Journal Reviews
Harvesting the flexor hallucis longus what is the increased morbidity
The free fibula flap and its variations are now widely used in various clinical applications for microvascular reconstructions. Occasionally and to add bulk the flexor hallucis longus (FHL) muscle is harvested along with the fibula. Additionally, the postoperative morbidity is...
Lipofilling for scar improvement
Since Coleman et al. in 1991 reported on lipofilling, numerous applications have been reported; these include but are not limited to contour restoration, lip augmentation and wrinkle therapy. There have also been some one-off reports of improvements in scars following...
Fat grafting as therapy for Raynaud’s
The authors have adapted the technique of lipo-filling, previously described for rejuvenation of the hand, to achieve symptom reduction in patients with primary and secondary Raynaud’s that had previously failed to respond to medical treatments. The majority of the subjects...
Is sclerotherapy useful for cherry angiomas?
Cherry angiomas are common, often proving to be an irritation for patients as they tend to be deemed cosmetically unattractive, particularly if large numbers start to develop. This is a common condition I see at my clinic so I am...
Ethnic characteristics of the hair
The authors of this article discuss various aspects of ethnic differences in the field of hair restoration. They categorise three ethnic groups: Asian, White and African. In the article anatomic and hair characteristics are introduced. Understanding the follicle shape, calibre...
Coupler microvascular anastomoses: how good?
This is a paper written by a group of reconstructive surgeons and school of computing. This study used computational fluid dynamics to model blood flow through ‘idealised sutured and coupled’ vessels. They investigate if the anastomotic technique affects intra vascular...
USA resident working patterns and on-call
As debate rages at home regarding the uneasy relationship between the restriction on trainees’ working hours, on-call patterns and the goals and outcomes of plastic surgery training programmes, it is interesting to read of similar concerns across the Atlantic. This...
Simplification measure for costal cartilage grafting
The scalpel is currently the instrument used by most surgeons for carving costal cartilage grafts. However, this method is time consuming, requires a high degree of skill, and is far from ideal for reproducibly attaining uniform slices, even in expert...
The supraclavicular artery flap for head and neck reconstruction
Free tissue transfer has been manifested to be the primary reconstructive tool for major ablative defects of the head and neck. However, many patients are not good candidates for free tissue transfer because of their medical comorbidities or lack of...
Traumatic split earlobe repair using double triangular skin flaps
Split earlobes are a common secondary deformity of the ear. Numerous techniques have been described to repair a traumatic split earlobe and break the linear scar. However, most of the techniques require elevation of additional flaps from normal surrounding tissue...
The many uses of human amnion
Human amnion has been the focus of myth and superstition. To be born with the ‘caul’ intact was considered lucky and this was transferable, including legitimate selling e.g. caul amulets. In 1910 foetal membranes were first used for transplantation and...
Social media usage by UK plastic surgeons
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, RealSelf, YouTube and Research gate are used by British plastic surgeons, as well as website ownership. Sixty-two percent of plastic surgeons had websites (some shared) – a rise from 36% in 2011. The message is directed to...
