Michael E Beasley | Search PubMed

PubMed2006

Do progressive tension sutures really decrease complications in abdominoplasty?

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of progressive tension sutures (PTS) in preventing or reducing seroma formation and local wound complications in patients undergoing abdominoplasty. Forty-nine patients who underwent abdominoplasty procedures with the use of PTS were retrospectively compared with a historical control group of 54 patients who underwent standard abdominoplasty. Primary outcomes measured were seroma formation and local wound complications, including hypertrophic scar formation, umbilical distortion, and wound necrosis. Secondary outcomes were all other complications and time to drain removal. Overall complication rates and local wound complication rates were significantly reduced with the addition of PTS to abdominoplasty. Seroma formation and the time to drain removal were reduced in the PTS group, but the findings were not statistically significant.

Abdomen↗

PubMed2004

Autologous blood transfusion in TRAM breast reconstruction: is it necessary?

Many centers continue to use preoperative donation of autologous blood as part of their reconstructive protocol for pedicled transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) breast reconstruction, despite the lack of support for this in the English language literature. This prospective study compares 3 groups of patients undergoing reconstruction with TRAM flaps using 3 different protocols in 3 different centers. Group 1 did not donate blood preoperatively. Group 2 donated 1 to 2 U preoperatively and received their blood intraoperatively or during the early postoperative period. Group 3 did not receive their autologous blood unless they displayed symptoms of hypovolemia or anemia postoperatively. There were no statistical differences between groups in age, length of stay, or number of unilateral versus bilateral procedures. Patients who did not donate autologous blood (group 1) had statistically significantly higher preoperative and postoperative day 3 hemoglobin levels than patients in the groups that did predonate. The authors conclude that preoperative autologous donation of blood does not confer any clinical advantage to patients undergoing autologous breast reconstruction using pedicled TRAM flaps.

Adult↗