• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.59-63
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• 2022

The latissimus dorsi flap has high vascularity and is helpful for the reconstruction of infected areas. Herein, we present a patient with recurrent infections and soft-tissue defects who underwent cranial reconstruction using a free latissimus dorsi flap. The patient had undergone craniectomy and reconstruction using alloplastic bone 18 years previously. A scalp defect accompanied by infection occurred five years ago, and patient underwent reconstruction using a free flap at another hospital; however, the problem persisted. After debridement and bone flap removal, the right latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap was elevated, and the thoracodorsal artery and vein were anastomosed end-to-end to the right superficial temporal artery and vein. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was eradicated, and the flap survived. Cranioplasty was performed eight months later, and one year follow-up proceeded without complications. Effective reconstruction and cranioplasty are possible using the free latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap, even on scalp with persistent infections and soft-tissue defects.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.289-292
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• 2010

Purpose: Mycobacterium abscessus belongs to the group of rapid-growing atypical mycobacterium. The organism is ubiquitous and is found in soil, dust, and water. Although it rarely causes disease in humans, Mycobacterium abscessus has been associated with soft tissue infection. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of facial soft tissue Mycobacterium abscessus infection in a healthy child in Korea. Methods: A 12-year-old girl presented with an erythematous skin lesion with serous discharge on her chin, which had been present for 3 weeks. On her history, she had a laceration wound on her chin at public bath and the lesion was repaired at emergency department immediately. Although conventional soft tissue infecton treatment, her lesion remains unhealed state and had serous discharge for 2 months. Moreover, we found a 1 cm sized nodular mass on her chin. Therefore we performed excision operation and referred the specimen to the laboratory for microbial and histopathologic study. Results: Pathology report confirmed the mass was enlarged lymph node with chronic necrotizing granulomatous inflammation with central microabscess. Non-Tuberculous mycobacterium identification test through tissue specimen resulted Mycobacterium abscessus. We prescribed clarithromycin for three weeks by oral administration as well as performed wound debridement and mass excision via previous wound. This way, her lesion appeared to be complete healing with minimal scarring. There were no evidence of inflammation sign or palpable mass. Conclusion: Although the prevalence is rare, Mycobacterium abscessus infections of soft tissue should be considered even in a healthy child with a lesion caused by trauma or which fails to respond to conventional treatment.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.759-767
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• 2014

Background Infection caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) has been increasing. Awareness of this infection is crucial yet problematic. Delayed management may lead to destructive results. We empirically treated a series of patients with clinical suspicion of NTM infection prior to the identification of the pathogen. Methods A total of 12 patients who developed surgical site infections between January 2011 and February 2014 were reviewed. Patients with a skin and subcutaneous infection resistant to standard management over two weeks, and previous history of aesthetic procedures within three months were regarded as highly suspected of having an NTM infection. A variety of diagnostic modalities were examined simultaneously, along with starting empirical treatment including a combination of clarithromycin and moxifloxacin, and surgical debridement. Results All wounds healed completely within 4 weeks. The mean follow-up duration was 7.2 months, and none of the patients developed relapse. Specific NTM pathogens were identified in six patients. Eight patients showed caseating granuloma implying an NTM infection. One patient showed an uncommon Stenotrophomonas infection, which was successfully treated. Three patients had no evidence of a pathogen despite repeated microbial tests. Complications such as scarring, pigmentation, and disfigurement were common in all the patients. Conclusions NTM should be considered in the differential diagnosis of an unusual skin and soft-tissue infection. We propose an empirical regimen of clarithromycin and moxifloxacin as an efficient treatment option for an NTM infection.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.212-216
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• 2019

Zygomaticomaxillary complex (ZMC) fractures account for a substantial proportion of trauma cases. The most frequent complications of maxillofacial fracture treatment are infections and soft tissue flap dehiscence. Postoperative infections nearly always resolve in response to oral antibiotics and local wound care. However, a significant infection can cause a permanent fistula. A 52-year-old man visited our clinic to treat an oroantral fistula (OAF), which was a late complication of a ZMC fracture. Postoperatively, the oral suture site dehisced, exposing the absorbable plate. However, he did not seek treatment. After 5 years, an OAF formed with a $2.0{\times}2.0cm$ bony defect on the left maxilla. We completely excised the OAF, harvested a piece of corticocancellous bone from the iliac crest, inserted the harvested bone into the defect, and covered the soft tissue defect with a buccal mucosal transposition flap. Although it is necessary to excise OAFs, the failure rate is higher for large OAFs (> 5 mm in diameter) because of the extensive defect in the underlying bone that supports the overlying flap. Inappropriate management of postoperative wounds after a ZMC fracture can lead to disastrous outcomes, as in this case. Therefore, proper postoperative treatment and follow-up are essential.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.681-688
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• 2024

The accurate and rapid detection of methicillin-resistance of Staphylococcus aureus (SA) holds significant clinical importance. However, the methicillin-resistance detection strategies commonly require complicated cell lysis and gene extraction. Herein, we devised a novel colorimetric approach for the sensitive and accurate identification of methicillin-resistance of SA by combining allosteric probe-based target recognition with self-primer elongation-based target recycling. The PBP2a aptamer in the allosteric probe successfully identified the target MRSA, leading to the initiation of self-primer elongation based-cascade signal amplification. The peroxidase-like hemin/G-quadruplex undergo an isothermal autonomous process that effectively catalyzes the oxidation of ABTS2- and produces a distinct blue color, enabling the visual identification of MRSA at low concentrations. The method offers a shorter duration for bacteria cultivation compared to traditional susceptibility testing methods, as well as simplified manual procedures for gene analysis. The overall amplification time for this test is 60 min, and it has a detection limit of 3 CFU/ml. In addition, the approach has exceptional selectivity and reproducibility, demonstrating commendable performance when tested with real samples. Due to its advantages, this colorimetric assay exhibits considerable potential for integration into a sensor kit, thereby offering a viable and convenient alternative for the prompt and on-site detection of MRSA in patients with skin and soft tissue infections.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.140-147
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• 2019

Purpose: Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs). This study aimed to determine the temporal trends in antibiotic susceptibility of S. aureus in SSTI patients aged <19 years. Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted in pediatric patients with SSTI caused by community-associated S. aureus. Microbiologic and demographic data were collected, and the trends of antibiotic susceptibility results were evaluated. Results: From January 2010 to December 2018, a total of 807 S. aureus isolates were included. An overall increase in susceptibility of isolates to oxacillin was noted (P<0.001), with 75.0% of isolates being oxacillin-susceptible in 2018. S. aureus remained highly susceptible to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline, with 97.6% and 95.2% isolate susceptibility in 2018, respectively. Isolates from younger children aged 1 to 5 years had a significantly lower rate of susceptibility to oxacillin than older children aged 6 to 18 years (53.4% vs. 75.0%, P<0.001). Conclusions: The proportion of methicillin-resistant S. aureus isolates appears to decrease in pediatric patients with community-associated SSTI caused by S. aureus. Clinicians should be aware of regional susceptibility patterns when choosing empirical regimens.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.57-60
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• 2005

A patient with actinomyces infection of the submandibular soft tissue was diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). A 38-year-old woman presented with a right submandibular mass which slowly grew in size over one month. Clinically and radiologically, the lesion was considered as tuberculous lymphadenitis or cellulitis. The polymerase chain reaction for tuberculosis was done by aspirated specimen but the result was negative. The smears of aspiration cytology showed characteristic colonies (sulfur granules) of actinomyces in inflammatory background. After antibiotic therapy for eight months, the patient has been well, showing no detectable mass. This patient was simply and rapidly diagnosed by FNAC and can avoid unnecessary surgical biopsy.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.123-129
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• 2004

Lower extremity injuries are frequently accompanied with large soft-tissue defects. Such Injuries are difficult to manage for its poor vascularity, rigid tissue distensibility, easy infectability and a relatively long healing period. Also, osteomyelitis, and/or non-union of the fractured bones are relatively common in lower extremity injuries and its weight-bearing role should be considered. Therefore, it is important to select appropriate reconstruction method of the lower extremities, which is applicable to a variety of surgical techniques according to these considerations. The goal of flap coverage in the lower extremity should not only be satisfactory wound coverage, but also acceptable appearance and minimal donor site morbidity. In this article, we have tried to establish a reconstruction method in the lower extremity based on our experiences and clinical analysis of soft tissue reconstruction using free muscle flap transfer in 27 cases from Jan. 2000 to Dec. 2002. The results showed 96% flap survival, and flap failure noted in one of the cases due to vascular insufficiency. In conclusion, we believe that in cases of lower extremity soft-tissue defects especially with open comminuted fractures and infections, muscle free flaps should be considered as the first line of treatment.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.343-351
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• 2023

Diabetic foot is one of the most devastating consequences of diabetes, resulting in amputation and possibly death. Therefore, early detection and vigorous treatment of infections in patients with diabetic foot are critical. This review seeks to provide guidelines for the therapy and rehabilitation of patients with moderate-to-severe diabetic foot. If a diabetic foot infection is suspected, bacterial cultures should be initially obtained. Numerous imaging studies can be used to identify diabetic foot, and recent research has shown that white blood cell single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography has comparable diagnostic specificity and sensitivity to magnetic resonance imaging. Surgery is performed when a diabetic foot ulcer is deep and is accompanied by bone and soft tissue infections. Patients should be taught preoperative rehabilitation before undergoing stressful surgery. During surgical procedures, it is critical to remove all necrotic tissue and drain the inflammatory area. It is critical to treat wounds with suitable dressings after surgery. Wet dressings promote the formation of granulation tissues and new blood vessels. Walking should begin as soon as the patient's general condition allows it, regardless of the wound status or prior walking capacity. Adequate treatment of comorbidities, including hypertension and dyslipidemia, and smoking cessation are necessary. Additionally, broad-spectrum antibiotics are required to treat diabetic foot infections.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 2021

Due to their rarity and the lack of associated dental symptoms, odontogenic cutaneous sinus tracts (OCSTs) are often misdiagnosed and confused with cutaneous lesions or non-odontogenic infections. It has been estimated that 50% of individuals affected by OCSTs are subjected to inappropriate treatments before the correct diagnosis is established. We describe the diagnosis and treatment of two cases of OCSTs. By using a computed tomography (CT) with soft tissue window setting, the extent of cortical bone destruction and the path of the sinus tract in the soft tissue was easily identified. Thus, we recommend the use of imaging techniques such as CT, which can confirm the odontogenic origin and the exact location of the OCST.