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Αλέξανδρος Γ. Σφακιανάκης

Monday, March 14, 2022

Skin-sparing mastectomy and mastopexy: A safe 'one step' option with immediate DIEP flap and simultaneous Nipple areola complex reconstruction

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J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2022 Feb 26:S1748-6815(22)00104-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bjps.2022.02.035. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:35279420 | DOI:10.1016/j.bjps.2022.02.035

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Infections after mastectomy and tissue expander placement: A multivariate regression analysis

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J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2022 Jan 31:S1748-6815(22)00063-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bjps.2022.01.050. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: While breast surgery is considered a clean case, tissue expander-based breast reconstruction (TE-BR) has infection rates quoted up to 31%, decidedly higher than the typical 1% to 2% rate of surgical site infections. Through multivariate regression, we sought to analyze risk factors that contribute to infections following TE placement.

METHODS: A retrospective study reviewed all patients undergoing mastectomy with immediate or delayed TE placement over a 22-month period. Infections were defined as clinically documented cellulitis or infection, return to the operating room (RTOR) for suspected infection, or positive operative or seroma cultures.

RESULTS: A total of 311 patients underwent mastectomy and TE placement to 490 breasts. 13.5% of breasts developed an infection prior to second stage reconstruction. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that patients who developed infections were older (52.8 vs. 47.6 years, OR 1.04, p = 0.02), had higher rates of full-thickness necrosis (24.6% vs. 3.6%, OR 6.64, p<0.01), had higher rates of seromas requiring drainage (33.3% vs. 11.5%, OR 2.79, p<0.01), and had longer periods of drain therapy (24.9 vs. 21.0 days, OR 1.04, p = 0.04). Logistic regression established that longer discharge antibiotic length was not protective against the development of infection.

CONCLUSION: Patients were more likely to develop an infection as the length of surgical drain retention increased, patient age increased, or if they developed seromas and full-thickness necrosis. Longer post-operative antibiotics were not protective against the development of infection in this sample. Prospective studies are needed to assess how antibiotic lengths can affect the morbidity of patients undergoing TE-BR.

PMID:35279422 | DOI:10.1016/j.bjps.2022.01.050

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Repair of postoperative and recurrent nasal septal perforations using L-strut overlay flap

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Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2022 Mar 13. doi: 10.1007/s00405-022-07332-8. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Despite the many described techniques, surgical repair of iatrogenic nasal septal perforations is still challenging. The authors present a novel technique for endoscopic closure of postoperative and recurrent nasal septal perforations.

METHOD: The technique is based on the elevation of a vascularized flap from the L-strut area and the creation of the bed site without dissection of the surrounding septum. Seven patients were operated using "L-strut overlay" flap from June 2018 to October 2020. All patients had their perforations closed 12 months after surgery.

CONCLUSION: Early results of our surgical technique have proven its simplicity and high effectiveness.

PMID:35279737 | DOI:10.1007/s00405-022-07332-8

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Efficacy of systematic voice training combined with swallowing function exercises for the prevention of swallowing dysfunction in stroke patients: a retrospective study

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Ann Transl Med. 2022 Feb;10(4):195. doi: 10.21037/atm-22-101.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Stroke is a common clinical brain disease, and swallowing dysfunction is one of the most common complications in stroke patients. Despite multiple treatments for swallowing dysfunction, it often leads to a series of complications. Interventions such as systematic voice training and swallowing function exercises have emerged in recent years, but their effectiveness remains unclear. Therefore, this stu dy was conducted to investigate the effect of systematic voice training combined with swallowing function exercise for the prevention of swallowing dysfunction and improving the quality of life of stroke patients.

METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 90 stroke patients admitted to Baotou Central Hospital from October 2018 to October 2021 as study subjects, and divided the patients into a combined voice training group (n=45) and a single swallowing exercise group (n=45) according to the interventions. The single swallowing exercise group received routine swallowing function exercise, and the combined voice training group used systematic voice training combined with swallowing function exercise. The incidence of swallowing dysfunction, malnutrition, aspiration pneumonia, and exercise compliance rate were compared between the two groups, and the quality of life of the two groups was evaluated by the Generic Quality of Life Inventory 74 (GQOLI-74) before and after the intervention s, respectively.

RESULTS: The incidence of swallowing dysfunction, aspiration pneumonia, and malnutrition were lower in the combined voice training group than in the single swallowing exercise group (P<0.05), and there was no statistically significant difference in the exercise compliance rate between the two groups. The combined voice training group had higher psychological dimensions, physical dimensions, social adaptation, and total quality of life scores than the single swallowing exercise group (all P<0.05). Compared with the conventional intervention group, the combined voice training group had higher patient satisfaction (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Systematic voice training combined with swallowing function exercise can effectively prevent the occurrence of swallowing dysfunction and improve the quality of life of patients with stroke.

PMID:35280372 | PMC:PMC8908138 | DOI:10.21037/atm-22-101

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Use of Polysomnography and CPAP in Children Who Received Adenotonsillectomy, US 2004 to 2018

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Objectives

1) To determine the prevalence polysomnogram (PSG) and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy use in children who received adenotonsillectomy (AT) for sleep symptoms. 2) To identify health care disparities in these regards.

Study Design

Retrospective database analysis.

Methods

This study used data from Optum (Health Services Innovation Company) to identify 92,490 children who received AT for sleep symptoms between 2004 and 2018. Prevalence of preoperative PSG and postoperative PSG and CPAP were described. Clinical and demographic characteristics were compared between children who had preoperative PSG and those who did not. Characteristics of children with trisomy 21 (T21) were compared to assess PSG and CPAP use in a high-risk cohort. Predictive modeling was used to identify patient characteristics associated with postoperative PSG and CPAP use.

Results

Preoperative PSG was obtained in 5.5% of children overall and 33.2% of children with T21. Male sex, obesity, other medical comorbidities, non-White race/ethnicity, and higher parent education were associated with preoperative PSG. Fewer than 3% of children received postoperative PSGs and approximately 3% went on to receive CPAP therapy postoperatively. Multiple logistic regression showed that age at surgery, male sex, obesity, other medical comorbidities, non-White race/ethnicity, and higher parent education were associated with postoperative PSG and CPAP use.

Conclusions and Relevance

This study described the prevalence pre-AT PSG use and post-AT PSG and CPAP use for persistent symptoms and identified sleep health care disparities in these regards. These results show that increased, equitable access to PSG is needed in children, particularly in the workup and treatment persistent symptoms after AT.

Level of Evidence

4 Laryngoscope, 2022

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Omaveloxolone attenuates squamous cell carcinoma growth and disease severity in an Epidermolysis Bullosa mouse model

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Abstract

Patients with Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) are susceptible to development of squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) at sites of chronic inflammation and fibrosis. While triterpenoids such as RTA 408 (Omaveloxolone) have been shown to reduce inflammation and inhibit tumor growth in various cancer models, the utility of this class of drugs in the treatment of SCC has not been investigated. Given the dual anti-inflammatory and anti-neoplastic properties of triterpenoids, we hypothesized RTA 408 would be an effective treatment for SCCs that arise in the chronic inflammatory setting in EB. We tested the effects of topical RTA 408 on a mouse model of non-Herlitz, junctional EB. RTA 408 significantly reduced phenotypic severity in the affected ears of Lamc2jeb mice. In cultures, RTA 408 reduced cell viability in EB-associated SCC cell lines and normal human epidermal keratinocytes. When administered in vivo, RTA 408 inhibited SCC tumor growth in mice without cutaneous or systemic tox icity. These results suggest that RTA 408 can be a promising new therapy to reduce inflammation and inhibit SCC growth in patients with EB.

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Documenting the histologic response of metastatic melanoma to combination therapy with BRAF and MEK inhibitors

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imageNo abstract available
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Chemosaturation with percutaneous hepatic perfusion of melphalan for metastatic uveal melanoma

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imageUveal melanoma, the most common primary ocular malignancy in adults, carries a poor prognosis: 50% of patients develop the metastatic disease with a 10–25% 1-year survival and no established standard of care treatment. Prior studies of melphalan percutaneous hepatic perfusion (M-PHP) have shown promise in metastatic uveal melanoma (mUM) patients with liver predominant disease but are limited by small sample sizes. We contribute our findings on the safety and efficacy of the procedure in the largest sample population to date. A retrospective analysis of outcome and safety data for all mUM patients receiving M-PHP was perfor med. Tumour response and treatment toxicity were evaluated using RECIST 1.1 and Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v5.03, respectively. 250 M-PHP procedures were performed in 81 patients (median of three per patient). The analysis demonstrated a hepatic disease control rate of 88.9% (72/81), a hepatic response rate of 66.7% (54/81), and an overall response rate of 60.5% (49/81). After a median follow-up of 12.9 months, median overall progression-free (PFS) and median overall survival (OS) were 8.4 and 14.9 months, respectively. There were no fatal treatment-related adverse events (TRAE). Forty-three grade 3 (29) or 4 (14) TRAE occurred in 23 (27.7%) patients with a significant reduction in such events between procedures performed in 2016–2020 vs. 2012–2016 (0.17 vs. 0.90 per patient, P
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Recombinant human Hsp110-gp100 chaperone complex vaccine is nontoxic and induces response in advanced stage melanoma patients

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imageHeat shock proteins (hsp) are intracellular chaperones that possess extracellular immunostimulatory properties when complexed with antigens. A recombinant Hsp110-gp100 chaperone complex vaccine showed an antitumor response and prolonged survival in murine melanoma. A phase Ib dose-escalation study of a recombinant human Hsp110-gp100 vaccine in advanced-stage melanoma patients was performed to evaluate toxicity, immunostimulatory potential and clinical response. Patients with pretreated, unresectable stage IIIB/C/IV melanoma received the chaperone complex vaccine in a dose-escalation protocol; three vaccinations over a 43-day-period. Tumor response, clinical toxicity and immune response were measured. Ten patients (eight female, median age 70 years) were enrolled and two patients had grade 1 adverse events; minor skin rash, hyperhidrosis and fever (no grade 2 or higher adverse events). Median progression-free survival was longer for lower vaccine doses as compared to the maximum dose of 180 mcg (4.5 vs. 2.9 months; P = 0.018). The lowest dose patients (30 and 60 mcg) had clinical tumor responses (one partial response, one stable disease). CD8+ T cell interferon-γ responses to gp100 were greater in the clinically responding patients. A pattern of B cell responses to vaccination was not observed. Regulatory T cell populations and co-stimulatory molecules including cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 and PD-1 appeared to differ in responders versus nonresponders. A fully recombinant human Hsp110-gp100 chaperone complex vaccine had minimal toxicity, measurable tumor responses at lower doses and produced peripheral CD8+ T cell activation in patients with advanced, pretreated melanoma. Combination with currently available immunotherapies may augment clinical responses.
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Real-world frequency of BRAF testing and utilization of therapies in patients with advanced melanoma

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imageBoth BRAF/MEK targeted agents and immunotherapy are approved for the treatment of advanced melanoma. BRAF testing is recommended at the time of advanced melanoma diagnosis. In addition, little is known regarding the treatment trends for patients with BRAF mutated tumors. This investigation aims to assess the real-world prevalence of molecular testing and treatment trends for patients with BRAF mutated tumors. Using a de-identified database, patients of age ≥18 years with advanced melanoma from 2013 to 2018 were examined. Molecular testing performed within 3 months of advanced diagnosis was considered to have the test pe rformed at the time of diagnosis. Test prevalence was calculated and compared in groups stratified by the patient, tumor and treatment factors. In total 4459 patients were included; 1936 (43.4%) stage III, 1191 (26.7%) stage IV and 1332 (29.9%) recurrent. Totally 50.4% of patients received systemic treatment; 76.4% stage IV, 71% recurrent patients and 26.7% stage III patients. However, 73.5% received first-line immunotherapy. In total 73.8% of patients had molecular testing, and 50.5% had tested at the time of advanced diagnosis. Of those tested 42% had a BRAF mutated tumor. In total 48% of these patients received first-line immunotherapy whereas 43% received a BRAF inhibitor, with increasing immunotherapy use seen over time. The majority of patients with advanced melanoma undergo molecular testing at the time of advanced diagnosis. Immunotherapy is the most commonly prescribed treatment regardless of BRAF mutational status. These results provide real-world data on the frequency of molecular testing and treatment trends for patients with advanced melanoma.
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Risk factors for second primary malignancies following thyroid cancer: a nationwide cohort study

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Eur J Endocrinol. 2022 Mar 1:EJE-21-1208. doi: 10.1530/EJE-21-1208. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Thyroid cancer survivors have a high risk of second primary malignancies (SPMs). We aimed to evaluate the site-specific incidence, prognosis, and risk factors for metachronous SPMs following thyroid cancer.

DESIGN: A nationwide cohort study Methods: This study included data from the Korea National Health Insurance Service (between 2002 and 2018). Exposure to diagnost ic radiation was defined by the number of computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography-CT scans after the index date. A cumulative radioactive iodine (RAI) dose >100 mCi was considered high-dose RAI.

RESULTS: During the median six years of follow-up, among 291,640 patients, 13,083 (4·5%) developed SPMs. Thyroid cancer survivors had a 26% increased risk of SPMs compared with the general population (SIR, 1·26; 95% CI, 1·22-1·29). Furthermore, those with SPMs had a significantly poorer survival rate than those without SPMs (HR, 11·85; 95% CI, 11·21-12·54; p<0·001). Significantly elevated risks were observed in myeloid leukemia and 13 solid cancer sites: lip, salivary gland, small intestine, larynx, lung, mediastinum and pleura, mesothelium, breast, corpus uteri, ovary, prostate, kidney, and bladder. Frequent diagnostic medical radiation exposure and high-dose RAI therapy were independent risk factors for several SPMs, including the cancer of salivary gl and, lung, mediastinum and pleura, breast, kidney, and bladder, as well as myeloid leukemia.

CONCLUSIONS: Frequent diagnostic radiation exposure and high-dose RAI therapy are independent risk factors for SPM following thyroid cancer. Clinicians need to consider for minimizing unnecessary diagnostic radiation exposure and administering a high dose RAI only when justified in patients with thyroid cancer.

PMID:35286279 | DOI:10.1530/EJE-21-1208

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