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Obesity and the related medical, social, and economic impacts are relevant multifactorial and chronic conditions that also have a meaningful impact on outcomes following a severe injury, including burns. In addition to burn-specific difficulties, such as adequate hypermetabolic response, fluid resuscitation, and early wound coverage, obese patients also present with common comorbidities, such as arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In addition, the pathophysiologic response to severe burns can be enhanced. Besides the increased morbidity and mortality compared to burn patients with normal weight, obese patients present a challenge in fluid resuscitation, perioperative management, and difficulties in wound healing. The present work is an in-depth review of the current understanding of the influence of obesity on the management and outcome of severe burns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evaluation of quality of life following surgical release of the first annular flexor tendon pulley in children suffering from pediatric trigger thumb in comparison to adult patients with trigger finger.Material and methods: All patients who underwent an A1 tendon pulley release between 2006 and 2010 at a hand surgery center were reviewed retrospectively. Chart review included operation type, length of hospital stay, and type of anesthesia. Patient satisfaction was assessed using two validated hand questionnaires, the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) Outcome Measure and the German Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ).Results: A total of 13 children and 147 adults were included in the study. No postoperative complications or recurrence were observed in the pediatric patient population. Postoperative DASH score in children was 0±0 and in adults 14±2. Postoperative German MHQ score was 97±3 in children and 84±2 in adults. Patient satisfaction was rated positive in all children and in 87% of adults; all children and 93% of the adults would undergo this procedure again. Conclusions: The surgical release of the A1 pulley in children and adults is a safe and low-risk procedure. Postoperative quality of life, especially in children, is high; patients and parents were highly satisfied. Therefore, the surgical approach should be recommended as a first-line treatment of the trigger finger in all age groups.

Background: Evaluation of the quality of life following surgical release of the first extensor compartment in adult patients with de Quervain disease. Patients and methods: This retrospective study included hospital chart review and patient-reported outcome assessment using the German version of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) Outcome Measure and the validated German Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ). Results: A total of 46 patients underwent a surgical release of the first extensor compartment for de Quervain disease. Postoperative German MHQ was 78±4. Postoperative DASH score was 19±5. Satisfaction with surgery was rated positive in 85%, and 89% would undergo the procedure again. Patients with a transversal incision line had a DASH result of 11±6 and a German MHQ score of 83±7, patients with a longitudinal incision had a DASH score of 22±9 and a German MHQ score of 80±6. The patients pain level after transversal incision was markedly lower (resting pain=0.4±0.3; stress pain=1.0±0.6) than in patients operated with a longitudinal incision (resting pain=2.4±0.9; stress pain=3.1±1.1). Conclusion: The surgical approach for the treatment of de Quervain disease is associated with a high postoperative quality of life, a low postoperative morbidity and a low level of postoperative pain. A transversal incision is associated with better postoperative results than the longitudinal approach.

[english] Introduction: Tamoxifen is associated with a twofold increased risk of thromboembolic events. Third generation aromatase inhibitors (AIs), such as letrozole, anastrozole, and exemestane have therefore replaced tamoxifen in the adjuvant therapy of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. A retrospective review was performed in patients who underwent delayed microvascular breast reconstruction and received tamoxifen at the time of surgery in order to assess the risk of both minor and major flap complications including thromboembolic events.Patients and methods: Twenty-nine patients who underwent delayed microsurgical breast reconstruction with autologous tissue between 2006 and 2012 were included in the study. The overall complication rates were compared between patients who did versus those who did not receive tamoxifen at the time of microsurgical breast reconstruction. Results: Breast reconstruction was performed with a DIEP flap in and with a TRAM flap in 4 patients. Overall, the complication rate was 37.9% (n=11) consisting of 5 major (including one total flap loss) and 6 minor complications. In patients receiving tamoxifen (n=5), we observed one minor complication and one major complication with a total flap loss due to thrombus formation at the anastomosis site. In one patient pulmonary embolism occurred without association to tamoxifen. The number of thromboembolic events was equivalent in both groups (p=0.642). No increase of major (p=0.858) or minor (p=0.967) complications in the tamoxifen group could be observed. Taking the overall complication rate into account there was no statistically difference between the two groups (p=0.917).Conclusion: In our study we could not observe an increased risk for thromobembolic events in patients receiving tamoxifen while undergoing autologous microvascular breast reconstruction.[german] Aromatasehemmer der dritten Generation haben mittlerweile Tamoxifen in der neoadjuvanten und adjuvanten Therapie des hormonrezeptorpen Brustkrebses postmenopausaler Frauen abgelöst. Tamoxifen ist mit einem ca. zweifach erhöhten Risiko für thrombembolische Komplikationen (tiefe Beinvenenthrombose, Lungenembolie) assoziiert. Vor dem Hintergrund einer aktuellen und im Februar 2012 im Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery erschienenen retrospektiven Studie mit Nachweis einer erhöhten Komplikationsrate freier Lappentransplantate zur Brustrekonstruktion unter Tamoxifen-Einnahme haben wir unser Patientenkollektiv nach mikrochirurgischer Brustrekonstruktion retrospektiv auf Minor- und Major-Komplikationen einschließlich thrombembolischer Ereignisse insbesondere vor dem Hintergrund einer perioperativen Tamoxifeneinnahme untersucht. Eingeschlossen wurden insgesamt 29 Patientinnen nach mikrochirurgischer autologer Brustrekonstruktion. Es wurden mikrovaskuläre Lappenkomplikationen und Lappenverluste von Patientinnen ohne und mit Einnahme von Tamoxifen und Aromatasehemmern zum Zeitpunkt der mikrochirurgischen Brustrekonstruktion verglichen. 25 Patientinnen (86,2%) erhielten eine DIEP-Lappenplastik und 4 (13,8%) eine TRAM-Lappenplastik. Fernerhin verglichen wir die Rate allgemeiner thrombembolischer Ereignisse unter Berücksichtigung sonstiger Nebendiagnosen und Risikofaktoren. Von insgesamt 29 Patientinnen standen zum Zeitpunkt der mikrovaskulären Brustrekonstruktion 3 unter einer Aromatasehemmer-Therapie und 5 unter einer Tamoxifen-Therapie. Insgesamt traten in 11 Fällen (37,9%) postoperative Komplikationen auf, in 5 Fällen handelte es sich hierbei um Major-Komplikationen (mit einem Lappenverlust) und in um Minorkomplikationen. Unter Tamoxifeneinnahme kam es in einem Fall zu einer Minorkomplikation, und in einem anderen Fall zu einem thrombembolisch bedingten Lappenverlust. Insgesamt kam es postoperativ zu einem thrombembolischen Ereignis in Form einer Lungenembolie ohne Assoziation zur Tamoxifen-Therapie.Die Anzahl thrombembolischer Ereignisse stellten sich mit und ohne Tamoxifen-Einnahme im Rahmen der Mamma-Rekonstruktion durch freie DIEP- oder TRAM-Lappenplastik als äquivalent dar (p=0,642). Weder die Komplikationsraten an Major-Komplikationen (p=0,858) noch an Minor-Komplikationen (p=0,967) waren unter Tamoxifen-Einnahme signifikant erhöht. Somit zeigte sich auch die allgemeine Komplikationsrate zwischen beiden Gruppen als nicht signifikant unterschiedlich (p=0,917).

Although our understanding of frailty has evolved and multiple indices have been developed, the impact of burn injuries on long-term health has been overlooked. With over 11 million annual cases globally, burns affect all demographics, although socioeconomic disparities are evident. With survival rates improved, morbidity among survivors is becoming more evident, and shows similarity to predictors of frailty. Some of the chronic effects of burns, including mental health issues and increased risks of disease, mirror frailty markers. Studies show burn survivors have lower life expectancy, independent of burn severity. Integrating burn history into frailty assessments and establishing specialized long-term care can mitigate this frailty risk. Improved interdisciplinary follow-up and research are vital for enhancing burn survivors' quality of life and longevity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Exercise training for burn patients has become a major part of rehabilitation programs within the last decades. One of the main reasons for prolonged and long-term increased morbidity and mortality in this population is a persistent catabolic state with subsequent loss of lean body mass (LBM). A combination of resistance and aerobic exercises as well as stretching has shown to improve physical function by enhancing cardiopulmonary fitness, LBM, and strength and thus leading to ameliorated long-term outcomes of patients recovering from burns. In this literature review, we show an outline of the implementation of exercise training over the last decades into standardized care for patients with burns., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Background: As the cost of healthcare rises, it is imperative to assess value delivered to patients and impact on the economic viability of institutions. We aimed to characterize plastic surgery operative time management and identified areas for efficiency improvement., Methods: Procedures from a US academic plastic surgery division from September 2017 to August 2018 were reviewed. Times were categorized into preparation (patient in room to incision), procedure (incision to closure), exit (closure to patient exiting room), and turnover (patient out of room to next patient in room). Median and interquartile ranges were calculated. Procedures were classified by relative value units (RVUs) for comparison of procedure complexities and resources. Components were plotted against RVUs; r2 values were calculated., Results: We analyzed 522 cases; 69 were excluded for missing data, primary surgeon not a plastic surgeon, emergent cases, or burn procedures; a total of 453 cases were analyzed. Median and interquartile range (in minutes) for preparation was (34, 18 minutes; 23% of total), procedure (53, 75 minutes; 36% of total), exit (30, 27 minutes; 20% of total), and turnover (30, 26 minutes; 20% of total). Normalized to RVUs, preparation demonstrated the most variability (r2 = 0.19), followed by exit (r2 = 0.38), and procedure (r2 = 0.57). Average work RVUs per month was 678.1 ± 158.7. Average work RVUs per OR hour was 7.2., Conclusions: The largest component with greatest variability was preparation for surgery in the OR. Improved efficiency by decreasing variability increases the value of healthcare delivered to patients and OR throughput., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest and sources of funding: none declared., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Skeletal muscle lacerations are a relatively common injury. Compared with nonrepaired lacerations, surgically repaired muscle lacerations regenerate faster, develop less scar tissue, have a higher return to baseline strength, and have lower incidence of hematomas. Despite the benefits of repair, the optimal repair technique is still unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the biomechanical properties of common muscle repair techniques to determine the optimal repair. Methods: Forty-two fusiform porcine muscle specimens were dissected and used for this study. Three suture techniques were used for comparative analysis: Figure-eight, Mason Allen, and Perimeter. Each muscle was transected and then repaired using one of the 3 techniques. Fourteen muscle-tendon specimens were prepared for each group and tested for tensile failure using a material testing system. Biomechanical properties, including peak failure point and stiffness, were compared for differences between the suture groups by 1-way analysis of variance. The average time per repair technique was also recorded. Results: The Perimeter technique showed a statistically significant higher peak failure point than the Mason Allen technique ( P = .03). Both the Figure-eight ( P = .047) and Perimeter techniques ( P < .001) were significantly stiffer than the Mason Allen technique. The repair time was comparable across all 3 techniques. Conclusions: The Figure-eight and Perimeter repairs were found to be similar in peak failure point and stiffness, whereas the Mason Allen technique showed significantly lower stiffness and peak failure point. The Figure-eight was the quickest repair to perform. The Figure-eight technique may be strongly considered for muscle laceration repairs due to its simplicity and efficiency.