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As a surgical discipline without anatomic boundaries, plastic surgery overlaps with several other specialties. This study aims to measure longitudinal trends in the proportion of commercially reimbursed procedures performed by plastic surgeons compared to other specialists. We hypothesize that there is encroachment in commercial market share by anatomically defined subspecialists within otolaryngology, ophthalmology, and dermatology.The IBM® MarketScan® Research Databases were queried to extract patients who underwent rhinoplasty, eyelid procedures, and skin cancer reconstruction covered by commercial insurance from 2007 to 2016 in the USA. Surgeon specialty was identified. Poisson regression modeled predictors of provider specialty for each procedure over time, adjusting for patient gender, region, facility setting, and diagnosis.A total of 430,472 rhinoplasty, eyelid, and skin cancer procedures were performed during the study period. For each year, the proportion of cases performed by plastic surgeons decreased by 2.1% for rhinoplasty compared to otolaryngologists, 2.0% for eyelid procedures compared to ophthalmologists, and 3.0% for skin cancer reconstruction compared to dermatologists (p0.001). Plastic surgeons were less likely to perform the procedure if the underlying diagnosis or preceding procedure drew from referral bases of "anatomic" specialists, such as sinonasal disease for otolaryngologists (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.829), disorders of the eyelid or orbit for ophthalmologists (IRR 0.646), and Mohs excision for dermatologists (IRR 0.381) (p0.001).Plastic surgeons are losing ground on commercially reimbursed facial reconstructive procedures historically performed by the specialty. Plastic surgeons must develop strategies to preserve the commercial market share of these procedures and avoid compromise to academic centers and resident education.

As healthcare spending within the United States grows, payers have attempted to curb spending through higher cost sharing for patients. For families attempting to balance financial obligations with their children's surgical needs, high cost sharing could place families in difficult situations, deciding between life-altering surgery and bankruptcy. We aim to investigate trends in patient cost sharing and provider payments for cleft lip and palate repair.The IBM® MarketScan® Commercial Database was queried to extract patients younger than 18 years who underwent primary or secondary cleft lip and/or palate repair from 2007 to 2016. Financial variables included gross payments to the provider (facility and/or physician), net payment as reported by the carrier, coordination of benefits and other savings, and the beneficiary contribution, which consisted of patients' coinsurance, copay, and deductible payments. Linear regression was used to evaluate trends in payments over time. Poisson regression was used to trend the proportion of patients with a nonzero beneficiary contribution. All financial values were adjusted to 2016 dollars per the consumer price index to account for inflation.The sample included 6268 cleft lip and 9118 cleft palate repair episodes. Total provider payments increased significantly from 2007 to 2016 for patients undergoing cleft lip (median, $2527.33 vs $5116.30, P 0.008) and palate ($1766.13 vs $3511.70, P0.001) repair. Beneficiary contribution also increased significantly for both cleft lip ($155.75 vs $193.31, P0.001) and palate ($124.37 vs $183.22, P0.001) repair, driven by an increase in deductibles (P0.002). The proportion of cleft palate patients with a nonzero beneficiary contribution increased yearly by 1.6% (P = 0.002). Higher provider payments and beneficiary contributions were found in the Northeast (P0.001) and South (P0.011), respectively, for both cleft lip and palate repair.The US national data demonstrate that for commercially insured patients with cleft lip and/or palate, there has been a trend toward higher patient cost sharing, most pronounced in the South. This suggests that patients are bearing an increased cost burden while provider payments are simultaneously accelerating. Additional studies are needed to understand the impact of increased cost sharing on parents' decision to pursue cleft lip and/or palate repair for their children.

Objective: Compare short term surgical outcomes and trends in cleft lip repair with or without gingivoperiosteoplasty (GPP). Design: Retrospective review of the ACS NSQIP-Pediatric database from 2014 to 2019. Patients: Patients between 2 and 18 months of age undergoing any initial cleft lip repair, with or without GPP, were selected via relevant CPT® codes. Main Outcome Measures: Patient demographics, comorbidities, 30-day readmissions and post-operative complications are assessed. Results: From 2014 to 2019, a total of 6269 patients were identified, of which 6.67% underwent GPP (n = 418). Patients undergoing GPP were significantly older with an average age of 9 months compared to 5 months in the non-GPP group ( P Conclusion: GPP was not associated with increased 30-day postoperative complications, readmission, reoperation, or total length of hospital stay, and was associated with an increased operative time of 25 minutes. Children undergoing GPP were significantly older in age and were more likely to have a higher ASA class/cardiac risk factors.

Breast conservation therapy remains the gold standard for women with localized breast cancer; however, some women may eventually undergo mastectomy with reconstruction. Little is understood regarding the risks of failed breast conservation therapy as they relate to postmastectomy reconstruction and whether this affects outcomes.Patients undergoing breast reconstruction were extracted from the IBM MarketScan Commercial Database from 2007 to 2016. Frequency of lumpectomy and radiation therapy were determined per reconstructive patient. Outcomes included inpatient complications and frequency of revision procedures. Regression models were adjusted for age, obesity, timing of reconstruction, and Elixhauser Comorbidity Index.Six thousand two hundred eighty-eight of 52,826 (11.9 percent) women underwent one or more breast mass excisions before mastectomy with reconstruction. Of those, the mean number of excisions per woman was 1.67 ± 0.90. There were 3334 lumpectomy patients (53.0 percent) who completed radiation therapy. The mean number of revisions with breast conservation therapy was 1.5 versus 1.3 in the general cohort. On multivariable analysis, excision of breast mass alone was not associated with increased odds of inpatient complications (OR, 1.07; p = 0.363), nor was radiation therapy (OR, 0.89; p = 0.153). However, radiation therapy with or without excision of breast mass before mastectomy was a significant predictor of more frequent revision operations (p = 0.032). Excision of breast mass alone was not associated with an increased frequency of revision (p = 0.173).History of radiation therapy in the setting of failed breast conservation therapy resulting in mastectomy with reconstruction was associated with an increased risk for revision. Patients should be counseled accordingly before breast conservation therapy in the event they may eventually undergo mastectomy with reconstruction.Therapeutic, III.

Iatrogenic jowling can be an unintended consequence of facial feminization surgery. Reduction of the mandible and chin without overlying changes to the soft tissue can lead to a redundant and deflated soft-tissue envelope, requiring a face lift to address jowling, cervicofacial laxity, and/or lower facial rhytids. Prospective quality-of-life outcomes data support this hypothesis, as patients who underwent mandible contouring with or without angle osteotomies were significantly more likely to express interest in face lift following facial feminization surgery on univariable analysis (90.0 percent versus 10.0 percent, p = 0.038). Patients with inherent skin laxity are at particularly high risk, such as those with advancing age, extrinsic skin damage (e.g., sun exposure, cigarette smoke), and history of massive weight loss. Before facial feminization surgery, the authors recommend comprehensive patient counseling that includes a discussion of the possible future need for a face lift, preferably around 1 year after facial feminization surgery. When performing a face lift after facial feminization surgery, technical considerations include those related to sequelae of prior facial surgery, anatomical differences between cismale and cisfemale facial soft tissue, and the mechanism of jowling after facial feminization surgery versus normal facial aging. The authors believe that these considerations can set more realistic expectations for facial feminization surgery patients, improve surgeons' ability to skillfully execute this procedure, and ultimately contribute to ongoing quality-of-life improvements in facial feminization surgery patients.

BACKGROUND Reconstruction following abdominoperineal resection improves outcomes by reducing wound-related complications, particularly in irradiated patients. Little is known regarding system-level factors that impact patients' access to reconstructive surgery following abdominoperineal resection. This study aimed to identify barriers to undergoing reconstruction following abdominoperineal resection. METHODS Using the National Inpatient Sample database from 2012 to 2014, all encounters with colorectal or anorectal carcinoma patients who underwent abdominoperineal resection were extracted based on International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, diagnosis and procedure codes. Multivariable logistic regression analyzed the outcome of undergoing reconstruction. RESULTS The weighted sample included encounters with 19,205 abdominoperineal resection patients, of whom 1243 (6.5 percent) received a flap. Notable patient-level predictors of receiving a flap included age younger than 55 years (OR, 1.82; 95 percent CI,1.23 to 2.74; p = 0.003) and neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy (OR, 1.37; 95 percent CI, 1.01 to 1.88; p = 0.041). Race, sex, income level, insurance type, and Elixhauser Comorbidity Index were not associated with increased odds of receiving a flap. For facility-level factors, urban teaching hospitals (OR, 23.6; 95 percent CI, 3.29 to 169.4; p = 0.002) and larger hospital bedsize (OR, 2.64; 95 percent CI, 1.53 to 4.56; p = 0.000) were associated with higher odds of reconstruction. Plastic surgery facility volume was not found to be a significant predictor of undergoing flap reconstruction (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Patients undergoing abdominoperineal resection at academic centers were over 23 times more likely to undergo reconstruction, after adjusting for available confounders. Patients undergoing abdominoperineal resection at smaller, nonacademic centers may not have equitable access to reconstruction despite being appropriate candidates. Given the morbidity of abdominoperineal resection, patients should be referred to large, academic centers to have access to flap reconstruction. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Risk, III.

ImportanceBreast reconstruction is costly, and negotiated commercial rates have been hidden from public view. The Hospital Price Transparency Rule was enacted in 2021 to facilitate market competition and lower health care costs. Breast reconstruction pricing should be analyzed to evaluate for market effectiveness and opportunities to lower the cost of health care.ObjectiveTo evaluate the extent of commercial price variation for breast reconstruction. The secondary objective was to characterize the price of breast reconstruction in relation to market concentration and payer mix.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis was a cross-sectional study conducted from January to April 2022 using 2021 pricing data made available after the Hospital Price Transparency Rule. National data were obtained from Turquoise Health, a data service platform that aggregates price disclosures from hospital websites. Participants were included from all hospitals with disclosed pricing data for breast reconstructive procedures, identified by Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code.Main Outcomes and MeasuresPrice variation was measured via within- and across-hospital ratios. A mixed-effects linear model evaluated commercial rates relative to governmental rates and the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (health care market concentration) at the facility level. Linear regression was used to evaluate commercial rates as a function of facility characteristics.ResultsA total of 69 834 unique commercial rates were extracted from 978 facilities across 335 metropolitan areas. Commercial rates increased as health care markets became less competitive (coefficient, $4037.52; 95% CI, $700.12 to $7374.92; P = .02; for Herfindahl-Hirschman Index [HHI] 1501-2500, coefficient $3290.21; 95% CI, $878.08 to $5702.34; P = .01; both compared with HHI ≤1500). Commercial rates demonstrated economically insignificant associations with Medicare and Medicaid rates (Medicare coefficient, −$0.05; 95% CI, −$0.14 to $0.03; P = .23; Medicaid coefficient, $0.14; 95% CI, $0.07 to $0.22; P < .001). Safety-net and nonprofit hospitals reported lower commercial rates (coefficient, −$3269.58; 95% CI, −$3815.42 to −$2723.74; P < .001 and coefficient, −$1892.79; −$2519.61 to −$1265.97; P P = .02).Conclusions and RelevanceStudy results suggest that commercial rates for breast reconstruction demonstrated large nationwide variation. Higher commercial rates were associated with less competitive markets and facilities that were large, for-profit, and nonsafety net. Privately insured patients with breast cancer may experience higher premiums and deductibles as US hospital market consolidation and for-profit hospitals continue to grow. Transparency policies should be continued along with actions that facilitate greater health care market competition. There was no evidence that facilities increase commercial rates in response to lower governmental rates.

As facial feminization surgery (FFS) continues to grow in access and popularity, the need for secondary FFS can be expected to increase. The purpose of this study was to identify reasons for FFS reoperation and offer recommendations to minimize secondary surgery.A retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent FFS from October 2017 to 2021 was performed. Patients who underwent nonstaged secondary surgery were identified and sorted in 2 non-mutually exclusive surgical cohorts: additional surgery, defined as unplanned additional feminization surgery on previously unoperated facial units, and revision surgery, defined as redo surgery on previously operated facial units. Reasons for secondary surgery were examined in the context of the senior author's experience.Of 161 patients who underwent FFS, 41 (25.5%) underwent secondary surgery consisting of additional surgery (n = 32) and/or revision surgery (n = 30). There were no significant differences in clinical or demographic data between the secondary surgery and total FFS cohorts. Among additional surgery patients, facial units that had been previously operated on were as follows: nose (46.3%), trachea (31.7%), forehead/brow (22.0%), chin (12.2%), lips (9.8%), and cheeks (7.3%). Among revision patients, facial units revised were as follows: nose (36.6%), forehead/brow (26.8%), cheeks (17.1%), chin (17.1%), lips (12.5%), and trachea (2.4%). The main indication for revision for all facial units was undercorrection to feminine ideals.One-quarter of patients who underwent FFS had prior FFS and/or sought revision. Keeping in mind that the dominant indication for revision was undercorrection, FFS surgeons can minimize the need for secondary surgery in the future.

Objective The purpose of this study is to assess cleft rhinoplasty terminology across phases of growth. Design/Setting: A systematic review was performed on cleft rhinoplasty publications over 20 years. Interventions: Studies were categorized by age at surgical intervention: infant (15 years). Main Outcome Measures: Collected data included terminology used and surgical techniques. Results The 288 studies included demonstrated a wide range of terminology. In the infant group, 51/54 studies used the term “primary.” In the immature group, 7/18 studies used the term “primary,” 3/18 used “secondary.” In the mature group, 2/33 studies used the term “primary,” 16/33 used “secondary,” 2/33 used “definitive,” 5/33 used terms such as “mature,” “adult,” and “late,” and 8/33 did not use terminology. Surgical technique assessment demonstrated: cleft rhinoplasty at infancy used nostril rim or no nasal incision, immature rhinoplasty used closed and open rhinoplasty incisions; and mature rhinoplasty used a majority of open rhinoplasty. Infant and immature cleft rhinoplasty incorporated septal harvest or spur removal in Conclusions Current terminology for cleft rhinoplasty is varied and inconsistently applied across stages of facial development. However, cleft rhinoplasty performed at infancy, childhood, and facial maturity are surgically distinct procedures. The authors recommend the terminology “infant,” “immature,” and “mature” cleft rhinoplasty to accurately describe this procedure within the context of skeletal growth.

Objectives Cleft lip repair has traditionally been performed as an inpatient procedure. There has been an interest toward outpatient cleft lip repair to reduce healthcare costs and avoid unnecessary hospital stay. We report surgical outcomes following implementation of an ambulatory cleft lip repair protocol and hypothesize that an ambulatory repair results in comparable safety outcomes to inpatient repair. Design/Setting This is a single-institution, retrospective study. Patients/Participants Patients undergoing primary unilateral (UCL) and bilateral (BCL) cleft lip repair from 2012 to 2021 with a minimum 30-day follow-up. A total of 226 patients with UCL and 58 patients with BCL were included. Intervention Ambulatory surgery protocol in 2016. Outcome Measures Variables include demographics and surgical data including 30-day readmission, 30-day reoperation, and postoperative complications. Results There were no differences in rates of 30-day readmission, reoperation, wound complications, or postoperative complications between the pre- and post-protocol groups. Following ambulatory protocol implementation, 80% of the UCL group and 56% of the BCL group received ambulatory surgery. Average length of stay dropped from 24 h pre-protocol to 8 h post-protocol. The 20% of the UCL group and 44% of the BCL group chosen for overnight stay had a significantly higher proportion of congenital abnormalities and higher American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) class. Reasons for overnight stay included cardiac/airway monitoring, prematurity, and monitoring of comorbidities. There were no differences in surgical outcomes between the ambulatory and overnight stay groups. Conclusions An ambulatory cleft lip repair protocol can significantly reduce average length of stay without adversely affecting surgical outcomes.

Background: One of the most feared complications following treatment of Dupuytren contracture is complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). This study aims to provide a national perspective on the incidence of CRPS following treatment of Dupuytren contracture and identify patient factors to target for risk reduction. Methods: Using the Truven MarketScan databases from 2007 to 2016, individuals aged ≥18 years who developed CRPS within 1 year of treatment of Dupuytren contracture were identified using the International Classification of Disease diagnosis code for CRPS. Predictor variables included: age, sex, employment status, region, type of procedure, and concurrent carpal tunnel surgery. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze outcomes. Results: In all, 48 327 patients received treatment for Dupuytren contracture, including collagenase injection (13.6%); percutaneous palmar fasciotomy (10.3%); open palmar fasciotomy (3.9%); palmar fasciectomy with 0 (10.8%), 1 (29.2%), or multiple (19.6%) digit releases; or a combination of these procedures (12.8%). One hundred forty-five patients (0.31%) were diagnosed with CRPS at a mean of 3.4 months (standard deviation, 2.3) following treatment. Significant predictors of CRPS included female sex (odds ratio [OR], 2.02; P < .001), Southern region (OR, 1.80; P = .022), long-term disability status (OR, 4.73; P = .035), palmar fasciectomy with release of 1 (OR, 5.91; P = .003) or >1 digit (OR, 13.32; P < .001), or multiple concurrent procedures for Dupuytren contracture (OR, 8.23; P = .001). Conclusions: Based on national commercial claims data, there is a lower incidence of CRPS following treatment of Dupuytren contracture than previously reported. Risk factors identified should help with preoperative counseling and assist clinicians in targeting risk reduction measures.

Cranioplasty lies at the intersection of neurosurgery and plastic surgery, though little is known about the impact of plastic surgery involvement. The authors hypothesized that adult cranioplasty patients at higher volume plastic surgery facilities would have improved inpatient outcomes. Adult cranioplasty encounters were extracted from the National Inpatient Sample from 2012 to 2014 based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes. Regression models included the following variables: age, gender, race/ethnicity, Elixhauser Comorbidity Index, payer, hospital size, region, and urban/teaching status. Outcomes included odds of receiving a flap, perioperative patient safety indicators, and mortality. The weighted sample included 49,305 encounters with diagnoses of neoplasm (31.2%), trauma (56.4%), infection (5.2%), a combination of these diagnoses (3.9%), or other diagnoses (3.2%). There were 1375 inpatient mortalities, of which 10 (0.7%) underwent a flap procedure. On multivariable regression, higher volume plastic surgery facilities and all diagnoses except uncertain neoplasm were associated with an increased likelihood of a flap procedure during the admission for cranioplasty, using benign neoplasm as a reference (P

Background Dorsal wrist ganglion cysts arise from the leakage of synovial fluid through tears in the scapholunate ligament and/or dorsal wrist capsule. An analogous disruption of the dorsal capsule is created with routine portal placement during wrist arthroscopy. We hypothesized that wrist arthroscopy would predispose to wrist ganglions. Methods Using the Truven MarketScan Outpatient Services Database from 2015 to 2016, patients who underwent wrist arthroscopy and developed an ipsilateral wrist ganglion were identified. Exclusion criteria included ganglion diagnosis preceding arthroscopy and bilateral pathology. Postoperative ganglion diagnosis was modeled with logistic regression. Predictor variables included age, gender, comorbidities, and arthroscopic procedure. Results In all, 2420 patients underwent wrist arthroscopy. Thirty (1.24%) were diagnosed with an ipsilateral wrist ganglion at a mean time of 4.0 months (standard deviation: 2.4, range: 0.2-9.0). Significant predictors of ganglion diagnosis included female gender (odds ratio [OR]: 4.0, P < .01) and triangular fibrocartilage complex and/or joint debridement (OR: 0.13, P < .01). By comparison, among all 24,718,751 outpatients who had not undergone wrist arthroscopy, 39,832 patients had a diagnosis of a wrist ganglion cyst (0.16%). Conclusions Wrist arthroscopy is associated with a postoperative rate of ganglion cyst formation that is nearly 8 times the rate in the general population. Additional studies are needed to investigate techniques that minimize the risk of this complication.

Background Craniosynostosis treatment modalities have changed over time. These have included open calvarial remodeling, suturectomy with helmet molding, hand-powered distraction devices, and spring-mediated distraction. Implantable springs were first described for their use in treatment of craniosynostosis in 1998 (Lauritzen et al, Plast Reconstr Surg 121;2008:545-554). They have been used for the correction of craniosynostosis involving single and multiple sutures and have been placed through both endoscopic and open approaches. Their use for correction of lambdoid synostosis has been previously only described using an open approach (Arnaud et al, Child Nerv Syst 28;2012:1545-1549). The senior author has performed spring-mediated distraction for treating unilambdoid craniosynostosis using an endoscopic approach, which is described below and has not previously been reported by other authors. Methods A retrospective analysis of our series of endoscopic unilambdoid synostosis repairs is included in this article. Patients were analyzed based on patient characteristics, operative details, and outcomes. The operation commences by approaching the lambdoid suture endoscopically through a 2- to 3-cm incision lateral to the lambdoid suture. Burr holes are placed on either side of the suture and a suturectomy is performed. Springs are bent preoperatively to a predetermined force. Two springs are placed across the suturectomy defect and the skin is closed. The patient is monitored for improvement in head shape and cranial X-rays are performed to measure the degree of distraction. Results Seven patients underwent endoscopic spring-mediated distraction for unilambdoid craniosynostosis. The average age at the time of operation was 9.4 months. The median force of each spring placed was 7.0 N. The median length of hospital stay after spring placement was 2 days. Springs were removed at 5.6 months on average. Five patients had X-rays immediately after placement and prior to removal. Each spring expanded an average distance of 15.3 mm. There were no surgical complications. Three patients had both preoperative and postoperative computed tomography scans available. The angle of the cranial base, calculated by comparing foramen magnum to cribriform plate angles, improved 5.8° (12.3 preoperatively to 6.6 postoperatively). Conclusion Endoscopic spring-mediated distraction is a safe and effective method of treatment for unilambdoid craniosynostosis. The series represents the largest experience with this technique. The approach can be considered in all patients with unilambdoid synostosis given the efficacious improvement in vault remodeling, low patient morbidity, short operating time, and minimal inpatient stay.

Pedicled and free flaps are occasionally necessary to reconstruct complex wounds in acute burn patients. Flap coverage has classically been delayed for concern of progressive tissue necrosis and flap failure. We aim to investigate flap complications in primary burn care leveraging national U.S. data. Acute burn patients with known % total body surface area(TBSA) were extracted from the Nationwide/National Inpatient Sample from 2002 to 2014 based on the International Classification of Disease (ICD) codes, ninth edition. Variables included age, sex, race, Elixhauser index, %TBSA, mechanism, inhalation injury, and location of burn. Flap complication was defined by ICD-9 procedure code 86.75, return to the operating room for flap revision. Multivariable analysis evaluated predictors of flap compromise using stepwise logistic regression with backward elimination. The weighted sample included 306,924 encounters of which 526 received a flap (0.17%). About 7.8% of flap encounters sustained electric injury compared to 2.7% of non-flap encounters (odds ratio [OR] 3.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.95–7.24, P < .001). The mean hospital day of the flap procedure was 10.1 (SD 10.7) days. Flap complications occurred in 6.4% of cases. The timing of flap coverage was not associated with complications. The only independent predictor of flap complication was electrical injury (OR 40.49, 95% CI 2.98–550.64, P = .005). Electrical injury was an independent predictor of flap complications compared to other mechanisms. Flap timing was not associated with return to surgery for complications. This suggests that the use of flaps is safe in acute burn care to achieve burn wound closure with an understanding that electrical injuries may warrant particular consideration to avoid failure.

BACKGROUND Venous thromboembolism is a dreaded complication following microsurgical breast reconstruction. Although the high-risk nature of the procedure is well known, a thorough analysis of modifiable risk factors has not been performed. The purpose of this study was to analyze the association of such factors with the postoperative occurrence of venous thromboembolism longitudinally. METHODS Using the Truven MarketScan Database, a retrospective cohort study of women who underwent microsurgical breast reconstruction from 2007 to 2015 and who developed postoperative venous thromboembolism within 90 days of reconstruction was performed. Predictor variables included age, timing of reconstruction, body mass index, history of radiation therapy, history of venous thromboembolism, Elixhauser Comorbidity Index, and length of stay. Univariate analyses were performed, in addition to logistic and zero-inflated Poisson regressions, to evaluate predictors of venous thromboembolism and changes in venous thromboembolism over the study period, respectively. RESULTS Twelve thousand seven hundred seventy-eight women were identified, of which 167 (1.3 percent) developed venous thromboembolism. The majority of venous thromboembolisms (67.1 percent) occurred following discharge, with no significant change from 2007 to 2015. Significant predictors of venous thromboembolism included Elixhauser score (p < 0.01), history of venous thromboembolism (p < 0.03), and length of stay (p < 0.001). Compared to patients who developed a venous thromboembolism during the inpatient stay, patients who developed a postdischarge venous thromboembolism had a lower mean Elixhauser score (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Postoperative venous thromboembolism continues to be an inadequately addressed problem, as evidenced by a stable incidence over the study period. Identification of modifiable risk factors, such as length of stay, provides potential avenues for intervention. As the majority of venous thromboembolisms occur following discharge, future studies are warranted to investigate the role for an intervention in this period. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Risk, III.

Sphenoorbital meningiomas are a challenge to access and reconstruct. Although there is much neurosurgical literature on resection of such tumors, there is little discussion on the best methods for the reconstruction of consequent defects, which are often extensive due to large areas of hyperostosis requiring resection. We performed a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent resection and reconstruction of a sphenoorbital meningioma by the senior authors (C.S. and D.A.S.) between 2010 and 2020. Surgical access in all cases included an orbitozygomatic osteotomy. The study cohort consisted of 23 patients (20 female, 3 male) with an average age of 50 (range: 37-72) years at the time of surgery. Most patients had progressive proptosis before the ablative operation. Orbital reconstruction was with a combined titanium-Medpor implant in 18 patients, split calvarial bone graft in 3 patients, and a Medpor implant in 2 patients. Calvarial reconstruction was performed with titanium mesh in 21 patients, split calvarial bone graft and titanium mesh in 1 patient, and craniotomy bone and titanium plate in 1 patient. Reoperation was required in 7 patients due to hypoglobus or enophthalmos (N=2), orbital implant malposition (N=1), abscess (N=1), pain (N=1), intracranial fat graft modification (N=1), and soft tissue deformities (N=2). Our experience demonstrates that sphenoorbital meningiomas can require broad areas of resection of the skull base and calvarium and necessitate comprehensive reconstruction of the anterior cranial fossa, orbital walls, and cranium. Collaboration between craniofacial surgeons and neurosurgeons can achieve optimal results.

BACKGROUND Acute burn care involves multiple types of physicians. Plastic surgery offers the full spectrum of acute burn care and reconstructive surgery. The authors hypothesize that access to plastic surgery will be associated with improved inpatient outcomes in the treatment of acute burns. METHODS Acute burn encounters with known percentage total body surface area were extracted from the National Inpatient Sample from 2012 to 2014 based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition, codes. Plastic surgery volume per facility was determined based on procedure codes for flaps, breast reconstruction, and complex hand reconstruction. Outcomes included odds of receiving a flap, patient safety indicators, and mortality. Regression models included the following variables: age, percentage total body surface area, gender, inhalation injury, comorbidities, hospital size, and urban/teaching status of hospital. RESULTS The weighted sample included 99,510 burn admissions with a mean percentage total body surface area of 15.5 percent. The weighted median plastic surgery volume by facility was 245 cases per year. Compared with the lowest quartile, the upper three quartiles of plastic surgery volume were associated with increased likelihood of undergoing flap procedures (p < 0.03). The top quartile of plastic surgery volume was also associated with decreased odds of patient safety indicator events (p < 0.001). Plastic surgery facility volume was not significantly associated with a difference in the likelihood of inpatient death. CONCLUSIONS Burn encounters treated at high-volume plastic surgery facilities were more likely to undergo flap operations. High-volume plastic surgery centers were also associated with a lower likelihood of inpatient complications. Therefore, where feasible, acute burn patients should be triaged to high-volume centers. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic, III.

BACKGROUND Treatment of secondary lymphedema remains challenging, with suboptimal rates of edema reduction following physiologic procedures (i.e., lymphaticovenous anastomosis and vascularized lymph node transfer). The objective of this study was to investigate the long-term effect of a nanofibrillar collagen scaffold on edema reduction in lymphedema patients treated with lymphaticovenous anastomosis or vascularized lymph node transfer. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was performed, comparing stage 1 to 3 lymphedema patients who underwent lymphaticovenous anastomosis and/or vascularized lymph node transfer with or without delayed implantation of nanofibrillar collagen scaffold (BioBridge) from 2016 to 2019. The primary endpoint was excess volume reduction. Indocyanine green lymphatic mapping was performed to evaluate superficial lymphatic flow. RESULTS Edema reduction was significantly greater for the BioBridge cohort (12-month follow-up, n = 18) compared to controls (18.2-month follow-up, n = 11) (111.5 ± 34.5 percent versus 70.0 ± 19.0 percent; p = 0.0004). This held true in lymphaticovenous anastomosis and vascularized lymph node transfer subgroup analysis. The average rate of edema reduction increased by 3.5-fold in lymphaticovenous anastomosis and 7.6-fold in vascularized lymph node transfer following BioBridge placement. Eighty-eight percent of patients with concurrent liposuction and BioBridge implantation maintained normal volumes at 13 months postoperatively. Lymphatic mapping following BioBridge placement showed significantly more new lymphatic collectors and decreased dermal backflow. The majority of patients (77.8 percent) achieved and maintained normal limb volume at an average total follow-up of 29 months. CONCLUSION Nanofibrillar collagen scaffold implantation enhances overall effectiveness of physiologic procedures, even in the presence of liposuction, and is a promising adjunct therapy for treatment of lymphedema. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic, III.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to evaluate the comparative incidence of obstructive sleep apnea following velopharyngeal insufficiency surgery in the United States. METHODS A retrospective analysis of cleft and noncleft pediatric patients who underwent velopharyngeal insufficiency surgery was performed using the IBM MarketScan Commercial Database. Patients were tracked longitudinally from 2007 to 2016 to evaluate the incidence of obstructive sleep apnea. Multivariable regression was used to evaluate predictors of postoperative obstructive sleep apnea and surgical revision. RESULTS A total of 1098 patients underwent a pharyngeal flap (61.0 percent), sphincter pharyngoplasty (22.2 percent), or palatal lengthening with or without island flaps (16.8 percent). Diagnoses were predominantly cleft lip and/or palate (52.8 percent) and congenital oropharyngeal anomalies (42.6 percent). Eighty patients (7.3 percent) developed obstructive sleep apnea at an average of 10.2 months postoperatively. Predictors of obstructive sleep apnea included older age (p = 0.014) and head and neck neoplasm (p = 0.011). The obstructive sleep apnea rate following sphincter pharyngoplasty was 11.1 percent, compared to 7.2 percent after pharyngeal flap surgery. Compared to sphincter pharyngoplasty, pharyngeal flap surgery was associated with a lower risk of further surgery (OR, 0.43; p = 0.010). Of patients with cleft lip and/or palate, 35 developed obstructive sleep apnea (6.0 percent) without a significant association with procedure type. CONCLUSIONS In this national claims database analysis of cleft and noncleft pediatric patients, the rate of obstructive sleep apnea following velopharyngeal insufficiency surgery was not significantly different for pharyngeal flap compared to sphincter pharyngoplasty. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic, III.

Background We tested our hypothesis that implantation of aligned nanofibrillar collagen scaffolds (BioBridge™) can both prevent and reduce established lymphedema in the rat lymphedema model. Our authors report clinical cases that demonstrate new lymphatic formation guided by BioBridge™ as seen by near-infrared (NIR) fluoroscopy and magnetic resonance (MR) lymphography. Methods A rat lymphedema model was utilized. A prevention group received implantation of BioBridge™ immediately after lymphadenectomy. A lymphedema group received implantation of BioBridge™ with autologous adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC; treatment group) or remained untreated (control group). All subjects were observed for 4 months after lymphadenectomy. The hindlimb change was evaluated using computed tomography-based volumetric analysis. Lymphagiogenesis was assessed by indocyanine green (ICG) lymphography. Results Animals in the treatment group showed a reduction in affected limb volume. Animals in the prevention group showed no increase in the affected limb volume. ICG fluoroscopy demonstrated lymph flow and formation of lymphatics toward healthy lymphatics. Conclusions In the rat lymphedema model, implantation of BioBridge™ at the time of lymph node removal prevents the development of lymphedema. Treatment of established lymphedema with the BioBridge™ and ADSC reduces lymphedema. New lymphatic vessels are demonstrated by NIR fluoroscopy and MR lymphography. These findings have implications for the treatment of lymphedema in human subjects.

Despite the growing spotlight on value-based care and patient safety, little is known about the influence of patient-, reconstruction-, and facility-level factors on safety events following breast reconstruction. The purpose of this study is to characterize postoperative complications in light of hospital-level risk factors.Using the National Inpatient Sample, all patients who underwent free flap and prosthetic breast reconstruction from 2012 to 2014 were identified. Predictor variables included patient demographic and clinical characteristics, type and timing of reconstruction, annual hospital reconstructive volume, hospital bed size, hospital setting (rural vs. urban), and length of stay. Patient safety indicators (PSIs) were based on the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's designation of preventable hospital complications: venous thromboembolism, bleeding, wound complications, pneumonia, and sepsis. Logistic models were used to analyze outcomes.The sample included 103,301 women, of which 27,695 (26.8%) underwent free flap reconstruction. 3.6% of patients experienced ≥ 1 PSI, most commonly wound PSI (4.9% and 2.5% for free flap and prosthetic reconstruction, respectively). Significant predictors of PSIs included rural setting (p 0.01) and Elixhauser score ≥ 4 (p 0.01) for the free flap group, and delayed reconstruction (p 0.01) for the prosthetic group. Annual reconstructive facility volume was not associated with increased odds of PSIs in either prosthetic or free flap reconstruction (p 0.05).PSIs were associated with rural hospitals and greater comorbidities for patients undergoing reconstruction with free flaps. Annual reconstructive facility volume was not associated with adverse inpatient outcomes with either method of reconstruction.

The pharyngeal flap is one of the oldest and most popular techniques for correction of velopharyngeal insufficiency. The authors describe a large series using a technique that combines a pharyngeal flap with a palate pushback to avoid common causes of operative failure while restoring the velopharyngeal mechanism.A retrospective cohort study was performed of patients who underwent a pushback pharyngeal flap by a single surgeon from 2000 to 2017. All patients had a preoperative nasoendoscopy diagnostic of velopharyngeal insufficiency. Operative technique involved elevation of the hard palate mucosa through a retroalveolar incision, passage of the flap through the nasopharyngeal mucosa opening, and inset with sutures through the hard palate mucosa.There were 40 patients with a median age of 9.7 years. Preoperative closure patterns were predominately coronal (85.7 percent), with poor posterior wall motion and an average gap size of 27.5 mm. Postoperative complications included flap dehiscence (n = 1), transient dysphagia (n = 2), obstructive sleep apnea (n = 4), and a palatal fistula and/or persistent velopharyngeal insufficiency that required further surgery (n = 6). At an average of 2.5 years postoperatively, 91.7 percent of patients achieved adequate velopharyngeal function, with significant improvements in the majority of speech metrics (p0.001).The pushback pharyngeal flap is a safe and effective technique for treatment of velopharyngeal insufficiency. Advantages include high, secure inset with prevention of palatal scar contracture and shortening.Therapeutic, IV.

INTRODUCTION Enhanced recovery after surgery pathways designed to optimize postoperative care have become increasingly popular across multiple surgical specialties with proven benefits. In this retrospective cohort study, we present a comparative evaluation of the impact of protocol-based postoperative care on free autologous breast reconstruction patients. METHODS With institutional review board approval, we performed a chart review of patients who underwent breast reconstruction with free autologous tissue transfer by a single surgeon from 2006 to 2017. Patients were managed according to a postoperative protocol since 2006 that initially called for discharge home on postoperative day (POD) 4 for unilateral cases and POD 5 for bilateral cases. In May 2015, the protocol was revised to discharge home on POD 3 for all cases. Patients who underwent reconstruction before (2006 to April 2015) and after (May 2015 to 2017) the change in postoperative protocol were compared. RESULTS A total of 432 patients (647 breasts) underwent free autologous breast reconstruction during the study period. Flaps were predominantly muscle-sparing transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (56.3%) or deep inferior epigastric perforator (30.3%) flaps. Average patient age was 51.6 years (range, 29.7-80.3 years). Unilateral reconstructions were performed for 167 patients before and 50 patients after the protocol change; average hospital length of stay (LOS) was 4.5 and 3.4 days, respectively (P < 0.001). Bilateral reconstructions were performed for 153 patients before and 62 patients after the protocol change; average hospital LOS was 5.1 and 3.5 days, respectively (P < 0.001). There was no significant increase in patients with major or minor complications. CONCLUSIONS Revising our postoperative protocol to reduce expected LOS was associated with an overall faster time to discharge without negative consequences in patients who underwent unilateral and bilateral free autologous breast reconstruction. Use of protocols to guide behavior not only can improve the patient experience by promoting a quicker return home, but may also have the added benefit of decreasing healthcare expenditures through reduced inpatient utilization.

The decision to intubate acute burn patients is often based on the presence of classic clinical exam findings. However, these findings may have poor correlation with airway injury and result in unnecessary intubation. We investigated flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy (FFL) as a means to diagnose upper airway thermal and inhalation injury and guide airway management. A retrospective chart review of all burn patients who underwent FFL from 2013 to 2017 was performed. Their charts were reviewed to determine the indications for FFL including the historical data and physical exam findings that indicated airway injury as well as patient age, TBSA, type and depth of burn injury, carboxyhemoglobin level, and clinical course. Fifty-one patients underwent FFL, with an average TBSA of 6.5% (range 0.5-38.0%) and carboxyhemoglobin level of 3.5%. Burn mechanism was flame (35.3%) or flash (51.0%), with 50% occurring in enclosed spaces. In all cases, the decision to perform FFL was based on physical exam findings meeting criteria for intubation, including facial burns, singed nasal hairs, nasal soot, voice change, throat pain or abnormal sensation, shortness of breath, carbonaceous sputum, wheezing, or stridor. Based on FFL, 9 patients (17.7%) were treated with steroids, 28 patients (54.9%) received supportive care, and 6 patients (11.8%) had repeat FFL for monitoring. One patient was intubated after repeat FFL examination. All patients who underwent FFL met traditional criteria for intubation based on exam, however 98% were monitored without issues based on FFL findings. FFL is a valuable tool that can lead to fewer intubations in acute burn patients with a stable respiratory status for whom history and physical exam suggest upper airway injury.