• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.521-526
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• 2008

Purpose: Most burn scar contractures are curable with skin grafts, but free flaps may be needed in some cases. Due to the adjacent tissue scarring, local flap is rarely used, and thus we may consider free flap which gives us more options than local flap. However, inappropriate performance of free flap may lead to unsatisfactory results despite technical complexity and enormous amount of effort. The author will discuss the points we should consider when using free flaps in treating burn scar contractures Methods: We surveyed patients who underwent free flaps to correct burn scar contractures from 2000 to 2007. We divided patients into two groups. The first group was those in which free flaps were inevitable due to exposure of deep structures such as bones and tendons. The second group was those in which free flap was used to minimize scar contracture and to achieve aesthetic result. Results: We performed 44 free flap on 42 patients. All of the flaps were taken well except one case of partial necrosis and wound dehiscence. Forearm free flap was the most common with 21 cases. Most of the cases(28 cases) in which free flaps were inevitable were on the wrist and lower limbs. These were cases of soft tissue defect due to wide and extensive burns. Free flaps were done in 16 cases to minimize scar contracture and to obtain aesthetic outcome, recipient sites were mostly face and upper extremities. Conclusion: When using free flaps for correction of burn scar contractures, proper release and full resurfacing of the contracture should be carried out in advance. If inadequate free flap is performed, secondary correction is more challenging than in skin grafts. In order to optimize the result of reconstruction, flap thickness, size and scar of the recipient site should be considered, then we can achieve natural shape, and minimize additional correction.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.31 no.2 s.161
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• pp.292-299
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• 2007

Development of portable device measuring the vital sign continuously with no limit of time and space is absolutely prerequisite for the U-health care that grafts the ubiquitous concept into medical system. Accordingly, it requires to develop a garment style apparatus for measuring vital-sign that is easy to wear on for a long time period. This study suggests a method to improve the insulation of electric cable and the skin adhesion of electrode by integrating the electric conductive material to garment, in order to develop a garment apparatus for measuring ECG for U-health care. Results of the research are as follows; In order to provide the adjacent conductive yarns with insulation, braid with narrow woven end was interlaced using polyester yarn. As a result, the direct contact between electric conductive yarns was restrained, which would be interposed into pin-tuck structured cable. Washable silicone gel applied around the electrode made of electric conductive fabric improved the adhesion, which prevents electrodes from dropping off from the skin surface during body movement. ECG signals on the human subject were tested using the garment apparatus developed by the above method. And the result was that the clear QRS wave formation in the typical form of ECG could be measured in both conditions of still and moving state as well. The result of this study is expected to contribute for the production of U-health care related medical apparatus by accelerating the practical uses of the garment measuring vital sign at a reasonable price.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.565-580
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• 2000

This study was designed to evaluate the influence of cultured epidermal tissue graft and the administration of transforming growth factor(TGF)-${\beta}_3$ on maxillary growth in surgically created palatal defects. A total of 155 rats were divided into 2 groups according to surgical timing : postnatal 2 weeks(n=95), 4 weeks(n=40) and control(unoperated) group(n=20). The postnatal 2-week surgical group was subdivided into 3 groups according to repair methods: conventional surgery(Von Langenbeck technique)group(n=23); cultured tissue graft group(n=25); and full thickness skin graft group(n=25). Additionally, recombinant human TGF-${\beta}_3$ was administered(30ng or 150ng) on collagen matrix in surgically created palatal defects during surgery(9 conventional surgeries, 9 cultured tissue grafts) in 2-week-old rats. The results showed that all types of surgical treatment decreased maxillary growth compared with the control(unoperated) group(p<0.0001). On the other hand, the tissue graft group, whether cultured tissue or grafted skin, contributed to increased maxillary growth(p<0.0001).And exogenous TGF-${\beta}_3$ might play a role in connective tissue proliferation and new bone generation during wound healing on palatal defects. Our results suggest that grafting cultured epidermis with collagen matrix decreases the scar tension on maxillary growth more than conventional palatal surgery does. Therefore, exogenous TGF-${\beta}_3$ may contribute to accelerate wound healing on palatal defects.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.156-162
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• 2008

Purpose: Open fractures of the foot and ankle require prompt repair of the wound due to the complexity of anatomy, insufficiency of soft tissues and inadequate blood supply. Early flaps and skin grafts are used for this purpose yet general condition of the patient as well as local wound environment often precludes such treatment options. Vacuum- Assisted Closure (VAC) is recently being used in such cases. This study was done to validate the use of VAC together with silver antimicrobial dressing materials in contaminated open fracture wounds. Materials and Methods: We have selected 10 patients with Gustillo-Anderson type III open fractures of the foot & ankle treated with VAC and silver antimicrobial dressing materials from March 2007 to January 2008. The relationship between duration of treatment with wound size, contamination, and degree of soft tissue damage was analyzed. Results: The average age of patients was 36.6 years. The average amount of VAC application time was 23.4 days. Silver dressing materials were used for 16.8 days. Average wound healing time was 51.9 days. Statistically significant relationship was found between wound size, VAC application time and silver dressing material application time. No complications such as osteomyelitis were found after treatment. Conclusion: VAC technique is recently being used in open fractures with wide skin and soft tissue defects, producing good results. A wide array of dressing materials such as silver dressing is in development. We have incorporated the VAC technique together with silver dressing materials in the treatment of open fractures and achieved complication free results.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.115-120
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• 2008

Purpose: Oncostatin M(OSM) is a multifunctional cytokine that belongs to the interleukin(IL)-6 family. Although there have been a number of studies that focused on the role and mechanism of OSM in various organs and tissues, there are few reports on its effect on wound healing. The final purpose of this project is to evaluate the effect of OSM on wound healing. This pilot study was designed to investigate the effect of OSM on proliferation and matrix synthesis of human dermal fibroblasts, which are the major components of the wound healing. Methods: Excess skin that was obtained from patients who underwent skin grafts, was used for this study. From this material, fibroblasts were isolated and cultured. The cultured fibroblasts were treated with one of four concentrations of OSM. The OSM concentrations used were 0, 50, 100, and 200 ng/ml, respectively. After the OSM treatment, cell proliferation was determined by the MTT assay, collagen synthesis by the C1CP method, GAG levels by the Blyscan Dye method. The parameter levels of each group were compared. Results: OSM treatment increased all the components tested in the study. In particular, cell proliferation, GAG synthesis demonstrated statistically significant increases(p<0.05 in the Mann-Whitney U-test). The highest increase in all the components was obtained at a 100 ng/ml concentration of OSM.Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate that OSM stimulates proliferation and matrix synthesis of human dermal fibroblast and the optimal concentration for wound healing is 100 ng/mL.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.40-45
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• 2015

Background The eyelid and canthal areas are common locations for cutaneous tumors. The medial canthus includes, among many other apparatuses, the canthal tendon and lacrimal canaliculi, and its characteristic thin and supple skin is hard to mimic and restore using tissue from other regions. Accordingly, reconstruction of the canthal area can prove challenging for surgeons. Although various methods, such as skin grafts and local flaps from adjacent regions, have been utilized for reconstructive purposes, they present known disadvantages. However, we were able to successfully reconstruct both lateral and medial canthal area defects by using orbicularis oculi myocutaneous island flaps. Methods Our study included seven patients who underwent medial or lateral canthal region reconstruction, using orbicularis oculi myocutaneous island flaps, between 2011 and 2014, following either cutaneous tumor excision or traumatic avulsion injury. Results Five patients had basal cell carcinoma, one had squamous cell carcinoma of the eyelid, and one had sustained a traumatic avulsion injury of the eyelid and canthal area. Entire flap loss was not observed in any patient, but one-a heavy smoker-showed partial flap loss, which healed with secondary intention and yielded acceptable results. Donor site morbidity was not observed, and all patients were satisfied with their surgical outcomes. Conclusions The canthal regions can be successfully reconstructed with orbicularis oculi myocutaneous island flaps. These flaps offer several key advantages, including similarity in texture, color, and thickness to the recipient site and a negligible incidence of donor site morbidity.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.485-489
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• 2008

Basal cell nevus syndrome is a hereditary disease of an autosomal dominant trait with variable conditions such as basal cell carcinomas of the skin, deformity of rib, fusion of vertebrae, mental retardation, hypertelorism, and multiple odontogenic keratocysts. A 32 years old man with pus discharge from fistula on the vestibule of left upper 1st molar visited to Chosun University Dental Hospital. Radiographic evaluation revealed multiple maxillary and mandibular cysts that had multilocular radiolucency on left mandibular body area, thining of inferior border of left border of ramus and well defined unilocular radiolucency above right upper 1st and 2nd molar and from left upper 1st premolar to 2nd molar. In chest PA view, he had a forked rib in the left 4th rib and in skull PA view the calcification of falx cerebri was observed. There was not any skin lesion. After the preliminary evaluation, the patient was diagnosed with basal cell nevus syndrome and he underwent marsupialization for decreasing the size of cystic lesion and came to hospital for dressing 3days a week. As time goes by, the size of lesion decreased. So, one and half year after marsupialization, he underwent cyst enucleation and iliac bone graft for the mandibular lesion and buccal fat pad grafts for the maxillary lesions. After the surgery, the patient experienced normal healing without any complications and he is on long-term follow-up.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.48-52
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• 2011

Purpose: Many advances have been made in lower eyelid reconstruction surgical procedures after tumor ablative therapy. These include skin grafts, local flaps, free flaps, and skin expansion. When a full-thickness defect of the lower eyelid is reconstructed with many free flaps, ectropion and deformity of the medial and lateral canthal areas are common late complications caused by gravitational descent. The radial forearm free flap is widely used because of its lack of bulk, ease of dissection, malleability, and hairlessness. This report introduces a novel method for preventing ectropion using a composite radial forearm free flap reconstruction and palmaris longus suspension technique. Methods: A 70-year-old man had a malignant melanoma on his left lower eyelid. The patient was referred to our department after a biopsy confirmed the initial diagnosis. A full-thickness wide resection with a 25 mm free margin was performed, and a $5{\times}8cm$ radial forearm flap was elevated with a vascularised palmaris longus tendon. The palmaris longus tendon was fixed to the medial and lateral orbital rim perisoteum and the deep temporal fascia. The buccal mucosa was grafted to reconstruct the inner conjunctival layer. The pedicle vessels were anastomosed to the left superficial temporal artery and vein. Results: The postoperative clinical course was uneventful. The flap showed good texture and color match. No ectropion was noted 14 months after surgery and the tumor did not recur. The patient was quite satisfied with the final outcomes. Conclusion: Use of a radial forearm free flap and the palmaris longus tendon is an effective method for a full-thickness lower eyelid reconstruction.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.57-62
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• 2019

Background Full-thickness nail bed defects with significant exposure of the distal phalanx are typically challenging to reconstruct. We describe a novel method of nail bed defect reconstruction using a thenar fascial flap combined with nail bed grafting. Methods Full-thickness nail bed defects were reconstructed in a 2-stage operation involving the placement of a thenar fascial flap and subsequent nail bed grafting. A proximally-based skin flap was designed on the thenar eminence. The flap was elevated distally to proximally, and the fascial layer covering the thenar muscle was dissected proximally to distally. The skin flap was then closed and the dissected fascial flap was turned over (proximal to distal) and inset onto the defect. The finger was immobilized for 2 weeks, and the flap was dressed with wet and ointment dressings. After 2 weeks, the flap was divided and covered with a split-thickness nail bed graft from the great toe. Subsequent nail growth was evaluated on follow-up. Results Nine patients (9 fingers) treated with the novel procedure were evaluated at follow-up examinations. Complete flap survival was noted in all cases, and all nail bed grafts took successfully. Five outcomes (55.6%) were graded as excellent, three (33.3%) as very good, and one (11.1%) as fair. No donor site morbidities of the thenar area or great toe were observed. Conclusions When used in combination with a nail bed graft, the thenar fascial flap provides an excellent means of nail bed reconstruction.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.70-75
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• 2022

Background Fingertip injuries are very common; however, the reconstruction of volar pulp defects with nail bed defects is challenging in the absence of the amputated segment. We reconstructed fingertip amputations with nail bed defects using a new surgical approach: a subcutaneous flap and composite graft. Methods We treated 10 fingertip amputation patients without an amputated segment, with exposed distal phalangeal bone and full-thickness nail bed defects between February 2018 and December 2020. All patients underwent two-stage surgery: in the first stage, a subcutaneous flap was performed to cover the exposed distal phalanx, and in the second stage, a composite graft, consisting of nail bed, hyponychium, and volar pulp skin, was applied over the subcutaneous flap. Results All flaps survived and all composite grafts were successful. The wounds healed without any significant complications, including the donor site. The average follow-up duration was 11.2 months (range, 3-27 months). The new nail and the shape of the volar pulp were evaluated during follow-up. All patients were satisfied with their natural fingertip shapes and the new nails did not have any serious deformities. Conclusions A subcutaneous flap in combination with a composite graft fitting the shape of the defect could be another option for fingertip injuries without amputated segments.