An easily constructed, inexpensive splint for postoperative maintenance and protection of corrected flat, depressed, or inverted nipples and the method of its use are described.

Breast↗

PubMed1985

Free microvascular muscle flaps with skin graft reconstruction of extensive defects of the foot: a clinical and gait analysis study.

Over the past 4 years at the Massachusetts General Hospital 18 patients have been treated for extensive defects (mean size 130 cm2) of the foot at or below the medial and lateral malleoli. These patients have been treated with free muscle flaps covered with thick split-thickness skin grafts. Full muscle flap survival has been seen in each patient, and all patients are currently ambulatory. A subgroup of nine patients are weight-bearing directly upon their skin grafts covering transferred muscle. All patients are walking without chronic breakdown over a mean follow-up of over 19 months with the exception of a single patient who has had breakdown in a region of redundant improperly tailored muscle flap. None of the skin grafted muscles has significant cutaneous sensibility. Detailed gait analysis of these patients has confirmed the weight-bearing capabilities of free muscle flaps with skin grafts and has proven to be an excellent method of foot reconstruction evaluation. It would appear from this study that cutaneous sensibility may not be necessary for successful reconstruction of the weight-bearing surface of the foot. This method of reconstruction should be considered when local tissues are not suitable for plantar foot reconstruction.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1985

Thermocouple probe monitoring for free tissue transfer, replantation, and revascularization procedures.

As the field of microsurgery has expanded over the past decade, the need for a reliable method to monitor the patency of microvascular anastomoses has become increasingly evident. Thermocouple probe monitoring for free tissue transfer, replantation, and revascularization procedures has been done at the Massachusetts General Hospital over the past four years. The authors explain how this method of tissue viability monitoring can be a practical and useful adjunct to clinical surveillance in these complex methods of reconstruction.

Adult↗