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Biomedical subjects

S Romm

Publications and source records attributed to S Romm.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Methyl prednisolone in double-lumen gel-saline submuscular mammary prostheses: a double-blind, prospective, controlled clinical trial.

At the time of immediate breast reconstruction with submuscular implants, 76 consecutive patients (89 breasts) were randomized into two groups. One received a gel-saline, double-lumen implant with 40 cc of saline added to the outer lumen, while the other received the same implant plus 40 cc of saline and 16 mg methyl prednisolone (40 mg%). Patients were followed for a minimum of 3 years. The groups, which were matched for patient age and implant size, were evaluated at 3, 12, 24, and 36 months for capsular contracture, steroid atrophy, and other complications. With completion of the double-blind study, the patients with submuscular gel-saline implants with only saline added had an overall capsular contracture rate of 38 percent at 3 months, 38 percent at 12 months, and 44 percent at 24 and 36 months. Those with methyl prednisolone had an overall capsular contracture rate of 14 percent at 3 months, and this remained unchanged through the end of the study. The rates of all other complications were comparable. Methyl prednisolone in a dose of 16 mg in 40 cc saline (concentration 40 mg%), when used in the outer lumen of a double-lumen gel-saline implant in a submuscular pocket, is both safe and efficacious in reducing the risk of capsular contracture for a minimum of 3 years in patients undergoing immediate breast reconstruction with submuscular mammary implants.

Adult

Variations on the temporoparietal fascial flap.

An improved understanding of the vascular supply of the layers of the temporal fossa has increased the potential of this region for new and ingenious reconstructive techniques. Separate and independently vascularized layers of this region include hair-bearing scalp, glabrous skin, tempororoparietal fascia (and galea aponeurotica), temporalis muscle and fascia, and pericranium. Island flaps of glabrous skin and scalp provided esthetically appropriate tissue to cover a variety of defects. The malleable bulk of the subcutaneous fascial layers were combined with skin grafts to restore thin lining, and used as a vascularized bed for cartilage grafts in otherwise unsatisfactory recipient sites. Illustrative cases from our 5-year clinical experience are presented to demonstrate various combinations of the temporoparietal fascial pedicle with tissues from the temporal region to reconstruct the eyebrows, eyelids, orbits, cheeks, and lips.

Adolescent

The changing face of beauty.

Beautiful faces, like clothing and body conformation, go in and out of fashion. Yet, certain women in every era are considered truly beautiful. Who, then, sets standards of facial beauty and how are women chosen as representative of an ideal? Identifying great beauties is easier than explaining why they are chosen, but answers to these elusive questions are suggested in art, literature, and a review of past events.

Esthetics

A new twist to the nasolabial flap for reconstruction of lateral alar defects.

The nasolabial flap remains the favored technique for alar and lateral nasal reconstruction. Results with currently popular techniques tend to be inartistic and aesthetically disappointing. Improved results can be achieved, however, by a technique using a medially based nasolabial turnover flap for lining with a distal extension providing the cover. Reconstruction of the ala begins by designing a nasolabial flap with its base as close as possible to the site of the proposed ala. The flap is incised to the required margins, carrying 2 to 3 mm of underlying fat; then, hinged on its base, the flap is flipped over medially like the page of a book. As the proximal flap is sutured to the lining side of the defect, the distal flap gracefully twists 90 degrees and is then folded on itself to form the external surface of the ala. The donor site is closed primarily. With this procedure, a natural-appearing and appropriately positioned ala may be reconstructed in one step, although a second procedure may be helpful to sculpture the margin or precisely position the alar base.

Aged

Costal cartilage sculpturing as an adjunct to augmentation mammaplasty.

Costal cartilage irregularities are a major component of most congenital thoracic-wall deformities. A significant number of patients with these cartilage irregularities may either refuse major reconstruction or in fact have disorders of insufficient magnitude to justify such endeavors. In patients undergoing augmentation mammaplasty, recontouring or sculpturing of these abnormal costal cartilages may correct or improve the underlying chest-wall deformity and thus enhance the final aesthetic result. This method has had application in mild to moderate asymmetrical cases of both pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum, thoracic hypoplasia (Poland's syndrome), isolated cartilage deformities, and spinal scoliosis. In our hands, the combination of cartilage sculpturing with submuscular augmentation mammaplasty is performed as an outpatient local anesthetic procedure requiring not more than 90 minutes.

Breast

Burns in art.

Burn care and burned people are probably the least likely candidates as subjects of fine art. To disprove this notion, three paintings are offered as examples of artistic treatment of an unlikely issue.

Art

Henri-Francois Secretan.

Henri-Francois Secretan was a Swiss physician. He described hard edema of the hand in 1901 in a report that went unnoticed until interest in this condition revived in recent decades.

Edema

Response of amputated rat limbs to fetal nerve tissue implants and direct current.

We have previously shown that implanted fetal nerve tissue stimulates the regeneration of amputated chick limbs. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a similar phenomenon would occur in amputated rat limbs and if addition of applied direct current (DC) would affect this process. Thus, fetal nerve tissue was implanted into amputated stumps of 3-week-old rats; variable tissue regeneration was induced that was dependent on the age of the donor implant and the presence of applied DC. Twelve or 14 day fetal neural implants induced new accessory bones containing epiphyseal plates and marrow cavities and occasionally formed joint-like structures with the host humerus. Addition of DC to 12 day neural implants increased the number of new bones formed. Eighteen day neural tissue with applied DC did not induce new bone formation but stimulated the maximal elongation of the host humerus and outgrowth of nerve fibers to the cut surface. Implantation of fetal heart tissue or implantation of fetal neural tissue into unamputated limbs failed to induce new bone formation. Although true limb regeneration was not achieved, formation of new skeletal elements did occur and this effect was enhanced by applied DC.

Amputation Stumps

Laboratory screening prior to hand surgery. A life-saving endeavor.

Routine preoperative testing on patients undergoing elective and emergency surgery has identified life-threatening illnesses unknown to the patient. Over a six-year period, 34 patients were found to have such medical problems, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, tuberculosis, pneumonia, Paget's disease, and sarcoid.

Adult