• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.461-466
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• 2005

Despite the major advances in the microvascular surgery with success rates of up to 98%, failure and vascular complications still remain even in the experienced hands. Failure of blood to flow across an anastomosis is usually caused by three factors: (1) Technical errors; (2) Undetected damage more proximally or via vasospasm; or (3) A clot or a thrombus. The success of a microvascular surgery depends on the severity of the vascular injury and, proper debridement of an injured vessel, and the failure rate of microvascular anastomosis in cases of trauma is higher as the thrombogenic possibility is increased by the endothelial damage. From January to November in 2003, 460 patients were underwent microvascular surgery(270 replantations and 190 free flap transfers) and re-operations were performed in 15 cases. Cases were reviewed by clinical and operative records. In these cases, causes of post-operative circulation insufficiency were identified as 9 vascular spasms and 6 thromboses at the previous anastomotic site. The average of re-operative success rate was 73%(60% in replantations and 100% in free flaps). In conclusion, through precise postoperative monitoring and assessment, immediate surgical re-exploration could be performed when a vascular complication is suspicious, the success rate of microvascular surgery would be increased more.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.615-618
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• 2008

Purpose: Pyoderma gangrenosum is a rare cutaneous ulcerative disease. First described in 1930, the condition is characterized by progressive ulceration with deeply undermined purple-red edge. The lower extremities are most commonly affected but other parts of the skin and mucous membranes may also be involved. Although medical treatments with topical wound therapy are commonly used, surgical intervention is still controversial. In this paper, we report an atypical case of pyoderma gangrenosum which was characterized by extensive soft tissue breakdown. Methods: A 27-year-old male patient was referred to our institution with a $7{\times}8cm$ sized deeply undermined ulceration with pus-like discharge and fever. Incision and drainage was performed at another clinic 3 days prior to admission to our institution. After a thorough physical examination and the MRI review, a diagnosis of necrotizing faciitis was made. Accordingly, fasciotomy and debridement was performed. However, the wound enlarged progressively and the patient remained highly febrile for 9 days after the treatment. Septic screening did not reveal any occult infection. After a secondary review of the case, the initial diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis was rejected and changed to pyoderma gangrenosum. With the use of dexamethasone intravenously, the wound improved dramatically and the fever was eliminated. Steroid mediation was tapered with duration of 1 month. The wound was stabilized and subsequently covered with split-thickness skin graft. Results: Split-thickness skin grafting with 1 : 1.5 mesh was successfully taken. Conclusion: Initial clinical features of pyoderma gangrenosum are very similar to that of necrotizing fasciitis. High fever and progressive ulceration with severe pain could invite earlier surgical approach. The advancing wound margins (the well defined violaceous, undermined border and necrotic ulcer base) and lack of isolation of pathogenic organism was used to make the correct diagnosis of pyoderma gangrenosum. We achieved a good result with proper medication and split-thickness skin graft.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2020

Purpose: Generally, the treatment of ankle trimalleolar open fractures is divided into two stages: external fixation and debridement; and secondary internal fixation. On the other hand, this two-stage operation takes considerable treatment time and is challenging in procedures requiring reduction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the radiologic and clinical results of an immediate one-stage internal fixation operation considering the wound conditions to overcome two stage operation disadvantages. Materials and Methods: From September 2009 to January 2018, 24 cases of ankle trimalleolar open fractures, who underwent immediate internal fixation and were followed up for at least one year, were studied retrospectively. The open wound was divided into the Gustilo-Anderson classification. Open reduction and internal fixation were performed on every medial and lateral malleolar fracture. On the other hand, with posterior malleolar fractures, surgical or conservative treatment was performed depending on the fragment size. The radiologic outcome was evaluated using the Burwell and Charnley criteria and American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores, and complications, such as infection and posttraumatic arthritis, were used for the clinical evaluation. Results: The wound was classified into eight cases (33.3%) of type I, 11 cases (45.8%) of type II, and five cases (20.8%) of type IIIa. The degree of reduction was anatomical, fair, and poor in 16 cases (66.7%), six cases (25.0%), and two cases (8.3%), respectively. The mean AOFAS score was 79 points, and there were complications, such as infection in three cases (12.5%) and post-traumatic arthritis in two cases (8.3%). Conclusion: Satisfactory results were obtained through immediate surgical treatment in ankle trimalleolar open fractures of types I, II, and IIIa.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.98-107
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• 2013

Debates exist about the appropriate treatment for pancreatic trauma in children. We intended to examine the safety of the operation of pancreatic trauma in children. This is a retrospective study of 13 patients, younger than 15, who underwent surgery for pancreatic trauma, between 1993 and 2011 in Seoul National University Children's Hospital. Medical records were reviewed for mechanism of trauma, clinical characteristics, radiological findings, operation and outcomes. Organ injury scaling from the AAST (American Association for Surgery of Trauma) was used. All injuries were caused by blunt trauma. Patients with grade III, IV, and those who were difficult to distinguish grade II from IV, underwent surgery due to severe peritonitis. Three patients with grade II were operated for reasons of mesenteric bleeding, tumor rupture of the pancreas, and progression of peritonitis. Distal pancreatectomy was performed in 10 patients and subtotal pancreatectomy and pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy in 1 patient each. The remaining one underwent surgical debridement because of severe adhesions. The location of injury, before and after operation, coincided in 83.3%. The degree of injury, before and after the operation, was identical in all the patients except for those who were difficult to tell apart grade II from grade IV, and those cannot be graded due to severe adhesion. Postoperative complications occurred in 23.1%, which improved with conservative treatment. Patients were discharged at mean postoperative 12(range 8~42) days. Even though patients with complications took longer in time from diagnosis to operation, time of trauma to operation and hospital stay, this difference was not significant. In conclusion, When pancreatic duct injury is present, or patient shows deterioration of clinical manifestation without evidence of definite duct injury, or trauma is accompanied by other organ injury or tumor rupture, operative management is advisable, and we believe it is a safe and feasible method of treatment.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.150-154
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• 2020

We present a case of osteoradionecrosis treated with leukocyte- and platelet-rich fibrin (LPRF) and surgery and followed up with clinical and tomographic investigations. A 65-year-old woman presented with pain in the posterior region of the right palate. Her medical history included cardiovascular disease and squamous cell carcinoma in the anterior region of the floor of the mouth that had been treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy. Measurements of isodose curves showed a full dosage of 6,462.6 cGy in the anterior mandibular region, whereas that in the posterior region on the right side of the maxilla reached 5,708.1 cGy. Osteotomy was performed using rotary instruments, and debridement and placement of two LPRF membranes were also carried out. New gum tissue with no bone exposure was noted 14 days postoperatively. Tissue repair was complete, and the patient had no further complaints. During a 39-month follow-up period, the oral mucosa remained intact, and the patient was rehabilitated with a new upper denture. Since there is no consensus regarding the best protocol to treat osteoradionecrosis, LPRF might be an interesting adjuvant to a surgical approach. The use of LPRF is simple and reduces operational costs, time of handling, probability of technical failure, and associated morbidities for patients with osteoradionecrosis.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.110-114
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• 1996

Spontaneous gastric perforation is an important but rare cause of gastrointestinal perforation in neonates. Just over 200 cases have been reported in the literatures. In spite of recent surgical advances in its managements, mortality rate has been reported as high as 25-50%. Because of physiologic differences, immature immune mechanisms, variations in gastrointestinal flora and poor localization of perforation, a neonate with gastric perforation is at high risk. The pathogenesis is greatly debated. Five patients with spontaneous neonatal gastric perforation who were operated upon at the Department of Pediatric Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital from 1980 to 1993 were reviewed. Four patients were male and one female. The first indication of perforation was 1 day to 6 days of life. All of 5 perforations were located along the greater curvature of the stomach. The size of perforation ranged from 2 cm to 10 cm. Debridement and primary closure were performed in all patients. The operative mortality was 40%(2 of 5). The cause of perforation was not identified in all cases. Prematurity and necrotizing enterocolitis, synchronous or metachronous, were thought to he crucial prognostic factors. Earlier recognition and surgical intervention are necessary to reduce morbidity and mortality.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.341-347
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• 2013

Background Intractable chronic scalp ulcers with cranial bone exposure can occur along the incision after cranioplasty, posing challenges for clinicians. They occur as a result of severe scarring, poor blood circulation of the scalp, and focal osteomyelitis. We successfully repaired these scalp ulcers using a vascularized bipedicled pericranial flap after complete debridement. Methods Six patients who underwent cranioplasty had chronic ulcers where the cranial bone, with or without the metal plate, was exposed along the incision line. After completely excising the ulcer and the adjacent scar tissue, subgaleal dissection was performed. We removed the osteomyelitic calvarial bone, the exposed metal plate, and granulation tissue. A bipedicled pericranial flap was elevated to cover the defect between the bone graft or prosthesis and the normal cranial bone. It was transposed to the defect site and fixed using an absorbable suture. Scalp flaps were bilaterally advanced after relaxation incisions on the galea, and were closed without tension. Results All the surgical wounds were completely healed with an improved aesthetic outcome, and there were no notable complications during a mean follow-up period of seven months. Conclusions A bipedicled pericranial flap is vascularized, prompting wound healing without donor site morbidity. This may be an effective modality for treating chronic scalp ulcer accompanied by the exposure of the cranial bone after cranioplasty.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.159-166
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• 2008

Articular cartilage is a unique tissue with no vascular, nerve, or lymphatic supply. This uniqueness may be one of the reasons why chondral injuries will hardly heal and may progress to osteoarthritis over time. Currently, there are several surgical options for the treatment of articular cartilage lesions. Although there is some discrepancy as to which procedures work best in certain patients. The spectrum of treatment alternatives for articular cartilage defects can range from simple lavage and debridement, drilling, micro-fracturing, and abrasion to osteochondral grafting and autologous chondrocyte implantation. In 1984, for the first time, results of autologous chondrocyte implantation in a rabbit model were presented, showing hyaline cartilage repair. Clinical study using autologous cultured chondrocyte implantation in chondral defects of the human knee has been reported in 23 patients in 1994. In 14 out of 16 patients treated for chondral injuries on the femoral condyles, the results were good to excellent. It is important for the surgeon to understand the autologous chondrocyte implantation technique and to be aware on the postoperative management. Attention to surgical technique and selection of appropriate patient for the autologous chondrocyte implantation will provide with the best results.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.276-282
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• 2006

The anterolateral thigh(ALT) flap has been known as a very versatile and reliable flap. We report our experiences with the anterolateral thigh flap for the postoncologic reconstruction of head and neck region from April 2002 to March 2005. A total of 38 subjects (M: F=30:8, mean age:53.8 years) were taken. We reviewed primary site of tumors, size and thickness of flaps, location and number of perforators, course of perforators, length of pedicle, and postoperative complications. The mean flap size, thickness and pedicle length were $11.8{\times}6.4cm$, 1.1 cm and 12.2 cm, respectively. We classified the pedicles based on the authors' criteria. Type I, pedicle with short intramuscular course, was with 29 cases(72.5%), type II, pedicle with long intramuscular course, with 6 cases(15%), type III, pedicle with septocutaneous course, with 3 cases(7.5%), and type IV, clinically unavailable pedicle, with 2 cases (5%). We experienced 1 case of partial and 1 case of total flap loss. There was 1 case of donor site wound dehiscence, which was treated by debridement and closure. According to the defect, efficient adjustment of the size and thickness of flap was possible, and favorable functional and aesthetic results have been obtained in our study. Our experience confirmed the versatility and usefulness of the anterolateral thigh flap for various reconstructions in head and neck region.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.199-203
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• 2010

Infected aortic aneurysms are rare, but the mortality of patients with infected aortic aneurysms remains high. Open surgical procedures are the standard of care for infected aneurysms of aorta, but the surgical results are often disappointing. The risk factors related to the high mortality include aneurysm rupture and a suprarenal aneurysm location. The classic method for treating infected aneurysms has been aneurysm resection, soft tissue debridement, remote arterial reconstruction out of the field of infection and antibiotics. Infected anuerysms located in the suprarenal aorta are highly lethal because of the need to reimplant the visceral or renal arteries and the graft related complications. We reported here on a case of suprarenal infected aortic aneurysm in a 55-years-old man. We also include a review of the relevant medical literature.