Kuruoglu, Doga

Background: Despite increased adoption of virtual surgical planning (VSP) in various craniofacial indications, the incorporation of VSP/3DP into facial trauma care remains limited. Therefore, Expedited Preoperative Point of Care for Fracture Reduction to Normalized Anatomy and 3DP to Improve Surgical Outcomes (EPPOCRATIS) was introduced in 2021. This study evaluates our experience with EPPORATIS in craniomaxillofacial trauma over 10 years. Methods: A retrospective review of patients who underwent facial trauma repair between September 2014 and September 2024 was conducted. For each VSP/3DP case, a patient with similar facial trauma patterns, who was treated without VSP, was selected. Evaluation metrics included operative time, blood loss, length of stay, complication rates, and fracture reduction accuracy through 3D heatmap analyses. Operative metrics were normalized by implant (i.e., fracture plates and screws) count to account for fracture complexity. A value of p < 0.05 was deemed statistically significant. Results: The VSP group presented with more complex injuries and higher involvement of various surgical specialties (p < 0.5) and demonstrated longer operative times (p < 0.03). Although the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.4), when adjusted for implant count, the VSP group had shorter operative times (median: 15.4 vs. 19.3 min/implant) and reduced blood loss compared to non-VSP cases (median: 3.4 mL/implant vs. 4.2 mL/implant). Complications, revision rates, and length of stay showed no significant differences. Conclusions: The use of VSP/3DP (EPPOCRATIS) in craniomaxillofacial trauma reconstruction demonstrated operative efficiency and accurate fracture reduction in complex cases. Further studies are needed to examine the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of point-of-care VSP/3DP in trauma centers.

Abstract Background Abdominal wall reconstruction is challenging for surgeons and may be life altering for patients. There are scant high-quality studies on patient-reported outcomes following abdominal wall reconstruction. We assess long-term surgical and patient-reported outcomes of perforator-preserving open anterior component separation (OPP-ACS) following large ventral hernia repair. Methods A retrospective review of patients with large ventral hernia defects who underwent OPP-ACS performed by the authors (B.A.S., M.J.T.) was conducted between 2015 and 2019. Demographics, surgical history, operative details, outcomes, and complications were extracted. A validated questionnaire, Carolinas Comfort Scale (CCS), was used to assess postoperative quality of life. Results Twenty-two patients (12 males and 10 females) with a mean age and BMI of 60.9 ± 10 years and 28.9 ± 4.8 kg/m2, respectively, were included. Mean follow-up was 28.5 ± 16.3 months. All had prior abdominal surgery; 15 (68%) for abdominopelvic malignancy, 3 (14%) for previous failed hernia repair, and 8 (36%) had history of abdominopelvic radiation. Overall, 16 (73%) hernias were in the midline, 4 (18%) in the right lower quadrant, 1 (4.5%) in the right upper quadrant, and 1 (4.5%) in the left lower quadrant. Mean hernia defect surface area was 145 ± 112 cm2. A total of 9 patients (40.9%) underwent bilateral component separation, whereas 13 (59.1%) had unilateral. Bioprosthetic mesh was used in all patients as underlay. Mean mesh size and thickness were 545.6 ± 207.7 cm2 and 3.4 ± 0.5 mm, respectively. One patient presented with a minor wound dehiscence, and two presented with seromas not requiring aspiration/evacuation. One patient had hernia recurrence 22 months after surgery. One patient was readmitted for partial small bowel obstruction and one required wound revision. A total of 14 (65%) patients responded to the CCS questionnaire. At 12 months, mean score for all 23 items was 0.29 ± 0.21 (0.08–0.62), which corresponds to absence or minimal symptoms. Conclusion The OPP-ACS is a safe surgical option for large, complex ventral hernias. Our cases showed minimal complication rate and hernia recurrence, and our patients reported significant improvement in life quality.

AbstractPatients with soft tissue tumors of the lower extremities are at greater risk to develop postoperative disruption of lymphatic vessels. Currently, there is no widely effective cure for lymphatic dysfunction. Therefore, the best strategy is to prevent it and reconstruct efficient drainage as soon as the original pathway is damaged. We present a report of three prophylactic LVA cases after sarcoma resection in the lower limb, and a literature review to show the feasibility of prophylactic LVAs. The patients were 35, 73, and 77 years old, respectively, at the time of the procedure. All three patients had sarcoma in the medial thigh and underwent radiation therapy before the surgery. The locations of the LVAs include the medial thigh and medial and lateral calf. During the surgery, methylene blue and/or indocyanine green were injected to identify lymphatic vessels. Postoperative recovery was uneventful immediately after the surgery. At follow‐up visits, all three patients reported improved functions with no significant swelling in the lower limb. One patient experienced a surgical wound infection that resolved after antibiotic admission. Two patients had a history of cardiac diseases, a major risk factor for developing postoperative lymphedema, but these two patients did not develop lymphedema with the treatment of prophylactic LVAs. These results suggest that prophylactic LVA may be an effective strategy to prevent secondary lymphedema after sarcoma resection. Further investigation is warranted.

While virtual surgical planning (VSP) and three-dimensional planning (3DP) have become important tools in acute craniomaxillofacial surgery, the incorporation of point of care VSP and 3DP is crucial to allow for acute facial trauma care. In this article, we review our approach to acute craniomaxillofacial trauma management, EPPOCRATIS, and discuss current challenges and future directions in acute facial trauma management.

Case: This is a case of a 41-year-old man who sustained a traumatic proximal transfemoral amputation with loss of adductor function and inadequate soft tissue. Wound closure was achieved with split-thickness skin grafting. Subsequently, femoral lengthening was achieved with an internal magnetic lengthening nail. He underwent a free transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap to resurface the limb and provide more stable soft tissue, adductor repair, and further lengthening because of his prominent abduction contracture and inadequate soft tissue. This allowed independent ambulation with a prosthetic. Conclusion: Femoral lengthening with soft-tissue reconstruction improved prosthetic function and ambulation in a patient with a short transfemoral amputation.