Objective:To investigate the application and efficacy of personalized expander placement in the single expanded flap auricular reconstruction for microtia.Methods:This study was a prospective cohort study that included patients with microtia who underwent single expanded flap auricular reconstruction in the Plastic Surgery Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences between February 2023 and March 2024, according to specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. During the first-stage surgery, the tension and thickness of the skin in the postauricular area were evaluated using a pinch test. The anatomical layer of the expander placement was personalized as follows: (1) for thicker skin, the expander was placed in the subcutaneous layer; (2) for thinner skin, the expander was placed in the subcutaneous layer in the scalp region and in the subfascial layer in the hairless region behind the ear; (3) for areas of thin skin behind the residual ear, the expander was placed in the subfascial layer, with the remainder in the subcutaneous layer. In the second-stage surgery, autologous costal cartilage scaffolds were implanted for ear reconstruction, followed by a third-stage revision surgery. Postoperative follow-up was conducted to record complications. Before the third-stage surgery, two plastic surgeons, who did not participate in the operations, evaluated the aesthetic outcomes of the reconstructed ear using the Likert 4-point scale (1-4 points, with higher scores indicating better aesthetic outcomes).Results:A total of 152 children were included, with 97 males and 55 females; ages ranged from 5 to 13 years old, with a mean age of 6.8 years old. Of these, 89 cases were right-sided microtia, 53 left-sided microtia, and 10 bilateral microtia. In terms of skin characteristics, 35 cases had thick skin, 69 thin skin, and 48 thin skin behind the residual ear. During the first-stage surgery, complications included 15 cases of expander hematoma and 3 cases of expander infection. Both were controlled with symptomatic treatment. No cases of expander exposure occurred. The second-stage follow-up ranged from 6 to 12 months, with a mean of 7.9 months. The thickness of the reconstructed ear skin was appropriate, with well-defined subunits and no exposure of the cartilage scaffold. The aesthetic score for the reconstructed ear was (3.3 ± 0.5) points.Conclusion:The personalized placement of expanders effectively ensured appropriate thickness of the expanded flap in single expanded flap auricular reconstruction, providing good coverage for the rib cartilage framework and significantly enhancing the aesthetic outcomes of the reconstructed ears.

Objective:To summarize the characteristics and treatment strategies of tissue expander infections in auricular reconstruction using tissue expansion, providing references for the prevention and treatment of expander infections.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the data of patients who underwent auricular reconstruction using tissue expansion from January 2018 to January 2024 in the Plastic Surgery Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Patients meeting the inclusion criteria were included in the study. The causes of expander infections were summarized. Infections were categorized based on time periods (perioperative, inflation period, skin expansion period) and severity (mild, severe). The management and healing outcomes of different types of expander infections were recorded and their incidence rates were calculated. Descriptive statistical method were employed for analysis.Results:A total of 39 patients were included, with 25 males (64.1%) and 14 females (35.9%). The age was (8.2 ±1.9) years (range 5-13 years). Regarding infection causes, folliculitis of the expanded flap was noted in 9 cases (23.1%), inflation procedures in 10 cases (25.6%), insect bites in 2 cases (5.1%), and no obvious cause in 18 cases (46.2%). Perioperative infections occurred in 3 cases (7.7%), inflation period infections in 30 cases (76.9%), and skin expansion period infections in 6 cases (15.4%). Mild infections were present in 21 cases (53.8%) and severe infections in 18 cases (46.2%). After successful treatment of expander infections, 34 patients (87.2%) completed the second stage of reconstruction, while the remaining 5 cases(12.8%) had the expander removed and received ear reconstruction six months later.Conclusion:Infections of expanders during auricular reconstruction using tissue expansion are more common during the inflation period. Early management of potential causes of expander infections can reduce the risk of infection.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical outcomes of applying an enhanced workflow in robotic-assisted total hip revision arthroplasty.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the 25 consecutive patients who had undergone robotic-assisted total hip revision arthroplasty in which an enhanced workflow was applied at Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital from September 2021 to October 2024. The cohort consisted of 8 males and 17 females with an age of (64.0±12.8) years. The left side was affected in 18 cases and the right side in 7 cases. The time from initial total hip arthroplasty to revision was (159.6±86.7) months. In all patients, no significant difference was found in the preoperative femoral cortical thickness between the healthy and the affected sides. The enhanced workflow included preoperative CT modeling and planning, intraoperative registration, prosthetic removal and reconstruction, and verification of prosthesis position. A total of 18 patients underwent total hip revision involving both the acetabular and the femoral sides; 6 patients underwent simple acetabular reconstruction with retention of the original femoral stem and replacement of the femoral head; 1 patient underwent femoral revision with retention of the acetabular cup and replacement of the acetabular liner. The operative time, intraoperative blood loss, modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) and visual analogue scale (VAS) for hip pain at the final follow-up, and follow-up complications were recorded.Results:All patients successfully completed robotic registration during surgery, with no case of intraoperative robotic termination. For the 25 patients, the operative time was (152.2±43.8) minutes, the intraoperative blood loss 600 (400, 1,000) mL, and the follow-up time 12.0 (6.0, 31.5) months. At the final follow-up, their mHHS improved from 66.0 (26.4, 75.6) points preoperatively to 93.5 (80.3, 98.9) points, and their VAS pain score decreased from 5.0 (3.0, 7.0) points preoperatively to 0.0 (0.0, 2.0) point ( P<0.05). Follow-ups revealed no case of reoperation, prosthetic loosening, joint dislocation, periprosthetic infection, or periprosthetic fracture. Conclusion:The enhanced workflow can achieve satisfactory outcomes in robotic-assisted total hip revision for patients with adequate proximal femoral bone stock.

Objective:To summarize the characteristics and treatment strategies of tissue expander infections in auricular reconstruction using tissue expansion, providing references for the prevention and treatment of expander infections.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the data of patients who underwent auricular reconstruction using tissue expansion from January 2018 to January 2024 in the Plastic Surgery Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Patients meeting the inclusion criteria were included in the study. The causes of expander infections were summarized. Infections were categorized based on time periods (perioperative, inflation period, skin expansion period) and severity (mild, severe). The management and healing outcomes of different types of expander infections were recorded and their incidence rates were calculated. Descriptive statistical method were employed for analysis.Results:A total of 39 patients were included, with 25 males (64.1%) and 14 females (35.9%). The age was (8.2 ±1.9) years (range 5-13 years). Regarding infection causes, folliculitis of the expanded flap was noted in 9 cases (23.1%), inflation procedures in 10 cases (25.6%), insect bites in 2 cases (5.1%), and no obvious cause in 18 cases (46.2%). Perioperative infections occurred in 3 cases (7.7%), inflation period infections in 30 cases (76.9%), and skin expansion period infections in 6 cases (15.4%). Mild infections were present in 21 cases (53.8%) and severe infections in 18 cases (46.2%). After successful treatment of expander infections, 34 patients (87.2%) completed the second stage of reconstruction, while the remaining 5 cases(12.8%) had the expander removed and received ear reconstruction six months later.Conclusion:Infections of expanders during auricular reconstruction using tissue expansion are more common during the inflation period. Early management of potential causes of expander infections can reduce the risk of infection.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical outcomes of applying an enhanced workflow in robotic-assisted total hip revision arthroplasty.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the 25 consecutive patients who had undergone robotic-assisted total hip revision arthroplasty in which an enhanced workflow was applied at Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital from September 2021 to October 2024. The cohort consisted of 8 males and 17 females with an age of (64.0±12.8) years. The left side was affected in 18 cases and the right side in 7 cases. The time from initial total hip arthroplasty to revision was (159.6±86.7) months. In all patients, no significant difference was found in the preoperative femoral cortical thickness between the healthy and the affected sides. The enhanced workflow included preoperative CT modeling and planning, intraoperative registration, prosthetic removal and reconstruction, and verification of prosthesis position. A total of 18 patients underwent total hip revision involving both the acetabular and the femoral sides; 6 patients underwent simple acetabular reconstruction with retention of the original femoral stem and replacement of the femoral head; 1 patient underwent femoral revision with retention of the acetabular cup and replacement of the acetabular liner. The operative time, intraoperative blood loss, modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) and visual analogue scale (VAS) for hip pain at the final follow-up, and follow-up complications were recorded.Results:All patients successfully completed robotic registration during surgery, with no case of intraoperative robotic termination. For the 25 patients, the operative time was (152.2±43.8) minutes, the intraoperative blood loss 600 (400, 1,000) mL, and the follow-up time 12.0 (6.0, 31.5) months. At the final follow-up, their mHHS improved from 66.0 (26.4, 75.6) points preoperatively to 93.5 (80.3, 98.9) points, and their VAS pain score decreased from 5.0 (3.0, 7.0) points preoperatively to 0.0 (0.0, 2.0) point ( P<0.05). Follow-ups revealed no case of reoperation, prosthetic loosening, joint dislocation, periprosthetic infection, or periprosthetic fracture. Conclusion:The enhanced workflow can achieve satisfactory outcomes in robotic-assisted total hip revision for patients with adequate proximal femoral bone stock.

Objective:To investigate the application and efficacy of personalized expander placement in the single expanded flap auricular reconstruction for microtia.Methods:This study was a prospective cohort study that included patients with microtia who underwent single expanded flap auricular reconstruction in the Plastic Surgery Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences between February 2023 and March 2024, according to specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. During the first-stage surgery, the tension and thickness of the skin in the postauricular area were evaluated using a pinch test. The anatomical layer of the expander placement was personalized as follows: (1) for thicker skin, the expander was placed in the subcutaneous layer; (2) for thinner skin, the expander was placed in the subcutaneous layer in the scalp region and in the subfascial layer in the hairless region behind the ear; (3) for areas of thin skin behind the residual ear, the expander was placed in the subfascial layer, with the remainder in the subcutaneous layer. In the second-stage surgery, autologous costal cartilage scaffolds were implanted for ear reconstruction, followed by a third-stage revision surgery. Postoperative follow-up was conducted to record complications. Before the third-stage surgery, two plastic surgeons, who did not participate in the operations, evaluated the aesthetic outcomes of the reconstructed ear using the Likert 4-point scale (1-4 points, with higher scores indicating better aesthetic outcomes).Results:A total of 152 children were included, with 97 males and 55 females; ages ranged from 5 to 13 years old, with a mean age of 6.8 years old. Of these, 89 cases were right-sided microtia, 53 left-sided microtia, and 10 bilateral microtia. In terms of skin characteristics, 35 cases had thick skin, 69 thin skin, and 48 thin skin behind the residual ear. During the first-stage surgery, complications included 15 cases of expander hematoma and 3 cases of expander infection. Both were controlled with symptomatic treatment. No cases of expander exposure occurred. The second-stage follow-up ranged from 6 to 12 months, with a mean of 7.9 months. The thickness of the reconstructed ear skin was appropriate, with well-defined subunits and no exposure of the cartilage scaffold. The aesthetic score for the reconstructed ear was (3.3 ± 0.5) points.Conclusion:The personalized placement of expanders effectively ensured appropriate thickness of the expanded flap in single expanded flap auricular reconstruction, providing good coverage for the rib cartilage framework and significantly enhancing the aesthetic outcomes of the reconstructed ears.

Objective:To evaluate the effectiveness of Z-plasty combined with auricular cartilage grafting in the correction of cryptotia.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of cryptotia patients who underwent Z-plasty combined with auricular cartilage grafting at the Department of Ear Reconstruction, Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, from January 2020 to December 2023. The surgery consisted of five steps: design of the Z-plasty flap, harvesting of auricular cartilage from the conchal cavity, dissection and reshaping of the auricular cartilage, transplantation of auricular cartilage, and skin coverage with flap transfer. Early and late complications were recorded according to postoperative follow-up, and the external ear morphology was evaluated by both plastic surgeons and the patients’ guardians using a Likert 4-point scale (the higher the score, the better the auricular morphology). Normally distributed data were presented as Mean±SD.Results:A total of 32 patients were included in the study, comprising 23 males and 9 females, aged 5 to 14 years, with an average age of 7.3 years. Two children were lost to follow-up, and 30 completed long-term follow-up, with follow-up periods ranging from 6 to 24 months, averaging 9.3 months. Early complications included hematoma in 2 cases [6.3%(2/32)] and flap vascular compromise in 1 case[3.1%(1/32)]. Late complications primarily involved hypertrophic scars in 2 cases[6.7%(2/30)], with no recurrence of deformity. After the operation, the cranioauricular sulcus on the upper pole of the auricle were significantly deepened, and the patients could wear masks and glasses. The average score for the external ear morphology was 3.5±0.5 by plastic surgeons and 3.5±0.5 by patients.Conclusion:Z-plasty combined with auricular cartilage grafting provides satisfactory result in the correction of cryptotia, with few postoperative complications and high patient satisfaction, making it suitable for the treatment of cryptotia.

Objective:To evaluate the effectiveness of Z-plasty combined with auricular cartilage grafting in the correction of cryptotia.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of cryptotia patients who underwent Z-plasty combined with auricular cartilage grafting at the Department of Ear Reconstruction, Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, from January 2020 to December 2023. The surgery consisted of five steps: design of the Z-plasty flap, harvesting of auricular cartilage from the conchal cavity, dissection and reshaping of the auricular cartilage, transplantation of auricular cartilage, and skin coverage with flap transfer. Early and late complications were recorded according to postoperative follow-up, and the external ear morphology was evaluated by both plastic surgeons and the patients’ guardians using a Likert 4-point scale (the higher the score, the better the auricular morphology). Normally distributed data were presented as Mean±SD.Results:A total of 32 patients were included in the study, comprising 23 males and 9 females, aged 5 to 14 years, with an average age of 7.3 years. Two children were lost to follow-up, and 30 completed long-term follow-up, with follow-up periods ranging from 6 to 24 months, averaging 9.3 months. Early complications included hematoma in 2 cases [6.3%(2/32)] and flap vascular compromise in 1 case[3.1%(1/32)]. Late complications primarily involved hypertrophic scars in 2 cases[6.7%(2/30)], with no recurrence of deformity. After the operation, the cranioauricular sulcus on the upper pole of the auricle were significantly deepened, and the patients could wear masks and glasses. The average score for the external ear morphology was 3.5±0.5 by plastic surgeons and 3.5±0.5 by patients.Conclusion:Z-plasty combined with auricular cartilage grafting provides satisfactory result in the correction of cryptotia, with few postoperative complications and high patient satisfaction, making it suitable for the treatment of cryptotia.

Purpose: Through meta-analysis, we aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of drug-coated balloons (DCB), compared with drugeluting stents (DES) or uncoated devices, in the treatment of de novo coronary lesions. Materials and Methods: Only randomized controlled trials were included. The primary outcomes were late lumen loss (LLL), target lesion revascularization (TLR), and major adverse cardiac events (MACEs). Subgroup analyses were conducted based on clinical indications, whether DCBs were used with a systematic or bailout stent, and types of DESs. Results: The present meta-analysis demonstrated that DCBs elicit significantly lower incidences of TLR, MACE, and LLL, compared with uncoated devices, and similar incidences, compared with DESs, in the treatment of de novo coronary lesions. Subgroup analysis indicated that DCBs used with a bailout stent achieved lower incidences of binary restenosis and myocardial infarction, compared with uncoated devices, and provided less LLL than DESs. DCBs showed similar rates of TLR and MACE, with significantly less LLL, than DESs in treating de novo small-vessel diseases. The clinical efficacy of DCBs was similar to that of secondgeneration DES. Conclusion Overall, DCB is favored over bare metal stent alone in treating de novo coronary lesions. DCBs appear to be a promising alternative to DESs in the treatment of de novo coronary lesions.

Objective:To report our experience of treating open comminuted limb fractures caused by gunshots using the Masquelet technique.Methods:Between January 2016 and July 2018, 3 patients were admitted to Institute of Orthopedics, 920 Hospital of Joint Logistic Service of People's Liberation Army for open comminuted limb fractures caused by gunshots.They were all male, aged from 18 to 41 years (average, 30.7 years).Their fractures were complicated with perforating wounds and belonged to Gustilo type ⅢB for open fractures.The bone defects were 5 to 9 cm in length (average, 6.7 cm), located at the proximal femur in 2 cases and at the upper middle humerus in one.They were treated by standard Masquelet technique at 2 stages.The postoperative functions of the hip, knee and shoulder were evaluated according to the Harris hip score, Lowa knee score and Constant-Murley shoulder function score.Results:The 3 patients obtained an average follow-up of 17.3 months.The bone defects were all repaired in the 3 patients without any signs of infection.The 2 patients with femoral defects were rated as both excellent by the Harris hip score, as excellent in one and as good in the other by the Lowa knee score; the patient with humeral defects was rated as excellent by the Constant-Murley shoulder function score.Conclusion:Masquelet technique is a desirable treat-ment of segmental long bone defects caused by gunshots.