The closed suction drain is commonly inserted after various surgical procedures. It has an important role to prevent possible hematoma or seroma that can cause postoperative wound problems. But there is still no consensus on managing the insertion site of suction drain after operation. Suture-tie fixation of drain to skin and classical Y shape gauze dressing is a usually accepted method, but it has many limitations. We introduce a new approach to the care for the insertion site of suction drain by using occlusive transparent film dressing, IV3000(R)(Smith & Nephew, London, UK). By using transparent film, insertion site of drain can be easily checked without removal of dressing. Because it can reduce the tension of suture-tie fixation, it helps to prevent skin injury. Furthermore, occlusive film dressing can block air leakage from insertion site of drain, and the water-proof character of film allows patients to take a shower without dressing change. This new method is more convenient, more efficient, and less harmful to skin than classic one.
Bandages* ; Consensus ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Occlusive Dressings ; Seroma ; Skin ; Suction* ; Wounds and Injuries

The incidence of the tuberculosis infection has decreased worldwide, but it is still easy to find the patients in some areas or some races. And it is very difficult to diagnose and treat the patients who are infected by the atypical tuberculosis. Facial skin infection by atypical tuberculosis has not been reported. We report the case of a 62-year-old woman who developed facial skin and soft tissue necrosis caused by Mycobacterium abscessus after receiving liquid silicone injections and face lift operation. We cultured the pathogenic organism and treated the wound with radical curettage, debridement, skin graft and tuberculosis medication.
Continental Population Groups ; Curettage ; Debridement ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Middle Aged ; Mycobacterium* ; Necrosis ; Rhytidoplasty ; Silicones ; Skin* ; Transplants ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Cutaneous* ; Wounds and Injuries

Pachydermodactyly is a rare distinct form of fibromatosis characterized by acquired, asymptomatic dense fibrosis and fibroblastic proliferation around one or more proximal interphalangeal joints. Intralesional triamcinolone injection may be helpful in improving the clinical appearance. A 20-year-old unemployed female patient gave a four years history of progressive swelling of the fingers affecting predominantly the proximal interphalangeal joints of index fingers of left hand and index, middle fingers of right hand. There was no pain and tenderness. Physical examination, complete blood count, antinuclear antibody, rheumatoid factor were unremarkable and radiograph of both hands showed soft tissue swelling only without bony abnormality. We excised the redundant soft tissue from the both sides of proximal interphalangeal joint with longitudinal elliptical fashion. After operation, the fingers of the patient showed marked improvement cosmetically. There were no motor or sensory changes. Pachydermodactyly was first reported in 1996 in Korea. Histologic features include an increased dermal accumulation of collagen and occasionally an increased number of fibroblast. We report for one patient with pachydermodactyly treated with longitudinal elliptical excision and obtained an improvement of clinical appearance.
Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Blood Cell Count ; Collagen ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; Fibroma ; Fibrosis ; Fingers ; Hand ; Humans ; Joints ; Korea ; Physical Examination ; Rheumatoid Factor ; Triamcinolone ; Young Adult

Spontaneous extensor pollicis longus tendon rupture is commonly caused by attrition of the tendon from trauma or inflammatory processes. We experienced a patient with extensor pollicis longus tendon rupture after steroid injection, in which the rupture may have been caused by the effects of steroid itself as well as direct damage from the needle. A 51-year-old woman complained of inability to extend her right thumb at the first metacarpophalangal & interphalangeal joint level. The patient had a history of local steroid injection into the dorsal & radial side of wrist on two occations, and had no history of trauma or rheumatologic disease. After a physical examination of the patient, we decided to explore the wrist. The patient agreed with operation. Intraoperatively, an incision was made into the wrist and the proximal and distal ends of the ruptured extensor pollicis longus tendon were identified. The defect between the proximal and the distal end was measured to approach 8cm, and a palmaris longus tendon graft was performed. After three months of rehabilitation, the first metacarpophalangal & interphalangeal joint recovered the normal range of motion. Steroid injection has been widely used in various musculoskeletal disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. However, inadvertent steroid injection into the extra or intra articular spaces may lead to tendon rupture. Steroids reduce tensile strength by decreasing tenocyte activity and collagen synthesis. Also, the physical effect of direct needle-stick injury into the mesotenon and blood vessels around the tendon may cause damage. In addition, hematoma and edema may increase pressure around the tendon and compromise blood supply, leading to tendon degeneration and subsequent rupture. When injecting steroid into an articular area, all physicians should have a complete understanding of the surrounding anatomy and always keep in mind the hazards of such procedures.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Blood Vessels ; Collagen ; Edema ; Female ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Joints ; Middle Aged ; Needles ; Needlestick Injuries ; Osteoarthritis ; Physical Examination ; Reference Values ; Rehabilitation ; Rupture* ; Steroids ; Tendons* ; Tensile Strength ; Thumb ; Transplants ; Wrist

Management of chronic wound has been a great problem to many surgeons because the wound is usually associated with an underlying disease of the patient. Without accurate diagnosis and treatment of the disease, the wound can not be healed. Systemic vasculitis is a rare systemic disease which causes inflammation and obstruction of the vessels. This autoimmune disease involves multiple organs and may inflict skin wound spontaneously without traumas. It would improve or aggravate the wound in proportion to the activities of the disease. Our experience is a case of 28-year-old female who has had chronic ulcers on her right foot, especially on the great toe for 1 year. Although she had several operations of sympathectomy, debridement and artificial dermal graft, her wound was not improved. She has been diagnosed as systemic vasculitis during the evaluation for histopathology and cause of fever and pancytopenia. After medical treatments, she had the operation of adipofascial turnover flap coverage and skin graft, and the wound was improved without any complication or relapse. The diagnosis and treatment of the underlying disease should be ahead of the management of chronic wound.
Adult ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Debridement ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fever ; Foot ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Inflammation ; Pancytopenia ; Recurrence ; Skin ; Sympathectomy ; Systemic Vasculitis* ; Toes ; Transplants ; Ulcer ; Wounds and Injuries*

The sternalis muscle is an uncommon variation in the anterior chest wall which is located superficial to the pectoralis major, coursing vertically almost parallel to the sternum. It exists unilaterally or bilaterally, as thin muscle strips or a broad band of muscles. We report two cases of skin sparing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction in which the sternalis muscle was encountered. This unusual variation might puzzle radiologists to mistake it for a tumor or an abnormal bulging of the pectoralis. Surgeons also must not be surprised to encounter this muscle during surgery of the breast or pectoralis and keep the appropriate dissection plane.
Breast* ; Female ; Mammaplasty* ; Mastectomy ; Muscles ; Skin ; Sternum ; Thoracic Wall

If autogenous nail is lost in nail bed injuries, alternative effective nail bed protection material is questionable in postoperative follow up period. The conventional modality with autogenous nail coverage have several disadvantages such as drawback of maintenance, higher chance of loss and complex dressing step (eg. ointment apply for humidification and nail fixation using tape or bandage). So, we have studied the usefulness of adhesive silicone gel sheet for alternative nail bed protection material until the end of nail regeneration. From March 2003 to July 2004, we have experienced 215 traumatic nail bed injuries except fingertip loss. Among these patient, we classified two groups, 30 cases with autogenous nail protection(Group I) and 30 cases with adhesive silicone gel sheet protection(Group II). Mean full nail growth time was 3.6 months in group I and 3.8 months in group II. Mean final nail appearance score(0: poor, 4: excellent) was 3.0 in group I and 3.5 in group II. Adhesive silicone gel sheet protection(Group II) was slightly superior to the autogenous nail protection in final appearance, especially sterile matrix laceration. In conclusion, we believe that adhesive silicone gel sheet application is a simple, acceptable, alternative method for protecting nail bed with loss of autogenou nail. It has a number of advantages compared with autogenous nail such as better humidification, controllable hygiene, less pain, less hospitalization, less frequent visit, less chance of loss, avoiding complex dressing step and more even pressure with adhesiveness, flexibility and durability.
Adhesiveness ; Adhesives* ; Bandages ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Lacerations ; Pliability ; Regeneration ; Silicone Gels*

Nipple reconstruction is an important step in breast reconstruction after mastectomy. The authors' preferred reconstructive technique is the local C-V flap in case that a small opposite nipple is not adequate for composite graft. This flap produces an excellent reconstruction, but it is not easy to produce an adequate projection and firmness of the nipple. This article describes the technique and experience in nine patients treated over two years with dermis(scar tissue) graft for nipple reconstruction. This is the first report of application of autologous dermis(scar tissue) grafting to reconstruct a nipple primarily after breast mound reconstruction, decreasing the absorption of the reconstructed nipple and increasing the hardness. The dermis(scar tissue) is taken from scar revision and/or dog-ear correction in the second stage operation after free TRAM flap breast reconstruction. And the dermis(scar tissue) graft is inserted vertically between the local flaps and horizontally under the reconstructed nipple base. Between September 2002 and February 2005, nine patients underwent C-V flap with dermis(scar tissue) graft as a part of their nipple reconstruction. The patient's ages ranged from 28 to 55 years old (mean, 41.1 years old). The follow-up period ranged from 5 to 35 months, with an average of 14.5 months. None of the nipples showed skin flap necrosis or local infection, and uneventful wound healing. Our result showed good nipple projection with less absorption and enough firmness. Our experiences shows that dermis(scar tissue) grafts in C-V flap is a very useful method for nipple reconstruction.
Absorption ; Breast ; Cicatrix ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hardness ; Humans ; Mammaplasty ; Mastectomy ; Middle Aged ; Necrosis ; Nipples* ; Skin ; Transplants* ; Wound Healing

The superficial temporal fascia is a thin, pliable, well- vascularized flap that is useful in elevation of the reconstructed ear of the microtia. However, the elevation of the superficial temporal fascial flap by conventional T or zigzag incisions in temporal region frequently leaves a conspicuous scar, hair thinning and alopecia. To overcome these problems, we harvested the superficial temporal fascia as a random pattern flap using only a retroauricular skin incision line for the ear elevation. Thereafter, the cartilage framework was elevated including superficial temporal fascia and superficial mastoid fascia underneath: dissection plane was continuous with the superficial temporal fascial flap harvest and dissection was performed just beneath the superficial mastoid fascia under the framework. A carved costal cartilage block was grafted at the posterior wall of the concha and covered with the harvested superficial temporal fascial flap, followed by a full-thickness skin graft. From June 2001 to December 2001, 9 patients (male 8 and female 1), who ranged from 9 to 26 years in age, underwent ear elevation using this method. The skin grafts was successful and the appropriate auriculocephalic angle was preserved in all cases. We did not find any complications such as infection, graft loss or cartilage extrusion in the 3 to 9 months follow-up period and the patients were satisfied with their cosmetic results. This method was easy to perform and did not leave any other scar in the temporal hear-bearing area and the results have been favorable.
Alopecia ; Cartilage ; Cicatrix ; Ear* ; Fascia* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hair ; Humans ; Mastoid ; Skin ; Transplants

Medial orbital wall fracture can easily be overlooked because typical clinical symptoms appear in only a few instances. However, if it is left untreated in case of no diplopia, cosmetically undesirable enophthalmos may develop. Various cutaneous approaches, previously used, may leave noticeable scar or provide a limited overview of the orbit medial wall fracture site. We used the transcaruncular approach in 36 cases of 35 patients for reconstruction of the medial orbital wall fracture. The incision was made at the junction of the medial 3/4 and lateral 1/4 of the caruncle, and extended along the conjunctival fornix superiorly and inferiorly to or beyond both puncta for 10 - 15 mm long respectively. After soft tissue was dissected, periosteum was incised at the posterior to the posterior lacrimal crest. Implants up to a height of 2.5 cm could be inserted.The diplopia was resolved in all cases after the surgery, and enophthalmos measured 0 to 2 mm in all patients. Postoperative computed tomographic scans showed favorable reduction of the herniated soft tissues and anatomic reduction of the medial wall without complication related to the surgical approach in all cases. Transcaruncular approach is a better alternative to transcutaneous incisions because it provides wide exposure of the medial orbital wall, no visible cutaneous scar, short operation time, and no damage of important internal structures.
Cicatrix ; Diplopia ; Enophthalmos ; Humans ; Orbit* ; Periosteum