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Introduction: Football was the first sport to resume competitions after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown and promptly the hypothesis was raised of a potential relationship between the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and musculoskeletal injuries in athletes. This study aimed to confirm the association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and muscle strain injury in a large population of elite football players and to investigate if the COVID-19 severity level could affect the risk of injury., Methods: A retrospective cohort study involving 15 Italian professional male football teams was performed during the Italian Serie A 2020-2021 season. Injuries and SARS-CoV-2 positivity data were collected by team doctors through an online database., Results: Of the 433 included players, we observed 173 SARS-CoV-2 infections and 332 indirect muscle strains. COVID-19 episodes mostly belonged to severity level I and II. The injury risk significantly increased after a COVID-19 event, by 36% (HR = 1.36, CI 95% 1.05; 1.77, p -value = 0.02). The injury burden demonstrated an 86% increase (ratio = 1.86, CI 95% 1.21; 2.86, p -value = 0.005) in the COVID-19 severity level II/III versus players without a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, while level I (asymptomatic) patients showed a similar average burden (ratio = 0.92, CI 95% 0.54; 1.58, p -value = 0.77). A significantly higher proportion of muscle-tendon junction injuries (40.6% vs. 27.1%, difference = 13.5%, CI 95% 0.002%; 26.9%, p -value = 0.047) was found when comparing level II/III versus Non-COVID-19., Conclusions: This study confirms the correlation between SARS-CoV-2 infection and indirect muscle injuries and highlights how the severity of the infection would represent an additional risk factor.

Background: Breast augmentation is the most common -cosmetic surgical procedure in the USA, with nearly 300,000 women undergoing surgery annually. National incidence rates predict that among women undergoing breast augmentation each year, approximately 35,000 will eventually be diagnosed with breast cancer, in particular individual BRCA1 / 2 germline mutant carriers., Case Report: Our case introduces a novel method of implant coverage after immediate post-mastectomy reconstruction in augmented patients. A novel "capsular flap" (flap of the pre-existing old capsule) is isolated and refolded to cover the outer lower portion of the implant., Conclusion: Tailored surgical approaches can be offered to those patients previously augmented and requiring mastectomy after breast cancer diagnosis., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2020 by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: Although there are many reports on different techniques in breast reconstruction, there are few data regarding immediate breast reconstruction with definitive form-stable anatomical implants in terms of aesthetics and quality-of-life outcomes., Methods: Ninety-four patients underwent mastectomy with immediate breast reconstruction using anatomical implants and contralateral symmetrization. Aesthetic results were evaluated by three different methods: the patient's self-report, the assessment of four independent specialists (two breast surgeons and two plastic surgeons from different institutions), and the BCCT.core software. Quality of life was evaluated by means of the BREAST-Q instrument., Results: Average age ± SD was 52.1 ± 11.6 years. Most of patients had medium size breasts and T1 tumors. Patients had evaluated their aesthetic results better than did software and specialists. There was no significant difference in the comparison between software and specialist's evaluation. Multifactorial analysis showed that age older than 70 years and radiotherapy were significant risk factors for poor aesthetic outcomes after immediate breast reconstruction with implants. Considering quality of life, most of the patients were satisfied with their outcome and psychosocial and sexual well-being., Conclusion: Immediate breast reconstruction with implants and contralateral symmetrization had a positive impact on the quality of life and showed satisfactory outcomes when evaluated by subjective and objective methods.

Background: Lumpectomy may result in major deformities and asymmetries in approximately one-third of patients. Although oncoplastic surgery (OP) could be a useful alternative to avoid them, lack of strong data is causing some debate. The purpose of this study was to compare aesthetic outcomes in patients undergoing OP versus lumpectomy using three different assessment methods., Methods: A total of 122 patients were included in this cross-sectional multicentric study; 57 underwent OP (46.7 %), and 65 underwent lumpectomy (53.3 %). Two breast surgeons and two plastic surgeons from different institutions using the Garbay scale independently evaluated aesthetic outcomes. BCCT.core software was applied in both groups, and the patients evaluated their aesthetic outcomes answering a questionnaire about their satisfaction rate., Results: OP group had a higher proportion of excellent aesthetic results according to the BCCT.core software analysis (p = 0.028) and the specialists (p = 0.002). Multifactorial analyses showed that age ≥70 years (RP = 6.02; 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.73-21.0; p = 0.005), tumors in the medial, inferior, and central quadrants (RP = 4.21; 95 % CI 1.88-9.44; p < 0.001), and large breasts (RP = 7.55; 95 % CI 2.48-23.0; p < 0.001) were significant risk factors for poor aesthetic outcomes after lumpectomy. The patients classified their results as better than those by the specialists and by the software, with no statistical difference between the groups., Conclusions: Excellent aesthetic results were more frequent in the OP group according to BCCT.core software analysis and specialists. In addition, some clinical conditions and tumor locations in the breast can be considered risky factors for poor aesthetic outcomes in lumpectomy.

Background: In 2010 high rupture rates were unexpectedly found among prostheses produced by the French manufacturer Poly Implant Prothèse. Since then, several studies have been performed concerning the round implants, but there are still few data available on anatomical implants., Methods: From 2003 to 2006 Poly Implant Prothèse implants were employed at the authors' institute for immediate or delayed reconstruction after mastectomy. All implants were anatomical and asymmetrical. In November of 2010, the authors began offering free consultation with a plastic surgeon and radiologist. Demographic data, type of reconstruction, implant lifespan, indications for implant removal, and rupture rate were recorded., Results: A total of 578 women underwent postmastectomy immediate or delayed reconstruction with 658 Poly Implant Prothèse implants from 2003 to 2006 at the authors' institute. The authors explanted 409 of 443 prostheses, and 34 were explanted at other centers. Eighty-nine patients died and 120 are alive with the implants in place. The mean implant lifespan was 57.5 months, 76 ruptured implants were explanted (18.5 percent), and in 22 cases (5.4 percent), leakage of silicone gel was detected., Conclusions: Poly Implant Prothèse implant failure is to be ascribed to shell structure, although the primary safety issue concerned the gel (an industrial-grade and low-cohesive silicone). These issues produce the known rupture rates in the manufacturer's round implants. The authors' use of only anatomical and asymmetrical implants, with their more cohesive silicone gel and more rigid shell allowing a stable form and projection along with a natural feel and touch, probably reduces the rupture rate and silicone spread, although these events remain unacceptably high compared with similar products of other brands., Clinical Question/level of Evidence: Therapeutic, IV.

Background: The use of negative pressure in the dressing of splitthickness skin grafts has been shown to promote healing by a variety of mechanisms, including a decrease in interstitial edema, an increase in perfusion, and a decrease in bacterial colonization., Methods: An observational study was performed on 52 patients at the Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Perugia in Perugia, Italy, undergoing split-thickness skin grafting for acute wounds after trauma and for chronic wounds, such as pressure ulcers and diabetic wounds. The dressing used consisted of a single foam sheet, a conventional disposable closed-system suction drain, and an adhesive dressing., Results: In all patients, there was a 95% take of the graft, with 5% of partial loss. There were no significant complications encountered., Conclusions: Negative pressure wound therapy is an innovative and commercially successful concept for the management of difficultto- treat wounds of nearly every etiology, and the authors' technique is an alternative to commercially available negative pressure dressings..

Purpose: Purpose of this study is to assess different surgical techniques, comparing them in order to remove nasal skin cancer by restoring the anatomy and the function of the respiratory system without neglecting the aesthetic result., Methods: A total of 107 patients were enrolled in the study between January 2006 and December 2012. We compared the results obtained using 23 front-glabellar flaps, 30 bilobed flaps, 27 nose-cheek flaps, 15 sliding flaps, 12 frontal island flaps., Results: We obtained the oncological radicality with good aesthetic results. There were no infections and no sensory (numbness and tenderness) and motor abnormalities of the facial nerve. None of the used techniques has lead to scarring ectropion or to alteration of the nasal filter., Conclusions: The best nasal reconstruction mostly depends on skin cancer location and on the amount of tissue to be removed to definitely eradicate the neoplastic lesion; during the planning of a nasal reconstruction we also must assess adjacent tissue characteristics, the presence of fixed structures and the donor skin area (color, thickness, pils, etc) . Using these parameters we have chosen for the ala the nose-cheek flap, for the dorsum the front-glabellar flap, the bilobed flap and the sliding flap (lateral region) and for the tip both the frontal island flap and the bilobed flap.

Background: Our purpose was to evaluate the locoregional recurrence (LRR) of patients with false-negative, frozen-section or close margins of retroareolar specimen in nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) procedure., Methods: From 2002-2008, we recruited patients who had atypia or presence of cancer cells in definitive histology of retroareolar tissue despite of absence of tumor cell in intraoperative retroareolar frozen section. We also included the close margin cases defined as the presence of tumor cells at the first frozen section, but after deeper core out of retroareolar tissue were revealed free of malignancy. The incidence of LRR and NAC recurrence were reported, and the factors associated were analyzed., Results: Of 948 NSM procedures, there were 88 false-negative, frozen-sections and 10 close margin cases. The 5-year cumulative incidence of LRR and NAC recurrence was 11.2 % (10/98 patients) and 2.4 % (2/98 patients), respectively. Analyzing the definitive results of retroareolar tissue, the 5-year cumulative incidence of LRR was 42.9 % (n = 4) for atypia, 10 % (n = 2) for lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS), 10 % (n = 1) for close margins, 8.7 % (n = 3) for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and 0 % for invasive carcinoma. In situ carcinoma as a primary tumor was a significant predictor of NAC recurrence (P < 0.01)., Conclusions: Despite a high reliability of frozen section, there is still a minority of false-negative results. Nevertheless, the LRR is considerably low. This fact suggests the possibility of preservation of the NAC after discussion with the patient.

Aim: We describe in this paper our experience with the technique of skin-reducing mastectomy in the treatment of breast cancer., Methods: Between October 2005 and April 2010 in our Center 33 patients underwent breast surgery utilizing the skin-reducing mastectomy technique and immediate breast reconstruction with expansor/definitive implant Becker 35 contour profile. Contralateral symmetrization was performed in the same operation. All selected patients satisfied inclusion critera either for nipple-sparing mastectomy or prophylactic mastectomy. We selected patients who had large ptosic breasts: areola-submammary fold >8 cm and jugular-nipple distance >25 cm. After histologic exam to confirm the lack of retroareolar tissue infiltration the nipple was preserved in a superior flap., Results: Twenty-four out of 33 patients (72.7%) did not suffer from complications. In 9 patients (27.3%) we observed early complications. During follow-up we observed in 24 patients (72.7%) Baker I capsular contracture, in 9 patients (27.3%) Baker II capsular contracture. Esthetic results of symmetry, shape and volume were good to optimal. Patients' satisfaction was similar. During the follow up (6-33 months, average 17.7 months) no patient suffered from breast cancer recurrence., Conclusion: The "skin-reducing mastectomy" reduces mutilation and unsightly scar visibility. It gives a pleasant aesthetic outcome without hindering oncological safety.

Background: Our study concerns eight patients who have undergone surgery at the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery of the University of Perugia, for the reconstruction of lower limb using the distally based sural neurocutaneous flap for covering loss of substance of various origin, from October 2007 to November 2009., Patients and Methods: The aim of our study is to demonstrate the reliability of distally based neurocutaneous sural flap in reconstruction of lower limb following a loss of substance of different nature involving the lower third of the leg. Eight patients were on systemic and local clinical conditions that can not be undergoing surgery with use of free flap. In five patients (62%) the loss of substance had been caused by traffic accident while another patient (12%) had been the victim of an accident at work. Two patients (26%) had suffered from pressure ulcers and were unstable with regard to the vascularisation., Results: We observed no cases of total necrosis of the flap and in all eight patients we showed good healing. Follow up was 2, 4, 6, and 9 months after surgical intervention., Conclusion: Our study has shown that the use of the distally based sural neurocutaneous flap in reconstruction of lower limbs, as a salvage procedure, is still a valid alternative procedure to free tissue transfer. Because of reduced operative times, reduced anaesthetic risk, reduced risk of total flap necrosis and reduced costs, it could be considered as a preferable choice in selected cases.

Background: The benefits and superiority of free flaps for head and neck reconstruction are well recognized. However, in some instances, especially in elderly and critical patients with advanced intraoral and oropharyngeal cancers or in patients with underlying systemic syndromes (i.e. uncontrolled diabetes, cardio-pulmonary failure, renal insufficiency), the use of pectoralis mayor myocutaneous flap may be a preferable option with fewer risks for the patient., Patients and Methods: We present a series of 12 pectoralis major myocutaneous flaps, performed from January 2007 to June 2008, in 12 critical patients who presented with advanced carcinomas of the oral cavity and oropharynx. In all cases, histology showed (T3-T4)-(N0-N3)-M0 squamous cell carcinomas. Tumors were: 4 intraoral (33%), 2 in the oropharynx (16%), 5 in the hypopharynx (41%) and 1 of the skin left auricle (8%)., Results: There were no flap loss. Partial skin necrosis (<10%) occurred in 1 case (8%); one patient (8%) developed wound infection treated successfully with systemic antibiotic therapy. Minor oro cutaneous fistulas developed in 2 patients (16%). At the follow-up 4 patients (34%) died after 4 months, 2 patients (16%) had recurrence of disease, 6 patients (50%) showed no evidence of disease., Conclusion: The use of pectoralis major myocutaneous flap as a salvage procedure in immediate reconstruction following ablative surgery of head and neck cancers is still a valid alternative procedure to free tissue transfer. Because of reduced operative times, reduced anaesthetic risk, reduced risk of total flap necrosis and reduced costs, it could be considered as a preferable choice in selected cases.