Faculty Bibliography

Purpose: Currently, indications and algorithms for oral and dental clearance prior to transplant and cardiac surgeries can be cryptic for referring surgical teams. Care coordination and timing is often suboptimal. Our group has subsequently devised an algorithm for patients to receive oral health clearance prior to relevant surgical and medical therapies, streamlining the process for the patient, referring transplant team, and dental/OMFS team.
Background(s): In a multitude of health circumstances, patients are asked to receive pre-treatment oral health clearance. Related literature on efficacy and appropriate delivery is often sparse and/or inconclusive. Patients planned for cardiac surgery, solid organ transplant, bone marrow transplant, radiation therapy, and immunologic drugs are often asked to procure dental evaluation and "clearance" prior to treatment. Arguably, the most vulnerable populations include heart transplant patients, whom are also placed on postsurgical immune-suppressive therapy, and those undergoing cardiac valve replacement, at risk for subsequent endocarditis. These patient groups often present with poor dentition, notably including periodontitis and apical periodontitis, which both have been associated with postoperative infections and unfavorable surgical outcomes.
Method(s): Our group has developed a presentation to be delivered to an interdisciplinary group of physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants, comprising teams of cardiothoracic surgery, transplant surgery, hematology-oncology, radiation oncology, and internal medicine. The goals are to increase knowledge about dental clearance's importance, and to expedite the process of receiving care. Additionally, the authors have developed a corresponding "dental pathway" within our hospital's electronic medical record (EMR) system to expedite clearance, as well as to increase compliance with presurgical dental clearance. Topics discussed in the presentation include pathways of transmission, the clearance process for inpatients, the separate process for clearance in outpatients, as well as a discussion on what occurs during a clearance visit.
Conclusion(s): The presentation created aims to increase interdisciplinary health care providers' background on oral health clearance. A topic that is often esoteric to other medical providers, the authors have devised a simple avenue to provide insight into the topic. Furthermore, our EMR pathway will provide coordinated collaboration between medical and dental providers, hopefully fostering effective and efficient oral health clearance prior to relevant surgical therapies. References: 1. Allareddy V, Elangovan S, Rampa S, et al. Presence of Gingivitis and Periodontitis Significantly Increases Hospital Charges in Patients Undergoing Heart Valve Surgery. J Mass Dent Soc. 2015; 63: 10-16. 2. Goldman KE. Dental Management of Patients with Bone Marrow and Solid Organ Transplantation. Dental Clinics of North America. 2006:659-676. 3. Meyur U, et al. Heart Transplants - Assessment of Dental Procedures. Clinical Oral Investigations. 1999 Jun;(3)2:79-83. 4. Souza AF, et al. Dental Management for Patients Undergoing Heart Valve Surgery. Journal of Cardiac Surgery. 2017;32:627-632. 5. Strojan P, et al. Treatment of Late Sequelae After Radiotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer. Cancer Treat Rev. 2017 September;59:79-92. 6. Smith MM, et al. Morbidity and mortality associated with dental extraction before cardiac operation. Ann Thorac Surg, 97 (2014), pp. 838-844. 7. Sollecito, Thomas P., et al. The Use of Prophylactic Antibiotics Prior to Dental Procedures in Patients with Prosthetic Joints. The Journal of the American Dental Association, vol. 146, no. 1, 2015,. [Figure presented] [Figure presented] [Figure presented]
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BACKGROUND:Marko Godina, in his landmark paper in 1986, established the principle of early flap coverage for reconstruction of traumatic lower extremity injuries. The aim of this study was to determine how timing influences outcomes in lower extremity traumatic free flap reconstruction based on Godina's original findings. METHODS:A retrospective review identified 358 soft-tissue free flaps from 1979 to 2016 for below knee trauma performed within 1 year of injury. Patients were stratified based on timing of coverage: 3 days or less (early), 4 to 90 days (delayed), and more than 90 days (late). The delayed group was further divided into two groups: 4 to 9 days and 10 to 90 days. Flap outcomes were examined based on timing of reconstruction. RESULTS:Flaps performed within 3 days after injury compared with between 4 to 90 days had decreased risk of major complications (OR, 0.40, p = 0.04). A receiver operating curve demonstrated day 10 to be the optimal day for predicting flap success. Flaps performed less than or equal to 3 days versus 4 to 9 days had no differences in any flap outcomes. In contrast, flaps performed within 4 to 9 days of injury compared to within 10 to 90 days were associated with significantly lower total flap failure rates (relative risk, 0.29, p = 0.025) and major complications (relative risk, 0.37, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS:Early free flap reconstruction performed within 3 days of injury had superior outcomes compared with the delayed (4 to 90 day) group, consistent with Godina's original findings. However, as an update to his paradigm, this ideal early period of reconstruction can be safely extended to within 10 days of injury without an adverse effect on outcomes. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:Therapeutic, III.

OBJECTIVE/UNASSIGNED:Assess the weight and contribution of each of the parameters of the Asher-McDade Scale to overall subjective assessment of nasolabial aesthetics following cleft lip repair. DESIGN/UNASSIGNED:Retrospective cohort evaluation. SETTING/UNASSIGNED:Cleft and craniofacial center. PARTICIPANTS/UNASSIGNED:Forty-one patients who underwent unilateral cleft lip repair. INTERVENTIONS/UNASSIGNED:Unilateral cleft lip repair. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES/UNASSIGNED:Nasolabial rating using the Asher-McDade scale and overall subjective assessment of nasolabial aesthetics using a rank score following unilateral cleft lip repair. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:= .69; P < .001). CONCLUSION/UNASSIGNED:The parameters evaluated in the Asher-McDade scale have different weights and contribute differently to overall subjective assessment of nasolabial aesthetic outcomes following cleft lip repair. Adjusting for their weights results in a modified score that demonstrates superior correlation with overall subjective assessment of nasolabial aesthetic outcomes.

GENERAL PURPOSE/UNASSIGNED:To review what is known about pediatric pressure injuries (PIs) and the specific factors that make neonates and children vulnerable. TARGET AUDIENCE/BACKGROUND:This continuing education activity is intended for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses with an interest in skin and wound care. LEARNING OBJECTIVES/OUTCOMES/UNASSIGNED:After participating in this educational activity, the participant should be better able to:1. Identify the scope of the problem and recall pediatric anatomy and physiology as it relates to PI formation.2. Differentiate currently available PI risk assessment instruments.3. Outline current recommendations for pediatric PI prevention and treatment. ABSTRACT/UNASSIGNED:Pediatric patients, especially neonates and infants, are vulnerable to pressure injury formation. Clinicians are steadily realizing that, compared with adults and other specific populations, pediatric patients require special consideration, protocols, guidelines, and standardized approaches to pressure injury prevention. This National Pressure Advisory Panel white paper reviews this history and the science of why pediatric patients are vulnerable to pressure injury formation. Successful pediatric pressure injury prevention and treatment can be achieved through the standardized and concentrated efforts of interprofessional teams.

BACKGROUND:Prolonged impairment of protective ocular functions can compromise vision and lead to blindness if uncorrected. Several facial transplants have incorporated periorbital structures with variable eyelid preservation, but objective assessment of post-transplant periorbital function has been limited. MATERIALS AND METHODS/METHODS:Kinematic data were collected from a full-face recipient that included the fist total eyelid transplantation at 5 separate pre-transplant (PRE) and post-transplant time points (T1-T4). Using optical facial tracking, eyelid movements were tracked during involuntary blinking and compared with controls. RESULTS:There was significant improvement in right eye aperture from PRE to T1 (β = 5.54, P < 0.001), with no change between T1 and T4. Aperture fluctuated in the left eye, with a temporary decrease between T2 and T3 corresponding with revision brow lift (β = -4.57, P < 0.001). Although improved from the pre-transplantation, right and left eye apertures remained significantly smaller than controls at T1 and T4 (P < 0.001). Similarly, spatial coupling increased from PRE to T1 (β = 0.63, P < 0.001) and remained high at T4, albeit significantly less than controls (P < 0.001). Temporal coupling improved from PRE to T2 (β = 2.29, P < 0.02) and was sustained at subsequent time points, with no difference relative to controls at T4. Considerable improvement was observed on clinical examination, with full functional status. CONCLUSIONS:Application of a novel method for assessing functional eyelid recovery using facial tracking technology to the first total eyelid transplantation in the setting of a full facial transplant shows clear functional improvement after transplantation and suggests revisions can be performed safely to optimize aesthetic outcomes without permanent negative functional impact.

BACKGROUND:The numerous office visits required to complete expansion in implant-based breast reconstruction impact patient satisfaction, office resources, and time to complete reconstruction. This study aimed to determine whether prepectoral compared to subpectoral immediate implant-based breast reconstruction offers expedited tissue expansion without affecting complication rates. METHODS:Consecutive patients who underwent immediate implant-based breast reconstruction with tissue expanders from January of 2016 to July of 2017 by a single surgeon were grouped into subpectoral (partial submuscular/partial acellular dermal matrix) or prepectoral (complete acellular dermal matrix coverage), and reviewed. The primary outcomes were total days and number of visits to complete expansion. Groups were compared by univariate analysis with significance set at p < 0.05. RESULTS:In total, 101 patients (subpectoral, n = 69; prepectoral, n = 32) underwent 184 immediate implant-based breast reconstructions (subpectoral, n = 124; prepectoral, n = 60). There was no difference in age, body mass index, smoking, or diabetes between the groups (all p > 0.05). Follow-up was similar between groups (179.3 ± 98.2 days versus 218.3 ± 119.8 days; p = 0.115). Prepectoral patients took fewer days to complete expansion (40.4 ± 37.8 days versus 62.5 ± 50.2 days; p < 0.001) and fewer office visits to complete expansion (2.3 ± 1 .7 versus 3.9 ± 1.8; p < 0.001), and were expanded to greater final volumes than subpectoral patients (543.7 ± 122.9 ml versus 477.5 ± 159.6 ml; p = 0.017). Between prepectoral and subpectoral reconstructions, there were similar rates of minor complications (25 percent versus 18.5 percent; p = 0.311), readmissions (5 percent versus 2.4 percent; p = 0.393), seromas (8.3 percent versus 5.6 percent; p = 0.489), reoperations for hematoma (3.3 percent versus 1.6 percent; p = 0.597), and explantations (5 percent versus 2.4 percent; p = 0.393). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:This novel analysis demonstrates that prepectoral immediate implant-based breast reconstruction can facilitate expansion to higher total volumes in nearly half the office visits compared to subpectoral placement in similar populations without increasing complication rates. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:Therapeutic, III.

Background  Length of immobilization after operative fixation of unstable distal radius fractures and management in elderly patients is an area of debate. Purpose  The purpose of this study is to delineate common practices of fellowship-trained hand surgeons and how they compare with current evidence-based protocols. Methods  Surveys were distributed to American Society for Surgery of the Hand members on preferred methods of fixation, postoperative immobilization, and variations in treatment of elderly patients with unstable distal radius fractures. Responses were analyzed in comparison to a literature review. Subgroups were compared with regard to training, practice type, and years in practice. Results  Four-hundred eighty-five surveys were analyzed. Volar fixed-angle plating was the most common choice of fixation (84.7%). Patients are most often immobilized for 1 to 2 weeks (40.0%) with range of motion (ROM) therapy begun most commonly between 1 and 4 weeks (47.2%). The majority of surgeons do not treat fractures differently in patients more than 65 years old. Physicians with more than 20 years of experience were significantly more likely to begin wrist ROM sooner with volar plating versus other fixation techniques compared with physicians with less than 20 years of experience (40.7% vs. 34.2%, respectively). Also, physicians in academic-only practices were more likely to immobilize patients for a shorter time after volar plating compared with those in privademics. Conclusion  Volar fixed-angle plating is the dominant fixation method for unstable distal radius fractures among fellowship-trained hand surgeons. Elderly patients are not treated more conservatively and rigid immobilization after operative fixation remains the treatment of choice despite current evidence-based protocols.