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Biomedical subjects

Christian A Al-Amm

Publications and source records attributed to Christian A Al-Amm.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Moist exposed therapy: an effective and valid alternative to occlusive dressings for postlaser resurfacing wound care.

BACKGROUND: Laser resurfacing has now become an accepted and important component of facial rejuvenation. With the introduction of computerized scanning systems, the actual laser resurfacing technique has been greatly simplified; however, the final outcome still depends to a large extent on the efficiency of the postlaser wound care in promoting wound healing and preventing early and late complications. It has been repeatedly confirmed that a moist environment is the single most important external factor affecting the rate of re-epithelialization. Occlusive moisture-retentive dressings, however, are difficult to apply and maintain in position and may as well be complicated by serious infections. OBJECTIVE: Moist exposed burn ointment has been shown to maintain adequate moisture for optimal healing by frequent ointment application without the need for a secondary overlying dressing. It would be ideal for postoperative laser care. METHODS: Twenty-eight consecutive patients treated with coherent ultrapulse CO2 laser in Toulouse, France, were included in the trial. Moisture-retentive ointment was applied over the treated areas every 4 to 6 hours. Healing was assessed clinically and with repeated transepidermal water loss measurements. Swab cultures were taken, and pain was evaluated with a visual analog scale. Colorimetric analysis of pictures taken was statistically compared with picture analysis of 20 patients treated earlier with an occlusive dressing. RESULTS: Uneventful timely healing occurred in all patients with minimal pain and discomfort. Healing with moist exposed therapy resulted in faster recovery of cutaneous erythema, as evidenced by colorometry. CONCLUSION: Moist exposed burn ointment application can be safely considered a good and valid alternative to occlusive dressings for postoperative laser care.

Colorimetry↗
PubMed2002

Management of acute and chronic open wounds: the importance of moist environment in optimal wound healing.

The history of wound care and management closely parallels that of military surgery which has laid down the principles and dictated the practices of wound cleansing, debridement and coverage. From a treatment standpoint, there are essentially two types of wounds: those characterized by loss of tissue and those in which no tissue has been lost. In the event of tissue loss it is critical to determine whether vital structures such as bone, tendons, nerves and vessels have been exposed. It is also important to determine the amount of soft tissue contusion and contamination. In any case primary wound healing by early closure either primarily or with the help of grafts or flaps is preferred to secondary healing and wound contraction with subsequent contractures which interfere with range of motion and function. Whether the wound is acute or chronic, essential principles of wound care must be observed in order to avoid wound sepsis and achieve rapid and optimal wound healing. - Tissues must be handled gently. - Caustic solutions capable of sterilizing the skin should never be applied to the wound. It is desirable never to put anything in the wound that cannot be tolerated comfortably in the conjunctival sac. - All devitalized tissues must be debrided either hydrodynamically, chemically, mechanically or surgically. - All dead space must be obliterated. - Exposed vital structures must be covered by well vascularized tissues. An essential part of any wound management protocol is wound dressing. It cannot be too strongly emphasized that a wound dressing may have a profound influence on healing particularly of secondary type healing, a critical feature being the extent to which such dressing restricts the evaporation of water from the wound surface. A review of available dressing materials is reported with emphasis on the newly developed concept of moist environment for optimal healing. a practical guide for dressing selection is also proposed.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The transverse intra-areolar infra-nipple incision for augmentation mammaplasty.

Visible scarring remains a considerable concern for patients seeking augmentation mammaplasty. We describe an intra-areolar infra-nipple incision that provides a good surgical access in most cases and allows inflatable as well as prefilled implant insertion with limited subcutaneous tunneling over the inferior glandular quadrants. The resultant scar is minimal and can be easily camouflaged by the pigmented and contractile areolar skin.

Breast Implantation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Improving scar quality: a prospective clinical study.

Following traumatic or surgical injury to the skin, wounds do not heal by tissue regeneration but rather by scar formation. Though healing is definitely a welcomed event, the resultant scar, very often, is not aesthetically pleasing, and not infrequently, may be pathologic causing serious deformities and contractures. Management of problematic scars continues to be a frustrating endeavor with less than optimal results. Prophylactic methods of wound management to minimize serious scarring are being developed. In a previously published study, we have demonstrated improved healing of split thickness skin graft donor sites following treatment with Moist Exposed Burn Ointment (MEBO, Julphar Gulf Pharmaceutical Industries, Ras Al-Khaimah, UAE). At present, we are reporting the results of a comparative clinical prospective study evaluating scar quality following primary healing of elective surgical and traumatic facial wounds with prophylactic MEBO application, topical antibiotic ointment application, and no topical therapy at all. Scars were evaluated according to the Visual Analogue Scale for scar assessment. Statistical analysis of scar assessment scores demonstrated marked prevention of unfavorable scars with improved cosmetic results following MEBO prophylactic therapy.

Administration, Topical↗