Objective To investigate the effects of substance P (SP) on the expression of apoptosis-associated genes in fibroblasts derived from pathological scars. Methods Fibroblasts derived from keloid, hypertrophic scar and normal skin were cultured separately in media containing SP and SP receptor antagonist. PCNA, bcl-2 and bax protein in fibroblasts were assessed by means of immunohistochemistry. Results SP enhanced PCNA and bcl-2 expression in all three kinds of fibroblasts, whereas, bax expression was inhibited significantly. SP inhibited the expression of bax in keloid scar fibroblasts (KSFB) more remarkably than that in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts (HSFB) or normal fibroblasts (NFB), and the effect was stronger on HSFB than on NFB. SP receptor antagonist could inhibit those effects of SP totally or partially. Conclusion SP may play an important role in the formation of pathological scars by modulating the expression of apoptosis-associated genes, which is mediated by SP receptor.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of the expanded capsule on biomechanics of the transplanted autologous costal cartilage.

METHODSTen New Zealand white rabbits aged 3 months were involved and four 15 ml tissue expanders were implanted symmetrically on the back of each rabbit. After 1 month, expanded capsules were removed (experimental group) on the left side and were reserved (control group) on the right side. Meanwhile, the 6th and 7th costal cartilage without the perichondrium were taken out and each cartilage was divided into two pieces and put under the expanded capsule symmetrically. The cartilage at the upper sides and lower sides were taken out at 4 weeks and 8 weeks later, respectively. All the cartilages were sculptured for the demand of the machine text. The tension and compression property of the cartilages were assessed by the material testing machine (Instron 5967) and the results were analyzed statistically.

RESULTS8 weeks lateral, the average ultimate tension strength was (4. 954 + 2. 8) MPa in experimental group and (2.939 + 0.842) MPa in control group. The average compressive strength was (58.74 ± 13.77) MPa in experimental group, and (47.61 ± 11.41) MPa in control group. The biomechanics property of the cartilages in the experimental group is better than the control group, and the differences were statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONSRemoving the expanded capsule is benefical to maintain the biomechanics of autologous costal cartilage.

Animals ; Autografts ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Costal Cartilage ; physiology ; transplantation ; Humans ; Rabbits ; Ribs ; Tissue Expansion ; Tissue Expansion Devices

OBJECTIVETo investigate the characteristics and incidence of the thoracic deformities in patients with microtia.

METHODSIn Plastic Surgery Hospital, we conducted a retrospective study of the clinical and radiographical data of 300 patients with microtia from March 2013 to October 2014. Pearson χ2 test was used to analyze the relationship among deformities of ribs and spine, as well as microtia.

RESULTSA total of 78 (26.0%) patients were documented with rib deformities, 26 patients (8.7%) had spinal deformities, and 17 patients (5.7% )had both. The incidence of rib deformities in microtia I, II, and III was 7.1% (2/28), 26.7% (62/232) and 35.0% (14/40) respectively. The incidence of spinal deformities in microtia I, II, and III was 3.6% (1/28), 6.5% (15/232) and 25.0% (10/40 respectively. The patients with microtia III were found to have a higher incidence of ribs and spinal deformities than those with microtia II, patients with microtia II were found to have a higher incidence of ribs and spinal deformities than those with microtia I (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe incidence of ribs and spinal deformities is high in patients with microtia. The poorer one auricle developed, the higher the incidence of thoracic deformities.

Biomedical Research ; Congenital Microtia ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Retrospective Studies ; Ribs ; abnormalities ; Spine ; abnormalities

The beauty of human body is the professional pursuit of plastic surgeon. Beauty-appreciation education is one of the most important component of plastic surgery quality-oriented education. The expression of human body in western art not only comes from the reality , but also has the idealistic color. With the human body aesthetic as the main line, theauthorsappreciated and analyzed some western art works, so as tostudy the trajectory and enlighten the think about the beauty of human body.

Try to explore the motivation of human beings pursuing attractiveness of appearance from psychological perspective, and how the social psychological factors influence on the aethetic standard. Firstly, from the perspectives of social cognition, evolutionary psychology and mate choice psychology, the paper analyzes the individual′s motivation of pursuing the attractiveness of appearance, and proposes that the halo effect affects people′s cognition of beauty, and then makes people have a beautiful expectation effect. This expectation forms a Self-fulfilling prophecy, thus achieving people′s aspirations for the pursuit of the attractiveness of appearance. However, what is the standard of appearance attractiveness, and through the analysis of psychology research result such as appearance attractiveness, synthetic photograph and intercultural face, we come to several criteria of appearance attractiveness and put forward the social psychological factors such as exposure effect, familiarity and so on Affect people′s judgment on appearance attractiveness, and further explain that the social psychological needs affect the individual′s subjective experience of beauty.

Objective:To explore the technique of two-flap in ear reconstruction.Method:Quantitative tissue expansions were used in the mastoid area in the first stage.After the final injection,there was 1 month of sustaining time.Expanded skin flap and unexpanded fascia flap were designed in the second stage,so thetwo-flaptechnique was used in the ear reconstruction.From January 2004 to December 2008,1 427 patients of microtia were treated using two-flap technque.Result:The expanded skin flap could show the fine structures of the reconstructed ears.The reconstructed ears had vivid cranioauricular angle after using the unexpanded fascia flap.Conclusion: Two-flap method was easily manipulated and the complications were rare.The reconstructed ears had lucid and three-dimensional contour.

The lymphedema is the most common cause of the refractory extremity thickness, which severely affects the quality of patients′ life and is also an intractable issue for therapy. Among the surgical therapies currently being practiced for lymphedema, free vascularized lymph nodes transfer(VLNT) is a promising option. The purpose of this review is to summarize specific issues of VLNT with regard to the mechanism, the surgical technique, agents application, postoperative care and outcomes.

Objective: To study the construction of Bmp5 short ear homozygous mouse model and the feasibility of its application in the study of congenital microtia. Methods: Twelve Bmp5 short-ear mouse were introduced from JAX laboratory in the United States. Ten pregnant Bmp5 short-ear mouse were obtained by breeding. DNA was extracted from the tail of 86 fetal rats aged 14.5 days and sequenced by Sanger method. Three pregnant mice were born normally, and the young mouse was fed conventionally. Three 40-day-old mice with auricle deformity and normal auricle were stained with Alcian blue, and the result were compared and analyzed. Results: The auricle of Bmp5 short ear homozygous mouse was significantly shorter than that of their sibling normal auricles. Sanger sequencing showed that the point mutation of Bmp5 was the seventh base at the bottom of exon 2, and the base mutated from C to T. The result of Alcianblue staining showed that the size of homozygous mutant mouse was small and the development of sternum and ribs was obviously abnormal. Conclusions The model of Bmp5 short ear mouse can be completely suitable for the study of human congenital microtia. The model of Bmp5 short ear mouse is a suitable animal model to study the development mechanism of congenital microtia.

Objective: To investigate the effect of auricle deformity corrector in non-surgical treatment of congenital auricular deformity. Methods: The auricular deformity correctors were applied for non-surgical treatment of congenital auricular deformities. The patients were divided into three groups according to the treatment starting age (<1 month old, 1-3 months old, 3-6 months old), followed up for every month respectively after treatment. According to the improvement of auricle morphology, the treatment results were divided into four levels (e, g, f, p) and the effective rate (e+ g)% was calculated. Results: From January 2014 to December 2016, there were 140 ears of congenital malformations in children aged less than 6 months who were treated and followed up. Among them, 33 ears had helical rim abnormalities, 29 with cup-shaped ears, 12 with prominent ears, 4 with Stahl′s ears, and 62 with cryptotia ears. The therapeutic efficacies (<1 month old, 1-3 months old, 3-6 months) of these ear malformations were: cryptotia ear (100%, 100%, 87.5%), helical rim abnormality (100%, 90.47%, 66.67 %), prominent ear (-, 100%, 50%), cup ear (100%, 78.57%, 53.33%), Stahl′s ear (-, 100%, 33.33%). Follow-up more than 6 months after treatment, up to a year and a half, no recurrence was found. Conclusions The auricular deformity corrector can be used as an effective approach for achieving natural outcomes and correcting cosmetic abnormalities. Rate of satisfaction is dependent on types of deformity, the neonatal age in which treatment started and also parents′ compliance to treatment methods and principals. The method is noninvasive, easy to wear and works well. Early proper treatment can avoid future operations and save social medical resources.

Objective: To analyze the clinical features and diagnostic and therapeutic procedure of microtia in Klippel-Feil syndrome(KFS), and to summarize the experiences on diagnosis and treatment of this kind of rare disease to avoid misdiagnosing. Methods: Between May 2014 and July 2015, six patients with microtia were diagnosed with suspected cervical vertebral malformation through physical examination and X-ray. Then they underwent additional examinations to evaluate the degree of deformities and relative risks: pure tone test, chest CT, cervical spine CT, temporal CT, echocardiography and ultrasonic on kidney and ureters. Ear reconstruction was performed with soft tissue skin expander and autogenous rib cartilage framework. Results: The six patients were diagnosed as KFS with microtia, which had different degree of cervical fusion and thoracic vertebral fusion. Some of them had rib deformity, scoliosis, congenital renal malformation and so on. Of 6 patients, scar formation occurred in 1 case after ear reconstruction, whose new ears had good position and appearance at 1 month after stage II. After operation, 6 cases were followed up for 8-20 months (median, 12 months), none of them had nerve injury. Five cases had completed the third stage. All of them were well-healed after one month. Three cases were followed up for 3-11 months, the reconstructed ears had a three-dimensional configuration, and the cranioauricular angle of the reconstructed ears were similar to the opposite ears. Conclusions The primary step of comprehensive therapy in microtia with KFS is to diagnose definitely. Enhancing perioperative management can reduce surgery-related risks. It is ought to pay attention to nerve injury in a long-term follow-up.