruction with TDAP or latissimus dorsi flaps. This staged approach to partial breast reconstruction is especially useful in cases where the oncological margins are uncertain and wider resections (or mastectomies) are secondly required., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Implant-based breast reconstruction (IBR) is currently the most frequently performed reconstructive technique post mastectomy. Even though submuscular IBR continues to be the most commonly used technique, mastectomy technique optimization, the possibility to check skin viability with indocyanine green angiography, the enhanced propensity of patients undergoing prophylactic mastectomies, and the introduction of acellular dermal matrices (ADMs) have paved the way to the rediscovery of the subcutaneous reconstruction technique. The aim of this article is to update the complication rate of immediate and delayed prepectoral IBR using human ADMs (hADMs)., Methods: A literature search, using PubMed, Medline, Cochrane, and Google Scholar database according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines, was conducted to evaluate complication rates of prepectoral implant-based reconstructions using hADMs. The following MeSH terms were used: "prepectoral breast reconstruction acellular dermal matrix," "prepectoral breast reconstruction ADM," "human ADM breast reconstruction," and "human acellular dermal matrix breast reconstruction" (period: 2005-2020; the last search took place on April 2, 2020)., Results: This meta-analysis includes 1425 patients (2270 breasts) who had undergone immediate or delayed prepectoral IBR using different types of hADMs. The overall complication rate amounted to 19%. The most frequent complication was represented by infection (7.9%), followed by seroma (4.8%), mastectomy flap necrosis (3.4%), and implant loss (2.8%)., Conclusions: The overall complication rate was 19%. The most frequent complications were infection, seroma, and mastectomy flap necrosis, while capsular contracture was rare., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Introduction: Breast conserving surgery followed by radiation therapy represents the standard of care for early stage breast cancer. Oncoplastic breast surgery includes several reconstructive techniques essentially summarized in 2 categories: volume displacement and volume replacement procedures. These latest procedures have evolved over time from the use of the entire latissimus dorsi muscle to the use of pedicled perforator flaps, namely the thoracodorsal artery perforator (TDAP) flap. The aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of the literature regarding the use of the TDAP flap in partial breast defects., Methods: A literature search was performed via PubMed, Medline, and Cochrane. Studies reporting the use of the TDAP flap after breast conserving surgery were included. Patient characteristics, topography and size of breast defect, flap size and design, number of perforators, and operative time were analyzed. Moreover, aesthetic and functional (shoulder morbidity) results, patient satisfaction, postoperative complications, and donor site morbidity were registered., Results: Twelve articles fulfilled inclusion criteria, and 337 patients were included. All articles except 1 described the use of the TDAP flap for defects in every breast quadrant. The mean weight of resected breast tissue was 97.28 g, and patients with over 20% of volume deficiency were considered eligible for TDAP flap volume replacement. The ellipse-shaped skin paddle (oriented oblique downward, transversal or oblique upward in most cases) was extended over the anterior border of the latissimus dorsi muscle to include possible septocutaneous perforator vessels. Most authors began the dissection from the anterior and caudal border of the flap to reserve the possibility to convert the TDAP to a musculocutaneous flap and check for septocutaneous perforators. Flap size ranged from 4 × 12 to 21 × 9 cm. The mean procedure time was 192.21 minutes. Mean follow-up was 17.42 months. Evaluation by way of a 5-point Likert scale reported overall mean values of over 4 points. Satisfactory outcomes were reported in 92.85%-100% of cases. Patient satisfaction ranged from 80% to 94% of cases. The incidence of seroma (1 case) and "shoulder-related" donor site morbidity was very low., Conclusions: Despite the heterogeneity of the evaluation methods, our review suggested that the use of the TDAP flap in oncoplastic surgery allows for satisfactory aesthetic outcomes and quite high levels of patient satisfaction. The TDAP flap represents an effective and versatile tool that amplifies the oncoplastic surgeon's arsenal, which allows for satisfactory outcomes., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors have no financial interest to declare in relation to the content of this article., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Introduction: Migraine headache (MH) is one of the most common diseases worldwide and pharmaceutical treatment is considered the gold standard. Nevertheless, one-third of patients suffering from migraine headaches are unresponsive to medical management and meet the criteria for "refractory migraines" classification. Surgical treatment of MH might represent a supplementary alternative for this category of patients when pharmaceutical treatment does not allow for satisfactory results. The goal of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of the literature regarding surgical treatment for site I migraine management., Methods: A literature search using PubMed, Medline, Cochrane and Google Scholar database according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines was conducted using the following MeSH terms: "frontal neuralgia," "frontal trigger site treatment," "frontal migraine surgery" and "frontal headache surgery" (period: 2000 -2020; last search on 12 March 2020)., Results: Eighteen studies published between 2000 and 2019, with a total of 628 patients, were considered eligible. Between 68% and 93% of patients obtained satisfactory postoperative results. Complete migraine elimination rate ranged from 28.3% to 59%, and significant improvement (>50% reduction) rates varied from 26.5% to 60%., Conclusions: Our systematic review of the literature suggests that frontal trigger site nerve decompression could possibly be an effective strategy to treat migraine refractory patients, providing significant improvement of symptoms in a considerable percentage of patients., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors have no financial interest to declare in relation to the content of this article., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Background: Migraine headache in the occipital region is characterized by a recurrent pain of moderate to severe intensity. However, the diagnosis can be difficult because of the multitude of symptoms overlapping with similar disorders and a pathophysiology that is not well-understood. For this reason, the medical management is often complex and ineffective., Methods: A literature search according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines was conducted to evaluate the surgical treatment of occipital migraines. Inclusion criteria were: English language, diagnosis of migraine, occipital neuralgia, or tension headache in compliance with the classification of the International Headache Society, follow-up at minimum 3 months, and adult age. The treatment had to consist of peripheral occipital nerve surgery., Results: 323 records were identified after duplicates were removed, 30 full text articles were assessed for eligibility, and 9 records were selected for inclusion. A total of 1046 patients were included in the review. General positive response after surgery (>50% reduction in occipital migraine headaches) ranged from 80.0% to 94.9%. However, many differences in the selection of patients, target of decompression surgery, and measurement outcome were described., Conclusion: Despite the decennial proven effectiveness and safeness of surgical therapy for chronic occipital migraine headaches, more significant proof is needed to definitively confirm its use as a standard therapy., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors have no financial interest to declare in relation to the content of this article., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Introduction: While many authors have reported their experience in immediate prepectoral breast reconstruction (BR), implant pocket conversion from a submuscular to a prepectoral plane is less well described. The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive review on plane conversion in implant-based BR, including the indications, surgical techniques, functional, and esthetic results., Materials and Methods: A literature search via PubMed, Medline, Google Scholar, and Cochrane databases was performed using the following MeSH terms: "prepectoral pocket conversion", "subcutaneous pocket conversion", "prepectoral plane conversion", "subcutaneous plane conversion", and "prepectoral breast reconstruction"., Results: Ten articles in which 504 breasts were studied were deemed eligible for inclusion. The indications to perform plane conversion were animation deformity (AD), chronic pain, and implant malposition. Seven studies described complete or partial capsulectomy. The use of acellular dermal matrices (ADM) was reported in all cases except for three studies. The mean follow-up was 10.64 months. There was resolution of AD in 100% of cases. Three studies reported complete resolution of chronic pain. The overall complication rate was 12.102% and capsular contracture (CC) was the most frequent complication. Cosmetic revisions were reported in six studies (9.52%). The use of ADMs and fat grafting appeared to decrease the rate of subsequent CC formation and cosmetic revisions., Conclusions: The current article represents the first review about implant pocket conversion from a submuscular to a prepectoral plane, delineating its indications, surgical technique, postoperative complications, and functional and esthetic outcomes., Competing Interests: None., (© 2020 The Author(s).)

Scalp reconstruction in cases of melanoma excision can be challenging due to specific functional and aesthetic outcome requirements. Reconstructive techniques reported in the literature were reviewed to establish whether a surgical algorithm for the management of melanoma of the scalp may be deduced., Methods: A literature search was conducted to evaluate reconstructive strategies after melanoma wide local excision of the scalp according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Inclusion criteria were English language, diagnosis of melanoma of the scalp, and the presence of the following data: characteristics of the residual defect (width and depth), type of reconstruction, follow-up, and surgical outcome., Results: Six hundred twenty-five records were identified after excluding the duplicates; 48 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, and 17 records were selected for inclusion. A total of 39 patients were included in the review. The majority of patients (n = 20) underwent skin grafting subsequent to dermal regeneration template positioning. Local flaps (n = 10), free flaps (n = 7), skin grafting alone (n = 1), and dermal regeneration template positioning alone (n = 1) were less frequent., Conclusions: Numerous reconstructive strategies for the scalp are described in the literature. Melanoma patients present a greater variability in terms of general health conditions and social needs that must be taken into account while choosing the most suitable procedure., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Background: Poland syndrome (OMIM: 173800) is a disorder in which affected individuals are born with missing or underdeveloped muscles on one side of the body, resulting in abnormalities that can affect the chest, breast, shoulder, arm, and hand. The extent and severity of the abnormalities vary among affected individuals., Main Body: The aim of this work is to provide recommendations for the diagnosis and management of people affected by Poland syndrome based on evidence from literature and experience of health professionals from different medical backgrounds who have followed for several years affected subjects. The literature search was performed in the second half of 2019. Original papers, meta-analyses, reviews, books and guidelines were reviewed and final recommendations were reached by consensus., Conclusion: Being Poland syndrome a rare syndrome most recommendations here presented are good clinical practice based on the consensus of the participant experts.

Nummular headache (NH) is an uncommon primary headache characterized by pain limited to a precise small area of the scalp. There is no global consensus on its pathogenesis, but its extracranial origin is the most accepted theory. Moreover, peripheral mechanism is supported by the overlapping symptomatology of secondary forms of NH and is well described in the literature. However, a standard effective treatment is still lacking., Methods: A literature search according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines was conducted to evaluate surgical strategies for NH. Inclusion criteria were English language, diagnosis of primary NH according to International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd Edition, or of secondary NH, and follow-up at a minimum of 3 months. The treatment had to consist of peripheral surgery., Results: One hundred eighty-seven records were identified after duplicates were removed, 15 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, and 4 records were selected for inclusion. A total of 53 patients were included in this review, 50 of whom were diagnosed with primary NH. The general positive response after surgery (>50% reduction in occipital migraine headaches) was about 70.0% for primary NH, while secondary NH always showed complete pain relief. However, many variations in patient selection and type of surgery were described., Conclusions: Neurovascular relationship in the extracranial tissues seems to be involved in the onset of NH. However, only limited data from meager literature and from few patients are currently available. Shared multicentric research protocols are badly required., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Nipple inversion is a common pathologic condition affecting 2%-10% of women. Congenital inversions are the most common forms, while acquired inversions are less frequent. This condition can induce psychological discomfort, functional problems that could prevent adequate breast feeding, and cosmetic dissatisfaction, and create local irritation and infection. The aim of this article was to provide a comprehensive review of the literature about surgical treatment of inverted nipple., Methods: A literature search was conducted by using PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane database using the following MeSH terms: "inverted nipple," "inverted nipple surgery," "inverted nipple treatment," and "inverted nipple management." Studies that described surgical treatment and included outcomes and recurrence rate were included., Results: Thirty-three articles were considered suitable, including 3369 inverted nipple cases. Eight studies described techniques with lactiferous ducts damaging, while 25 studies described techniques with lactiferous duct preservation using dermal flaps, sutures, or distractor systems. The average follow-up was 23.9 months. Overall, a satisfactory correction was reached in 88.6% of cases, and the recurrence rate was 3.89%., Conclusions: To our knowledge, our review includes the largest sample size in the literature. The heterogeneity and subjectivity of outcomes make it more complicated to state which is the best surgical strategy to adopt to obtain satisfactory and stable results with minimal morbidity. This study highlights the need of a standardized method to evaluate outcomes, including aesthetic, functional and psychological results, while using objective and subjective measurement instruments., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Background: Auriculotemporal nerve is demonstrated to contribute to migraine pain in temporal area. In particular, its relationship with the superficial temporal artery in the soft tissues superficial to the temporal parietal fascia has attracted researchers' attention for many decades. The objective of this review was to explore whether site V nerve surgical decompression is effective for pain relief in temporal area., Methods: A literature search, according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines, was conducted to evaluate the surgical treatment of auriculotemporal migraine. Inclusion was based on studies written in English, published between 2000 and February 2020, containing a diagnosis of migraine in compliance with the classification of the International Headache Society. The treatment must consist of surgical procedures involving the auriculotemporal nerve and/or arteries in site V, with outcome data available for at least 3 months., Results: Three hundred twenty-four records were identified after duplicates were removed, 31 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, and 2 records were selected for inclusion. A total of 77 patients were included in the review. A direct approach at the anatomical site identified with careful physical examination and confirmed with a handheld Doppler probe is generally performed under local anesthesia. Blunt dissection to the superficial temporal fascia to expose the auriculotemporal nerve and the superficial temporal artery is followed by artery cauterization/ligament and eventual nerve transection/avulsion. Site V surgery results in a success rate from 79% to 97%., Conclusions: Despite the recent advances in extracranial trigger site surgery and a success rate (>50% improvement) from 79% to 97%, site V decompression is still poorly described. Elaborate randomized trials are needed with accurate reporting of patient selection, surgical procedure, adverse events, recurrencies or appearance of new trigger points, quality of life outcome, and longer follow-up times., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors have no financial interest to declare in relation to the content of this article., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Background: Chronic, long-lasting edema accompanied by the Tyndall effect as a delayed reaction to hyaluronic acid (HA) filler injection seems to occur exclusively in the eyelids., Objectives: The authors sought to present a treatment algorithm for management of patients with chronic lower eyelid edema as a delayed complication of HA filler injection., Methods: Retrospective study including 61 patients with delayed-onset chronic periocular edema following uneventful HA filler injection in the lower eyelids or cheeks. All patients underwent hyaluronidase enzyme dissolution followed by secondary treatment. Three retreatment options were presented: (1) observation, (2) secondary treatment with HA filler, and (3) lower eyelid blepharoplasty., Results: All patients underwent filler dissolution using hyaluronidase. The mean age was 48 years and 97% of the patients were female. Single treatment was effective in 92% of patients with 8% requiring another hyaluronidase injection to completely eradicate residual edema. Six patients (10%) were satisfied after hyaluronidase only and 6 patients (10%) underwent lower eyelid blepharoplasty. Secondary treatment with HA filler was performed in 48 patients (80%). All were satisfied with final results without further edema in the follow-up period., Conclusions: Delayed-onset chronic lower eyelid edema is a frequent HA-related complication and cause of concern when considering periocular HA treatment. Previous treatment has been limited to either hyaluronidase only or blepharoplasty as a secondary solution after hyaluronidase, with only a minority of patients satisfied. Hyaluronidase, shortly followed by HA filler retreatment, is a safe and effective solution., (© 2019 The Aesthetic Society. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background/aim: The histopathological assessment of the B5c category may sometimes be hampered by simple artifacts that may lead to over- or underestimation of that particular breast cancer so that its management is still controversial, especially with regard to the decision to proceed immediately to sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy. Hence, a retrospective study was performed in 174 patients undergoing breast-conserving surgery with a preoperative diagnosis of B5c in order to assess the usefulness of axillary node staging by means of SLN biopsy., Patients and Methods: Pre- and post-operative parameters including imaging data, histology of the primary tumor and SLN biopsy, biological prognostic factors, type of operation, and adjuvant regimens were computed., Results: Invasive carcinoma and carcinoma in situ were diagnosed in 46 (26.5%) and 128 patients (73.5%), respectively. Preoperative tumor size was significantly related to post-operative diagnosis of invasive carcinoma (p=0.020), retaining its predictive value at logistic regression analysis (p=0.046). Post-operative predictive factors of invasion were represented by tumor stage (p=0.008) and grading (p=0.008)., Conclusion: B5c preoperative diagnosis in patients undergoing breast conservative surgery would suggest an immediate wide local excision avoiding any further preoperative histologic assessment. Conversely, one-stage SLN biopsy might be suggested for patients eligible to mastectomy, similar to patients with carcinoma in situ, although its impact on the therapeutic and prognostic assessment seems negligible., (Copyright© 2020, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background: Poland Syndrome (PS) is a rare congenital malformation involving functional and aesthetic impairments. Early diagnosis and timely therapeutic approaches play an important role in improving the quality of life of patients and kindred. This study aims to explore healthcare experiences of the diagnosis of patients affected by PS and to investigate the factors associated with diagnostic delay in Italy., Results: Seventy-two patients affected by PS were asked to fill in a self- administered questionnaire on: a) diagnostic path; b) perceived quality of care received after diagnosis; c) knowledge of the rights and the socio-economic hardships related to their disease; d) evaluation of the integration of various professional skills involved in the diagnostic and therapeutic approach; e) perception of the social support provided by the Italian Association of Poland Syndrome (AISP). The average age at diagnosis was around 14 years; diagnosis was made at birth in only 31.58% of cases. Although typical symptomatology had appeared on average at an early age (4 months), only 23 patients (40.35%) received an early diagnosis (within the first year of life). Just over half of the patients (n = 30) were diagnosed in their region of origin, while 27 were diagnosed elsewhere. Furthermore, 12.28% were self-diagnoses. Among the patients who were diagnosed outside their region, 15 (88.24%) stated they had foregone some visits or treatments owing to costs and/or organizational issues., Conclusions: An analysis of the patients' experiences highlights several gaps and a lack of homogeneity in the diagnostic and therapeutic follow-up of PS patients in Italy. A specific national diagnostic and therapeutic path is essential to guarantee patients complete and appropriate health services, compliant with the ethical principles of non-discrimination, justice and empathy. Implementation of an effective information and research network and empowerment of patients' associations are necessary conditions to encourage clinical collaboration and improve the quality of life of people living with rare diseases.

The use of animals for educational and research purposes is common in both veterinary and human medicine degree courses, and one that involves important ethical considerations. The aim of this study was to assess the extent of differences between the knowledge and attitudes of veterinary students and medical students on animal bioethics, on alternative strategies and on their right to conscientiously object to animal experimentation. To this end, a questionnaire was completed by 733 students (384 human medicine students (HMS) and 349 veterinary medicine students (VMS)). VMS were more aware than HMS (72.2% and 59.6%, respectively) of the existence of an Italian law on the right to conscientiously object to animal experimentation. However, very few of them had exercised this right. Many VMS (43.3%) felt that animal bioethics courses should be mandatory (only 17.4% of HMS felt the same way). More VMS than HMS (81.7% and 59.1%, respectively) expressed an interest in attending a course on alternatives to animal experimentation. The data suggest the need for appropriate educational interventions, in order to allow students to make choices based on ethical principles. Fostering close collaborations between departments of human medicine and veterinary medicine, for example, through shared study modules, could promote the development of ethical competence as a basic skill of students of both veterinary and human medicine courses.

Background: Little is known about epidemiology of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) in children. Aim of this study was to describe CPE epidemiology in a tertiary care pediatric hospital in Italy that admits patients coming from geographic areas with high diffusion of CPE., Methods: Prospective evaluation of the proportion and rates per 100,000 hospital discharges (D) or hospitalization-days (HD) of invasive infections due to CPE from 2013 to 2017 and of CPE infections and colonizations from 2014 to 2017. Disease-preventing strategies comprised patients' screening at admission, pre-emptive contact isolation precautions pending cultures results, and bundles for prevention of healthcare associated infections., Results: From 2013 to 2017 CPE represented 3.5% of all invasive infections due to Enterobacteriaceae, with rates ranging 7.30-14.33 for D and 1.03-2.06 for HD, without major changes over time. On the contrary, overall rates of isolates increased from 83.03 to 191.34 for D and from 12.21 to 28.35 for HD. The intra-hospital diffusion consisted of 2 small outbreaks without invasive diseases in 2014-2015, and sporadic, not epidemiologically-related cases in 2016-2017. Globally, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae represented 64% of identified CPE, while 70% of carbapenemases identified were metallo-beta-lactamases (VIM or NDM), with changes over time., Conclusions: In our center metallo-beta lactamases were the most frequently identified carbapenemases in Enterobacteriaceae and E. coli and K. pneumoniae the most frequently isolated pathogens carrying these enzymes. A proactive management strategy was effective in containing in-hospital spreading., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aim: This study aims at validating a questionnaire on physicians' knowledge and perception of deontological and ethical rules that guide the medical profession, in a major Italian Province., Methods: We designed an on-line survey questionnaire. Participants (N=200) were asked to fill in information regarding their demographic features and knowledge of the deontological code., Results: Concerning the preliminary data, the median total score on knowledge of the deontological code was 0.50. A significant difference in the total score was observed among education groups. Specifically, the median total score among subjects with a specialist qualification was significantly lower than among those with only a medical degree., Conclusions: The tested instrument and methodology appear to be efficacious and reliable. Our preliminary data indicate that knowledge of the rules concerning medical deontology and the related principles of medical ethics seems to be very limited. Therefore, the authors plan to implement a second phase of the study, which will consist of the questionnaire' distribution to a broader and more representative sample.

Background and Aim of the Work: Bioethics is relevant in healthcare and medical schools. However, unlike other foreign countries, its teaching in Italy has only been recently introduced, it is less extensively offered and no academic standards for bioethics education have been established. This research aims at understanding whether university bioethics courses attendees appreciate and consider teaching strategies to be effective with the objective of validating a coherent didactic approach to the discipline and stimulate further discussion on ways to improve it., Methods: A standardized survey was administered to 1590 students attending undergraduate degree programs in medicine and healthcare at four Italian universities., Results: The majority of interviewees (92.5%) had an interest in bioethics, considered it to be important for any life-sciences-related program (73.5%) and most healthcare (77.2%) and medical students (69.2%) suggested its teaching should be included in their curricula and made mandatory (66.3%) and continuous (57.7%), given its usefulness in clinical practice. Students consider bioethics as a care-integrated practice and appreciate teaching methods where it is integrated into clinical cases. Conceptual specificity and interdisciplinarity may affect the learning process and contribute to enhance students' analytical skills., Conclusions: Italian bioethics education should be revised to meet students' expectations and preferences. Its complex, multi-disciplinary and transversal nature suggests bioethical education to be flexible and integrated among different disciplines, thus stimulating a broader critical capacity through cases studies and other interactive teaching methods for helping students better deal with bioethics-inherent difficulties and improve the learning process.

Introduction: The access to sex-reassignment surgery is based on the existence of an unequivocal dyscrasia between the morphological sex and the objective evidence that emerges from in-depth analysis of the individual's personality. In Italy, such type of surgical intervention is subject to the authorization of a judge., Material of Study: Authors examine the recent Italian Constitutional judgement which has addressed the right to change legal sex status without the need for sex-reassignment surgery., Discussion: The Italian approach is in line with scientific evidence that the physical and mental well-being of an individual does not always require the surgical rectification of primary sexual features. Thus, sex reassignment surgery is not to be considered mandatory; rather, it should be aimed at ensuring the transsexual individual's stable psychological and physical good. From an ethical point of view, the Court's decision is very important, since it does not subordinate such fundamental rights as gender identity, healthcare and equality to prior, highly invasive surgery., Conclusions: The authors point out that critical issues and obstacles to the full implementation of the right to gender identity remain, in that this right is still subject to the authorization of a judge. This approach does not seem to be in line with the recent World Health Organization (WHO) decision to remove the "gender incongruity" from the list of mental and behavioural disorders (as it is in the current International Classification of Diseases-10, so far), to decrease the stigma surrounding such a condition., Key Words: Gender identity, Sex reassignment, Surgery, Stigma, Transsexualism, Transgender.

Post mortem body donation (PMBD) for medical training and research plays a key role in medical-surgical education. The aim of this study is to evaluate Italian medical students&rsquo; awareness and attitudes regarding this practice. A questionnaire was sent to 1781 Italian medical students (MS). A total of 472 MS responded: 406 (92.91%) had a strongly positive attitude to PMBD, while 31 (7.09%) were not in favor. The majority of subjects were Catholic (56.36%), while 185 and 21 subjects, said that they did not hold any religious beliefs, or were of other religions, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed significant associations ( p -values < 0.05) between PMBD and religion, as well as perceptions of PMBD as an act of altruism, a tool for learning surgical practices, body mutilation, and an act contrary to faith. Although Italian MS believed cadaver dissection to be an important part of their education, they did not know much about it and had not received training on this altruistic choice. As future doctors, MS can play an important role in raising public awareness of the importance of PMBD for medical education and research. Specific educational programs to improve knowledge of this topic among MS are needed.

Introduction: National competent authorities (NCAs) use Direct Healthcare Professional Communications (DHPCs) to communicate new drug safety issues to healthcare professionals (HCPs). More knowledge is needed about the effectiveness of DHPCs and the extent to which they raise awareness of new safety issues among HCPs., Objective: The objective was to assess and compare general practitioners' (GPs'), cardiologists', and pharmacists' familiarity with DHPCs as communication tools, their awareness of specific drug safety issues, and the sources through which they had become aware of the specific issues., Methods: GPs, cardiologists, and pharmacists from nine European countries (Croatia, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the UK) completed a web-based survey. The survey was conducted in the context of the Strengthening Collaboration for Operating Pharmacovigilance in Europe (SCOPE) Joint Action. Respondents were asked about their familiarity with DHPCs in general and their awareness of safety issues that had recently been communicated and involved the following drugs: combined hormonal contraceptives, diclofenac, valproate, and ivabradine. Those HCPs who were aware of the specific safety issues were subsequently asked to indicate the source through which they had become aware of them. Differences between professions in familiarity with DHPCs and awareness were tested using a Pearson χ 2  test per country and post hoc Pearson χ 2  tests in the case of statistically significant differences., Results: Of the 3288 included respondents, 54% were GPs, 40% were pharmacists, and 7% were cardiologists. The number of respondents ranged from 67 in Denmark to 916 in Spain. Most respondents (92%) were familiar with DHPCs, with one significant difference between the professions: pharmacists were more familiar than GPs in Italy (99 vs 90%, P = 0.004). GPs' awareness ranged from 96% for the diclofenac issue to 70% for the ivabradine issue. A similar pattern was shown for pharmacists (91% aware of the diclofenac issue to 66% of the ivabradine issue). Cardiologists' awareness ranged from 91% for the ivabradine issue to 34% for the valproate issue. Overall, DHPCs were a common source through which GPs (range: 45% of those aware of the contraceptives issue to 60% of those aware of the valproate issue), cardiologists (range: 33% for the contraceptives issue to 61% for the valproate issue), and pharmacists (range: 41% for the contraceptives issue to 51% for the ivabradine issue) had become aware of the specific safety issues, followed by information on websites or in newsletters., Conclusions: GPs, cardiologists, and pharmacists were to a similar extent (highly) familiar with DHPCs, but they differed in awareness levels of specific safety issues. Cardiologists were less aware of safety issues associated with non-cardiology drugs even if these had cardiovascular safety concerns. This implies that additional strategies may be needed to reach specialists when communicating safety issues regarding drugs outside their therapeutic area but with risks related to their field of specialisation. DHPCs were an important source for the different professions to become aware of specific safety issues, but other sources were also often used. NCAs should consider the use of a range of sources when communicating important safety issues to HCPs.

Objectives: Considerable efforts have been devoted so far to improve salvage procedures of infected breast implants in absence of defined guidelines or validated clinical protocols. Within a cohort of prospectively recruited patients who underwent breast reconstruction, we performed a retrospective review of proven implant infections in order to describe factors contributing to management success., Methods: We collected data in 1293 consecutive patients who underwent two stage (expander+prosthesis) breast reconstruction with at least 12 months of follow-up. Demographic data, timing of infection, type of microorganism, intent of salvage, fate of the implant, type of antibiotic treatment and follow-up were recorded in a prospective data collection on clinical records., Results: Implant infections occurred in 103 of 1293 patients (8%). Among these, 73 (71%) were proven infections with confirmed microbiology. Implant pocket salvage was attempted in 43/73 (59%). patients A higher proportion of expander implant pockets were successfully saved compared to prosthetic pocket (p=0,04). Gram-positive microrganisms represented the majority of etiologic agents, with coagulase negative staphylococci prevailing over Staphylococcus aureus. No association was observed between success rate and type of infecting microorganism. A higher proportion of patients with previous or intraoperative radiotherapy or with perioperative chemotherapy underwent an attempt of implant salvage (p=0,081 and 0,0571 trend, respectively). No single antibiotic regimen was superior to the others in terms of success rate. Implant pocket salvage was higher in expanders compared to prostheses (74% vs 33% p=0,04). Higher success rates in implant pocket salvage were evident when implant replacement was preceded and followed by antibiotic treatment compared to inpatient antibiotic treatment alone (100% versus 57%, p=0,035)., Conclusion: Patient selection in clinical practice leads to differences in patients with breast implant infection who are considered for attempts at implant salvage vs. those who are treated with implant removal. Salvage of breast implant pockets can be obtained in the majority of patients with combined one-step implant replacement surgery and antibiotic treatment. Increased efforts and protocols to recruit patients into pocket salvage management are needed., (Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aim: The social role of the minor, as indeed that of the physician, has changed markedly. This transformation has given rise to new patterns and responsibilities in the management of healthcare procedures that involve minors., Discussion: According to international legislation, in the clinical setting, as in other areas of social life, minors have the right to be heard and to have their opinions taken into consideration as an increasingly determining factor, in accordance with their age and degree of maturity and discernment. The authors describe the right to information and the decision-making process when the patient is a minor and underline the role of the parties involved (physicians, parents, under-age patient, judge) in various circumstances. Specifically, the paper analyzes the ethical and legal issues relating to the entitlement to  decisions concerning the medical treatment of children and assesses the importance that Italian law attaches to the will of minors in the healthcare choices that affect them., Conclusions: Healthcare workers  are called upon to face new challenges in order to ensure that healthcare services are able to safeguard the interests of minors while, at the same time, respecting their will. How to evaluate children's competence to consent and how to balance the autonomy of parents and minors are crucial questions which the law courts in the various countries are increasingly being asked to address. These issues require close collaboration among various figures (parents, doctors, psychologists, judges) and imply the ethical need to undergo continuous training.