Sample records for academic plastic surgery

  1. Academic plastic surgery: faculty recruitment and retention.

    PubMed

    Chen, Jenny T; Girotto, John A; Kitzmiller, W John; Lawrence, W Thomas; Verheyden, Charles N; Vedder, Nicholas B; Coleman, John J; Bentz, Michael L

    2014-03-01

    A critical element of a thriving academic plastic surgery program is the quality of faculty. A decline in recruitment and retention of faculty has been attributed to the many challenges of academic medicine. Given the substantial resources required to develop faculty, academic plastic surgery has a vested interest in improving the process of faculty recruitment and retention. The American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons Issues Committee and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons/Plastic Surgery Foundation Academic Affairs Council surveyed the 83 existing programs in academic plastic surgery in February of 2012. The survey addressed the faculty-related issues in academic plastic surgery programs over the past decade. Recruitment and retention strategies were evaluated. This study was designed to elucidate trends, and define best strategies, on a national level. Academic plastic surgery programs have added substantially more full-time faculty over the past decade. Recruitment efforts are multifaceted and can include guaranteed salary support, moving expenses, nurse practitioner/physician's assistant hires, protected time for research, seed funds to start research programs, and more. Retention efforts can include increased compensation, designation of a leadership appointment, protected academic time, and call dilution. Significant change and growth of academic plastic surgery has occurred in the past decade. Effective faculty recruitment and retention are critical to a successful academic center. Funding sources in addition to physician professional fees (institutional program support, grants, contracts, endowment, and so on) are crucial to sustain the academic missions.

  2. Academic plastic surgery: a study of current issues and future challenges.

    PubMed

    Zetrenne, Eleonore; Kosins, Aaron M; Wirth, Garrett A; Bui, Albert; Evans, Gregory R D; Wells, James H

    2008-06-01

    The objectives of this study were (1) to evaluate the role of a full-time academic plastic surgeon, (2) to define the indicators predictive of a successful career in academic plastic surgery, and (3) to understand the current issues that will affect future trends in the practice of academic plastic surgery. A questionnaire was developed to evaluate the role of current full-time academic plastic surgeons and to understand the current issues and future challenges facing academic plastic surgery. Each plastic surgery program director in the United States was sent the survey for distribution among all full-time academic plastic surgeons. Over a 6-week period, responses from 143 full-time academic plastic surgeons (approximately 31%) were returned. Fifty-three percent of respondents had been academic plastic surgeons for longer than 10 years. Seventy-three percent of respondents defined academic plastic surgeons as clinicians who are teachers and researchers. However, 53% of respondents believed that academic plastic surgeons were not required to teach or practice within university hospitals/academic centers. The 3 factors reported most frequently as indicative of a successful career in academic plastic surgery were peer recognition, personal satisfaction, and program reputation. Dedication and motivation were the personal characteristics rated most likely to contribute to academic success. Forty-four percent of respondents were unable to identify future academic plastic surgeons from plastic surgery residency applicants, and 27% were not sure. Most (93%) of the respondents believed that academic surgery as practiced today will change. The overall job description of a full-time academic plastic surgeon remains unchanged (teacher and researcher). Whereas peer recognition, personal satisfaction, and program reputation were most frequently cited as indicative of a successful plastic surgery career, financial success was rated the least indicative. Similarly, whereas the

  3. Application of the h-Index in Academic Plastic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Therattil, Paul J; Hoppe, Ian C; Granick, Mark S; Lee, Edward S

    2016-05-01

    The h-index is a measure designed to assess the quantity and significance of an individual's academic contributions. The objective of this study was to determine whether the h-index of plastic surgeons correlates with academic rank and whether there is a difference based on academic rank, residency training model, sex, geographic region, faculty size, and departmental status. A database of all US academic plastic surgeons was created. The rank and sex of each surgeon were obtained, as were characteristics of their plastic surgery program. The Scopus database was queried to determine each surgeon's h-index. The 592 plastic surgeons in our database had a mean h-index of 8.97. The h-index increased with academic rank: 4.59 for assistant professors, 9.10 for associate professors, and 15.30 for professors. There was no significant difference in the h-index between chairpersons and chiefs. Plastic surgeons on faculty in integrated plastic surgery programs had significantly higher h-indices (9.64) than those at traditional programs (6.28). Those who were on faculty at larger programs also had higher h-indices. Male plastic surgeons had higher h-indices (9.57) than did female plastic surgeons (6.07), although this was insignificant when taking other variables into account. There was no correlation between the h-index and location or departmental status. The h-index of plastic surgeons seems to correlate with academic rank and has potential as a tool to measure academic productivity within plastic surgery. Plastic surgeons on faculty in integrated plastic surgery programs, those at larger programs, and male plastic surgeons tend to have higher h-indices. The difference between sexes seems to be, at least in part, due to the higher number of men in high academic positions. There does not seem to be a regional difference with regard to h-indices or a difference with regard to departmental status.

  4. Research productivity and gender disparities: a look at academic plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Paik, Angie M; Mady, Leila J; Villanueva, Nathaniel L; Goljo, Erden; Svider, Peter F; Ciminello, Frank; Eloy, Jean Anderson

    2014-01-01

    The h-index has utility in examining the contributions of faculty members by quantifying both the amount and the quality of research output and as such is a metric in approximating academic productivity. The objectives of this study were (1) to evaluate the relationship between h-index and academic rank in plastic surgery and (2) to describe the current gender representation in academic plastic surgery to assess whether there are any gender disparities in academic productivity. The h-index was used to evaluate the research contributions of plastic surgeons from academic departments in the United States. There were 426 (84%) men and 79 (16%) women in our sample. Those in higher academic ranks had higher h-index scores (p < 0.0005). There was a significant difference in overall mean h-index by gender, where the mean scores were 9.0 and 6.0 for men and women, respectively (p = 0.0005). When analyzed by academic rank, there was a significant difference in academic productivity between men and women in assistant and associate professor positions (6.4 vs 5.1, respectively; p = 0.04). The h-index is able to objectively and reliably quantify academic productivity in plastic surgery. We found that h-indices increased with higher academic rank, and men had overall higher scores than their female colleagues. Adoption of this metric as an adjunct to other objective and subjective measures by promotions committees may provide a more reliable measure of research relevance and academic productivity in academic plastic surgery. Copyright © 2014 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Pathways to Academic Leadership in Plastic Surgery: A Nationwide Survey of Program Directors, Division Chiefs, and Department Chairs of Plastic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Fishman, Jordan E; Pang, John Henry Y; Losee, Joseph E; Rubin, J Peter; Nguyen, Vu T

    2018-06-01

    Many aspire to leadership in academic plastic surgery yet there is no well-documented pathway. Information regarding plastic surgery residencies and program directors was obtained from the American Medical Association's FREIDA database. The division chief or department chair (academic head) of every academic plastic surgery program was identified. One Internet-based survey was distributed to academic heads; another, to program directors. Ninety academic heads were identified, 35 of whom also serve as program director. Sixty-seven unique program directors were identified. There was a 51 percent academic head response rate and a 65 percent program director response rate. Academic plastic surgery is overwhelmingly administered by midcareer men. The average program director was appointed at age 45 and has served for 7 years. She or he was trained through the independent track, completed additional training in hand surgery, and is a full professor. She or he publishes two or three peer-reviewed manuscripts per year and spends 9 hours per week in administration. The average academic head was appointed at age 45 and has held the position for 12 years. She or he was trained in the independent model, completed fellowship training, and is a full professor. She or he publishes five peer-reviewed manuscripts per year and spends 12 hours per week involved in administration. Program directors and academic heads serve nonoverlapping roles. Few program directors will advance to the role of academic head. Successful applicants to the program director position often serve as an associate program director and are seen as motivated resident educators. In contrast, those faculty members selected for the academic head role are academically accomplished administrators with business acumen.

  6. "Does the Organization of Plastic Surgery Units into Independent Departments Affect Academic Productivity?"

    PubMed

    Loewenstein, Scott N; Duquette, Stephen; Valsangkar, Nakul; Avula, Umakanth; Lad, Neha; Socas, Juan; Flores, Roberto L; Sood, Rajiv; Koniaris, Leonidas G

    2017-07-12

    There is an increased push for plastic surgery units in the United States to become independent departments administered autonomously rather than as divisions of a multispecialty surgery department. The purpose of this research was to determine if there are any quantifiable differences in the academic performance of departments versus divisions. Using a list of the plastic surgery units affiliated with The American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons (ACAPS), unit websites were queried for departmental status and to obtain a list of affiliated faculty. Academic productivity was then quantified using the SCOPUS database. National Institute of Health (NIH) funding was determined through the Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools database. Plastic surgery departments were comparable to divisions in academic productivity, evidenced by a similar number of publications per faculty (38.9 versus 38.7; p=0.94), number of citations per faculty (692 versus 761; p=0.64), H-indices (9.9 versus 9.9; p=0.99), and NIH grants (3.25 versus 2.84; p=0.80), including RO1 grants (1.33 versus 0.84; p=0.53). There was a trend for departments to have a more equitable male to female ratio (2.8 versus 4.1; p=0.06), and departments trained a greater number of integrated plastic surgery residents (9.0 versus 5.28; p=0.03). This study demonstrates that the academic performance of independent plastic surgery departments is generally similar to divisions, but with nuanced distinctions.

  7. The business of academic plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Levin, L Scott

    2010-07-01

    Given the changes in health care economics and the changes in increasing rates of uninsured and undercovered patients in the United States, the revenue stream for all physicians, and particularly those in academic medical centers, is subject to fluctuations that make it difficult to fund the missions of education and research. Often, academic plastic surgeons are required to use clinical revenue to supplement efforts in research and education. A large margin on clinical revenue that was present perhaps 10 or 20 years ago has been eroded by many socioeconomic factors, making it difficult to provide optimal training in academic environments for our residents. In an attempt to ascertain "best in show," a survey was sent to 89 plastic surgery programs that requested information regarding faculty salaries, relative value units, National Institutes of Health support, ancillary revenue support for taking call, and the number of faculty within individual programs. Fifty-three programs responded with completed data. The following practices directly contribute to stable financial environments: external support for call coverage, recruitment support, and gain sharing associated with health system profitability. Coverage agreements with outside facilities can be lucrative if properly negotiated. Paid medical directorships for administrative/clinical oversight are helpful. Payor mixes with high percentages of commercial, managed care, and self-pay (aesthetic) and low percentages of Medicaid are beneficial. Practices with a healthy mix of aesthetic surgery add strength.

  8. Factors Influencing American Plastic Surgery Residents Toward an Academic Career.

    PubMed

    Chetta, Matthew D; Sugg, Kristoffer B; Diaz-Garcia, Rafael J; Kasten, Steven J

    2018-02-01

    Plastic surgery residency program directors have an interest in recruiting applicants who show an interest in an academic practice. Medical school achievements (ie, United States Medical Licensing Examination® scores, publications, and Alpha Omega Alpha status) are metrics assessed to grade applicants but may not correlate with ultimately choosing an academic career. This study was designed to investigate factors influencing residents' choices for or against academic careers. A 25-item online questionnaire was designed to measure baseline interest in academic plastic surgery and factors that influence decisions to continue on or abandon that career path. This questionnaire was disseminated to the integrated/combined plastic surgery residents during the 2013 to 2014 academic year. One hundred twenty-five respondents indicated that they were currently interested in pursuing academic practice (n = 78) or had lost interest in academic practice (n = 47). Among all respondents, 92.8% (n = 116) stated they were interested in academic careers at the time of residency application, but one-third (n = 41) subsequently lost interest. Those residents who retained interest in academic careers indicated resident/medical student educational opportunities (57%) and complexity of patients (52%) as reasons. Those who lost interest cited a lack of autonomy (43%), publishing requirements (32%), and income discrepancy (26%) as reasons. Many residents report losing interest in academics during residency. Traditional metrics valued in the recruitment process may not serve as positive predictors of an academic career path. Reasons why residents lose interest are not easily correctable, but mentorship, adequate career counseling, and research opportunities during training remain factors that can be addressed across all residency programs.

  9. Does Formal Research Training Lead to Academic Success in Plastic Surgery? A Comprehensive Analysis of U.S. Academic Plastic Surgeons.

    PubMed

    Lopez, Joseph; Ameri, Afshin; Susarla, Srinivas M; Reddy, Sashank; Soni, Ashwin; Tong, J W; Amini, Neda; Ahmed, Rizwan; May, James W; Lee, W P Andrew; Dorafshar, Amir

    2016-01-01

    It is currently unknown whether formal research training has an influence on academic advancement in plastic surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine whether formal research training was associated with higher research productivity, academic rank, and procurement of extramural National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding in plastic surgery, comparing academic surgeons who completed said research training with those without. This was a cross-sectional study of full-time academic plastic surgeons in the United States. The main predictor variable was formal research training, defined as completion of a postdoctoral research fellowship or attainment of a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). The primary outcome was scientific productivity measured by the Hirsh-index (h-index, the number of publications, h that have at least h citations each). The secondary outcomes were academic rank and NIH funding. Descriptive, bivariate, and multiple regression statistics were computed. A total of 607 academic surgeons were identified from 94 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited plastic surgery training programs. In all, 179 (29.5%) surgeons completed formal research training. The mean h-index was 11.7 ± 9.9. And, 58 (9.6%) surgeons successfully procured NIH funding. The distribution of academic rank was the following: endowed professor (5.4%), professor (23.9%), associate professor (23.4%), assistant professor (46.0%), and instructor (1.3%). In a multiple regression analysis, completion of formal research training was significantly predictive of a higher h-index and successful procurement of NIH funding. Current evidence demonstrates that formal research training is associated with higher scientific productivity and increased likelihood of future NIH funding. Copyright © 2016 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Academic Status of Plastic Surgery in the United States and the Relevance of Independence.

    PubMed

    Liu, P; Singh, M; Eriksson, E

    2016-04-01

    The basic administrative structures at most academic institutions were implemented more than 50 years ago and have remained largely unchanged. Since the surgical specialties were in nascent stages during that time, they were clubbed together within the department of surgery. There has been extensive growth in the breadth and depth of plastic surgery over the past few decades and current administrative structures might not truly reflect the current standing of plastic surgery. The goal of this article was to review the academic status of Plastic Surgery in the United States and assess the relevance of independence from the department of surgery. A national survey of 94 hospitals with plastic surgery residency training programs in the United States was conducted to investigate the academic status of plastic surgery. 25 out of those 94 programs had department status with their respective hospitals while another 9 programs were actively planning on transitioning to department status. Out of the 25 plastic surgery hospital departments, 17 programs were also University departments. The number of plastic surgery departments has more than doubled over the past 10 years and continues to rise as more plastic surgery divisions seek department status. There are multiple advantages to seeking department status such as financial and administrative autonomy, ability to participate in medical school curricula, easier access to interdepartmental institutes and faculties, parity with other specialties, and increased control of resident education. There has been concerted advocacy for separating from surgery departments and seeking independent departmental status for plastic surgery. However, the transition from a division to department is a slow and demanding process and requires a well-planned strategy. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  11. Impact of Subspecialty Fellowship Training on Research Productivity Among Academic Plastic Surgery Faculty in the United States.

    PubMed

    Sood, Aditya; Therattil, Paul J; Chung, Stella; Lee, Edward S

    2015-01-01

    The impact of subspecialty fellowship training on research productivity among academic plastic surgeons is unknown. The authors' aim of this study was to (1) describe the current fellowship representation in academic plastic surgery and (2) evaluate the relationship between h-index and subspecialty fellowship training by experience and type. Academic plastic surgery faculty (N = 590) were identified through an Internet-based search of all ACGME-accredited integrated and combined residency programs. Research output was measured by h-index from the Scopus database as well as a number of peer-reviewed publications. The Kruskal-Wallis test, with a subsequent Mann-Whitney U test, was used for statistical analysis to determine correlations. In the United States, 72% (n = 426) of academic plastic surgeons had trained in 1 or more subspecialty fellowship program. Within this cohort, the largest group had completed multiple fellowships (28%), followed by hand (23%), craniofacial (22%), microsurgery (15%), research (8%), cosmetic (3%), burn (2%), and wound healing (0.5%). Higher h-indices correlated with a research fellowship (12.5; P < .01) and multiple fellowships (10.4; P < .01). Craniofacial-trained plastic surgeons demonstrated the next highest h-index (9.8), followed by no fellowship (8.4), microsurgery (8.3), hand (7.7), cosmetic (5.2), and burn (5.1). Plastic surgeons with a research fellowship or at least 2 subspecialty fellowships had increased academic productivity compared with their colleagues. Craniofacial-trained physicians also demonstrated a higher marker for academic productivity than multiple other specialties. In this study, we show that the type and number of fellowships influence the h-index and further identification of such variables may help improve academic mentorship and productivity within academic plastic surgery.

  12. What Effect Does Self-Citation Have on Bibliometric Measures in Academic Plastic Surgery?

    PubMed

    Swanson, Edward W; Miller, Devin T; Susarla, Srinivas M; Lopez, Joseph; Lough, Denver M; May, James W; Redett, Richard J

    2016-09-01

    Research productivity plays a significant role in academic promotions. Currently, various bibliometric measures utilizing citation counts are used to judge an author's work. With increasing numbers of journals, numbers of open access publications, ease of online submission, and expedited indexing of accepted manuscripts, it is plausible that an author could influence his/her own bibliometric measures through self-citation. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of self-citation in academic plastic surgery. A cohort of full-time academic plastic surgeons was identified from 9 U.S. plastic surgery training programs. For all included faculty, academic rank was retrieved from department/division websites, and bibliometric measures were assessed using a subscription bibliographic citation database (Scopus, Reed Elsevier, London, UK). Bibliometric measures included the Hirsch index (h-index, the number of publications h which are cited ≥ h times), total number of publications, and total number of citations. The h-index and total number of citations were collected with and without self-citations. Percent changes in the h-index and total citations were calculated after removal of self-citations and compared across academic ranks and levels of research productivity (total publications, h-index, and total citations). The study cohort consisted of 169 full-time academic plastic surgeons. The h-index and total citations experienced decreases of 2.8 ± 5.0% (P < 0.0001) and 4.5 ± 4.6% (P < 0.0001), respectively, after correction for self-citation. More than half of the cohort (n = 113, 67%) did not experience a change in the h-index after removal of self-citations. These decreases did not vary across academic rank. Surgeons who self-cited at rates greater than 5% were 9.8 times more likely (95% confidence interval, 4.5-21.9; P < 0.001) to have their h-index change as a result of self-citation (after adjusting for academic rank). There were weak correlations

  13. [Independence in Plastic Surgery - Benefit or Barrier? Analysis of the Publication Performance in Academic Plastic Surgery Depending on Varying Organisational Structures].

    PubMed

    Schubert, C D; Leitsch, S; Haertnagl, F; Haas, E M; Giunta, R E

    2015-08-01

    Despite its recognition as an independent specialty, at German university hospitals the field of plastic surgery is still underrepresented in terms of independent departments with a dedicated research focus. The aim of this study was to analyse the publication performance within the German academic plastic surgery environment and to compare independent departments and dependent, subordinate organisational structures regarding their publication performance. Organisational structures and number of attending doctors in German university hospitals were examined via a website analysis. A pubmed analysis was applied to assess the publication performance (number of publications, cumulative impact factor, impact factor/publication, number of publications/MD, number of publications/unit) between 2009 and 2013. In a journal analysis the distribution of the cumulative impact factor and number of publications in different journals as well as the development of the impact factor in the top journals were analysed. Out of all 35 university hospitals there exist 12 independent departments for plastic surgery and 8 subordinate organisational structures. In 15 university hospitals there were no designated plastic surgery units. The number of attending doctors differed considerably between independent departments (3.6 attending doctors/unit) and subordinate organisational structures (1.1 attending doctors/unit). The majority of publications (89.0%) and of the cumulative impact factor (91.2%) as well as most of the publications/MD (54 publications/year) and publications/unit (61 publications/year) were created within the independent departments. Only in departments top publications with an impact factor > 5 were published. In general a negative trend regarding the number of publications (- 13.4%) and cumulative impact factor (- 28.9%) was observed. 58.4% of all publications were distributed over the top 10 journals. Within the latter the majority of articles were published in

  14. Impact of Subspecialty Fellowship Training on Research Productivity Among Academic Plastic Surgery Faculty in the United States

    PubMed Central

    Therattil, Paul J.; Chung, Stella; Lee, Edward S.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: The impact of subspecialty fellowship training on research productivity among academic plastic surgeons is unknown. The authors’ aim of this study was to (1) describe the current fellowship representation in academic plastic surgery and (2) evaluate the relationship between h-index and subspecialty fellowship training by experience and type. Methods: Academic plastic surgery faculty (N = 590) were identified through an Internet-based search of all ACGME-accredited integrated and combined residency programs. Research output was measured by h-index from the Scopus database as well as a number of peer-reviewed publications. The Kruskal-Wallis test, with a subsequent Mann-Whitney U test, was used for statistical analysis to determine correlations. Results: In the United States, 72% (n = 426) of academic plastic surgeons had trained in 1 or more subspecialty fellowship program. Within this cohort, the largest group had completed multiple fellowships (28%), followed by hand (23%), craniofacial (22%), microsurgery (15%), research (8%), cosmetic (3%), burn (2%), and wound healing (0.5%). Higher h-indices correlated with a research fellowship (12.5; P < .01) and multiple fellowships (10.4; P < .01). Craniofacial-trained plastic surgeons demonstrated the next highest h-index (9.8), followed by no fellowship (8.4), microsurgery (8.3), hand (7.7), cosmetic (5.2), and burn (5.1). Conclusion: Plastic surgeons with a research fellowship or at least 2 subspecialty fellowships had increased academic productivity compared with their colleagues. Craniofacial-trained physicians also demonstrated a higher marker for academic productivity than multiple other specialties. In this study, we show that the type and number of fellowships influence the h-index and further identification of such variables may help improve academic mentorship and productivity within academic plastic surgery. PMID:26664673

  15. [Strategies to ensure careers of young academics in plastic surgery - analysis of the current situation and future perspectives].

    PubMed

    Horch, R E; Vogt, P M; Schaller, H E; Stark, G B; Lehnhardt, M; Kneser, U; Giunta, R E

    2013-08-01

    Recruitment problems in surgical disciplines have become an increasingly debated topic. On the one hand current career prospects appear to be less attractive than those were seen for the previous generation. On the other hand the demands for a so-called "work-life balance" have changed and the proportion of female students and colleagues in medicine has risen and will continue to increase. Although Plastic Surgery currently seems to be less affected by these problems than other surgical disciplines, securing a qualified supply of young academics in Plastic Surgery is a prerequisite for the further development of this discipline. The traditional model of mentoring is discussed and the role of coaching in a sense of helping the mentorees examine what they are doing in the light of their intentions and goals is reflected. The present article tries to analyze the current status of academic Plastic Surgery from the viewpoint of German university senior surgeons in academic plastic surgery, and aims to highlight the specific prospects for young academics against the backdrop of an often one-sided and superficial perception of this profession. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  16. Scholarly activity in academic plastic surgery: the gender difference.

    PubMed

    Sasor, Sarah E; Cook, Julia A; Duquette, Stephen P; Loewenstein, Scott N; Gallagher, Sidhbh; Tholpady, Sunil S; Chu, Michael W; Koniaris, Leonidas G

    2018-09-01

    The number of women in medicine has grown rapidly in recent years. Women constitute over 50% of medical school graduates and hold 38% of faculty positions at United States medical schools. Despite this, gender disparities remain prevalent in most surgical subspecialties, including plastic surgery. The purpose of this study was to analyze gender authorship trends. A cross-sectional study of academic plastic surgeons was performed. Data were collected from departmental websites and online resources. National Institute of Health (NIH) funding was determined using the Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools database. Number of published articles and h-index were obtained from Scopus (Elsevier Inc, New York, NY). Statistical analysis was performed in SPSS (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL). A total of 814 plastic surgeons were identified in the United States. Compared to men, women had significantly fewer years in practice (P <0.001), lower academic ranks (P <0.001), and published less (P <0.001). There was no difference in the number of PhD degrees between genders; women with PhDs published less than men with PhDs (P = 0.04). 5.1% of women and 6.9% of men received NIH funding during their career (P = 0.57). There was no gender difference in scholarly output among NIH-funded surgeons. Overall, years in practice, academic rank, chief/program director title, advanced degrees, and NIH funding all positively correlated with academic productivity. This study identifies significant gender disparities in scholarly productivity among plastic surgeons in academia. Future efforts should focus on improving gender equality and eliminating barriers to academic development. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Are Quantitative Measures of Academic Productivity Correlated with Academic Rank in Plastic Surgery? A National Study.

    PubMed

    Susarla, Srinivas M; Lopez, Joseph; Swanson, Edward W; Miller, Devin; O'Brien-Coon, Devin; Zins, James E; Serletti, Joseph M; Yaremchuk, Michael J; Manson, Paul N; Gordon, Chad R

    2015-09-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between quantitative measures of academic productivity and academic rank among full-time academic plastic surgeons. Bibliometric indices were computed for all full-time academic plastic surgeons in the United States. The primary study variable was academic rank. Bibliometric predictors included the Hirsch index, I-10 index, number of publications, number of citations, and highest number of citations for a single publication. Descriptive, bivariate, and correlation analyses were computed. Multiple comparisons testing was used to calculate adjusted associations for subgroups. For all analyses, a value of p < 0.05 was considered significant. The cohort consisted of 607 plastic surgeons across 91 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-approved programs. Of them, 4.1 percent were instructors/lecturers, 43.7 percent were assistant professors, 22.1 percent were associate professors, 25.7 percent were professors, and 4.4 percent were endowed professors. Mean values were as follows: Hirsch index, 10.2 ± 9.0; I-10 index, 17.2 ± 10.2; total number of publications, 45.5 ± 69.4; total number of citations, 725.0 ± 1448.8; and highest number of citations for a single work, 117.8 ± 262.4. Correlation analyses revealed strong associations of the Hirsch index, I-10 index, number of publications, and number of citations with academic rank (rs = 0.62 to 0.64; p < 0.001). Academic rank in plastic surgery is strongly correlated with several quantitative metrics of research productivity. Although academic promotion is the result of success in multiple different areas, bibliometric measures may be useful adjuncts for assessment of research productivity.

  18. Academic Productivity, Knowledge, and Education in Plastic Surgery: The Benefit of the Clinical Research Fellow.

    PubMed

    Carney, Martin J; Weissler, Jason M; Koltz, Peter F; Fischer, John P; Wu, Liza C; Serletti, Joseph M

    2017-10-01

    Academic research productivity is limited by strenuous resident and faculty schedules but nevertheless is imperative to the growth and success of our discipline. The authors report institutional experience with their clinical research fellowship model, providing two positions per year. A critical analysis of research productivity was performed for all trainees, faculty, and research fellows from 2000 to 2015. Academic productivity was determined by the number of peer-reviewed publications, podium presentations, and h-index. Academic fate of previous research fellows was also noted. During the 16-year timeframe, 484 articles were published in print. Notably, 92 articles were published from 2000 to 2007 and 392 articles were published from 2008 to 2015 (p = 0.0066), demonstrating linear growth after instituting the research fellowship. In addition, 33 articles were published from 2002 to 2004 before leadership change, 47 from 2005 to 2007 after leadership change but before fellowship, and 58 from 2008 to 2010 in the first few years of the fellowship (p = 0.0204). Overall, 39.9 percent of publications appeared in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, with a total of 77 different peer-reviewed journal inclusions. American Association of Plastic Surgeons, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and Northeastern Society of Plastic Surgeons podium presentations totaled 143 between 2005 and 2015. Of the eight previous fellows who applied into integrated and independent programs, 100 percent have matched. Incorporation of a formalized research fellowship into a plastic surgery program can drastically increase clinical research contribution in a reproducible fashion.

  19. Does industry funding mean more publications for subspecialty academic plastic surgeons?

    PubMed

    Ruan, Qing Zhao; Cohen, Justin B; Baek, Yoonji; Bletsis, Patrick; Celestin, Arthur R; Epstein, Sherise; Bucknor, Alexandra E M; Lee, Bernard T

    2018-04-01

    Conflict of interest among physicians in the context of private industry funding led to the introduction of the Physician Payments Sunshine Act in 2010. This study examined whether private industry funding correlated with scholarly productivity in the respective subspecialties of plastic surgery and the wider academic plastic surgery community. Full-time plastic surgeons and their academic attributes were identified via institutional websites. Fellowship-trained individuals were segregated into subspecialties of microsurgery, craniofacial surgery, hand surgery, esthetic surgery, and burn surgery. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Open Payment database was used to extract industry funding information. Each individual's bibliometric data were then collected through Scopus to determine the correlation between selected surgeon characteristics, academic productivity, and industry funding. Nine hundred and thirty-five academic plastic surgeons were identified, with 532 having defined subspecialty training. Academic bibliometrics among subspecialty surgeons were comparable among the five groups with esthetic and craniofacial surgeons displaying a preponderance of attaining more industry funding (P = 0.043) and career publications respectively, with the latter not attaining statistical significance (P = 0.12). Overall, research-specific funding (P = 0.014) and higher funding amounts (P < 0.0001) correlated with higher Hirsch indices in tandem with higher academic rank. A funding level of $2000 appeared to be the approximate cutoff above which scholastic productivity became apparent. Our study demonstrated in detail the association between industry funding and academic bibliometrics in academic plastic surgery of every subspecialty. Even at modest amounts, industry support, especially when research designated, positively influenced research and therefore, academic output. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Facility cost analysis in outpatient plastic surgery: implications for the academic health center.

    PubMed

    Pacella, Salvatore J; Comstock, Matthew C; Kuzon, William M

    2008-04-01

    The authors examined the economic patterns of outpatient aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgical procedures performed within an academic health center. For fiscal years 2003 and 2004, the University of Michigan Health System's accounting database was queried to identify all outpatient plastic surgery cases (aesthetic and reconstructive) from four surgical facilities. Total facility charges, cost, revenue, and margin were calculated for each case. Contribution margin (total revenue minus variable direct cost) was compared with total case time to determine average contribution margin per operating suite case minute for subsets of aesthetic and reconstructive procedures. A total of 3603 cases (3457 reconstructive and 146 aesthetic) were identified. Payer mix included Blue Cross (36.7 percent), health maintenance organization (28.7 percent), other commercial payers (17.4 percent), Medicare/Medicaid (13.5 percent), and self-pay (3.7 percent). The most profitable cases were reconstructive laser procedures ($66.20; n = 361), scar revision ($36.01; n = 25), and facial trauma ($32.17; n = 64). The least profitable were hand arthroplasty ($13.93; n = 35), arthroscopy ($17.25; n = 15), and breast reduction ($17.46; n = 210). Aesthetic procedures (n = 144) yielded a significantly higher contribution margin per case minute ($24.21) compared with reconstructive procedures ($22.28; n = 3093) (p = 0.01). Plastic surgical cases performed at dedicated ambulatory surgery centers ($28.60; n = 1477) yielded significantly higher contribution margin per case minute compared with those performed at hospital-based facilities ($25.58; n = 2123) (p < 0.01). Use of standardized accounting (contribution margin per case minute) can be a strategically effective method for determining the most profitable and appropriate case mix. Within academic health centers, aesthetic surgery can be a profitable enterprise; dedicated ambulatory surgery centers yield higher profitability.

  1. Diversity and Inclusion in Plastic Surgery Education: A National Survey by the American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons

    PubMed Central

    Obeid, Sara; Fanning, Alex

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: To date, there have been few studies in the field of plastic surgery examining the knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of educators and residents regarding diversity and inclusion, especially for the purposes of enhancing resident education, improving diversity efforts, and addressing health care disparities. Methods: An anonymous survey was provided electronically to a total of 462 American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeon members and 91 program coordinators (PCs), and 1,029 plastic surgery residents at 91 institutions across the United States. We analyzed the responses from PCs and program directors (PDs). Results: We collected responses from 34 institutions (37%), and 16.8% of American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeon members including 34 PCs and 44 PDs. We found that PDs were more likely to be male (86%) and above the age of 40 years (97%) compared with PCs (5% male and 61% above 40 years). Both groups were majority White. Fifty-nine percentage of PDs have a parent/guardian who attained a graduate degree versus 15% of PCs. Forty-eight percentage of PDs speak another language compared with 16% of PCs. More importantly, 95% of PDs had an opportunity to engage in diversity and inclusion-related activities in the last 6 months as compared with 43% of PCs; however, we did not find a statistical difference based on knowledge of increasing institutional capacity of diversity and inclusion between the 2 groups. PCs were more likely to witness discrimination (64%) than PDs (40%) in the health care setting, with body type/weight emerging as the most common type of discrimination. Very few respondents (10%) indicated they discriminated against others. Conclusions: Plastic surgery educators are committed to diversity and inclusion. Improvements can be made by incorporating PCs more frequently in activities related to the topic along with focused training on improving diversity on an institutional rather than individual level. Our study suggests body type

  2. Plastic Surgery Complications from Medical Tourism Treated in a U.S. Academic Medical Center.

    PubMed

    Ross, Kimberly M; Moscoso, Andrea V; Bayer, Lauren R; Rosselli-Risal, Liliana; Orgill, Dennis P

    2018-04-01

    Medical tourism is a growing, multi-billion dollar industry fueled by improvements in the global transportation infrastructure. The authors studied patients living in the United States who travel to other countries for plastic surgical procedures and returned to have their complications treated in the authors' center. A retrospective patient evaluation was performed. Patients who had presented to an urban tertiary academic hospital plastic surgery service with complications or complaints associated with plastic surgery performed in a developing country were studied. The authors collected demographic information, types of surgery performed, destinations, insurance coverage, and complications. Seventy-eight patients were identified over 7 years. Most commonly, complications were seen following abdominoplasty (n = 35), breast augmentation (n = 25), and foreign body injections (n = 15). Eighteen patients underwent multiple procedures in one operative setting. The most common destination country was the Dominican Republic (n = 59). Complications included surgical-site infections (n = 14), pain (n = 14), and wound healing complications (n = 12). Eighty-six percent of patients (n = 67) relied on their medical insurance to pay for their follow-up care or manage their complications, with the most common type of health insurance coverage being Massachusetts Medicaid (n = 48). Cosmetic surgery performed in developing countries can carry substantial risks of complications that can be challenging to patients, primary care providers, insurers, and plastic surgical teams not associated with the original surgery. These complications pose significant burdens on our public health systems.

  3. Selection criteria for the integrated model of plastic surgery residency.

    PubMed

    LaGrasso, Jeffrey R; Kennedy, Debbie A; Hoehn, James G; Ashruf, Salmon; Przybyla, Adrian M

    2008-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify those qualities and characteristics of fourth-year medical students applying for the Integrated Model of Plastic Surgery residency training that will make a successful plastic surgery resident. A three-part questionnaire was distributed to the training program directors of the 20 Integrated Model of Plastic Surgery programs accredited by the Residency Review Committee for Plastic Surgery by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education. The first section focused on 19 objective characteristics that directors use to evaluate applicants (e.g., Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society membership, United States Medical Licensing Examination scores). The second section consisted of 20 subjective characteristics commonly used to evaluate applicants during the interview process. The third section consisted of reasons why, if any, residents failed to successfully complete the training program. Fifteen of the 20 program directors responded to the questionnaire. The results showed that they considered membership in the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society to be the most important objective criterion, followed by publications in peer-reviewed journals and letters of recommendation from plastic surgeons known to the director. Leadership capabilities were considered the most important subjective criterion, followed by maturity and interest in academics. Reasons residents failed to complete the training program included illness or death, academic inadequacies, and family demands. The authors conclude that applicants who have achieved high academic honors and demonstrate leadership ability with interest in academics were viewed most likely to succeed as plastic surgery residents by program directors of Integrated Model of Plastic Surgery residencies.

  4. Resident Cosmetic Clinic: Practice Patterns, Safety, and Outcomes at an Academic Plastic Surgery Institution.

    PubMed

    Qureshi, Ali A; Parikh, Rajiv P; Myckatyn, Terence M; Tenenbaum, Marissa M

    2016-10-01

    Comprehensive aesthetic surgery education is an integral part of plastic surgery residency training. Recently, the ACGME increased minimum requirements for aesthetic procedures in residency. To expand aesthetic education and prepare residents for independent practice, our institution has supported a resident cosmetic clinic for over 25 years. To evaluate the safety of procedures performed through a resident clinic by comparing outcomes to benchmarked national aesthetic surgery outcomes and to provide a model for resident clinics in academic plastic surgery institutions. We identified a consecutive cohort of patients who underwent procedures through our resident cosmetic clinic between 2010 and 2015. Major complications, as defined by CosmetAssure database, were recorded and compared to published aesthetic surgery complication rates from the CosmetAssure database for outcomes benchmarking. Fisher's exact test was used to compare sample proportions. Two hundred and seventy-one new patients were evaluated and 112 patients (41.3%) booked surgery for 175 different aesthetic procedures. There were 55 breast, 19 head and neck, and 101 trunk or extremity aesthetic procedures performed. The median number of preoperative and postoperative visits was 2 and 4 respectively with a mean follow-up time of 35 weeks. There were 3 major complications (2 hematomas and 1 infection requiring IV antibiotics) with an overall complication rate of 1.7% compared to 2.0% for patients in the CosmetAssure database (P = .45). Surgical outcomes for procedures performed through a resident cosmetic clinic are comparable to national outcomes for aesthetic surgery procedures, suggesting this experience can enhance comprehensive aesthetic surgery education without compromising patient safety or quality of care. 4 Risk. © 2016 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  5. Gender Authorship Trends of Plastic Surgery Research in the United States.

    PubMed

    Silvestre, Jason; Wu, Liza C; Lin, Ines C; Serletti, Joseph M

    2016-07-01

    An increasing number of women are entering the medical profession, but plastic surgery remains a male-dominated profession, especially within academia. As academic aspirations and advancement depend largely on research productivity, the authors assessed the number of articles authored by women published in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Original articles in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery published during the years 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2004, and 2014 were analyzed. First and senior authors with an M.D. degree and U.S. institutional affiliation were categorized by gender. Authorship trends were compared with those from other specialties. Findings were placed in the context of gender trends among plastic surgery residents in the United States. The percentage of female authors in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery increased from 2.4 percent in 1970 to 13.3 percent in 2014. Over the same time period, the percentage of female plastic surgery residents increased from 2.6 percent to 32.5 percent. By 2014, there were more female first authors (19.1 percent) than senior authors (7.7 percent) (p < 0.001). As a field, plastic surgery had fewer female authors than other medical specialties including pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, general surgery, internal medicine, and radiation oncology (p < 0.05). The increase in representation of female authors in plastic surgery is encouraging but lags behind advances in other specialties. Understanding reasons for these trends may help improve gender equity in academic plastic surgery.

  6. Facial Plastic Surgery Patient Resources Exceed National Institute Recommendations.

    PubMed

    Chu, Michael W; Cook, Julia A; Tholpady, Sunil S; Schmalbach, Cecelia E; Momeni, Arash

    2017-05-01

    Patient education is essential in enhancing the physician-patient therapeutic alliance, patient satisfaction, and clinical outcomes. The American Medical Association and National Institute of Health recommend that information be written at a 6th-grade reading level, but online resources often exceed patient literacy. The purpose of this study is to assess readability of online material for facial plastics procedures presented on academic plastic surgery and otolaryngology websites.An Internet search was performed of all academic institutions that had both plastic surgery and otolaryngology training programs who offered patient information on facial plastic surgery procedures. National society websites for both plastic surgery and otolaryngology were also analyzed. All procedural information was compiled and readability analyses were performed. A 2-tailed Z-test was used to compare scores, and statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.Sixty-three programs were identified; 42 had educational material. The overall average readability for all information was at a 10th-grade reading level. The national plastic surgery website had a significantly higher word count and number of syllables per word compared to the national otolaryngology website (P < 0.001, P = 0.04).The complexity of written resources represents an obstacle to online patient education and efforts to improve readability could benefit patients seeking medical information online. Current online education materials are a potential hindrance to patient education, satisfaction, and decision making. Healthcare institutions should consider writing new materials with simpler language that would be accessible to patients.

  7. Changing trends in plastic surgery training.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Ramesh Kumar

    2014-05-01

    The currently available training models are being put to scrutiny in India today, both by the residents and the teachers. Plastic surgery specialty was created primarily for reconstructive purposes but the society always perceived it from a cosmetic angle, particularly in the post second world war era. As a result, there is a need to redefine the goals of plastic surgery training in the present times so that the plastic surgeon is "future ready" to meet the needs of society and the market forces. The author has reviewed the currently available literature on plastic surgery training from India and the western countries. An attempt has been made to study opinions from the teachers and the trainees. The modules currently available in India and abroad have been analyzed and a suggestion has been made for drafting training programs that would meet the demands of the society as well as prepare the resident both for the aesthetic and reconstructive practice. The plastic surgery training needs to be more vibrant and in tune with the changing times. While maintaining its core nature, the current predominantly reconstructive modules need to incorporate the aesthetic content. The evaluation should be both knowledge and competence based. The teachers need to be educated in the various teaching methods that are more applicable to grown up residents. There is a need to find ways to attract talented people in the academic plastic surgery.

  8. Changing trends in plastic surgery training

    PubMed Central

    Sharma, Ramesh Kumar

    2014-01-01

    Background: The currently available training models are being put to scrutiny in India today, both by the residents and the teachers. Plastic surgery specialty was created primarily for reconstructive purposes but the society always perceived it from a cosmetic angle, particularly in the post second world war era. As a result, there is a need to redefine the goals of plastic surgery training in the present times so that the plastic surgeon is “future ready” to meet the needs of society and the market forces. Materials and Methods: The author has reviewed the currently available literature on plastic surgery training from India and the western countries. An attempt has been made to study opinions from the teachers and the trainees. The modules currently available in India and abroad have been analyzed and a suggestion has been made for drafting training programs that would meet the demands of the society as well as prepare the resident both for the aesthetic and reconstructive practice. Conclusions: The plastic surgery training needs to be more vibrant and in tune with the changing times. While maintaining its core nature, the current predominantly reconstructive modules need to incorporate the aesthetic content. The evaluation should be both knowledge and competence based. The teachers need to be educated in the various teaching methods that are more applicable to grown up residents. There is a need to find ways to attract talented people in the academic plastic surgery. PMID:25190909

  9. National Institutes of Health Funding in Plastic Surgery: A Crisis?

    PubMed

    Silvestre, Jason; Abbatematteo, Joseph M; Serletti, Joseph M; Chang, Benjamin

    2016-09-01

    Decreasing funding rates and increasing competition for National Institutes of Health research grants have prompted diverse interventions in various fields of biomedicine. Currently, the state of National Institutes of Health funding for plastic surgery research is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to describe the portfolio of National Institutes of Health grants in academic plastic surgery. Plastic surgery faculty at integrated and independent programs were queried individually in the National Institutes of Health RePORTER database for grants awarded in 2014. Funding totals, mechanisms, and institutes were calculated. Abstracts were categorized by research type and field of interest. Characteristics of National Institutes of Health-funded principal investigators were elucidated. Eight hundred sixty-one academic plastic surgeons at 94 programs were queried, and only 18 investigators (2.1 percent) were funded at 12 programs (12.8 percent). National Institutes of Health-funded investigators were predominately male (72 percent), fellowship-trained (61 percent), and aged 49.3 ± 7.8 years. A total of 20 awards amounted to $6,916,886, with an average award of $345,844 ± $222,909. Costs were primarily awarded through the R01 mechanism (77.2 percent). The top three National Institutes of Health institutes awarded 72.9 percent of the entire portfolio. Funding supported clinical (41.1 percent), translational (36.9 percent), and basic science (22.0 percent) research. Craniofacial (20.5 percent), hand (18.7 percent), and breast (16.2 percent) had the greatest funding. Few programs and faculty drive the National Institutes of Health portfolio of plastic surgery research. These data suggest a tenuous funding situation that may be susceptible to future spending cuts. Future research is needed to identify barriers to National Institutes of Health funding procurement in academic plastic surgery.

  10. Mentorship: Concepts and Application to Plastic Surgery Training Programs

    PubMed Central

    Franzblau, Lauren E.; Kotsis, Sandra V.; Chung, Kevin C.

    2016-01-01

    Background Countless papers have demonstrated and emphasized the importance of mentoring in academic medicine. However, the upcoming role of mentors in the evolving medical field is poorly defined. As translational medicine, collaboration, and healthcare priorities change, so too must the goals and usage of mentoring. The aims of this paper are to demonstrate key aspects of effective mentoring in academic plastic surgery, show institutions how to cultivate mentoring relationships among their faculty and trainees, and provide direction for how to optimize the future use of mentoring to best prepare the next generation of plastic surgeons. Methods We reviewed the current literature regarding mentorship and the evolution of academic medicine. Results Mentors not only facilitate their protégés’ entrance into the field and future success, but can also attract medical students and residents to careers in research and abet the racial and gender discrepancies in plastic surgery and academia. Ideally faculty should undergo some form of training before they enter mentoring relationships. This will ensure that they are aware of their specific duties as mentors, are able to communicate with mentees, and can avoid potential pitfalls. Conclusions Mentorship is a tool. If used correctly, it can help recruit and retain talented physician-scientists to plastic surgery to satisfy the growing demand. This will require institutions to actively support mentorship, provide opportunities and resources for training mentors, and enable faculty to allocate time to this vital pursuit. PMID:23629123

  11. The Teaching of Ethics and Professionalism in Plastic Surgery Residency: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

    PubMed

    Bennett, Katelyn G; Ingraham, John M; Schneider, Lisa F; Saadeh, Pierre B; Vercler, Christian J

    2017-05-01

    The ethical practice of medicine has always been of utmost importance, and plastic surgery is no exception. The literature is devoid of information on the teaching of ethics and professionalism in plastic surgery. In light of this, a survey was sent to ascertain the status of ethics training in plastic surgery residencies. A 21-question survey was sent from the American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons meeting to 180 plastic surgery program directors and coordinators via email. Survey questions inquired about practice environment, number of residents, presence of a formal ethics training program, among others. Binary regression was used to determine if any relationships existed between categorical variables, and Poisson linear regression was used to assess relationships between continuous variables. Statistical significance was set at a P value of 0.05. A total of 104 members responded to the survey (58% response rate). Sixty-three percent were program directors, and most (89%) practiced in academic settings. Sixty-two percent in academics reported having a formal training program, and 60% in private practice reported having one. Only 40% of programs with fewer than 10 residents had ethics training, whereas 78% of programs with more than 20 residents did. The odds of having a training program were slightly higher (odds ratio, 1.1) with more residents (P = 0.17). Despite the lack of information in the literature, formal ethics and professionalism training does exist in many plastic surgery residencies, although barriers to implementation do exist. Plastic surgery leadership should be involved in the development of standardized curricula to help overcome these barriers.

  12. The Top 100 Social Media Influencers in Plastic Surgery on Twitter: Who Should You Be Following?

    PubMed

    Chandawarkar, Akash A; Gould, Daniel J; Grant Stevens, W

    2018-03-06

    Recent studies demonstrate that board-certified plastic surgeons are underrepresented amongst individuals posting public-directed marketing plastic surgery-related content on Instagram. However, peer-to-peer and education-based social media influence has not been studied. Twitter is a social media platform has been suggested to be useful for educating the masses and connecting with colleagues. The purpose of this study is to identify the top influencers in plastic surgery on Twitter, characterize who they are, and relate their social media influence to academic influence. Twitter influence scores for the topic search "plastic surgery" were collected in July 2017 using Right Relevance software. The accounts associated with the highest influencer scores were linked to individual names, status as a plastic surgeon, board certification, location, and academic h-index. The top 100 Twitter influencers in plastic surgery are presented. Seventy-seven percent of the top influencers are trained as plastic surgeons or facial plastic surgeons. Sixty-one percent of influencers are board-certified plastic surgeons or board-eligible/future eligible trainees. International plastic surgeons made up 16% of influencers. Other medical doctors made up another 10%. The other 13% of influencers were nonphysicians. Three-quarters of social media influencers were physically located in the United States. Academic h-index of social media influencers ranged from 0 to 62 (mean, 8.6). This study shows that the top plastic surgery social media influencers on Twitter are predominantly board-certified or eligible plastic surgeons and physically based in the United States. This study also provides the influencer network for other plastic surgeons to engage with to improve their own influence within the plastic surgery social media sphere.

  13. Do Plastic Surgery Programs with Integrated Residencies or Subspecialty Fellowships Have Increased Academic Productivity?

    PubMed Central

    Duquette, Stephen P.; Valsangkar, Nakul P.; Sood, Rajiv; Socas, Juan; Zimmers, Teresa A.

    2016-01-01

    Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different surgical training pathways on the academic performance of plastic surgical divisions. Methods: Eighty-two academic parameters for 338 plastic surgeons (PS), 1737 general surgeons (GS), and 1689 specialist surgeons (SS) from the top 55 National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded academic departments of surgery were examined using data gathered from websites, SCOPUS, and NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools. Results: The median size of a PS division was 7 faculty members. PS faculty had lower median publications (P)/citations (C) (ie, P/C) than GS and SS (PS: 25/328, GS: 35/607, and SS: 40/713, P < 0.05). Publication and citation differences were observed at all ranks: assistant professor (PS: 11/101, GS: 13/169, and SS: 19/249), associate professor (PS: 33/342, GS: 40/691, and SS: 44/780), and professor (PS: 57/968, GS: 97/2451, and SS: 101/2376). PS had a lower percentage of faculty with current/former NIH funding (PS: 13.5%, GS: 22.8%, and SS: 25.1%, P < 0.05). Academic productivity for PS faculty was improved in integrated programs. P/C for PS faculty from divisions with traditional 3-year fellowships was 19/153, integrated 6-year residency was 25/329, and both traditional and 6-year programs were 27/344, P < 0.05. Craniofacial and hand fellowships increased productivity within the integrated residency programs. P/C for programs with a craniofacial fellowship were 32/364 and for those that additionally had a hand fellowship were 45/536. PS faculty at divisions with integrated training programs also had a higher frequency of NIH funding. Conclusions: PS divisions vary in degree of academic productivity. Dramatically improved scholarly output is observed with integrated residency training programs and advanced specialty fellowships. PMID:27014543

  14. #SocialMedia for the Academic Plastic Surgeon—Elevating the Brand

    PubMed Central

    Humphries, Laura S.; Curl, Brandon

    2016-01-01

    Summary: The link between social media and surgery has been under increasingly popular discussion. This article discusses the potential role of social media in creating and maintaining the brand of an academic plastic surgeon. PMID:27104098

  15. The Impact of National Institutes of Health Funding on Scholarly Productivity in Academic Plastic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Silvestre, Jason; Abbatematteo, Joseph M; Chang, Benjamin; Serletti, Joseph M; Taylor, Jesse A

    2016-02-01

    The h-index is an objective measure of an investigator's scholarly impact. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the association between scholarly impact, as measured by the h-index, and the procurement of National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant funding among academic plastic surgeons. This was a case-control study of NIH-funded plastic surgery faculty identified on the RePORTER database. Non-NIH-funded faculty from the top 10 NIH-funded programs served as a control group. The mean h-index was calculated from Scopus (Elsevier, London, United Kingdom) and compared by funding status, academic rank, and terminal degree(s). The relationship between h-index and career NIH funding was elucidated via Spearman's correlation coefficient. NIH-funded faculty had higher h-indices than nonNIH-funded faculty (23.9 versus 9.9, p < 0.001), an effect that persisted when controlling for academic rank. Higher rank correlated with higher h-indices and predicted greater NIH funding (p < 0.05). The h-index did not vary by terminal degree (p > 0.05), but investigators with a master's degree exhibited a trend toward greater NIH funding. Higher h-indices correlated with greater NIH funding (r = 0.481, p < 0.001). A strong relationship exists between scholarly impact and the procurement of NIH funding. Faculty with greater funding had greater scholarly impact, as measured by the h-index, which suggests that this tool may have utility during the NIH grant application process.

  16. Plastic surgery in the press.

    PubMed

    Reid, A J; Malone, P S C

    2008-08-01

    The media play a vital role in public education. The predominant image they portray of plastic and reconstructive surgery is that of cosmetic surgery, whilst the specialty's true scope is often misrepresented. The aim was to evaluate portrayal of plastic surgery in the national newspapers. LexisNexis Professional search engine was used to retrieve articles from all UK newspapers published in 2006 that contained the term 'plastic surgery' and each article was analysed. Of 1191 articles, 89% used the term 'plastic surgery' in the context of cosmetic surgery and only 10% referred to reconstructive work. There were 197 feature articles on cosmetic surgery and 52% of them included a quote from the medical profession. If the quoted doctor was on the UK General Medical Council (GMC) specialist register for plastic surgery, it was significantly more likely that a potential problem or complication associated with cosmetic surgery would be mentioned (p= 0.015). The vast majority of newspaper articles refer only to the cosmetic component of plastic surgery. When quoted, doctors on the GMC specialist register for plastic surgery provide a more balanced view of cosmetic surgery. Further initiative is needed to portray the full scope of plastic and reconstructive surgery to the general public.

  17. Plastic Surgery-Related Hashtag Utilization on Instagram: Implications for Education and Marketing.

    PubMed

    Dorfman, Robert G; Vaca, Elbert E; Mahmood, Eitezaz; Fine, Neil A; Schierle, Clark F

    2018-02-15

    Recent data suggest patients are seeking aesthetic surgery to improve their appearance on Instagram and other social media. Despite the rising influence of Instagram in plastic surgery, few academic publications address Instagram, let alone evaluate its utilization in plastic surgery. We set out to answer the following three questions: 1) what plastic surgery-related content is being posted to Instagram; 2) who is posting this content; and 3) what specific hashtags are they using? Our study queried 21 Instagram plastic surgery-related hashtags. Content analysis was used to qualitatively evaluate each of the nine "top" posts associated with each hashtag (189 posts). Duplicate posts and those not relevant to plastic surgery were excluded. A total of 1,789,270 posts utilized the 21 hashtags sampled in this study. Of the top 189 posts for these 21 queried hashtags, 163 posts met inclusion criteria. Plastic surgeons eligible for membership in American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) accounted for only 17.8% of top posts, whereas noneligible physicians accounted for 26.4%. All nonplastic surgery trained physicians marketed themselves as "cosmetic surgeons." Nine top posts (5.5%) were by nonphysicians, including dentists, spas with no associated physician, and a hair salon. The majority of these posts were self-promotional (67.1%) as opposed to educational (32.9%). Board-certified plastic surgeons were significantly more likely to post educational content to Instagram as compared to nonplastic surgeons (62.1% vs 38.1%, P = 0.02). ASAPS eligible board-certified plastic surgeons are underrepresented amongst physicians posting top plastic surgery-related content to Instagram. © 2017 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com

  18. Public perception of Plastic Surgery.

    PubMed

    de Blacam, Catherine; Kilmartin, Darren; Mc Dermott, Clodagh; Kelly, Jack

    2015-02-01

    Public perception of Plastic Surgery is strongly influenced by the media and may not reflect the broad scope of work within the speciality. The aim of this study was to provide an assessment of the general public's perception of plastic surgical practice and to report the perceived importance of Plastic Surgery relative to other specialities working within a large tertiary referral centre. 899 members of the public who attended our Emergency Department completed a questionnaire where they matched eight surgical specialities with 30 operative procedures and ranked the importance of 30 different hospital specialities using a Likert scale. The majority of respondents correctly identified plastic surgeons as performing each of the cosmetic procedures listed (abdominoplasty 63.7%; breast augmentation 59.1%; facelift 61.35%; liposuction 59.7%). Plastic Surgery was identified as the primary speciality involved in breast reconstruction (49.3%) and burns surgery (43.0%). There was poor understanding of the role of plastic surgeons in hand surgery, with only 4.7% of respondents attributing tendon repair to plastic surgeons. Plastic Surgery ranked lowest of 30 specialities in terms of importance in providing care for patients within the hospital. Plastic Surgery is often misunderstood within the wider community and misconceptions reflect the influence of the media in highlighting certain aspects of the speciality. It behoves our professional organisations to highlight the importance of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery within major tertiary referral centres. Copyright © 2014 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Art and Plastic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Fernandes, Julio Wilson; Metka, Susanne

    2016-04-01

    The roots of science and art of plastic surgery are very antique. Anatomy, drawing, painting, and sculpting have been very important to the surgery and medicine development over the centuries. Artistic skills besides shape, volume, and lines perception can be a practical aid to the plastic surgeons' daily work. An overview about the interactions between art and plastic surgery is presented, with a few applications to rhinoplasty, cleft lip, and other reconstructive plastic surgeries. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

  20. Education on the Business of Plastic Surgery During Training: A Survey of Plastic Surgery Residents.

    PubMed

    Ovadia, Steven A; Gishen, Kriya; Desai, Urmen; Garcia, Alejandro M; Thaller, Seth R

    2018-06-01

    Entrepreneurial skills are important for physicians, especially plastic surgeons. Nevertheless, these skills are not typically emphasized during residency training. Evaluate the extent of business training at plastic surgery residency programs as well as means of enhancing business training. A 6-question online survey was sent to plastic surgery program directors for distribution to plastic surgery residents. Responses from residents at the PGY2 level and above were included for analysis. Tables were prepared to present survey results. Hundred and sixty-six residents including 147 PGY2 and above residents responded to our survey. Only 43.5% reported inclusion of business training in their plastic surgery residency. A majority of residents reported they do not expect on graduation to be prepared for the business aspects of plastic surgery. Additionally, a majority of residents feel establishment of a formal lecture series on the business of plastic surgery would be beneficial. Results from our survey indicate limited training at plastic surgery programs in necessary business skills. Plastic surgery residency programs should consider incorporating or enhancing elements of business training in their curriculum. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

  1. Resident operative experience in general surgery, plastic surgery, and urology 5 years after implementation of the ACGME duty hour policy.

    PubMed

    Simien, Christopher; Holt, Kathleen D; Richter, Thomas H; Whalen, Thomas V; Coburn, Michael; Havlik, Robert J; Miller, Rebecca S

    2010-08-01

    Resident duty hour restrictions were implemented in 2002-2003. This study examines changes in resident surgical experience since these restrictions were put into place. Operative log data for 3 specialties were examined: general surgery, urology, and plastic surgery. The academic year immediately preceding the duty hour restrictions, 2002-2003, was used as a baseline for comparison to subsequent academic years. Operative log data for graduating residents through 2007-2008 were the primary focus of the analysis. Examination of associated variables that may moderate the relationship between fewer duty hours and surgical volume was also included. Plastic surgery showed no changes in operative volume following duty hour restrictions. Operative volume increased in urology programs. General surgery showed a decrease in volume in some operative categories but an increase in others. Specifically the procedures in vascular, plastic, and thoracic areas showed a consistent decrease. There was no increase in the percentage of programs' graduates falling below minimum requirements. Procedures in pancreas, endocrine, and laparoscopic areas demonstrated an increase in volume. Graduates in larger surgical programs performed fewer procedures than graduates in smaller programs; this was not the case for urology or plastic surgery programs. The reduction of duty hours has not resulted in an across the board decrease in operative volume. Factors other than duty hour reforms may be responsible for some of the observed findings.

  2. Utilization and Perception of Integrative Medicine Among Plastic Surgery Patients.

    PubMed

    Patel, Nirav; Pierson, Justine; Lee, Timothy; Mast, Bruce; Lee, Bernard T; Estores, Irene; Singhal, Dhruv

    2017-05-01

    Integrative medicine (IM) is currently used by 40% of Americans. Our objective is to examine the prevalence and perception of IM utilization in patients being evaluated for elective plastic surgery. In July 2014, 402 consecutive patients presenting to plastic surgery clinics at the University of Florida, Veterans Affairs (VA), and Private Practices in Gainesville, Florida were requested to complete a survey regarding utilization of and attitudes towards IM. The survey completion rate was 75.5% (n = 331). The respondents' mean age was 48.5 years, and they were primarily white (75%), married (48%), and educated with at least a college degree (58%). The respondents were distributed between the university (74%), VA (15%), and private practice (11%). There was an equal mix of reconstructive (52%) and cosmetic (48%) visits. Overall IM utilization was 80.0%. Integrative medicine use correlated with having a college degree (P = 0.0002) and being middle age (40-64 years, P < 0.005). A higher utilization rate of IM in the private sector (87.0%) compared with the university (76.1%) and VA (71.0%) was not statistically significant (P = 0.17). Similarly, higher IM utilization in cosmetic patients compared with reconstructive patients (81% vs 74%) was not statistically significant (P = 0.56). The majority of patients stated a strong belief in self-healing techniques (71%, P < 0.005), and they desired (61%) that their physician should be familiar with these techniques (P < 0.005). The IM utilization is highly prevalent among plastic surgery patients regardless of reason for visit (cosmetic versus reconstruction) or practice setting (private versus academic versus VA). Increasing awareness of IM usage and potential impact on outcomes is especially important for academic and VA plastic surgeons. Moreover, an opportunity exists to study how certain aspects of IM can positively impact plastic surgery care.

  3. The Economics of Academic Advancement Within Surgery.

    PubMed

    Baimas-George, Maria; Fleischer, Brian; Korndorffer, James R; Slakey, Douglas; DuCoin, Christopher

    The success of an academic surgeon's career is often viewed as directly related to academic appointment; therefore, the sequence of promotion is a demanding, rigorous process. This paper seeks to define the financial implication of academic advancement across different surgical subspecialties. Data was collected from the Association of American Medical College's 2015 report of average annual salaries. Assumptions included 30 years of practice, 5 years as assistant professor, and 10 years as associate professor before advancement. The base formula used was: (average annual salary) × (years of practice [30 years - fellowship/research years]) + ($50,000 × years of fellowship/research) = total adjusted lifetime salary income. There was a significant increase in lifetime salary income with advancement from assistant to associate professor in all subspecialties when compared to an increase from associate to full professor. The greatest increase in income from assistant to associate professor was seen in transplant and cardiothoracic surgery (35% and 27%, respectively). Trauma surgery and surgical oncology had the smallest increases of 8% and 9%, respectively. With advancement to full professor, the increase in lifetime salary income was significantly less across all subspecialties, ranging from 1% in plastic surgery to 8% in pediatric surgery. When analyzing the economics of career advancement in academic surgery, there is a substantial financial benefit in lifetime income to becoming an associate professor in all fields; whereas, advancement to full professor is associated with a drastically reduced economic benefit. Copyright © 2017 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Plastic surgeons’ self-reported operative infection rates at a Canadian academic hospital

    PubMed Central

    Ng, Wendy KY; Kaur, Manraj Nirmal; Thoma, Achilleas

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Surgical site infection rates are of great interest to patients, surgeons, hospitals and third-party payers. While previous studies have reported hospital-acquired infection rates that are nonspecific to all surgical services, there remain no overall reported infection rates focusing specifically on plastic surgery in the literature. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the reported surgical site infection rate in plastic surgery procedures over a 10-year period at an academic hospital in Canada. METHODS: A review was conducted on reported plastic surgery surgical site infection rates from 2003 to 2013, based on procedures performed in the main operating room. For comparison, prospective infection surveillance data over an eight-year period (2005 to 2013) for nonplastic surgery procedures were reviewed to estimate the overall operative surgical site infection rates. RESULTS: A total of 12,183 plastic surgery operations were performed from 2003 to 2013, with 96 surgical site infections reported, corresponding to a net operative infection rate of 0.79%. There was a 0.49% surgeon-reported infection rate for implant-based procedures. For non-plastic surgery procedures, surgical site infection rates ranged from 0.04% for cataract surgery to 13.36% for high-risk abdominal hysterectomies. DISCUSSION: The plastic surgery infection rate at the study institution was found to be <1%. This rate was equal to, or somewhat less than, surgical site infection rates. However, these results do not report patterns of infection rates germane to procedures, season, age groups or sex. To provide more in-depth knowledge of this topic, multicentre studies should be conducted. PMID:25535460

  5. An Evaluation of h-Index as a Measure of Research Productivity Among Canadian Academic Plastic Surgeons.

    PubMed

    Hu, Jiayi; Gholami, Arian; Stone, Nicholas; Bartoszko, Justyna; Thoma, Achilleas

    2018-02-01

    Evaluation of research productivity among plastic surgeons can be complex. The Hirsch index (h-index) was recently introduced to evaluate both the quality and quantity of one's research activity. It has been proposed to be valuable in assessing promotions and grant funding within academic medicine, including plastic surgery. Our objective is to evaluate research productivity among Canadian academic plastic surgeons using the h-index. A list of Canadian academic plastic surgeons was obtained from websites of academic training programs. The h-index was retrieved using the Scopus database. Relevant demographic and academic factors were collected and their effects on the h-index were analyzed using the t test and Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney U test. Nominal and categorical variables were analyzed using χ 2 test and 1-way analysis of variance. Univariate and multivariate models were built a priori. All P values were 2 sided, and P < .05 was considered to be significant. Our study on Canadian plastic surgeons involved 175 surgeons with an average h-index of 7.6. Over 80% of the surgeons were male. Both univariable and multivariable analysis showed that graduate degree ( P < .0001), academic rank ( P = .03), and years in practice ( P < .0001) were positively correlated with h-index. Limitations of the study include that the Scopus database and the websites of training programs were not always up-to-date. The h-index is a novel tool for evaluating research productivity in academic medicine, and this study shows that the h-index can also serve as a useful metric for measuring research productivity in the Canadian plastic surgery community. Plastic surgeons would be wise to familiarize themselves with the h-index concept and should consider using it as an adjunct to existing metrics such as total publication number.

  6. Gender Inequality for Women in Plastic Surgery: A Systematic Scoping Review.

    PubMed

    Bucknor, Alexandra; Kamali, Parisa; Phillips, Nicole; Mathijssen, Irene; Rakhorst, Hinne; Lin, Samuel J; Furnas, Heather

    2018-06-01

    Previous research has highlighted the gender-based disparities present throughout the field of surgery. This study aims to evaluate the breadth of the issues facing women in plastic surgery, worldwide. A systematic scoping review was undertaken from October of 2016 to January of 2017, with no restrictions on date or language. A narrative synthesis of the literature according to themed issues was developed, together with a summary of relevant numeric data. From the 2247 articles identified, 55 articles were included in the analysis. The majority of articles were published from the United States. Eight themes were identified, as follows: (1) workforce figures; (2) gender bias and discrimination; (3) leadership and academia; (4) mentorship and role models; (5) pregnancy, parenting, and childcare; (6) relationships, work-life balance, and professional satisfaction; (7) patient/public preference; and (8) retirement and financial planning. Despite improvement in numbers over time, women plastic surgeons continue to be underrepresented in the United States, Canada, and Europe, with prevalence ranging from 14 to 25.7 percent. Academic plastic surgeons are less frequently female than male, and women academic plastic surgeons score less favorably when outcomes of academic success are evaluated. Finally, there has been a shift away from overt discrimination toward a more ingrained, implicit bias, and most published cases of bias and discrimination are in association with pregnancy. The first step toward addressing the issues facing women plastic surgeons is recognition and articulation of the issues. Further research may focus on analyzing geographic variation in the issues and developing appropriate interventions.

  7. Identifying Sources of Funding That Contribute to Scholastic Productivity in Academic Plastic Surgeons.

    PubMed

    Ruan, Qing Zhao; Cohen, Justin B; Baek, Yoonji; Chen, Austin D; Doval, Andres F; Singhal, Dhruv; Fukudome, Eugene Y; Lin, Samuel J; Lee, Bernard T

    2018-04-01

    Scholastic productivity has previously been shown to be positively associated with National Institute of Health (NIH) grants and industry funding. This study examines whether society, industry, or federal funding contributes toward academic productivity as measured by scholastic output of academic plastic surgeons. Institution Web sites were used to acquire academic attributes of full-time academic plastic surgeons. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Open Payment database, NIH reporter, the Plastic Surgery Foundation (PSF), and American Association of Plastic Surgeons (AAPS) Web sites were accessed for funding and endowment details. Bibliometric data of each surgeon were then collected via Scopus to ascertain strengths of association with each source. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify significant contributors to high scholastic output. We identified 935 academic plastic surgeons with 94 (10.1%), 24 (2.6%), 724 (77.4%), and 62 (6.6%) receiving funding from PSF, AAPS, industry, and NIH, respectively. There were positive correlations in receiving NIH, PSF, and/or AAPS funding (P < 0.001), whereas industry funding was found to negatively associate with PSF (r = -0.75, P = 0.022) grants. The NIH R award was consistently found to be the most predictive of academic output across bibliometrics, followed by the AAPS academic scholarship award. Conventional measures of academic seniority remained predictive across all measures used. Our study demonstrates for the first time interactions between industry, federal, and association funding. The NIH R award was the strongest determinant of high scholastic productivity. Recognition through AAPS academic scholarships seemed to associate with subsequent success in NIH funding.

  8. [From the French Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery to the French Society of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery].

    PubMed

    Glicenstein, J

    2004-04-01

    (The) 3rd December 1952, 11 surgeons and other specialists found the French Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (SFCPR) which was officially published on (the) 28 September 1953. The first congress was during October 1953 and the first president as Maurice Aubry. The first secretary was Daniel Morel Fatio. The symposiums were after about three of four times each year and the thematic subjects were initially according the reconstructive surgery. The review "Annales de chirurgie plastique" was free in 1956. The members of the Society were about 30 initially, but their plastic surgery in the big hospitals at Paris and other big towns in France. The "specialty" of plastic surgery was created in 1971. On "syndicate", one French board of plastic reconstructive and aesthetic surgery, the increasing of departments of plastic surgery were the front of increasing of the plastic surgery in French and of the number of the French Society of Plastic Reconstructive surgery (580 in 2003). The French Society organized the International Congress of Plastic Surgery in 1975. The society SFCPR became the French Society of plastic reconstruction and Aesthetic Surgery (SFCPRE) in 1983 and the "logo" (front view) was in the 1994 SOF.CPRE.

  9. Industry Financial Relationships in Plastic Surgery: Analysis of the Sunshine Act Open Payments Database.

    PubMed

    Chao, Albert H; Gangopadhyay, Noopur

    2016-08-01

    Limited data exist regarding industry financial relationships in plastic surgery. The Sunshine Act Open Payments Database currently represents the largest repository of these data, but is limited primarily to queries of individual providers. The purpose of this study was to analyze these data and present them in a manner that better delineates these relationships, and to compare plastic surgery with other surgical subspecialties. A review of the Open Payments Database was performed for the period from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2014. These data were analyzed with respect to types of payments, characteristics of plastic surgeons and companies, and comparison with other surgical subspecialties. A total of 49,053 payments from 274 companies were identified that were made to 4812 plastic surgeons (475 academic and 4337 private practice). The total value of payments was $17,091,077. Food and beverage represented the most common type of payment (82.2 percent). Royalties and licensing represented the highest valued type of payment (35.7 percent), but were received by only a minority of plastic surgeons (0.5 percent). No significant differences were identified between academic and private practice plastic surgeons in the value or quantity of payments. Plastic surgery (54.5 percent) exhibited the lowest prevalence of industry financial relationships compared with otolaryngology (57.9 percent), orthopedics (62.4 percent), neurosurgery (87.8 percent), and urology (63.1 percent) (p < 0.001). Approximately half of all plastic surgeons have industry financial relationships. The prevalence of these relationships is comparatively less than in other surgical subspecialties.

  10. [The history of plastic surgery in Israel].

    PubMed

    Wiser, Itay; Scheflan, Michael; Heller, Lior

    2014-09-01

    The medical institutions in the country have advanced together with the development of the state of Israel. Plastic surgery, which has progressed significantly during the 20th century, has also grown rapidly in the new state. The arrival of Jewish plastic surgeons from all over the world with the knowledge and experience gained in their countries of origin, as well as the need for reconstructive surgical treatment for many combat injured soldiers, also contributed to the development of plastic surgery. This review tells the story of plastic surgery in Israel, since its foundation until nowadays. This article reviews the work of the founders of plastic surgery in Israel, indicating significant milestones in its development, and clinical and scientific contribution to the international plastic surgery profession. Moreover, the article describes the current condition of the field of plastic surgery in Israel and presents the trends and the future challenges facing the next generation of plastic surgery in Israel.

  11. Pregnancy and the Plastic Surgery Resident.

    PubMed

    Garza, Rebecca M; Weston, Jane S; Furnas, Heather J

    2017-01-01

    Combining pregnancy with plastic surgery residency has historically been difficult. Two decades ago, 36 percent of plastic surgery program directors surveyed actively discouraged pregnancy among residents, and 33 percent of women plastic surgeons suffered from infertility. Most alarmingly, 26 percent of plastic surgery trainees had had an elective abortion during residency. With increasing numbers of women training in plastic surgery, this historical lack of support for pregnancy deserves further attention. To explore the current accommodations made for the pregnant plastic surgery resident, an electronic survey was sent to 88 plastic surgery program directors in the United States. Fifty-four responded, for a response rate of 61.36 percent. On average, a director trained a total of 7.91 women among 17.28 residents trained over 8.19 years. Of the women residents, 1.43 were pregnant during a director's tenure, with 1.35 of those residents taking maternity leave. An average 1.75 male residents took paternity leave. Approximately one-third of programs had a formal maternity/paternity leave policy (36.54 percent) which, in most cases, was limited to defining allowed weeks of leave, time required to fulfill program requirements, and remuneration during leave. This survey of plastic surgery directors is a first step in defining the challenges training programs face in supporting the pregnant resident. Directors provided comments describing their challenges accommodating an absent resident in a small program and complying with the American Board of Plastic Surgery's required weeks of training per year. A discussion of these challenges is followed by suggested solutions.

  12. Variable Operative Experience in Hand Surgery for Plastic Surgery Residents.

    PubMed

    Silvestre, Jason; Lin, Ines C; Levin, Lawrence Scott; Chang, Benjamin

    Efforts to standardize hand surgery training during plastic surgery residency remain challenging. We analyze the variability of operative hand experience at U.S. plastic surgery residency programs. Operative case logs of chief residents in accredited U.S. plastic surgery residency programs were analyzed (2011-2015). Trends in fold differences of hand surgery case volume between the 10th and 90th percentiles of residents were assessed graphically. Percentile data were used to calculate the number of residents achieving case minimums in hand surgery for 2015. Case logs from 818 plastic surgery residents were analyzed of which a minority were from integrated (35.7%) versus independent/combined (64.3%) residents. Trend analysis of fold differences in case volume demonstrated decreasing variability among procedure categories over time. By 2015, fold differences for hand reconstruction, tendon cases, nerve cases, arthroplasty/arthrodesis, amputation, arterial repair, Dupuytren release, and neoplasm cases were below 10-fold. Congenital deformity cases among independent/combined residents was the sole category that exceeded 10-fold by 2015. Percentile data suggested that approximately 10% of independent/combined residents did not meet case minimums for arterial repair and congenital deformity in 2015. Variable operative experience during plastic surgery residency may limit adequate exposure to hand surgery for certain residents. Future studies should establish empiric case minimums for plastic surgery residents to ensure hand surgery competency upon graduation. Copyright © 2017 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Patient access in plastic surgery: an operational and financial analysis of service-based interventions to improve ambulatory throughput in an academic surgery practice.

    PubMed

    Hultman, Charles Scott; Gilland, Wendell G; Weir, Samuel

    2015-06-01

    Inefficient patient throughput in a surgery practice can result in extended new patient backlogs, excessively long cycle times in the outpatient clinics, poor patient satisfaction, decreased physician productivity, and loss of potential revenue. This project assesses the efficacy of multiple throughput interventions in an academic, plastic surgery practice at a public university. We implemented a Patient Access and Efficiency (PAcE) initiative, funded and sponsored by our health care system, to improve patient throughput in the outpatient surgery clinic. Interventions included: (1) creation of a multidisciplinary team, led by a project redesign manager, that met weekly; (2) definition of goals, metrics, and target outcomes; 3) revision of clinic templates to reflect actual demand; 4) working down patient backlog through group visits; 5) booking new patients across entire practice; 6) assigning a physician's assistant to the preoperative clinic; and 7) designating a central scheduler to coordinate flow of information. Main outcome measures included: patient satisfaction using Press-Ganey surveys; complaints reported to patient relations; time to third available appointment; size of patient backlog; monthly clinic volumes with utilization rates and supply/demand curves; "chaos" rate (cancellations plus reschedules, divided by supply, within 48 hours of booked clinic date); patient cycle times with bottleneck analysis; physician productivity measured by work Relative Value Units (wRVUs); and downstream financial effects on billing, collection, accounts receivable (A/R), and payer mix. We collected, managed, and analyzed the data prospectively, comparing the pre-PAcE period (6 months) with the PAcE period (6 months). The PAcE initiative resulted in multiple improvements across the entire plastic surgery practice. Patient satisfaction increased only slightly from 88.5% to 90.0%, but the quarterly number of complaints notably declined from 17 to 9. Time to third

  14. Plastic surgery residency websites: a critical analysis of accessibility and content.

    PubMed

    Silvestre, Jason; Tomlinson-Hansen, Sandra; Fosnot, Joshua; Taylor, Jesse A

    2014-03-01

    Medical students applying for plastic surgery residency utilize the Internet to manage their residency applications. Applicants often apply to many programs and rely on advice from colleagues, mentors, and information gathered from plastic surgery residency websites (PSRWs). The purpose of the present study was to evaluate integrated and combined PSRWs with respect to accessibility, resident recruitment, and education. Websites from all 63 integrated and combined plastic surgery residencies available to graduating medical students during the 2013 academic year were available for study inclusion. Databases from national bodies for plastic surgery education were analyzed for accessibility of information. PSRWs were evaluated for comprehensiveness in the domains of resident education and recruitment. Residency programs were compared according to program characteristics using the Student t test and ANOVA with Tukey method. Of the 63 residencies available to graduating medical students, only 57 had combined or integrated program information on their PSRWs (90.5%). In the domain of resident recruitment, evaluators found an average of 5.5 of 15 content items (36.7%). As a whole, 26.3% of PSRWs had academic conference schedules, 17.5% had call schedules, and only 8.8% had operative case listings. For resident education, PSRWs provided an average of 4.6 of 15 content items (30.7%). Only 31.6% of PSRWs had interview schedules, 24.6% had graduate fellowship information, and 5.3% had information on board exam performance. Upon comparison, programs in the Midwest had more online recruitment content than programs in the West (47.1% vs. 24.2%, P < 0.01). Additionally, programs with a larger class of incoming residents (2 vs. 1) had greater online recruitment content (40.0% vs. 26.7%, P < 0.05). Larger programs with 3 integrated spots had more online education content than smaller programs with only 1 integrated spot (40.0% vs. 19.4%, P < 0.01). PSRWs are often not readily

  15. Career evaluation and the decision process for plastic surgery graduates.

    PubMed

    Davison, Steven P; Clemens, Mark W

    2011-08-01

    National experience shows that 50 percent of physicians change positions within the first 2 years of practice. Because of market pressures, medicine in general and plastic surgery in particular are shifting away from solo practice. The authors examine the primary reasons for turnover and discuss job search priorities for recent plastic surgery graduates and established surgeons in job transition, with a current analysis of the different job opportunities available, ranging from government to private practice. The advantages and disadvantages of different positions are compared and income data are presented. Academic income is close to that of private practice at a mean of $366,141 annually but requires more work as measured by an overall higher relative value unit of productivity. The concept of creating a personal inventory before seeking the best job match is introduced.

  16. Views of College Students on Plastic Surgery

    PubMed Central

    Ahmad, Muhammad; Mohmand, Humayun; Ahmad, Nabila

    2013-01-01

    BACKGROUND Various studies have been conducted in many countries to determine the perception/awareness about plastic surgery. The present study assessed the views of college students about plastic surgery. METHODS A questionnaire consisted of nine questions regarding the basic knowledge about plastic surgery was randomly distributed among college students. The students were given 20 minutes to fill out the forms. RESULTS A total of 250 male and 250 female college students were randomly included in the study. The mean age of the male students was 21.1 years as compared to 20.7 years of female students. The top five conditions named were related to hair (89.8%) followed by face scars (88%). The most common procedure named by the students was liposuction (88.2%) followed by hair transplantation. 80.2% of the students opted not to be a plastic surgeon if given an opportunity to select the profession. 33.8% of the students had seen some kinds of plastic surgery operation. Only 5.6% of the students (3.4% male and 2.2% female) had seen some kinds of plastic surgery procedure. 68% of male students and 48% of female students wished to have a plastic surgery procedure sometime in their lives. Majority of the students (88%) got the information from the internet. The second most common source was magazines (85.2%). Majority of the students (53.4%) had an idea of an invisible scar as a result of having a plastic surgery procedure. Only 22% thought to have no scar. Late Michael Jackson was at the top of the list of celebrities having a plastic surgery procedure (97.8%) followed by Nawaz Shariff (92.4%). CONCLUSION Despite the rapid growth of plastic surgery in the last two decades, a large portion of population remains unaware of the spatiality. It is essential to institute programs to educate healthcare consumers and providers about the plastic surgery. PMID:25489513

  17. Views of college students on plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Ahmad, Muhammad; Mohmand, Humayun; Ahmad, Nabila

    2013-06-01

    Various studies have been conducted in many countries to determine the perception/awareness about plastic surgery. The present study assessed the views of college students about plastic surgery. A questionnaire consisted of nine questions regarding the basic knowledge about plastic surgery was randomly distributed among college students. The students were given 20 minutes to fill out the forms. A total of 250 male and 250 female college students were randomly included in the study. The mean age of the male students was 21.1 years as compared to 20.7 years of female students. The top five conditions named were related to hair (89.8%) followed by face scars (88%). The most common procedure named by the students was liposuction (88.2%) followed by hair transplantation. 80.2% of the students opted not to be a plastic surgeon if given an opportunity to select the profession. 33.8% of the students had seen some kinds of plastic surgery operation. Only 5.6% of the students (3.4% male and 2.2% female) had seen some kinds of plastic surgery procedure. 68% of male students and 48% of female students wished to have a plastic surgery procedure sometime in their lives. Majority of the students (88%) got the information from the internet. The second most common source was magazines (85.2%). Majority of the students (53.4%) had an idea of an invisible scar as a result of having a plastic surgery procedure. Only 22% thought to have no scar. Late Michael Jackson was at the top of the list of celebrities having a plastic surgery procedure (97.8%) followed by Nawaz Shariff (92.4%). Despite the rapid growth of plastic surgery in the last two decades, a large portion of population remains unaware of the spatiality. It is essential to institute programs to educate healthcare consumers and providers about the plastic surgery.

  18. The commercialization of plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Swanson, Eric

    2013-09-01

    The last decade has brought a major challenge to the traditional practice of plastic surgery from corporations that treat plastic surgery as a commercial product and market directly to the public. This corporate medicine model may include promotion of a trademarked procedure or device, national advertising that promises stunning results, sales consultants, and claims of innovation, superiority, and improved safety. This article explores the ethics of this business practice and whether corporate medicine is a desirable model for patients and plastic surgeons.

  19. Predictors of readmission after outpatient plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Mioton, Lauren M; Buck, Donald W; Rambachan, Aksharananda; Ver Halen, Jon; Dumanian, Gregory A; Kim, John Y S

    2014-01-01

    Hospital readmissions have become a topic of focus for quality care measures and cost-reduction efforts. However, no comparative multi-institutional data on plastic surgery outpatient readmission rates currently exist. The authors endeavored to investigate hospital readmission rates and predictors of readmission following outpatient plastic surgery. The 2011 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was reviewed for all outpatient procedures. Unplanned readmission rates were calculated for all 10 tracked surgical specialties (i.e., general, thoracic, vascular, cardiac, orthopedics, otolaryngology, plastics, gynecology, urology, and neurosurgery). Multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine predictors of readmission for plastic surgery. A total of 7005 outpatient plastic surgery procedures were isolated. Outpatient plastic surgery had a low associated readmission rate (1.94 percent) compared with other specialties. Seventy-five patients were readmitted with a complication. Multivariate regression analysis revealed obesity (body mass index ≥ 30), wound infection within 30 days of the index surgery, and American Society of Anesthesiologists class 3 or 4 physical status as significant predictors for unplanned readmission. Unplanned readmission after outpatient plastic surgery is infrequent and compares favorably to rates of readmission among other specialties. Obesity, wound infection within 30 days of the index operation, and American Society of Anesthesiologists class 3 or 4 physical status are independent predictors of readmission. As procedures continue to transition into outpatient settings and the drive to improve patient care persists, these findings will serve to optimize outpatient surgery use.

  20. The effect of community based-academic partnerships on student knowledge about plastic surgery and interest in medicine.

    PubMed

    Sillah, Nyama M; Miller, Hannah J; Weis Sadoski, Tahlia L; Larson, Jeffrey D; Bentz, Michael L; King, Timothy W

    2015-06-01

    Programs specific to plastic surgery are necessary to dispel common myths and increase interest in the field. In a previous publication by the authors, a community outreach program was developed for these reasons for middle school students. In the current study, we expanded on the previous research and collected objective data to assess students' initial interest in medicine and knowledge about plastic surgery, compared to their interest and knowledge afterward. The program previously developed by the authors was modified and performed for the students at various community outreach events and included a PowerPoint presentation, case didactics, and hands-on activities. A test about plastic surgery and questionnaire about interest in the medical field and becoming a doctor was given to each student before and after the program. One hundred seventy-nine students participated in the program from 2009 to 2013. The pretest mean score was 6.50 of 12 questions whereas the posttest mean score was 9.72 (P = <0.001). After participation in the program, 27% of students that answered "no" or "unsure" about interest in the medical field on the pretest changed their answer to "yes," on the posttest, and 17% of students that answered "no" or "unsure" about interest in becoming a doctor on the pretest changed their answer to "yes," on the posttest (P = <0.001). A plastic surgery community outreach program is beneficial in increasing students' interest in the field of medicine as a whole, and more specifically in the field of plastic surgery.

  1. The Plastic Surgery Hand Curriculum.

    PubMed

    Silvestre, Jason; Levin, L Scott; Serletti, Joseph M; Chang, Benjamin

    2015-12-01

    Designing an effective hand rotation for plastic surgery residents is difficult. The authors address this limitation by elucidating the critical components of the hand curriculum during plastic surgery residency. Hand questions on the Plastic Surgery In-Service Training Exam for six consecutive years (2008 to 2013) were characterized by presence of imaging, vignette setting, question taxonomy, answer domain, anatomy, and topic. Answer references were quantified by source and year of publication. Two hundred sixty-six questions were related to hand surgery (22.7 percent of all questions; 44.3 per year) and 61 were accompanied by an image (22.9 percent). Vignettes tended to be clinic- (50.0 percent) and emergency room-based (35.3 percent) (p < 0.001). Questions required decision-making (60.5 percent) over interpretation (25.9 percent) and recall skills (13.5 percent) (p < 0.001). Answers focused on interventions (57.5 percent) over anatomy/pathology (25.2 percent) and diagnoses (17.3 percent) (p < 0.001). Nearly half of the questions focused on the digits. The highest yield topics were trauma (35.3 percent), reconstruction (24.4 percent), and aesthetic and functional problems (14.2 percent). The Journal of Hand Surgery (American volume) (20.5 percent) and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (18.0 percent) were the most-cited journals, and the median publication lag was 7 years. Green's Operative Hand Surgery was the most-referenced textbook (41.8 percent). These results will enable trainees to study hand surgery topics with greater efficiency. Faculty can use these results to ensure that tested topics are covered during residency training. Thus, a benchmark is established to improve didactic, clinical, and operative experiences in hand surgery.

  2. Cosmetic Surgery Training in Plastic Surgery Residency Programs.

    PubMed

    McNichols, Colton H L; Diaconu, Silviu; Alfadil, Sara; Woodall, Jhade; Grant, Michael; Lifchez, Scott; Nam, Arthur; Rasko, Yvonne

    2017-09-01

    Over the past decade, plastic surgery programs have continued to evolve with the addition of 1 year of training, increase in the minimum number of required aesthetic cases, and the gradual replacement of independent positions with integrated ones. To evaluate the impact of these changes on aesthetic training, a survey was sent to residents and program directors. A 37 question survey was sent to plastic surgery residents at all Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-approved plastic surgery training programs in the United States. A 13 question survey was sent to the program directors at the same institutions. Both surveys were analyzed to determine the duration of training and comfort level with cosmetic procedures. Eighty-three residents (10%) and 11 program directors (11%) completed the survey. Ninety-four percentage of residents had a dedicated cosmetic surgery rotation (an increase from 68% in 2015) in addition to a resident cosmetic clinic. Twenty percentage of senior residents felt they would need an aesthetic surgery fellowship to practice cosmetic surgery compared with 31% in 2015. Integrated chief residents were more comfortable performing cosmetic surgery cases compared with independent chief residents. Senior residents continue to have poor confidence with facial aesthetic and body contouring procedures. There is an increase in dedicated cosmetic surgery rotations and fewer residents believe they need a fellowship to practice cosmetic surgery. However, the comfort level of performing facial aesthetic and body contouring procedures remains low particularly among independent residents.

  3. Cosmetic Surgery Training in Plastic Surgery Residency Programs

    PubMed Central

    McNichols, Colton H. L.; Diaconu, Silviu; Alfadil, Sara; Woodall, Jhade; Grant, Michael; Lifchez, Scott; Nam, Arthur

    2017-01-01

    Background: Over the past decade, plastic surgery programs have continued to evolve with the addition of 1 year of training, increase in the minimum number of required aesthetic cases, and the gradual replacement of independent positions with integrated ones. To evaluate the impact of these changes on aesthetic training, a survey was sent to residents and program directors. Methods: A 37 question survey was sent to plastic surgery residents at all Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education–approved plastic surgery training programs in the United States. A 13 question survey was sent to the program directors at the same institutions. Both surveys were analyzed to determine the duration of training and comfort level with cosmetic procedures. Results: Eighty-three residents (10%) and 11 program directors (11%) completed the survey. Ninety-four percentage of residents had a dedicated cosmetic surgery rotation (an increase from 68% in 2015) in addition to a resident cosmetic clinic. Twenty percentage of senior residents felt they would need an aesthetic surgery fellowship to practice cosmetic surgery compared with 31% in 2015. Integrated chief residents were more comfortable performing cosmetic surgery cases compared with independent chief residents. Senior residents continue to have poor confidence with facial aesthetic and body contouring procedures. Conclusions: There is an increase in dedicated cosmetic surgery rotations and fewer residents believe they need a fellowship to practice cosmetic surgery. However, the comfort level of performing facial aesthetic and body contouring procedures remains low particularly among independent residents. PMID:29062658

  4. 21 CFR 878.3925 - Plastic surgery kit and accessories.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Plastic surgery kit and accessories. 878.3925... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES Prosthetic Devices § 878.3925 Plastic surgery kit and accessories. (a) Identification. A plastic surgery kit and accessories is a device intended to...

  5. 21 CFR 878.3925 - Plastic surgery kit and accessories.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Plastic surgery kit and accessories. 878.3925... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES Prosthetic Devices § 878.3925 Plastic surgery kit and accessories. (a) Identification. A plastic surgery kit and accessories is a device intended to...

  6. 21 CFR 878.3925 - Plastic surgery kit and accessories.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Plastic surgery kit and accessories. 878.3925... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES Prosthetic Devices § 878.3925 Plastic surgery kit and accessories. (a) Identification. A plastic surgery kit and accessories is a device intended to...

  7. 21 CFR 878.3925 - Plastic surgery kit and accessories.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Plastic surgery kit and accessories. 878.3925... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES Prosthetic Devices § 878.3925 Plastic surgery kit and accessories. (a) Identification. A plastic surgery kit and accessories is a device intended to...

  8. 21 CFR 878.3925 - Plastic surgery kit and accessories.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Plastic surgery kit and accessories. 878.3925... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES Prosthetic Devices § 878.3925 Plastic surgery kit and accessories. (a) Identification. A plastic surgery kit and accessories is a device intended to...

  9. Overview of Facial Plastic Surgery and Current Developments

    PubMed Central

    Chuang, Jessica; Barnes, Christian; Wong, Brian J. F.

    2016-01-01

    Facial plastic surgery is a multidisciplinary specialty largely driven by otolaryngology but includes oral maxillary surgery, dermatology, ophthalmology, and plastic surgery. It encompasses both reconstructive and cosmetic components. The scope of practice for facial plastic surgeons in the United States may include rhinoplasty, browlifts, blepharoplasty, facelifts, microvascular reconstruction of the head and neck, craniomaxillofacial trauma reconstruction, and correction of defects in the face after skin cancer resection. Facial plastic surgery also encompasses the use of injectable fillers, neural modulators (e.g., BOTOX Cosmetic, Allergan Pharmaceuticals, Westport, Ireland), lasers, and other devices aimed at rejuvenating skin. Facial plastic surgery is a constantly evolving field with continuing innovative advances in surgical techniques and cosmetic adjunctive technologies. This article aims to give an overview of the various procedures that encompass the field of facial plastic surgery and to highlight the recent advances and trends in procedures and surgical techniques. PMID:28824978

  10. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery: The Plastic Surgery Paradigm Shift.

    PubMed

    Bartlett, Erica L; Zavlin, Dmitry; Friedman, Jeffrey D; Abdollahi, Aariane; Rappaport, Norman H

    2017-12-14

    With a focus on providing high quality care and reducing facility based expenses there has been an evolution in perioperative care by way of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS). ERAS allows for a multidisciplinary and multimodal approach to perioperative care which not only expedites recovery but maximizes patient outcomes. This paradigm shift has been generally accepted by most surgical specialties, including plastic surgery. The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of ERAS on outcomes in cosmetic plastic surgery. A prospective study consisting of phone call questionnaires was designed where patients from two senior plastic surgeons (N.H.R. and J.D.F.) were followed. The treatment group (n = 10) followed an ERAS protocol while the control group (n = 12) followed the traditional recovery after surgery which included narcotic usage. Patients were contacted on postoperative days (POD) 0 through 7+ and surveyed about a number of outcomes measures. The ERAS group demonstrated a significant reduction in postoperative pain on POD 0, 1, 2, and 3 (all P < 0.01). There was also statistically less nausea/vomiting, fatigue/drowsiness, constipation, and hindrance on ambulation compared to the control group (all P < 0.05). Significance was achieved for reduction in fatigue/drowsiness on POD 0 and 1 (P < 0.01), as well as ability to ambulate on POD 0 and 3 (P = 0.044). Lastly, opioid use (P < 0.001) and constipation (P = 0.003) were decreased. ERAS protocols have demonstrated their importance within multiple surgical fields, including cosmetic plastic surgery. The utility lies in the ability to expedite patient's recovery while still providing quality care. This study showed a reduction in postoperative complaints by avoiding narcotics without an increase in complications. Our findings signify the importance of ERAS protocols within cosmetic plastic surgery. 4. © 2017 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com

  11. From time-based to competency-based standards: core transitional competencies in plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Lutz, Kristina; Yazdani, Arjang; Ross, Douglas

    2015-01-01

    Competency-based medical education is becoming increasingly prevalent and is likely to be mandated by the Royal College in the near future. The objective of this study was to define the core technical competencies that should be possessed by plastic surgery residents as they transition into their senior (presently postgraduate year 3) years of training. A list of potential core competencies was generated using a modified Delphi method that included the investigators and 6 experienced, academic plastic surgeons from across Canada and the United States. Generated items were divided into 7 domains: basic surgical skills, anesthesia, hand surgery, cutaneous surgery, esthetic surgery, breast surgery, and craniofacial surgery. Members of the Delphi group were asked to rank particular skills on a 4-point scale with anchored descriptors. Item reduction resulted in a survey consisting of 48 skills grouped into the aforementioned domains. This self-administered survey was distributed to all Canadian program directors (n = 11) via e-mail for validation and further item reduction. The response rate was 100% (11/11). Using the average rankings of program directors, 26 "core" skills were identified. There was agreement of core skills across all domains except for breast surgery and esthetic surgery. Of them, 7 skills were determined to be above the level of a trainee at this stage; a further 15 skills were agreed to be important, but not core, competencies. Overall, 26 competencies have been identified as "core" for plastic surgery residents to possess as they begin their senior, on-service years. The nature of these skills makes them suitable for teaching in a formal, simulated environment, which would ensure that all plastic surgery trainees are competent in these tasks as they transition to their senior years of residency. Copyright © 2014 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Analysis of the efficacy of marketing tools in facial plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Zavod, Matthew B; Adamson, Peter A

    2008-06-01

    To compare referral sources to a facial plastic surgery practice and to develop models correlating the referral source with the decision for surgery. Retrospective descriptive study. Well-established, metropolitan, private facial plastic surgery practice with training fellowship affiliated with an academic centre. One-thousand eighty-nine new consecutive patients presenting between January 2001 and December 2005 recorded intake data including age, gender, and chief complaint. Final data input was their decision for or against surgery. Main outcome measures included differences in referral sources based on data collected and how those sources related to decision for surgery. A 50% conversion rate was found. Women and older patients were more likely to be referred from magazines, television, and newspapers and for facial rejuvenation. Men and younger patients were more likely to be referred from the website and for rhinoplasty. For facial rejuvenation, both the number of patients interested in and the probability that they agreed to the procedure increased with age. For rhinoplasty, the converse was true. The most likely patients to schedule surgery were those who were referred from other patients, friends, or family members in our practice. The data confirm that word-of-mouth referrals are the most important source for predicting which patients will elect to proceed with surgery in this established facial cosmetic surgery practice.

  13. An evaluation of plastic surgery resident selection factors.

    PubMed

    Liang, Fan; Rudnicki, Pamela A; Prince, Noah H; Lipsitz, Stuart; May, James W; Guo, Lifei

    2015-01-01

    Our purpose was to provide a metric by which evaluation criteria are prioritized during resident selection. In this study, we assessed which residency applicant qualities are deemed important by members of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons (AAPS). A survey was distributed to all 580 AAPS members, and 295 responded to rate the importance of resident metrics, including measures of competency and personal characteristics. Demographic information, background training, and interaction with residents were also noted. Using SAS v9.2 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC), outcomes were analyzed across demographic groups with column trend exact (CTE) test for ordinal variables, Mantel-Haenszel trend test for interval variables, and Fisher exact test for discrete variables. Regarding competency metrics, letters of recommendation from known sources is the most important factor, whereas letters from unknown sources ranks the lowest. Character evaluations identified honesty as the most desirable trait; dishonesty was the most despised. Across demographic groups, academic surgeons and program directors value letters from known sources more than nonacademicians or nonprogram directors (CTE p = 0.005 and 0.002, respectively). Academicians and current program directors regard research more highly than their counterparts do (CTE p = 0.022 and 0.022, respectively). Currently, practicing surgeons, academicians, and program directors value hard work more than others (CTE p = 0.008, 0.033, and 0.029, respectively). Program directors emphasize maturity and patient commitment and are less tolerant of narcissism (CTE p = 0.002, 0.005, and 0.003, respectively). Lastly, academic surgeons and program directors look more favorably upon strong team players (CTE p < 0.00001 and p = 0.008, respectively), but less so over time (Mantel-Haenszel trend p = 0.006). We have examined applicant metrics that were deemed important by AAPS members and assessed their demographic interpretation. We hope this

  14. Disparities in Aesthetic Procedures Performed by Plastic Surgery Residents.

    PubMed

    Silvestre, Jason; Serletti, Joseph M; Chang, Benjamin

    2017-05-01

    Operative experience in aesthetic surgery is an important issue affecting plastic surgery residents. This study addresses the variability of aesthetic surgery experience during plastic surgery residency. National operative case logs of chief residents in independent/combined and integrated plastic surgery residency programs were analyzed (2011-2015). Fold differences between the bottom and top 10th percentiles of residents were calculated for each aesthetic procedure category and training model. The number of residents not achieving case minimums was also calculated. Case logs of 818 plastic surgery residents were analyzed. There was marked variability in craniofacial (range, 6.0-15.0), breast (range, 2.4-5.9), trunk/extremity (range, 3.0-16.0), and miscellaneous (range, 2.7-22.0) procedure categories. In 2015, the bottom 10th percentile of integrated and independent/combined residents did not achieve case minimums for botulinum toxin and dermal fillers. Case minimums were achieved for the other aesthetic procedure categories for all graduating years. Significant variability persists for many aesthetic procedure categories during plastic surgery residency training. Greater efforts may be needed to improve the aesthetic surgery experience of plastic surgery residents. © 2016 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com

  15. Do plastic surgeons have cosmetic surgery?

    PubMed

    Gurunluoglu, Raffi; Gurunluoglu, Aslin

    2009-12-01

    Thoughts and attitudes of plastic surgeons about having cosmetic surgery on themselves remain obscure for the most part and pose an attractive subject to study. A survey was distributed to a random sample of 2635 American Society of Plastic Surgeons member and candidate member surgeons to determine plastic surgeons' interest in both minimally invasive cosmetic procedures and cosmetic surgical procedures, selection of facility type, selection of surgeon, and their satisfaction level. There were 276 responses. Sixty-two percent of the plastic surgeons had undergone at least one type of minimally invasive cosmetic procedure. Female plastic surgeons had significantly more minimally invasive cosmetic procedures compared with male plastic surgeons (84.9 versus 57 percent; p < 0.05). The most common procedure was botulinum toxin type A injection (31.5 percent). Approximately one-third of plastic surgeons had at least one type of cosmetic surgery. The most common cosmetic surgical procedure was liposuction of the trunk and/or extremity (18.6 percent). Male plastic surgeons were more likely to have a procedure than men in the general population, and female plastic surgeons were less likely to have breast augmentation than the general population. The percentage of operations conducted by a plastic surgeon was 88.2 percent. The percentage performed by a nationally known surgeon was 45.3 percent; 75.9 percent of plastic surgeons selected a surgeon who was certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. The satisfaction rate was 90 percent. The survey provides insight on the stance of American Society of Plastic Surgeons member and candidate member surgeons on the subject. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first survey designed for this purpose.

  16. Burnout among plastic surgery residents

    PubMed Central

    Aldrees, Turki; Hassouneh, Basil; Alabdulkarim, Abdulaziz; Asad, Loujin; Alqaryan, Saleh; Aljohani, Emad; Alqahtani, Khalid

    2017-01-01

    Objectives: To develop a more comprehensive explanation and understanding of the prevalence of and factors associated with burnout for residents of the Saudi Plastic Surgery Residency Program. Methods: This is a cross sectional study. Data was gathered using a survey, which was distributed during April 2015, among all 57 plastic surgery residents enrolled in training programs across all regions of Saudi Arabia, 38 of whom responded (60% response rate). The dependent variable was professional burnout, which was measured by 3 subscales of the validated Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). High scores on emotional exhaustion (EE) or depersonalization (DP) or low scores on personal accomplishment (PA) were taken to be indicative of professional burnout. Variables evaluating possible predictors of burnout, such as sociodemographic and professional characteristics, were also included. Results: The validated rate of high burnout status was 18%. Nearly three quarters (71%) of residents scored high in emotional exhaustion, and half (50%) scored high in depersonalization. A third (34%) scored low in personal accomplishment. However, only 5% were dissatisfied with the plastic surgery specialty as a career, and 69% would choose the same specialty again. Workload was not found to play a significant role in the development of burnout (mean 70 hours per week). Conclusion: Approximately half of plastic surgery trainees in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have signs of professional burnout. PMID:28762436

  17. Racial and Ethnic Diversity of U.S. Plastic Surgery Trainees.

    PubMed

    Silvestre, Jason; Serletti, Joseph M; Chang, Benjamin

    Increased diversity of U.S. physicians can improve patient communication and mitigate health disparities for racial minorities. This study analyzes trends in racial and ethnic diversity of plastic surgery residents. Demographic data of surgical residents, medical students, and integrated plastic surgery residency applicants were obtained from the Association of American Medical Colleges. Data for college students and the general population were obtained from the U.S. Census for comparison with plastic surgery. Interspecialty differences and temporal trends in racial composition were analyzed with chi-square tests. From 1995 to 2014, Asian and Hispanic plastic surgery residents increased nearly 3-fold (7.4%-21.7%, p < 0.001) and 2-fold (4.6%-7.9%, p < 0.001), respectively. African American plastic surgery residents did not increase significantly (3.0%-3.5%, p = 0.129). Relative to the U.S. population, Hispanics (range: 0.1-0.5-fold) and African Americans (range: 0.1-0.4-fold) were underrepresented, whereas Asians (range: 2.2-5.3-fold) were overrepresented in plastic surgery. A "bottleneck" existed in the pipeline of African American and Hispanic plastic surgery residents. Significant differences in racial composition existed between plastic surgery and other surgical disciplines, which varied over time. The percentage of Hispanic (10.6% vs 7.0%, p = 0.402) and African American (6.4% vs 2.1%, p < 0.001) plastic surgery residency applicants exceeded those in residency. Hispanics and African Americans are underrepresented in plastic surgery residency relative to whites and Asians. This study underscores the need for greater initiatives to increase diversity in plastic surgery residency. Copyright © 2016 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Nanotechnology applications in plastic and reconstructive surgery: a review.

    PubMed

    Parks, Joe; Kath, Melissa; Gabrick, Kyle; Ver Halen, Jon Peter

    2012-01-01

    Although nanotechnology is a relatively young field, there are already countless biomedical applications. Plastic and reconstructive surgery has significantly benefited from nanoscale refinements of diagnostic and therapeutic techniques. Plastic surgery is an incredibly diverse specialty, encompassing craniofacial surgery, hand surgery, cancer/trauma/congenital reconstruction, burn care, and aesthetic surgery. In particular, wound care, topical skin care, implant and prosthetic design, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and drug delivery have all been influenced by advances in nanotechnology. Nanotechnology will continue to witness growth and expansion of its biomedical applications, especially those in plastic surgery.

  19. The academic tweet: Twitter as a tool to advance academic surgery.

    PubMed

    Logghe, Heather J; Selby, Luke V; Boeck, Marissa A; Stamp, Nikki L; Chuen, Jason; Jones, Christian

    2018-06-01

    Social media, Twitter in particular, has emerged as an essential tool for surgeons. In the realm of academic surgery, it enables surgeons to advance the core values of academic surgery, as outlined by the Association for Academic Surgery: inclusion, leadership, innovation, scholarship, and mentorship. This article details the ways in which surgeons are using Twitter to embody these values and how the Twitter account for the Association of Academic Surgeons accomplishes its goal of inspiring and developing young academic surgeons. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Applying the concepts of innovation strategies to plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yirong; Kotsis, Sandra V; Chung, Kevin C

    2013-08-01

    Plastic surgery has a well-known history of innovative procedures and products. However, with the rise in competition, such as aesthetic procedures being performed by other medical specialties, there is a need for continued innovation in plastic surgery to create novel treatments to advance this specialty. Although many articles introduce innovative technologies and procedures, there is a paucity of publications to highlight the application of principles of innovation in plastic surgery. The authors review the literature regarding business strategies for innovation. The authors evaluate concepts of innovation, process of innovation (i.e., idea generation, idea evaluation, idea conversion, idea diffusion, and adoption), ethical issues, and application to plastic surgery. Adopting a business model of innovation is helpful for promoting a new paradigm of progress to propel plastic surgery to new avenues of creativity.

  1. Procedural Portfolio Planning in Plastic Surgery, Part 2: Collaboration Between Surgeons and Hospital Administrators to Develop a Funds Flow Model for Procedures Performed at an Academic Medical Center.

    PubMed

    Hultman, Charles Scott

    2016-06-01

    Although plastic surgeons make important contributions to the clinical, educational, and research missions of academic medical centers (AMCs), determining the financial value of a plastic surgery service can be difficult, due to complex cost accounting systems. We analyzed the financial impact of plastic surgery on an AMC, by examining the contribution margins and operating income of surgical procedures. We collaborated with hospital administrators to implement 3 types of strategic changes: (1) growth of areas with high contribution margin, (2) curtailment of high-risk procedures with negative contribution margin, (3) improved efficiency of mission-critical services with high resource consumption. Outcome measures included: facility charges, hospital collections, contribution margin, operating margin, and operating room times. We also studied the top 50 Current Procedural Terminology codes (total case number × charge/case), ranking procedures for profitability, as determined by operating margin. During the 2-year study period, we had no turnover in faculty; did not pursue any formal marketing; did not change our surgical fees, billing system, or payer mix; and maintained our commitment to indigent care. After rebalancing our case mix, through procedural portfolio planning, average hospital operating income/procedure increased from $-79 to $+816. Volume and diversity of cases increased, with no change in payer mix. Although charges/case decreased, both contribution margin and operating margin increased, due to improved throughput and decreased operating room times. The 5 most profitable procedures for the hospital were hernia repair, mandibular osteotomy, hand skin graft, free fibula flap, and head and neck flap, whereas the 5 least profitable were latissimus breast reconstruction, craniosynostosis repair, free-flap breast reconstruction, trunk skin graft, and cutaneous free flap. Total operating income for the hospital, from plastic surgery procedures, increased

  2. Capturing Plastic Surgery on Film-Making Reconstruction Visible.

    PubMed

    Lunger, Alexander; Ismail, Tarek; Sarraf, Namita; Epple, Christian; Schaefer, Kristin Marit; Schaefer, Dirk J

    2017-09-01

    The Swiss Plastic Surgery Association (https://plasticsurgery.ch/en/) decided to produce a corporate video to illustrate the concept of "plastic surgery of confidence" to the public. We show the diversity of specializations and the vast range of tasks that surgeons passionately handle day in and day out. We wanted to convey 2 main messages: first, that plastic surgery is more than just cosmetic surgery, and second, that plastic surgery in Switzerland is synonymous with quality and confidence. We selected 17 topics that we felt had good filmic potential and would best explain to the public what plastic surgery is about. This included the selection of appropriate patients, experts, and locations from all over the country. We thought it crucial to show the initial preoperative situation, as only in this case would the achievement of reconstruction be evident and comprehensive to the layman audience. The actual production was filmed in 5 different locations and took 5 days of shooting. We recorded 17 surgeons, 9 patients, and about 30 voluntary background actors. From 23 hours of footage, we created a 7 minute, 22 second corporate video, recorded in 3 of the Swiss national languages. The video was presented to the public online in June 2016, on the same day as the National Open Day of Plastic Surgery in Switzerland. The video is available online. We evaluated the impact of the video using a questionnaire for lay people and observed that it could substantially improve the perception of our specialty, especially regarding the reconstructive aspect. We feel that a freely available corporate video is a very useful means to promote plastic surgery and help patients better understand what it is all about.

  3. Capturing Plastic Surgery on Film—Making Reconstruction Visible

    PubMed Central

    Ismail, Tarek; Sarraf, Namita; Epple, Christian; Schaefer, Kristin Marit; Schaefer, Dirk J.

    2017-01-01

    Summary: The Swiss Plastic Surgery Association (https://plasticsurgery.ch/en/) decided to produce a corporate video to illustrate the concept of "plastic surgery of confidence" to the public. We show the diversity of specializations and the vast range of tasks that surgeons passionately handle day in and day out. We wanted to convey 2 main messages: first, that plastic surgery is more than just cosmetic surgery, and second, that plastic surgery in Switzerland is synonymous with quality and confidence. We selected 17 topics that we felt had good filmic potential and would best explain to the public what plastic surgery is about. This included the selection of appropriate patients, experts, and locations from all over the country. We thought it crucial to show the initial preoperative situation, as only in this case would the achievement of reconstruction be evident and comprehensive to the layman audience. The actual production was filmed in 5 different locations and took 5 days of shooting. We recorded 17 surgeons, 9 patients, and about 30 voluntary background actors. From 23 hours of footage, we created a 7 minute, 22 second corporate video, recorded in 3 of the Swiss national languages. The video was presented to the public online in June 2016, on the same day as the National Open Day of Plastic Surgery in Switzerland. The video is available online. We evaluated the impact of the video using a questionnaire for lay people and observed that it could substantially improve the perception of our specialty, especially regarding the reconstructive aspect. We feel that a freely available corporate video is a very useful means to promote plastic surgery and help patients better understand what it is all about. PMID:29062635

  4. The Irish contribution to the plastic surgery literature: 21 years of publications.

    PubMed

    Rahmani, G; Joyce, C W; Jones, D M; Kelly, J L; Hussey, A J; Regan, P J

    2015-09-01

    The Republic of Ireland has always had an influence on medicine and has produced many renowned doctors who have helped shape its history. Furthermore, many clinical articles that have originated from Ireland have changed clinical practice throughout the world. The Irish have also had an impact on the plastic surgery literature yet it has never specifically been analyzed before. The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze all papers that have originated from the plastic surgery units in the Republic of Ireland in the medical literature over the past 21 years. Twenty-four well-known plastic surgery, hand surgery and burns journals were selected for this study. By utilizing Scopus, the largest abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature, we analyzed each of our chosen 24 journals looking for Irish publications. Each paper was examined for article type, authorship, year of publication, institution of origin and level of evidence. Papers from the Republic of Ireland were published in 20 of the 24 journals over the past 21 years. A total of 245 articles from Ireland were published in the plastic surgery, hand surgery and burns literature over the 21-year period. Of these, 111 were original articles and 73 were case reports. The institution that published the most papers over the past 21 years was University Hospital Galway (66 publications) followed by Cork University Hospital with 54 papers. The journal with the most Irish articles was the Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery with 56 papers. 2014 was the year with the most publications (28 papers). Authorship numbers also increased over time as the average number of authors in 1994 was 3.5, whereas it was 5.54 in 2014. The number of publications per year continues to increase along with authorship numbers. This mirrors the trend in other specialties. Publications are now no longer required for selection on to a higher surgical training scheme. There is now a fear that the

  5. [The history of pediatric plastic surgery].

    PubMed

    Glicenstein, J

    2016-10-01

    The history of pediatric plastic surgery is linked to that of paediatrics. Until the early 19th century, there was no children's hospital. Only some operations were performed before the discovery of anesthesia, aseptic and antisepsis: cleft lip repair, amputation for polydactyly. Many operations were described in the 19th century for cleft lip and palate repair, hypospadias, syndactylies. The first operation for protruding ears was performed in 1881. Pediatric plastic surgery is diversified in the 2nd half of the 20th century: cleft lip and palate, burns, craniofacial surgery, hand surgery become separate parts of the speciality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  6. [Quality of publications in plastic surgery].

    PubMed

    Mornet, O; Grolleau, J-L; Garrido, I; Bekara, F; Herlin, C; Chaput, B

    2016-02-01

    The objective of this study is to describe plastic surgery publications in terms of methodology, level of evidence, approval by institutional review board, method of consent, and subspecialty. The 8 top-ranked plastic surgery journals were selected. We manually reviewed the last 40 original articles in each plastic surgery journal, to represent more than 2 months of publications for all journals (range: 3-17 months). Only clinical original articles on human subjects were included. Each article was read at least twice by two different reviewers to ensure accurate data transcription, and then graded by written criteria. One of the senior authors was asked to make a final decision in case of doubt. Among the articles reviewed, 320 were analyzed. The geographical origin of these publications were Asia (32.5%), Europe (30%), US (28.4%), South America (5.6%), Africa (2.5%), and finally Oceania (1%). Reconstructive surgery remains the specialty area most represented in the journals with almost half of the publications, followed by breast surgery (24%) and plastic surgery (19%). A total of 75.6% were retrospective studies. Nearly 80% of the studies were of low level of evidence. Only 3.5% were randomized trials. Less than 40% of the publications mentioned approval by an institutional committee, and 22.6% a patient's informed consent. This study aimed to analyze the quality of plastic surgery publications, taking into account the criteria of Evidence Based Medicine. This work showed that more than half of the studies did not mention an institutional review board approval (Ethics Committee), and that three quarter of the studies did not indicate the presence of patient's informed consent. Ultimately, over 80% of the studies were of low level of evidence. The top-ranked journals have already imposed guidelines corresponding to the methodology requirements to publish clinical studies in their pages, such as EQUATOR criteria for the PRS journal. Efforts are therefore to be done

  7. Applying the Concepts of Innovation Strategies to Plastic Surgery

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Yirong; Kotsis, Sandra V.; Chung, Kevin C.

    2014-01-01

    Background: Plastic surgery has a well-known history of innovative procedures and products. However, with the rise in competition, such as aesthetic procedures being performed by other medical specialties, there is a need for continued innovation in plastic surgery to create novel treatments to advance this specialty. Although many articles introduce innovative technologies and procedures, there is a paucity of publications to highlight the application of principles of innovation in plastic surgery. Methods: We review the literature regarding business strategies for innovation. Results: We evaluate concepts of innovation, process of innovation (idea generation, idea evaluation, idea conversion, idea diffusion and adoption), ethical issues, and the application to plastic surgery. Conclusions: Adopting a business model of innovation is helpful to promote a new paradigm of progress to propel plastic surgery to new avenues of creativity. PMID:23897344

  8. American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

    MedlinePlus

    ... Contact Us Shopping Cart American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Home Meetings & Courses Find a ... About Our Academy The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is the world's largest specialty ...

  9. History of plastic surgery: Art, philosophy, and rhinoplasty.

    PubMed

    Macionis, Valdas

    2018-03-23

    The 200th anniversary of K. F. Graefe's "Rhinoplasty," E. Zeis' naming of the specialty of plastic surgery in 1838, and the continuing discussion on what is plastic surgery have prompted this historical-conceptual review with a semantic insight into the meaning of the word "plastic." A literature search has revealed that this term contains dual aspects: artistic and philosophical. The progressive development of these two connotations can be traced from their origin in the ceramics and the myths of ancient Greeks to their metamorphoses in fine arts, science, and philosophy of plasticity of the modern day. Although the names of plastic procedures and the title of the specialty carry both the artistic and philosophical features, the philosophical notion is less evident. This article underlines the importance of etymology in the interpretation of the concept of plastic surgery. Copyright © 2018 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Ophthalmic plastic and orbital surgery in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Hsu, Chi-Hsin; Lin, I-Chan; Shen, Yun-Dun; Hsu, Wen-Ming

    2014-06-01

    We describe in this paper the current status of ophthalmic plastic and orbital surgery in Taiwan. Data were collected from the Bureau of National Health Insurance of Taiwan, the Bulletin of the Taiwan Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Society, and the Statistics Yearbook of Practicing Physicians and Health Care Organizations in Taiwan by the Taiwan Medical Association. We ascertained that 94 ophthalmologists were oculoplastic surgeons and accounted for 5.8% of 1621 ophthalmologists in Taiwan. They had their fellowship training abroad (most ophthalmologists trained in the United States of America) or in Taiwan. All ophthalmologists were well trained and capable of performing major oculoplastic surgeries. The payment rates by our National Health Insurance for oculoplastic and orbital surgeries are relatively low, compared to Medicare payments in the United States. Ophthalmologists should promote the concept that oculoplastic surgeons specialize in periorbital plastic and aesthetic surgeries. However, general ophthalmologists should receive more educational courses on oculoplastic and cosmetic surgery. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  11. Sources of federal funding in plastic and reconstructive surgery research.

    PubMed

    Larson, Kelsey E; Gastman, Brian

    2014-05-01

    In the last several years, federal funding has become increasingly difficult to obtain. The purpose of this project was to define the level of federal funding among plastic surgeons in the modern era. The authors evaluated members of the Plastic Surgery Research Council because of their expected invested interested in research. The authors collected information from 1998 to 2012 on funding using curricula vitae and publically available online tools. Data on Plastic Surgery Foundation funding was also collected to determine its role in supporting federally funded investigators. Of 256 individuals, the authors found 41 to be primary investigators on federally funded grants, with the majority receiving one to two awards. Common subtypes of awards included National Institutes of Health R01 (n = 15), K08 (n = 9), and R21 (n = 6). Limited funding from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense was identified. Despite a steady number of available National Institutes of Health awards, plastic surgery recipients have grown in number over the past 15 years. In a review of 20 years of Plastic Surgery Foundation awards, 113 Plastic Surgery Research Council members (44.1 percent) were awardees, averaging 1.8 awards per person. Twenty-nine Plastic Surgery Foundation awardees were also recipients of federal funding; 12 individuals received federal funding without prior Plastic Surgery Foundation funding. A search of plastic surgeons indicates a limited but increasing number of individuals receive federal funding. Plastic Surgery Foundation awards appear to be helpful in supporting investigators as they move to larger federal awards.

  12. Establishing a multidisciplinary academic cosmetic center.

    PubMed

    Rao, Venkat K; Schmid, Daniel B; Hanson, Summer E; Bentz, Michael L

    2011-12-01

    The demand for cosmetic services has risen rapidly in recent years, but has slowed down with the current economic downturn. Managed care organizations and Medicare have been steadily reducing their reimbursements for physician services. The payment for reconstructive surgical procedures has been decreasing and is likely to worsen with healthcare reform, and many plastic surgery residency programs are facing fiscal challenges. An adequate volume of patients needing cosmetic services is necessary to recruit and train the best candidates to the residency programs. Self-pay patients will help ensure the fiscal viability of plastic surgery residency programs. Attracting patients to an academic healthcare center will become more difficult in a recession without the appropriate facilities, programs, and pricing strategies. Setting up a modern cosmetic services program at an academic center has some unique challenges, including funding, academic politics, and turf. The authors opened a free-standing academic multidisciplinary center at their medical school 3 years ago. The center is an off-site, 13,000-sq ft facility that includes faculty from plastic surgery, ear, nose, and throat, dermatology, and vascular surgery. In this article, the authors discuss the process of developing and executing a plan for starting an aesthetic services center in an academic setting. The financing of the center and factors in pricing services are discussed. The authors show the impact of the center on their cosmetic surgery patient volumes, resident education, and finances. They expect that their experience will be helpful to other plastic surgery programs at academic medical centers.

  13. Do plastic surgery division heads and program directors have the necessary tools to provide effective leadership?

    PubMed Central

    Arneja, JS; McInnes, CW; Carr, NJ; Lennox, P; Hill, M; Petersen, R; Woodward, K; Skarlicki, D

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Effective leadership is imperative in a changing health care landscape driven by increasing expectations in a setting of rising fiscal pressures. Because evidence suggests that leadership abilities are not simply innate but, rather, effective leadership can be learned, it is prudent for plastic surgeons to evaluate the training and challenges of their leaders because there may be opportunities for further growth and support. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the practice profiles, education/training, responsibilities and challenges of leaders within academic plastic surgery. METHODS: Following research ethics board approval, an anonymous online survey was sent to division heads and program directors from all university-affiliated plastic surgery divisions in Canada. Survey themes included demographics, education/training, job responsibilities and challenges. RESULTS: A response rate of 74% was achieved. The majority of respondents were male (94%), promoted to their current position at a mean age of 48 years, did not have a leadership-focused degree (88%), directly manage 30 people (14 staff, 16 faculty) and were not provided with a job description (65%). Respondents worked an average of 65 h per week, of which 18% was devoted to their leadership role, 59% clinically and the remainder on teaching and research. A discrepancy existed between time spent on their leadership role (18%) and related compensation (10%). Time management (47%) and managing conflict (24%) were described as the greatest leadership challenges by respondents. CONCLUSIONS: Several gaps were identified among leaders in plastic surgery including predominance of male sex, limitations in formal leadership training and requisite skill set, as well as compensation and human resources management (emotional intelligence). Leadership and managerial skills are key core competencies, not only for trainees, but certainly for those in a position of leadership. The present study provides evidence that

  14. Citation Rate Predictors in the Plastic Surgery Literature.

    PubMed

    Lopez, Joseph; Calotta, Nicholas; Doshi, Ankur; Soni, Ashwin; Milton, Jacqueline; May, James W; Tufaro, Anthony P

    The purpose of this study is to determine and characterize the scientific and nonscientific factors that influence the rate of article citation in the field of plastic surgery. Cross-sectional study. We reviewed all entries in Annals of Plastic Surgery and Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007; and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2008. All scientific articles were analyzed and several article characteristics were extracted. The number of citations at 5 years was collected as the outcome variable. A multivariable analysis was performed to determine which variables were associated with higher citations rates. A total of 2456 articles were identified of which only 908 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Most studies were publications in the fields of reconstructive (26.3%) or pediatric/craniofacial (17.6%) surgery. The median number of citations 5 years from publication was 8. In the multivariable analysis, factors associated with higher citations rates were subspecialty field (p = 0.0003), disclosed conflict of interest (p = 0.04), number of authors (p = 0.04), and journal (p = 0.02). We have found that higher level of evidence (or other study methodology factors) is not associated with higher citation rates. Instead, conflict of interest, subspecialty topic, journal, and number of authors are strong predictors of high citation rates in plastic surgery. Copyright © 2017 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Financial impact of hand surgery programs on academic medical centers.

    PubMed

    Hasan, Jafar S; Chung, Kevin C; Storey, Amy F; Bolg, Mary L; Taheri, Paul A

    2007-02-01

    This study analyzes the financial performance of hand surgery in the Department of Surgery at the University of Michigan. This analysis can serve as a reference for other medical centers in the financial evaluation of a hand surgery program. Fiscal year 2004 billing records for all patients (n = 671) who underwent hand surgery procedures were examined. The financial data were separated into professional revenues and costs (relating to the hand surgery program in the Section of Plastic Surgery) and into facility revenues and costs (relating to the overall University of Michigan Health System). Professional net revenue was calculated by applying historical collection rates to procedural and clinic charges. Facility revenue was calculated by applying historical collection rates to the following charge categories: inpatient/operating room, clinic facility, neurology/electromyography, radiology facilities, and occupational therapy. Total professional costs were calculated by adding direct costs and allocated overhead costs. Facility costs were obtained from the hospital's cost accounting system. Professional and facility incomes were calculated by subtracting costs from revenues. The net professional revenue and total costs were 1,069,836 and 1,027,421 dollars, respectively. Professional operating income was 42,415 dollars, or 3.96 percent of net professional revenue. Net facility revenue and total costs were 5,500,606 and 4,592,534 dollars, respectively. Facility operating income was 908,071 dollars, or 16.51 percent of net facility revenues. While contributing to the academic mission of the institution, hand surgery is financially rewarding for the Department of Surgery. In addition, hand surgery activity contributes substantially to the financial well-being of the academic medical center.

  16. Medical Student Mentorship in Plastic Surgery: The Mentee's Perspective.

    PubMed

    Barker, Jenny C; Rendon, Juan; Janis, Jeffrey E

    2016-06-01

    Mentorship is a universal concept that has a significant impact on nearly every surgical career. Although frequently editorialized, true data investigating the value of mentorship are lacking in the plastic surgery literature. This study evaluates mentorship in plastic surgery from the medical student perspective. An electronic survey was sent to recently matched postgraduate year-1 integrated track residents in 2014, with a response rate of 76 percent. Seventy-seven percent of students reported a mentoring relationship. Details of the mentoring relationship were defined. Over 80 percent of students reported a mentor's influence in their decision to pursue plastic surgery, and nearly 40 percent of students expressed interest in practicing the same subspecialty as their mentor. Benefits of the relationship were also described. Mentees value guidance around career preparation and advice and prioritized "a genuine interest in their career and personal development" above all other mentor qualities (p ≤ 1.6 × 10). Mentees prefer frequent, one-on-one interactions over less frequent interaction or group activities. Students did not prefer "assigned" relationships (91 percent), but did prefer "facilitated exposure." Major barriers to mentorship included mentor time constraints and lack of exposure to plastic surgery. Indeed, significant differences in the presence of a mentoring relationship correlated with involvement of the plastic surgery department in the medical school curriculum. This study defines successes and highlights areas for improvement of mentorship of plastic surgery medical students. Successful mentorship may contribute to the future of plastic surgery, and a commitment toward this endeavor is needed at the local, departmental, and national leadership levels.

  17. A critical comparison of Davis' Principles of Plastic Surgery with Gillies' Plastic Surgery of the face.

    PubMed

    Freshwater, M Felix

    2011-01-01

    The second decade of the 20th century saw the publication of two landmark books - John Staige Davis' Plastic Surgery its Principles and Practice published in Philadelphia in 1919 and Major Harold Gillies' Plastic Surgery of the Face published in the United Kingdom early 1920. The aim of this paper is to compare the books critically as scholarly achievements in their time and note their present day relevance. Copies of both books are available online having been scanned by Google and Microsoft. They were analyzed with Acrobat software for key words. A senior plastic surgeon with over 30 years of clinical experience reviewed both books for current relevance. Davis' book was more comprehensive as it encompassed reconstructive plastic surgery from head to toe while Gillies' book focused on the face. Davis' book contained a bibliography over 2000 references, while Gillies' book had one reference. Despite Davis's title containing the word 'Principles', Gillies' book not only mentioned principles almost five times as often, but almost all of Gillies' principles remain relevant 90 years later. Furthermore, the quality of Gillies' post-operative results are far outshines to Davis'. While Davis' book demonstrates his honesty and scholarship, now it is as interesting as a historical curiosity. Gillies' book remains valuable as it shows his originality and the continued relevance of his principles. Copyright © 2010 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Body dysmorphia and plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Kyle, Allison

    2012-01-01

    Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental disorder characterized by a preoccupation with some aspect of one's appearance. In cosmetic surgery, this preoccupation can be overlooked by practitioners resulting in a discrepancy between expected and realistic outcome. Identifying the characteristics of this disorder may be crucial to the practitioner-patient relationship in the plastic surgery setting.

  19. [The role of balneology in plastic surgery].

    PubMed

    Correia, N; Binet, A; Caliot, J; Poli Merol, M-L; Bodin, F; François-Fiquet, C

    2016-02-01

    Balneology can be part of the plastic surgery care sector. The objectives of this study were firstly to the state of knowledge about the hydrotherapy and specify the place reserved for hydrotherapy by surgeons as an adjunct in plastic and reconstructive surgery (adult and child). Multicentric national study by poll (Google Drive®) focused at plastic and/or pediatric surgeons. The following information was analyzed: frequency, timing of prescription, indications, the surgeon's feelings towards hydrotherapy and the differences between adult's and children's prescriptions. Fifty-four teams were contacted: 22 responses were received (15 "adult" plastic surgeons, 9 "pediatric" plastic surgeons, 6 pediatric surgeons, with 12 out of 22 working with burnt patients). Eighteen out of 22 prescribed hydrotherapy. Twenty out of 22 thought that hydrotherapy had a role as adjuvant therapy in plastic surgery. The indications were: burns (11/20), skin-graft hypertrophy (10/20), inflammatory and pruritic scar and cutaneous trophic disorders (9/20), psychological (3/20), retractions (2/20), weight loss and smoking (1/20). The timing of the prescription was: < 3 months (2/20), < 6 months (7/20), > 6 months and < 1 year (15/20), > 1 year (8/20) after surgery/trauma. Twenty out of 22 found a beneficial effect: physical (19/20): reduction of inflammatory signs, pruritus and pain, scar maturation, skin thinning improvement; psychological (14/20): positive for patient/family. Five out of 17 made the difference between child/adult, 10/17 made no difference but only treated adults or children. The respondents in the study are probably more sensitive to the effects of hydrotherapy that non-respondents. It is difficult to assess the real impact of hydrotherapy in plastic surgery because distinguishing spontaneous favorable evolution of a scar from one only due to the hydrotherapy or multidisciplinary management is difficult. However, hydrotherapy seems to have its role among multidisciplinary

  20. Psychology of plastic and reconstructive surgery: a systematic clinical review.

    PubMed

    Shridharani, Sachin M; Magarakis, Michael; Manson, Paul N; Rodriguez, Eduardo D

    2010-12-01

    The authors sought to review the various types of patients with psychological abnormalities who may present to the plastic surgeon and the psychological impact of various plastic surgery procedures on these patients. After systematically searching the Embase and PubMed databases and following further refinement (based on the authors' inclusion and exclusion criteria), the authors identified 65 studies. In addition, the authors felt that important information was contained in four textbooks, two press releases, and one Internet database. The inclusion criteria were studies that investigated the psychological outcomes, background, and personality types of patients seeking specific plastic surgery procedures. In addition, studies that addressed the impact of plastic surgery on patients' psychological status and quality of life were also included. The authors excluded studies with fewer than 30 patients, studies that did not pertain to the particular plastic surgery procedures, and studies that addressed psychological sequelae of revision operations. Narcissistic and histrionic personality disorders and body dysmorphic disorder are the three most common psychiatric conditions encountered in patients seeking cosmetic surgery. Overall, plastic surgery not only restores the appearance and function of the disfigured body unit but also alleviates psychological distress. Identifying the psychologically challenging patient before surgical intervention will allow the patient to obtain the appropriate psychological assistance and may result in a healthier individual with or without associated plastic surgery procedures.

  1. Public perception of the terms "cosmetic," "plastic," and "reconstructive" surgery.

    PubMed

    Hamilton, Grant S; Carrithers, Jeffrey S; Karnell, Lucy H

    2004-01-01

    To investigate potential differences in perception of the terms "cosmetic," "plastic," and "reconstructive" as descriptors for surgery. An anonymous questionnaire was offered to subjects over 18 years of age throughout the Unites States via the Internet and in person. The multiple-choice survey measured variables including permanence, risk, expense, recovery, reversibility, pain, technical difficulty, and surgeon training. The questionnaire also included several open-ended questions to capture qualitative perceptions. Semantic differential data were analyzed to measure statistical significance. For most variables--permanence, risk, recovery, reversibility, pain, and surgeon training--the 216 subjects had significantly lower mean responses for cosmetic surgery than those for plastic or reconstructive surgery (P < .002). Overall, the results of this study support the authors' hypothesis that there is a significant difference in perception of cosmetic surgery and plastic or reconstructive surgery. Cosmetic surgery is perceived to be more temporary and less technically difficult than plastic or reconstructive surgery. In addition, cosmetic surgery is believed to be associated with less risk, shorter recovery time, and less pain. Subjects also thought that cosmetic surgeons required significantly less training than plastic or reconstructive surgeons.

  2. A Time Study of Plastic Surgery Residents.

    PubMed

    Lau, Frank H; Sinha, Indranil; Jiang, Wei; Lipsitz, Stuart R; Eriksson, Elof

    2016-05-01

    Resident work hours are under scrutiny and have been subject to multiple restrictions. The studies supporting these changes have not included data on surgical residents. We studied the workday of a team of plastic surgery residents to establish prospective time-study data of plastic surgery (PRS) residents at a single tertiary-care academic medical center. Five trained research assistants observed all residents (n = 8) on a PRS service for 10 weeks and produced minute-by-minute activity logs. Data collection began when the team first met in the morning and continued until the resident being followed completed all non-call activities. We analyzed our data from 3 perspectives: 1) time spent in direct patient care (DPC), indirect patient care, and didactic activities; 2) time spent in high education-value activities (HEAs) versus low education-value activities; and 3) resident efficiency. We defined HEAs as activities that surgeons must master; other activities were LEAs. We quantified resident efficiency in terms of time fragmentation and time spent waiting. A total of 642.4 hours of data across 50 workdays were collected. Excluding call, residents worked an average of 64.2 hours per week. Approximately 50.7% of surgical resident time was allotted to DPC, with surgery accounting for the largest segment of this time (34.8%). Time spent on HEAs demonstrated trended upward with higher resident level (P = 0.086). Time in spent in surgery was significantly associated with higher resident levels (P < 0.0001); 57.7% of activities require 4 minutes or less, suggesting that resident work was highly fragmented. Residents spent 10.7% of their workdays waiting for other services. In this first-time study of PRS residents, we found that compared with medicine trainees, surgical residents spent 3.23 times more time on DPC. High education-value activities comprised most of our residents' workdays. Surgery was the leading component of both DPC and HEAs. Our residents were highly

  3. Botulinum Toxin Use in Pediatric Plastic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Fu, Katherine J; Teichgraeber, John F; Greives, Matthew R

    2016-11-01

    Botulinum toxin has increasingly become a prevalent treatment option for a wide range of conditions, many of which have their roots in plastic surgery and have been well studied. In adults, chronic headache, hyperhidrosis, and facial muscular hypertrophy have been effectively treated with botulinum toxin, and emerging studies have begun looking at its efficacy in children, as well. Successful treatment of spasticity and muscular contraction has allowed for the creation of safety profiles and dosage guidelines for botulinum toxin usage in children. The expanded indications for its use have since flourished in all arenas of pediatric care, including plastic surgery. Recent studies have described the use of botulinum toxin as an adjunct to the treatment of congenital torticollis and cleft lip. This review discusses the various applications of botulinum toxin for pediatric patients in the field of plastic surgery.

  4. Impact of clinical fellowships on academic productivity in departments of surgery.

    PubMed

    Valsangkar, Nakul P; Liang, Tiffany W; Martin, Paul J; Mayo, John S; Rosati, Carlo Maria; Feliciano, David V; Zimmers, Teresa A; Koniaris, Leonidas G

    2016-12-01

    Research and innovation are crucial to advancements in medicine and improvements in patient care. The contribution of surgical fellowships to scholarly productivity is unclear. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of subspecialty fellowships on academic output in departments of surgery. This cross-sectional study examined fellowships offered at the top 50 university-based National Institutes of Health-funded and top 5 academically prolific hospital-based departments of surgery. Publications, citations, and National Institutes of Health funding history were determined for 4,015 faculty. χ 2 and t tests were used as appropriate. Cardiothoracic surgery fellowships are offered at all departments, while other surgical fellowships are offered in 52 of 55 departments (96.4%). Median department publications/citations increased with the number of fellowships offered in addition to cardiothoracic surgery: no fellowship (27 ± 93/437 ± 2,509), 1-3 fellowships (34 ± 90/559 ± 3,046), and 4 or more fellowships (40 ± 97/716 ± 3,200, P < .05). Significant divisional improvements in publications/citations and National Institutes of Health funding were observed for those with fellowship programs in pediatric, breast, and plastic surgery (P < .05). No differences in departmental National Institutes of Health funding rates were observed based on number of fellowships offered. Based on publications/citations and National Institutes of Health funding, it seems that select fellowships are associated with improved scholarly activity. Departments may wish to consider the academic benefits of offering these fellowship types. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. [Careers in plastic and aesthetic surgery: a review of habilitation and professorship of members of the DGPRAEC].

    PubMed

    Alawi, Seyed Arash; Busch, Lukas Fabian; Limbourg, Anne; Boyce, Maria; Jokuszies, Andreas; Vogt, Peter M

    2017-09-01

    Background Over the last few decades plastic and aesthetic surgery careers aimed at holding a chair as head of the department or clinical director. The current career trend shows a drain of academic teaching staff to peripheral hospitals with sole clinical focus. The achievement of a doctorate in German university medicine or obtaining the venia legendi appears to be the termination of academic careers. This brain drain with loss of expertise and scientific output imposes a problem to future progress in clinical and scientific plastic and reconstructive surgery. The causative role of our present work profile, workload and financial compensation will be discussed in this paper. Methods In order to understand this brain drain, the scientific and clinical developments of all habilitands, Assistant Professors and University Directors enlisted in our specialist society (DGPRAEC) were analyzed. The evaluation included the duration of the residency, the time span from being a specialist physician to habilitation, as well as gaining a leadership position after habilitation. Finally, the current activity of the members at university and non-university institutions was evaluated. Results A total of 1238 members were analyzed. Among these, 177 (14.3 %) members had completed the habilitation. In total, 114 (9.21 %) were included based on full available CVs. Of the listed members, 80 members (6,5 %) had an APL professorship/university professorship in April 2017. 88 CVs showed an average time span of 4.2 years from specialization to habilitation. 80 CVs revealed a 5 year time span to achieve an APL professorship/university professorship. After an average of 4.2 years, leadership positions were held. Of the analyzed habilitations, 60 % were active in peripheral hospitals at the time April 2017. Discussion The loss of scientific and clinical expertise should be prevented in order to preserve academic plastic surgery with focus on patient care, academic education and

  6. "Phantom" publications among plastic surgery residency applicants.

    PubMed

    Chung, Christina K; Hernandez-Boussard, Tina; Lee, Gordon K

    2012-04-01

    Previous studies in other medical specialties have shown a significant percentage of publications represented in residency applications are not actually published. A comprehensive evaluation of applicants to plastic surgery residency over an extended period has not been previously reported in the literature. The purpose of our study was to determine the incidence of misrepresented or "phantom" publications in plastic surgery residency applicants and to identify possible predisposing characteristics. We used the Electronic Residency Application Services database to our plastic surgery residency program during a 4-year period from 2006 to 2009. Applicant demographic information and listed citations were extracted. Peer-reviewed journal article citations were verified using robust methods including PubMed, Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) Web of Knowledge, and Google. Unverifiable articles were categorized as phantom publications and then evaluated with respect to applicant demographic information and characteristics. During the 4-year study period, there were 804 applications (average, 201 applicants per year). There was a total of 4725 publications listed; of which, 1975 had been categorized as peer-reviewed journal articles. Two hundred seventy-six (14%) of peer-reviewed publications could not be verified and were categorized as phantom publications. There was an overall significant positive trend in percentage of phantom publications during the 4 application years (P = 0.005). A positive predictive factor for having phantom publications was being a foreign medical graduate (P = 0.02). A negative predictive factor for phantom publications was being a female applicant (P = 0.03). There also appeared to be a positive correlation with the number of publications listed and likelihood of phantom publications. Among plastic surgery residency applicants, we found a significant percentage of unverifiable publications. There are several possible explanations for

  7. Analysis of References on the Plastic Surgery In-Service Training Exam.

    PubMed

    Silvestre, Jason; Zhang, Alicia; Lin, Samuel J

    2016-06-01

    The Plastic Surgery In-Service Training Exam is a knowledge assessment tool widely used during plastic surgery training in the United States. This study analyzed literature supporting correct answer choices to determine highest yield sources, journal publication lag, and journal impact factors. Digital syllabi of 10 consecutive Plastic Surgery In-Service Training Exam administrations (2006 to 2015) were reviewed. The most-referenced articles, journals, and textbooks were determined. Mean journal impact factor and publication lag were calculated and differences were elucidated by section. Two thousand questions and 5386 references were analyzed. From 2006 to 2015, the percentage of journal citations increased, whereas textbook references decreased (p < 0.001). Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery was cited with greatest frequency (38.5 percent), followed by Clinics in Plastic Surgery (5.6 percent), Journal of Hand Surgery (American volume) (5.1 percent), and Annals of Plastic Surgery (3.8 percent). There was a trend toward less publication lag over the study period (p = 0.05), with a mean publication lag of 9.1 ± 9.0 years for all journal articles. Mean journal impact factor was 2.3 ± 4.3 and lowest for the hand and lower extremity section (1.7 ± 2.8; p < 0.001). The highest yield textbooks were elucidated by section. Plastic surgery faculty and residents may use these data to facilitate knowledge acquisition during residency.

  8. Public perception of the field of plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Gill, Patwinder; Bruscino-Raiola, Frank; Leung, Michael

    2011-10-01

    This study aims to assess the public's understanding of the scope of the practice of plastic surgeons, to determine if there is a need to increase awareness of the nature of a plastic surgeon's work. A cross-sectional study was performed. Participants were systematically selected from the White Pages for a telephone survey. The participants' demographics were recorded. Participants were excluded if they or anyone they knew had prior interactions with a plastic surgeon. Participants selected the most common area of specialization of plastic surgeons. The final set of questions determined their choice of surgeon in three different scenarios: breast reduction, excision of skin cancer from the facial region and hand trauma. Two hundred and thirteen of the 257 participants were eligible to complete the survey. Sixty-five per cent were female, with 38% between the ages of 46 and 65 years. The dominant field of practice was reconstructive surgery (36%). Just 19% of participants would consult plastic surgeons across the three clinical scenarios. Dermatologists (47%) were chosen over plastic surgeons (24%) to excise skin cancers from the face. Breast surgeons (53%) were chosen over plastic surgeons (23%) to perform breast reduction surgery. In hand trauma, 58% of participants would consult a hand surgeon and merely 10% would consult with plastic surgeons. The general public's understanding of plastic surgery is poor. This may be linked to the misunderstanding of specialist titles and lack of education regarding this field.

  9. Social Media and the Plastic Surgery Patient.

    PubMed

    Sorice, Sarah C; Li, Alexander Y; Gilstrap, Jarom; Canales, Francisco L; Furnas, Heather J

    2017-11-01

    Many plastic surgeons use social media as a marketing tool to attract and retain patients, but information about how patients use social media and their preferred types of plastic surgery posts have been lacking. To investigate patients' preferred social media networks and the type of posts they wished to see, a cross-sectional study was conducted in a single aesthetic practice of two plastic surgeons by surveying 100 consecutive patients. The age of the patients averaged 44.4 years (range, 17 to 78 years). Facebook had the greatest patient use and engagement, with YouTube second in use, and Instagram second in number of engaged users. Over half used Pinterest, but with little daily engagement. Only one-fourth used Snapchat, but the percentage of users who were highly engaged was second only to Facebook. The least popular network was Twitter, with the fewest patient users and least engagement. Social media played a minor role compared with the practice's Web site in both influencing patients to choose the practice and providing information on the day of the appointment. Patients most wanted to see posts on a plastic surgeon's social media platform related to practice information, before-and-after photographs, and contests. Articles about plastic surgery held the least interest. Among five types of Web site content, patients expressed most interest in before-and-after photographs. This study is the first to articulate the plastic surgery patient perspective regarding social media. The findings aim to help plastic surgeons maximize their influence on their target audience.

  10. Promise and Limitations of Big Data Research in Plastic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Victor Zhang; Tuggle, Charles Thompson; Au, Alexander Francis

    2016-04-01

    The use of "Big Data" in plastic surgery outcomes research has increased dramatically in the last 5 years. This article addresses some of the benefits and limitations of such research. This is a narrative review of large database studies in plastic surgery. There are several benefits to database research as compared with traditional forms of research, such as randomized controlled studies and cohort studies. These include the ease in patient recruitment, reduction in selection bias, and increased generalizability. As such, the types of outcomes research that are particularly suited for database studies include determination of geographic variations in practice, volume outcome analysis, evaluation of how sociodemographic factors affect access to health care, and trend analyses over time. The limitations of database research include data which are limited only to what was captured in the database, high power which can cause clinically insignificant differences to achieve statistical significance, and fishing which can lead to increased type I errors. The National Surgical Quality Improvement Project is an important general surgery database that may be useful for plastic surgeons because it is validated and has a large number of patients after over a decade of collecting data. The Tracking Operations and Outcomes for Plastic Surgeons Program is a newer database specific to plastic surgery. Databases are a powerful tool for plastic surgery outcomes research. It is critically important to understand their benefits and limitations when designing research projects or interpreting studies whose data have been drawn from them. For plastic surgeons, National Surgical Quality Improvement Project has a greater number of publications, but Tracking Operations and Outcomes for Plastic Surgeons Program is the most applicable database for plastic surgery research.

  11. Professional perceptions of plastic and reconstructive surgery: what primary care physicians think.

    PubMed

    Tanna, Neil; Patel, Nitin J; Azhar, Hamdan; Granzow, Jay W

    2010-08-01

    The great breadth of the specialty of plastic surgery is often misunderstood by practitioners in other specialties and by the public at large. The authors investigate the perceptions of primary care physicians in training toward the practice of different areas of plastic and reconstructive surgery. A short, anonymous, Web-based survey was administered to residents of internal medicine, family medicine, and pediatrics training programs in the United States. Respondents were asked to choose the specialist they perceived to be an expert for six specific clinical areas, including eyelid surgery, cleft lip and palate surgery, facial fractures, hand surgery, rhinoplasty, and skin cancer of the face. Specialists for selection included the following choices: dermatologist, general surgeon, ophthalmologist, oral and maxillofacial surgeon, orthopedic surgeon, otolaryngologist, and plastic surgeon. A total of 1020 usable survey responses were collected. Respondents believed the following specialists were experts for eyelid surgery (plastic surgeon, 70 percent; ophthalmologist, 59 percent; oral and maxillofacial surgeon, 15 percent; dermatologist, 5 percent; and otolaryngologist, 5 percent); cleft lip and palate surgery (oral and maxillofacial surgeon, 78 percent; plastic surgeon, 57 percent; and otolaryngologist, 36 percent); facial fractures (oral and maxillofacial surgeon, 88 percent; plastic surgeon, 36 percent; otolaryngologist, 30 percent; orthopedic surgeon, 11 percent; general surgeon, 3 percent; and ophthalmologist, 2 percent); hand surgery (orthopedic surgeon, 76 percent; plastic surgeon, 52 percent; and general surgeon, 7 percent); rhinoplasty (plastic surgeon, 76 percent; otolaryngologist, 45 percent; and oral and maxillofacial surgeon, 18 percent); and skin cancer of the face (dermatologist, 89 percent; plastic surgeon, 35 percent; oral and maxillofacial surgeon, 9 percent; otolaryngologist, 8 percent; and general surgeon, 7 percent). As the field of plastic

  12. Medical Student Perception of Plastic Surgery and the Impact of Mainstream Media

    PubMed Central

    Fraser, S. J.; Al Youha, S.; Rasmussen, P. J.

    2017-01-01

    Background: Plastic surgery as a discipline is poorly understood by many, including primary care physicians, nurses, medical students, and the public. These misconceptions affect the specialty in a number of ways, including referral patterns and recruitment of medical students into residency programs. The reason for these commonly held misconceptions has not yet been addressed in the plastic surgery literature. As such, we assessed medical students’ knowledge and perceptions of plastic surgery as a discipline and explored factors influencing these opinions. Methods: To assess medical students’ knowledge and perceptions of plastic surgery, we conducted an online survey. A total of 231 medical students responded. Interviews were then conducted with 2 focus groups, in which we explored the survey results and reasons behind these misconceptions. Results: As with previous studies, medical students showed a gap in knowledge with respect to plastic surgery. Although they were generally aware that plastic surgeons perform cosmetic procedures and treat burns, they were largely unaware that plastic surgeons perform hand and craniofacial surgeries. Focus groups revealed that television plays a large role in shaping their ideas of plastic surgery. Conclusion: Medical students have a skewed perception of the discipline of plastic surgery, and this is largely influenced by television. Interventions aimed at educating medical students on the matter are recommended, including a greater presence in the preclerkship medical school curriculum. PMID:29026812

  13. The Effect of Financial Conflicts of Interest in Plastic Surgery Literature.

    PubMed

    Leavitt, Adam; Pace, Elizabeth; Reintgen, Christian; Mast, Bruce A

    2016-06-01

    Medical research has a long history of joint venture between commercial entities and nonindustry researchers. Significant concern exists among accrediting bodies for medical education and federal granting agencies that conflicts of interest (COIs) exist that affect the validity of the research. This study evaluates the legitimacy of this concern.All clinical breast and cosmetic articles in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Annals of Plastic Surgery were reviewed for calendar year 2013. If a financial disclosure was present, the article was then reviewed to determine if the subject/findings were in favor of the commercial conflict and, if so, whether the study was valid. To assess plastic surgery versus other specialties, articles from Dermatology and Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery were similarly reviewed from January to April of 2013.Two hundred seventy-two clinical articles were reviewed. Only 15 (5.5%) had a true COI: the article's findings favored the commercial interest of at least 1 author: for each journal, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 7.7%; Annals of Plastic Surgery, 3.3%; Dermatology, 2.2%; Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 7.5%. Conflicts of interest were not statistically significant between pooled articles of plastic surgery versus dermatology/orthopedics. However, COI was statistically greater (P = 0.05) in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery compared with Annals and Dermatology.Despite public and regulatory concerns, this assessment demonstrates that the peer-review process of leading journals polices true COIs. Published articles provide sound research despite presumed COIs. As such, the integrity and validity of published research remain high.

  14. Plastic Surgery Training Worldwide: Part 1. The United States and Europe

    PubMed Central

    Kamali, Parisa; van Paridon, Maaike W.; Ibrahim, Ahmed M. S.; Paul, Marek A.; Winters, Henri A.; Martinot-Duquennoy, Veronique; Noah, Ernst Magnus; Pallua, Norbert

    2016-01-01

    Background: Major differences exist in residency training, and the structure and quality of residency programs differ between different countries and teaching centers. It is of vital importance that a better understanding of the similarities and differences in plastic surgery training be ascertained as a means of initiating constructive discussion and commentary among training programs worldwide. In this study, the authors provide an overview of plastic surgery training in the United States and Europe. Methods: A survey was sent to select surgeons in 10 European countries that were deemed to be regular contributors to the plastic surgery literature. The questions focused on pathway to plastic surgery residency, length of training, required pretraining experience, training scheme, research opportunities, and examinations during and after plastic surgery residency. Results: Plastic surgery residency training programs in the United States differ from the various (selected) countries in Europe and are described in detail. Conclusions: Plastic surgery education is vastly different between the United States and Europe, and even within Europe, training programs remain heterogeneous. Standardization of curricula across the different countries would improve the interaction of different centers and facilitate the exchange of vital information for quality control and future improvements. The unique characteristics of the various training programs potentially provide a basis from which to learn and to gain from one another. PMID:27257571

  15. The Evolution of Photography and Three-Dimensional Imaging in Plastic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Weissler, Jason M; Stern, Carrie S; Schreiber, Jillian E; Amirlak, Bardia; Tepper, Oren M

    2017-03-01

    Throughout history, the technological advancements of conventional clinical photography in plastic surgery have not only refined the methods available to the plastic surgeon, but have invigorated the profession through technology. The technology of the once traditional two-dimensional photograph has since been revolutionized and refashioned to incorporate novel applications, which have since become the standard in clinical photography. Contrary to traditional standardized two-dimensional photographs, three-dimensional photography provides the surgeon with an invaluable volumetric and morphologic analysis by demonstrating true surface dimensions both preoperatively and postoperatively. Clinical photography has served as one of the fundamental objective means by which plastic surgeons review outcomes; however, the newer three-dimensional technology has been primarily used to enhance the preoperative consultation with surgical simulations. The authors intend to familiarize readers with the notion that three-dimensional photography extends well beyond its marketing application during surgical consultation. For the cosmetic surgeon, as the application of three-dimensional photography continues to mature in facial plastic surgery, it will continue to bypass the dated conventional photographic methods plastic surgeons once relied on. This article reviews a paradigm shift and provides a historical review of the fascinating evolution of photography in plastic surgery by highlighting the clinical utility of three-dimensional photography as an adjunct to plastic and reconstructive surgery practices. As three-dimensional photographic technology continues to evolve, its application in facial plastic surgery will provide an opportunity for a new objective standard in plastic surgery.

  16. Career development resource for plastic and reconstructive surgery.

    PubMed

    Walden, Jennifer L; Phillips, Linda G

    2010-02-01

    Plastic surgery is a broad-based discipline with emphasis on areas such as breast, craniomaxillofacial, burn, aesthetic, and hand surgery as well as complex wounds and wound healing. Plastic surgery as a specialty captures a great deal of media attention over many other fields of medicine, so education, training, and credentialing have become an area of national interest. The purpose of this article was to provide information on the organization, basic requirements for training, fellowship, and volunteer opportunities within the specialty. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Cosmetic surgery procedures as luxury goods: measuring price and demand in facial plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Alsarraf, Ramsey; Alsarraf, Nicole W; Larrabee, Wayne F; Johnson, Calvin M

    2002-01-01

    To evaluate the relationship between cosmetic facial plastic surgery procedure price and demand, and to test the hypothesis that these procedures function as luxury goods in the marketplace, with an upward-sloping demand curve. Data were derived from a survey that was sent to every (N = 1727) active fellow, member, or associate of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, assessing the costs and frequency of 4 common cosmetic facial plastic surgery procedures (face-lift, brow-lift, blepharoplasty, and rhinoplasty) for 1999 and 1989. An economic analysis was performed to assess the relationship of price and demand for these procedures. A significant association was found between increasing surgeons' fees and total charges for cosmetic facial plastic surgery procedures and increasing demand for these procedures, as measured by their annual frequency (Pplastic surgery procedures do appear to function as luxury goods in the marketplace, with an upward-sloping demand curve. This stands in contrast to other, traditional, goods for which demand typically declines as price increases. It appears that economic methods can be used to evaluate cosmetic procedure trends; however, these methods must be founded on the appropriate economic theory.

  18. Cloud-Based Applications for Organizing and Reviewing Plastic Surgery Content

    PubMed Central

    Luan, Anna; Momeni, Arash; Lee, Gordon K.

    2015-01-01

    Cloud-based applications including Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, Evernote, Notability, and Zotero are available for smartphones, tablets, and laptops and have revolutionized the manner in which medical students and surgeons read and utilize plastic surgery literature. Here we provide an overview of the use of Cloud computing in practice and propose an algorithm for organizing the vast amount of plastic surgery literature. Given the incredible amount of data being produced in plastic surgery and other surgical subspecialties, it is prudent for plastic surgeons to lead the process of providing solutions for the efficient organization and effective integration of the ever-increasing data into clinical practice. PMID:26576208

  19. Patient preferences in print advertisement marketing for plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Sanan, Akshay; Quinn, Candace; Spiegel, Jeffrey H

    2013-05-01

    Plastic surgeons are competing for their share of a growing but still limited market, thus making advertising an important component in a successful plastic surgery practice. The authors evaluate the variables, characteristics, and presentation features that make print advertisements most effectively pique the interest of individuals selecting a plastic surgeon. An online survey was administered to 404 individuals with active interest in plastic surgery from 10 major metropolitan areas. Participants were presented with 5 different advertisements from plastic surgeons throughout the country and were asked a series of both closed- and open-ended questions to assess verity, quality, and marketability of each advertisement. Reponses to open-ended questions were analyzed using the Wordle program (www.wordle.net). The most frequent themes identified for all 5 ads were "Being beautiful is possible" (41%), "I could be beautiful" (24%), "Some people need surgery to be beautiful" (16%), and "Being beautiful is important" (14%). Advertisement 1-featuring 3 women and no pre- or posttreatment photography, no physician photography, and a listing of the 3 physicians' credentials but not a list of the services provided-received the highest overall preference rating. Factors including emotions felt while reading, unique qualities of the advertisement, list of procedures performed, use of models versus actual patients, and pictures of the plastic surgeons were found to contribute to the respondents' overall perception of advertisements used to market a plastic surgery practice.

  20. Gangnam-Style Plastic Surgery: The Science of Westernized Beauty in South Korea.

    PubMed

    Leem, So Yeon

    2017-10-01

    New beauty ideals and particular types of plastic surgery beauty have emerged in South Korea from the early twenty-first century. By defining Gangnam-style plastic surgery as a hybrid of old Westernized beauty ideals and a new science of beauty with variations and contradictions, I intend to twist the simplistic understanding of non-Western plastic surgery as an effort to resemble the white westerner's body. I also draw political implications from a case of monstrous Gangnam-style beauty made by excessive plastic surgery.

  1. The ongoing emergence of robotics in plastic and reconstructive surgery.

    PubMed

    Struk, S; Qassemyar, Q; Leymarie, N; Honart, J-F; Alkhashnam, H; De Fremicourt, K; Conversano, A; Schaff, J-B; Rimareix, F; Kolb, F; Sarfati, B

    2018-04-01

    Robot-assisted surgery is more and more widely used in urology, general surgery and gynecological surgery. The interest of robotics in plastic and reconstructive surgery, a discipline that operates primarily on surfaces, has yet to be conclusively proved. However, the initial applications of robotic surgery in plastic and reconstructive surgery have been emerging in a number of fields including transoral reconstruction of posterior oropharyngeal defects, nipple-sparing mastectomy with immediate breast reconstruction, microsurgery, muscle harvesting for pelvic reconstruction and coverage of the scalp or the extremities. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  2. Analysis of Cosmetic Topics on the Plastic Surgery In-Service Training Exam.

    PubMed

    Silvestre, Jason; Taglienti, Anthony J; Serletti, Joseph M; Chang, Benjamin

    2015-08-01

    The Plastic Surgery In-Service Training Exam (PSITE) is a multiple-choice examination taken by plastic surgery trainees to provide an assessment of plastic surgery knowledge. The purpose of this study was to evaluate cosmetic questions and determine overlap with national procedural data. Digital syllabi of six consecutive PSITE administrations (2008-2013) were analyzed for cosmetic surgery topics. Questions were classified by taxonomy, focus, anatomy, and procedure. Answer references were tabulated by source. Relationships between tested material and national procedural volume were assessed via Pearson correlation. 301 questions addressed cosmetic topics (26% of all questions) and 20 required image interpretations (7%). Question-stem taxonomy favored decision-making (40%) and recall (37%) skills over interpretation (23%, P < .001). Answers focused on treatments/outcomes (67%) over pathology/anatomy (20%) and diagnoses (13%, P < .001). Tested procedures were largely surgical (85%) and focused on the breast (25%), body (18%), nose (13%), and eye (10%). The most common surgeries were breast augmentation (12%), rhinoplasty (11%), blepharoplasty (10%), and body contouring (6%). Minimally invasive procedures were lasers (5%), neuromodulators (4%), and fillers (3%). Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (58%), Clinics in Plastic Surgery (7%), and Aesthetic Surgery Journal (6%) were the most cited journals, with a median 5-year publication lag. There was poor correlation between PSITE content and procedural volume data (r(2) = 0.138, P = .539). Plastic surgeons receive routine evaluation of cosmetic surgery knowledge. These data may help optimize clinical and didactic experiences for training in cosmetic surgery. © 2015 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  3. Telemedicine and Plastic Surgery: A Pilot Study.

    PubMed

    Valente, Denis Souto; Silveira Eifler, Luciano; Carvalho, Lauro Aita; Filho, Gustavo Azambuja Pereira; Ribeiro, Vinicius Weissheimer; Padoin, Alexandre Vontobel

    2015-01-01

    Background. Telemedicine can be defined as the use of electronic media for transmission of information and medical data from one site to another. The objective of this study is to demonstrate an experience of telemedicine in plastic surgery. Methods. 32 plastic surgeons received a link with password for real-time streaming of a surgery. At the end of the procedure, the surgeons attending the procedure by the Internet answered five questions. The results were analyzed with descriptive statistics. Results. 27 plastic surgeons attended the online procedure in real-time. 96.3% considered the access to the website as good or excellent and 3.7% considered it bad. 14.8% reported that the transmission was bad and 85.2% considered the quality of transmission as good or excellent. 96.3% classified the live broadcasting as a good or excellent learning experience and 3.7% considered it a bad experience. 92.6% reported feeling able to perform this surgery after watching the demo and 7.4% did not feel able. 100% of participants said they would like to participate in other surgical demonstrations over the Internet. Conclusion. We conclude that the use of telemedicine can provide more access to education and medical research, for plastic surgeons looking for medical education from distant regions.

  4. Journal impact factor versus the evidence level of articles published in plastic surgery journals.

    PubMed

    Rodrigues, Maria A; Tedesco, Ana C B; Nahas, Fabio X; Ferreira, Lydia M

    2014-06-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between impact factor and the level of evidence of articles in plastic surgery journals. The four plastic surgery journals with the top impact factors in 2011 were selected. Articles were selected using the PubMed database between January 1 and December 31, 2011. The journal evidence index was calculated by dividing the number of randomized clinical trials by the total number of articles published in the specific journal, multiplied by 100. This index was correlated to the impact factor of the journal and compared with the average of the other journals. Two investigators independently evaluated each journal, followed by a consensus and assessment of the interexaminer concordance. The kappa test was used to evaluate the concordance between the two investigators and Fisher's exact test was used to evaluate which journal presented the highest number of randomized clinical trials. The journal evidence index values were as follows: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 1.70; Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, 0.40; Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 0.56; and Annals of Plastic Surgery, 0.35. The impact factors of these journals in 2011 were as follows: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 3.382; Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, 1.494; Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 1.407; and Annals of Plastic Surgery, 1.318. After consensus, the quantity of adequate studies was low and similar between these journals; only the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery showed a higher journal evidence index. The journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery exhibited the highest journal evidence index and had the highest impact factor. The number of adequate articles was low in all of the assessed journals.

  5. Self-reported problems and wishes for plastic surgery after bariatric surgery.

    PubMed

    Wagenblast, Anne Lene; Laessoe, Line; Printzlau, Andreas

    2014-04-01

    In the affluent part of the world, there is an increasing occurrence of obesity with Body Mass Index (BMI) above 40, which has resulted in an increasing number of operations such as gastric bypass (GB). After massive weight loss there will often be a need for subsequent plastic surgical correction, since some of the patients will experience problems due to excess skin. Foreign studies estimate that ∼30% of all bariatric surgery patients will at some point seek plastic surgical correction of excess skin. The aim of this study is to investigate to what extent the GB patients themselves consider plastic surgery for removal of excess skin, and their reasons and motivations for this. The investigation was performed as an anonymous questionnaire handed out to 150 patients at the 1-year standard consultation for GB patients at a private hospital. The questionnaire contained information about demographic data, patient habits, earlier or present comorbidity, physical problems, psychological problems, and cosmetic problems due to excess skin. Also, it contained information about what anatomical area bothered the patient the most. One hundred and thirty-eight patients responded to the questionnaire, and the investigation showed that 89.9% of the patients had a wish for plastic surgery for several different reasons. This patient demand showed to have no correlation to age, gender, smoking habits, or earlier comorbidity.

  6. Sometimes you can't make it on your own: the impact of a professionalism curriculum on the attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors of an academic plastic surgery practice.

    PubMed

    Hultman, Charles Scott; Halvorson, Eric G; Kaye, Donna; Helgans, Richard; Meyers, Michael O; Rowland, Pamela A; Meyer, Anthony A

    2013-03-01

    Professionalism is now recognized as a core competency for graduate medical education and maintenance of certification. However, few models exist in plastic surgery that define, teach, and assess professionalism as a competency. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of a professionalism curriculum in an academic plastic surgery practice. We created and conducted a 6-wk, 12-h course for health care professionals in plastic surgery (faculty, residents, nurses, medical students). Teaching methods included didactic lectures, journal club, small group discussions, and book review. Topics included: (1) Professionalism in Our Culture, (2) Leadership Styles, (3) Modeling Professional Behavior, (4) Leading Your Team, (5) Managing Oneself, and (6) Leading While You Work. Using Kirkpatrick methodology to assess perception of the course (level 1 data), learning of the material (level 2 data), effect on behavior (level 3 data), and impact on the organization (level 4 data), we compiled participant questionnaires, scores from pre- and post-tests, and such metrics as incidence of sentinel events (defined as infractions requiring involvement by senior administrators), number of patient complaints reported to Patient Relations, and patient satisfaction (Press Ganey surveys), for the 6 mo before and after the course. Thirty health care professionals participated in a 6-wk course, designed to improve professionalism in plastic surgery. Level 1 data: Although only 56.5% of respondents felt that the course was a "good use of my time," 73.9% agreed that the course "will help me become a better professional" and 82.6% "would recommend the course to others." Level 2 data: Post-test scores increased from 48% to 70% (P < 0.05), and the ability to recall all six competencies increased from 22% to 73% (P < 0.01). Level 3 data: The number of sentinel events in our division decreased from 13 to three. After the course, one resident was placed on probation and resigned

  7. Teaching ethics and professionalism in plastic surgery: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    de Blacam, Catherine; Vercler, Christian J

    2014-04-01

    Maintenance of the highest ethical and professional standards in plastic surgery is in the best interests of our profession and the public whom we serve. Both the American Board of Medical Specialties and the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education mandate training in ethics and professionalism for all residents. Presently there is no gold standard in ethics and professionalism education. A systematic review on teaching ethics and professionalism in plastic surgery was performed for all articles from inception to May 23, 2013 in MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and ERIC. References of relevant publications were searched for additional papers. Key journals were hand searched and relevant conference proceedings were also reviewed. Duplicate and non-English articles were excluded. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to find articles that described a curriculum in ethics and/or professionalism in plastic surgery. Two hundred twenty-seven relevant articles were identified. One hundred seventy-four did not meet inclusion criteria based on screening of the title, and 39 of those did not meet inclusion criteria based on screening of the abstract or introductory paragraph. Of the 14 identified for full text review, only 2 articles described a set curriculum in ethics and/or professionalism in plastic surgery training and reported outcomes. A paucity of data exists regarding the structure, content, or relevant measures that can be applied to assess outcomes of a curriculum to teach ethics and professionalism to plastic surgery trainees. Endeavors to teach ethics and professionalism to plastic surgery trainees must rigorously document the process and outcomes to facilitate the maintenance of our profession.

  8. Advocacy and mass education in plastic surgery: Efforts and outcomes

    PubMed Central

    Panse, Nikhil Shrikrishna

    2017-01-01

    Background: Awareness of plastic surgery is lacking. Be it reconstructive surgery, or aesthetic surgery, public education and awareness regarding the spectrum is the need of the hour. Materials and Methods: We undertook a string of activities for patient awareness and education for burn prevention, occupational hand injuries prevention, skin banking awareness and various other conditions relevant to us as plastic surgeons. Use of social media helped us for increasing the reach of our projects. Observation and Results: Some of the projects we started, we are still pursuing with sincerity, and some never really picked up. A wide range and spectrum of activities were undertaken, and we would like to think that we have made some impact towards advocacy of plastic surgery; however, the measurable impact of these initiatives is questionable. Conclusion: Collective efforts for promotion of the speciality using innovative methods, use of celebrities for awareness and social media amongst other things must be undertaken to make a sustained and demonstrable impact towards advocacy of plastic surgery. PMID:28615817

  9. [Community survey of plastic surgery].

    PubMed

    Gao, Wei-Cheng; Yu, Yang; Ma, Shao-Lin

    2007-05-01

    A community survey was developed in order to analyses and assess the recognition of plastic surgery. And to provide some initial and useful evidence document for our other jobs. One thousand and one hundred individuals of various ages, either sex, different occupation and education levels, ethnically/racially diverse, social background, participated in this survey. All questionnaires were analyzed and chi-square analysis was performed for each question to compare the pattern of responses among the categories of respondents using the SPSS 11.5. Nine hundred and forty six individuals completed the survey (overall response rate 86%). Group 1 consisted of 342 general college students; The second group consisted of 427 medical college students; the third included 129 general practitioners, and 48 members of the general public comprised the fourth group of respondents. The results reveal that the majority of the crowd in the four groups needs more information about the benefits that our specialty can offer them. Despite the rapid progress that has occurred in the field of plastic surgery in the last 10 years, a large portion of the population is still unaware, even misunderstanding of the specialty. Therefore, they may not be taking advantage of the optimal care that is already available. And certainly, it also seriously hindrance the specialty. We should take effective methods to improve the advocacy from them. However, in our country, there is a scarcity of empirical evidence about the public perception of plastic surgery; this pilot study attempts to serve our jobs.

  10. Plastic Surgeons' Opinions of Facial Surgery for Individuals with Down Syndrome.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    May, Deborah C.; Turnbull, Nancy

    1992-01-01

    One hundred plastic surgeons responded to a survey on opinions toward facial plastic surgery for individuals with Down's syndrome. Twenty-four of the surgeons had performed the surgery. Surgeons indicated appropriate circumstances for the surgery, consent requirements, degree of understanding expected of the patient, and degree of discomfort…

  11. “Oriental anthropometry” in plastic surgery

    PubMed Central

    Senna-Fernandes, Vasco

    2008-01-01

    Background: According to Chinese medicine, the acupuncture-points' (acupoints) locations are proportionally and symmetrically distributed in well-defined compartment zones on the human body surface Oriental Anthropometry” (OA). Acupoints, if considered as aesthetic-loci, might be useful as reference guides in plastic surgery (PS). Aim: This study aimed to use aesthetic-loci as anatomical reference in surgical marking of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Method: This was an observational study based on aesthetic surgeries performed in private clinic. This study was based on 106 cases, comprising of 102 women and 4 men, with ages varying from 07 to 73 years, and with heights of between 1.34 m and 1.80 m. Patients were submitted to aesthetic surgical planning by relating aesthetic-loci to conventional surgical marking, including breast surgeries, abdominoplasty, rhytidoplasty, blepharoplasty, and hair implant. The aesthetic-surgical-outcome (ASO) of the patients was assessed by a team of plastic surgeons (who were not involved in the surgical procedures) over a follow-up period of one year by using a numeric-rating-scale in percentage (%) terms. A four-point-verbal-rating-scale was used to record the patients' opinion of therapeutic-satisfaction (TS). Results: ASO was 75.3 ± 9.4% and TS indicated that most patients (58.5%) obtained “good” results. Of the remainder, 38.7% found the results “excellent”, and 2.8% found them “fair”. Discussion and Conclusion: The data suggested that the use of aesthetic-loci may be a useful tool for PS as an anatomical reference for surgical marking. However, further investigation is required to assess the efficacy of the OA by providing the patients more reliable balance and harmony in facial and body contours surgeries. PMID:19753249

  12. Plastic surgery chief resident clinics: the current state of affairs.

    PubMed

    Neaman, Keith C; Hill, Brian C; Ebner, Ben; Ford, Ronald D

    2010-08-01

    One of the goals of plastic surgery residency programs is to provide effective training in aesthetic surgery. Recently, programs have adopted the idea of chief clinics to provide senior residents with the opportunity to perform cosmetic surgery with an increased level of autonomy. The goal of this article is to characterize chief clinics currently in place and their usefulness in providing effective training in plastic surgery under the precepts set forth by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. A survey was created focusing on six broad categories: respondent identifier, clinic structure, clinic monetary earnings, patient demographics, procedures, and educational utility. Surveys were distributed to all plastic surgery residency programs targeting current and recently graduated chief residents, and program directors. A total of 123 surveys were returned. Eighty of the 88 plastic surgery residency programs (91 percent) were represented. Of the programs responding, 71.3 percent (57 programs) had a chief resident clinic. Thirty-two of the respondents (43.8 percent) reported that 100 percent of the procedures performed were cosmetic in nature. Programs differed widely on their frequency of occurrence and support staff available. A majority of respondents felt these clinics enhanced resident understanding of the six Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education core competencies. A majority of plastic surgery training programs use the chief clinic model to enhance resident education. These clinics vary in makeup and case distribution but serve as an effective way of teaching autonomy, surgical maturity, and the six Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education core competencies.

  13. Functional and esthetic outcome enhancement of periodontal surgery by application of plastic surgery principles.

    PubMed

    Hürzeler, M B; Weng, D

    1999-02-01

    The closure of surgical wounds in a layer-by-layer fashion, a common principle of plastic surgery, is applied in this article to the field of periodontal surgery with the introduction of a new flap design. The suggested technique is indicated with all periodontal procedures that aim for hard and soft tissue augmentation (guided bone regeneration, mucogingival surgery, or plastic periodontal surgery) where passive, tension-free wound closure is fundamental for wound healing and a successful functional and esthetic outcome. By means of a series of incisions, buccal and lingual flaps are split several times; this results in a double-partial thickness flap and a coronally positioned palatal sliding flap, respectively. Thus, several tissue layers are obtained and the passive advancement of flaps becomes possible for the coverage of augmented areas. Wound closure with microsurgical suture material is accomplished in a multilayer approach, which ensures adaptation and closure of the outer tissue layers without any tension. Two case reports demonstrate the new plastic periodontal approach.

  14. E-Cigarettes and Potential Implications for Plastic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Taub, Peter J; Matarasso, Alan

    2016-12-01

    The use of tobacco-based products, most notably cigarettes, is related directly to wound healing problems and poorer outcomes in plastic surgery. Current abstracts have highlighted the potential complications from nicotine, specifically following plastic surgery in patients who choose to smoke. Recently, products that use electricity to vaporize liquid nitrogen have been gaining popularity. New rules were recently proposed that would give the federal government authority over electronic cigarettes. However, the health-related issues surrounding e-cigarettes are still largely unknown or misunderstood. These issues also extend to their impact on surgical procedures, notably their effect on plastic surgical procedures that rely heavily on the vascularity of either the host wound bed or the replacement tissue.

  15. Reaching Our Successors: Millennial Generation Medical Students and Plastic Surgery as a Career Choice.

    PubMed

    Ibrahim, Abdulrasheed; Asuku, Malachy E

    2016-01-01

    Research shows that career choices are made as a result of preconceived ideas and exposure to a specialty. If plastic surgery is to continue to attract the best, factors that may dissuade the millennial generation medical students from pursuing plastic surgery as a career must be identified and addressed. We explored the determinants of interest in plastic surgery as a career choice amongst millennial generation medical students. A survey regarding factors considered important in choosing plastic surgery was conducted amongst final year medical students in September 2011. Participants were asked to rate their agreement or disagreement with 18 statements on a four-point Likert scale (1 = very unimportant; 4 = very important). Statistical analyses were performed using Chi-square test to compare categorical variables between male and female medical students. Values of P < 0.05 were considered significant. The most important factors influencing the decision of medical students to choose plastic surgery as a career include; plastic surgeons appear happy in their work 93 (85%), Plastic surgeons have rewarding careers 78 (71%), and plastic surgeons provide good role models for medical students 96 (87%). An overall score of > 3.0 was seen in all the subscales except in gender equity and life style concerns. There were statistically significant differences between male and female students in opinions of a spouse, a significant other, or family members in choosing plastic surgery P < 0.5 and my choice of plastic surgery will be influenced by my decision to have a family P < 0.5. Factors influencing the decision of medical students to choose plastic surgery were related to the perceived quality of life as a plastic surgeon and the ability of plastic surgeons to provide good role models for medical students. Female medical students were more concerned with gender equity and work-life balance in selecting plastic surgery compared to male medical students.

  16. Influences on decision-making for undergoing plastic surgery: a mental models and quantitative assessment.

    PubMed

    Darisi, Tanya; Thorne, Sarah; Iacobelli, Carolyn

    2005-09-01

    Research was conducted to gain insight into potential clients' decisions to undergo plastic surgery, their perception of benefits and risks, their judgment of outcomes, and their selection of a plastic surgeon. Semistructured, open-ended interviews were conducted with 60 people who expressed interest in plastic surgery. Qualitative analysis revealed their "mental models" regarding influences on their decision to undergo plastic surgery and their choice of a surgeon. Interview results were used to design a Web-based survey in which 644 individuals considering plastic surgery responded. The desire for change was the most direct motivator to undergo plastic surgery. Improvements to physical well-being were related to emotional and social benefits. When prompted about risks, participants mentioned physical, emotional, and social risks. Surgeon selection was a critical influence on decisions to undergo plastic surgery. Participants gave considerable weight to personal consultation and believed that finding the "right" plastic surgeon would minimize potential risks. Findings from the Web-based survey were similar to the mental models interviews in terms of benefit ratings but differed in risk ratings and surgeon selection criteria. The mental models interviews revealed that interview participants were thoughtful about their decision to undergo plastic surgery and focused on finding the right plastic surgeon.

  17. Evaluation of the Plastic Surgery In-Service Training Exam: Lower Extremity Questions.

    PubMed

    Silvestre, Jason; Basta, Marten N; Serletti, Joseph M; Chang, Benjamin

    2015-01-01

    To facilitate the training of plastic surgery residents, we analyzed a knowledge-based curriculum for plastic and reconstructive surgery of the lower extremity. The Plastic Surgery In-Service Training Exam (PSITE) is a commonly used tool to assess medical knowledge in plastic surgery. We reviewed the lower extremity content on 6 consecutive score keys (2008-2013). Questions were classified by taxonomy, anatomy, and subject. Answer references were quantified by source and relative year of publication. Totally, 107 questions related to the lower extremity (9.1% of all questions) and 14 questions had an associated image (13.1%). Questions required decision making (49%) over interpretation (36%) and direct recall (15%) skills (p < 0.001). Conditions of the leg (42.1%) and thigh (24.3%) constituted most of the questions. Subject matter focused on flap reconstruction (38.3%), nerve injury (8.4%), and congenital deformity (6.5%). Analysis of 263 citations to 66 unique journals showed that Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (54.9%) was the highest yield primary source. The median year of publication relative to PSITE administration was 6 (range: 1-58) with a mode of 2 years. Plastic Surgery by Mathes et al. was the most referenced textbook (21.9%). These data establish a benchmark for lower extremity training during plastic surgery residency. Study efforts focused on the most common topics and references will enhance trainee preparation for lower extremity PSITE questions. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Plastic surgery and the biometric e-passport: implications for facial recognition.

    PubMed

    Ologunde, Rele

    2015-04-01

    This correspondence comments on the challenges of plastic reconstructive and aesthetic surgery on the facial recognition algorithms employed by biometric passports. The limitations of facial recognition technology in patients who have undergone facial plastic surgery are also discussed. Finally, the advice of the UK HM passport office to people who undergo facial surgery is reported.

  19. Animal models in plastic and reconstructive surgery simulation-a review.

    PubMed

    Loh, Charles Yuen Yung; Wang, Aline Yen Ling; Tiong, Vincent Tze Yang; Athanassopoulos, Thanassi; Loh, Meiling; Lim, Philip; Kao, Huang-Kai

    2018-01-01

    The use of live and cadaveric animal models in surgical training is well established as a means of teaching and improving surgical skill in a controlled setting. We aim to review, evaluate, and summarize the models published in the literature that are applicable to Plastic Surgery training. A PubMed search for keywords relating to animal models in Plastic Surgery and the associated procedures was conducted. Animal models that had cross over between specialties such as microsurgery with Neurosurgery and pinnaplasty with ear, nose, and throat surgery were included as they were deemed to be relevant to our training curriculum. A level of evidence and recommendation assessment was then given to each surgical model. Our review found animal models applicable to plastic surgery training in four major categories namely-microsurgery training, flap raising, facial surgery, and hand surgery. Twenty-four separate articles described various methods of practicing microsurgical techniques on different types of animals. Fourteen different articles each described various methods of conducting flap-based procedures which consisted of either local or perforator flap dissection. Eight articles described different models for practicing hand surgery techniques. Finally, eight articles described animal models that were used for head and neck procedures. A comprehensive summary of animal models related to plastic surgery training has been compiled. Cadaveric animal models provide a readily available introduction to many procedures and ought to be used instead of live models when feasible. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Plastic Surgery Undergraduate Training: How a Single Local Event Can Inspire and Educate Medical Students.

    PubMed

    Khatib, Manaf; Soukup, Benjamin; Boughton, Oliver; Amin, Kavit; Davis, Christopher R; Evans, David M

    2015-08-01

    Plastic surgery teaching has a limited role in the undergraduate curriculum. We held a 1-day national course in plastic surgery for undergraduates. Our aim was to introduce delegates to plastic surgery and teach basic plastic surgical skills. We assessed change in perceptions of plastic surgery and change in confidence in basic plastic surgical skills. The day consisted of consultant-led lectures followed by workshops in aesthetic suturing, local flap design, and tendon repair. A questionnaire divided into 3 sections, namely, (1) career plans, (2) perceptions of plastic surgery, and (3) surgical skills and knowledge, was completed by 39 delegates before and after the course. Results were presented as mean scores and the standard error of the mean used to calculate data spread. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test for nonparametric data. Career plans: Interest in pursuing a plastic surgery career significantly increased over the course of the day by 12.5% (P < 0.0005).Perceptions: Statistically significant changes were observed in many categories of plastic surgery, including the perception of the role of plastic surgeons in improving patient quality of life, increased by 18.31% (P = 0.063). Before the course 10% of delegates perceived plastic surgery to be a superficial discipline and 20% perceived that plastic surgeons did not save lives. After completing the course, no delegates held those views.Surgical skills: Confidence to perform subcuticular and deep dermal sutures improved by 53% (P < 0.0001) and 57% (P < 0.0001), respectively. Delegates' subjective understanding of the basic geometry of local flaps improved by 94% (P < 0.0001). Interestingly, before the course, 2.5% of delegates drew an accurate modified Kessler suture compared with 87% of on completion of the course. A 1-day intensive undergraduate plastic surgery course can significantly increase delegates' desire to pursue a career in plastic surgery, dispel common misconceptions about this

  1. Computer Simulation and Digital Resources for Plastic Surgery Psychomotor Education.

    PubMed

    Diaz-Siso, J Rodrigo; Plana, Natalie M; Stranix, John T; Cutting, Court B; McCarthy, Joseph G; Flores, Roberto L

    2016-10-01

    Contemporary plastic surgery residents are increasingly challenged to learn a greater number of complex surgical techniques within a limited period. Surgical simulation and digital education resources have the potential to address some limitations of the traditional training model, and have been shown to accelerate knowledge and skills acquisition. Although animal, cadaver, and bench models are widely used for skills and procedure-specific training, digital simulation has not been fully embraced within plastic surgery. Digital educational resources may play a future role in a multistage strategy for skills and procedures training. The authors present two virtual surgical simulators addressing procedural cognition for cleft repair and craniofacial surgery. Furthermore, the authors describe how partnerships among surgical educators, industry, and philanthropy can be a successful strategy for the development and maintenance of digital simulators and educational resources relevant to plastic surgery training. It is our responsibility as surgical educators not only to create these resources, but to demonstrate their utility for enhanced trainee knowledge and technical skills development. Currently available digital resources should be evaluated in partnership with plastic surgery educational societies to guide trainees and practitioners toward effective digital content.

  2. A survey of cosmetic surgery training in plastic surgery programs in the United States.

    PubMed

    Morrison, Colin M; Rotemberg, S Cristina; Moreira-Gonzalez, Andrea; Zins, James E

    2008-11-01

    Aesthetic surgery is evolving rapidly, both technologically and conceptually. It is critical for the specialty that aesthetic surgery training keep pace with this rapid evolution. To shed more light on this issue, a survey was sent to all program directors and senior plastic surgery residents to record their impressions of the quality of cosmetic surgery resident training. The authors report the results of this national cosmetic surgery training survey canvassing all 89 plastic surgery programs. A three-page survey delineating resident preparedness in aesthetic surgery was sent to senior plastic surgery residents and program directors in April of 2006 and collected through October of 2006. Of 814 surveys, 292 responses were obtained from 64 percent of program directors and 33 percent of senior residents. Breast augmentation, breast reduction, and abdominoplasty were most frequently performed with the highest resident comfort levels. Rhinoplasty remained a particular area of trainee concern, but confidence levels were also low in face lifts, endoscopic procedures, and body contouring techniques. Experience with skin resurfacing, fillers, and botulinum toxin type A was another area of concern. Although 51 percent of residents felt prepared to integrate cosmetic surgery into their practices on graduation, 36 percent felt that further cosmetic training was desirable. The information collected revealed significant differences in opinions between program directors and senior residents. Senior residents felt deficient in facial cosmetic, minimally invasive, and recently developed body contouring techniques. On the basis of these results and the authors' experience in resident education, changes in cosmetic surgery training are suggested.

  3. Reaching Our Successors: Millennial Generation Medical Students and Plastic Surgery as a Career Choice

    PubMed Central

    Ibrahim, Abdulrasheed; Asuku, Malachy E

    2016-01-01

    Background: Research shows that career choices are made as a result of preconceived ideas and exposure to a specialty. If plastic surgery is to continue to attract the best, factors that may dissuade the millennial generation medical students from pursuing plastic surgery as a career must be identified and addressed. We explored the determinants of interest in plastic surgery as a career choice amongst millennial generation medical students. Materials and Methods: A survey regarding factors considered important in choosing plastic surgery was conducted amongst final year medical students in September 2011. Participants were asked to rate their agreement or disagreement with 18 statements on a four-point Likert scale (1 = very unimportant; 4 = very important). Statistical analyses were performed using Chi-square test to compare categorical variables between male and female medical students. Values of P < 0.05 were considered significant. Results: The most important factors influencing the decision of medical students to choose plastic surgery as a career include; plastic surgeons appear happy in their work 93 (85%), Plastic surgeons have rewarding careers 78 (71%), and plastic surgeons provide good role models for medical students 96 (87%). An overall score of > 3.0 was seen in all the subscales except in gender equity and life style concerns. There were statistically significant differences between male and female students in opinions of a spouse, a significant other, or family members in choosing plastic surgery P < 0.5 and my choice of plastic surgery will be influenced by my decision to have a family P < 0.5. Conclusion: Factors influencing the decision of medical students to choose plastic surgery were related to the perceived quality of life as a plastic surgeon and the ability of plastic surgeons to provide good role models for medical students. Female medical students were more concerned with gender equity and work-life balance in selecting plastic surgery

  4. The economics of plastic surgery practices: trends in income, procedure mix, and volume.

    PubMed

    Krieger, Lloyd M; Lee, Gordon K

    2004-07-01

    Anecdotally, plastic surgeons have complained of working harder for the same or less income in recent years. They also complain of falling fees for reconstructive surgery and increasing competition for cosmetic surgery. This study examined these notions using the best available data. To gain a better understanding of the current plastic surgery market, plastic surgeon incomes, fees, volume, and relative mix of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery were analyzed between the years 1992 and 2002. To gain a broader perspective, plastic surgeon income trends were then compared with those of other medical specialties and of nonmedical professions. The data show that in real dollars, plastic surgeon incomes have remained essentially steady in recent years, despite plastic surgeons increasing their surgery load by an average of 41 percent over the past 10 years. The overall income trend is similar to that of members of other medical specialties and other nonmedical professionals. The average practice percentage of cosmetic surgery was calculated and found to have increased from 27 percent in 1992 to 58 percent in 2002. This most likely can be explained by the findings that real dollar fees collected for cosmetic surgery have decreased very slightly, whereas those for reconstructive procedures have experienced sharp declines. This study demonstrates that plastic surgeons have adjusted their practice profiles in recent years. They have increased their case loads and shifted their practices toward cosmetic surgery, most likely with the goal of maintaining their incomes. The strategy appears to have been successful in the short term. However, with increasing competition and falling prices for cosmetic surgery, it may represent a temporary bulwark for plastic surgeon incomes unless other steps are taken.

  5. Plastic Surgery Intervention with Down Syndrome Persons: Summary of a Conference.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Exceptional Parent, 1983

    1983-01-01

    The article discusses the role of plastic surgery for persons with Down Syndrome, as considered in a recent conference. The functions of team plastic surgery, importance of intensive speech therapy, and the question of ultimate therapeutic value are among questions considered. (CL)

  6. Canary in a coal mine: does the plastic surgery market predict the american economy?

    PubMed

    Wong, Wendy W; Davis, Drew G; Son, Andrew K; Camp, Matthew C; Gupta, Subhas C

    2010-08-01

    Economic tools have been used in the past to predict the trends in plastic surgery procedures. Since 1992, U.S. cosmetic surgery volumes have increased overall, but the exact relationship between economic downturns and procedural volumes remains elusive. If an economic predicting role can be established from plastic surgery indicators, this could prove to be a very powerful tool. A rolling 3-month revenue average of an eight-plastic surgeon practice and various economic indicators were plotted and compared. An investigation of the U.S. procedural volumes was performed from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons statistics between 1996 and 2008. The correlations of different economic variables with plastic surgery volumes were evaluated. Lastly, search term frequencies were examined from 2004 to July of 2009 to study potential patient interest in major plastic surgery procedures. The self-payment revenue of the plastic surgery group consistently proved indicative of the market trends approximately 1 month in advance. The Standard and Poor's 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations, and Standard and Poor's Retail Index demonstrated a very close relationship with the income of our plastic surgery group. The frequency of Internet search terms showed a constant level of interest in the patient population despite economic downturns. The data demonstrate that examining plastic surgery revenue can be a useful tool to analyze and possibly predict trends, as it is driven by a market and shows a close correlation to many leading economic indicators. The persisting and increasing interest in plastic surgery suggests hope for a recovering and successful market in the near future.

  7. Social media use and impact on plastic surgery practice.

    PubMed

    Vardanian, Andrew J; Kusnezov, Nicholas; Im, Daniel D; Lee, James C; Jarrahy, Reza

    2013-05-01

    Social media platforms have revolutionized the way human beings communicate, yet there is little evidence describing how the plastic surgery community has adopted social media. In this article, the authors evaluate current trends in social media use by practicing plastic surgeons. An anonymous survey on the use of social media was distributed to members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Prevalent patterns of social media implementation were elucidated. One-half of respondents were regular social media users. Reasons for using social media included the beliefs that incorporation of social media into medical practice is inevitable (56.7 percent), that they are an effective marketing tool (52.1 percent), and that they provide a forum for patient education (49 percent). Surgeons with a primarily aesthetic surgery practice were more likely to use social media. Most respondents (64.6 percent) stated that social media had no effect on their practice, whereas 33.8 percent reported a positive impact and 1.5 percent reported a negative impact. This study depicts current patterns of social media use by plastic surgeons, including motivations driving its implementation and impressions on its impact. Many feel that social media are an effective marketing tool that generates increased exposure and referrals. A small number of surgeons have experienced negative repercussions from social media involvement. Our study reveals the presence of a void. There is a definite interest among those surveyed in developing best practice standards and oversight to ensure ethical use of social media platforms throughout the plastic surgery community. Continuing discussion regarding these matters should be ongoing as our experience with social media in plastic surgery evolves.

  8. Comparison of Plastic Surgery Residency Training in United States and China.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Jianmin; Zhang, Boheng; Yin, Yiqing; Fang, Taolin; Wei, Ning; Lineaweaver, William C; Zhang, Feng

    2015-12-01

    Residency training is internationally recognized as the only way for the physicians to be qualified to practice independently. China has instituted a new residency training program for the specialty of plastic surgery. Meanwhile, plastic surgery residency training programs in the United States are presently in a transition because of restricted work hours. The purpose of this study is to compare the current characteristics of plastic surgery residency training in 2 countries. Flow path, structure, curriculum, operative experience, research, and evaluation of training in 2 countries were measured. The number of required cases was compared quantitatively whereas other aspects were compared qualitatively. Plastic surgery residency training programs in 2 countries differ regarding specific characteristics. Requirements to become a plastic surgery resident in the United States are more rigorous. Ownership structure of the regulatory agency for residency training in 2 countries is diverse. Training duration in the United States is more flexible. Clinical and research training is more practical and the method of evaluation of residency training is more reasonable in the United States. The job opportunities after residency differ substantially between 2 countries. Not every resident has a chance to be an independent surgeon and would require much more training time in China than it does in the United States. Plastic surgery residency training programs in the United States and China have their unique characteristics. The training programs in the United States are more standardized. Both the United States and China may complement each other to create training programs that will ultimately provide high-quality care for all people.

  9. Reduction Mammoplasty: A Comparison Between Operations Performed by Plastic Surgery and General Surgery.

    PubMed

    Kordahi, Anthony M; Hoppe, Ian C; Lee, Edward S

    2015-01-01

    Reduction mammoplasty is an often-performed procedure by plastic surgeons and increasingly by general surgeons. The question has been posed in both general surgical literature and plastic surgical literature as to whether this procedure should remain the domain of surgical specialists. Some general surgeons are trained in breast reductions, whereas all plastic surgeons receive training in this procedure. The National Surgical Quality Improvement Project provides a unique opportunity to compare the 2 surgical specialties in an unbiased manner in terms of preoperative comorbidities and 30-day postoperative complications. The National Surgical Quality Improvement Project database was queried for the years 2005-2012. Patients were identified as having undergone a reduction mammoplasty by Current Procedural Terminology codes. RESULTS were refined to include only females with an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, code of 611.1 (hypertrophy of breasts). Information was collected regarding age, surgical specialty performing procedure, body mass index, and other preoperative variables. The outcomes utilized were presence of superficial surgical site infection, presence of deep surgical site infection, presence of wound dehiscence, postoperative respiratory compromise, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, perioperative transfusion, operative time, reintubation, reoperation, and length of hospital stay. During this time period, there were 6239 reduction mammaplasties performed within the National Surgical Quality Improvement Project database: 339 by general surgery and 5900 by plastic surgery. No statistical differences were detected between the 2 groups with regard to superficial wound infections, deep wound infections, organ space infections, or wound dehiscence. There were no significant differences noted between within groups with regard to systemic postoperative complications. Patients undergoing a procedure by general surgery were more likely

  10. The Prevalence of Cosmetic Facial Plastic Procedures among Facial Plastic Surgeons.

    PubMed

    Moayer, Roxana; Sand, Jordan P; Han, Albert; Nabili, Vishad; Keller, Gregory S

    2018-04-01

    This is the first study to report on the prevalence of cosmetic facial plastic surgery use among facial plastic surgeons. The aim of this study is to determine the frequency with which facial plastic surgeons have cosmetic procedures themselves. A secondary aim is to determine whether trends in usage of cosmetic facial procedures among facial plastic surgeons are similar to that of nonsurgeons. The study design was an anonymous, five-question, Internet survey distributed via email set in a single academic institution. Board-certified members of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) were included in this study. Self-reported history of cosmetic facial plastic surgery or minimally invasive procedures were recorded. The survey also queried participants for demographic data. A total of 216 members of the AAFPRS responded to the questionnaire. Ninety percent of respondents were male ( n  = 192) and 10.3% were female ( n  = 22). Thirty-three percent of respondents were aged 31 to 40 years ( n  = 70), 25% were aged 41 to 50 years ( n  = 53), 21.4% were aged 51 to 60 years ( n  = 46), and 20.5% were older than 60 years ( n  = 44). Thirty-six percent of respondents had a surgical cosmetic facial procedure and 75% has at least one minimally invasive cosmetic facial procedure. Facial plastic surgeons are frequent users of cosmetic facial plastic surgery. This finding may be due to access, knowledge base, values, or attitudes. By better understanding surgeon attitudes toward facial plastic surgery, we can improve communication with patients and delivery of care. This study is a first step in understanding use of facial plastic procedures among facial plastic surgeons. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

  11. Plastic Surgery and the Breast: A Citation Analysis of the Literature

    PubMed Central

    Joyce, Kenneth M.; Sugrue, Conor M.; Kelly, John C.; Carroll, Sean M.; Kerin, Michael J.; Kelly, Jack L.

    2014-01-01

    Background: A large proportion of the plastic surgery literature is dedicated to the breast. It is one of the most common topics in our specialty, yet it is unclear which articles have been the most influential. The purpose of this study was to identify the top 100 most-cited articles on breast in the plastic surgery literature and examine the characteristics of each individual article. Methods: Using an electronic database through the Web of Science, we were able to determine the 6 journals that contributed to the 100 most-cited articles on breast in the plastic surgery literature. Results: Each article was examined individually looking at characteristics such as subject matter, article type, country of origin, institution, authorship, and year of publication. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery contributed the most articles to the top 100 with 81 articles including the most-cited article which has been referenced 673 times to date. The United States produced 73% of the top 100 articles, and the most prolific institution was the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center with 15 articles. Conclusions: This study has identified the most influential articles on breast in the plastic surgery literature over the past 68 years and highlighted many important scientific breakthroughs and landmarks that have occurred during this time. PMID:25506534

  12. Women in academic general surgery.

    PubMed

    Schroen, Anneke T; Brownstein, Michelle R; Sheldon, George F

    2004-04-01

    To portray the professional experiences of men and women in academic general surgery with specific attention to factors associated with differing academic productivity and with leaving academia. A 131-question survey was mailed to all female (1,076) and a random 2:1 sample of male (2,152) members of the American College of Surgeons in three mailings between September 1998 and March 1999. Detailed questions regarding academic rank, career aspirations, publication rate, grant funding, workload, harassment, income, marriage and parenthood were asked. A five-point Likert scale measured influences on career satisfaction. Responses from strictly academic and tenure-track surgeons were analyzed and interpreted by gender, age, and rank. Overall, 317 surgeons in academic practice (168 men, 149 women) responded, of which 150 were in tenure-track positions (86 men, 64 women). Men and women differed in academic rank, tenure status, career aspirations, and income. Women surgeons had published a median of ten articles compared with 25 articles for men (p <.001). Marriage or parenthood did not influence numbers of publications for women. Overall career satisfaction was high, but women reported feeling career advancement opportunities were not equally available to them as to their male colleagues and feeling isolation from surgical peers. Ten percent to 20% of surgeons considered leaving academia, with women assistant professors (29%) contemplating this most commonly. Addressing the differences between men and women academic general surgeons is critical in fostering career development and in recruiting competitive candidates of both sexes to general surgery.

  13. Female genital cosmetic and plastic surgery: a review.

    PubMed

    Goodman, Michael P

    2011-06-01

    This review studies rationale and outcome of vulvovaginal aesthetic surgery. Discuss procedures designed to alter genital appearance and function; investigate sexual, philosophical, and ethical issues; examine outcomes. (i) Medline search of the existing literature utilizing terms labiaplasty, clitoral hood reduction, hymenoplasty (HP), vaginoplasty (VP), perineoplasty (PP), female genital surgery, sexual satisfaction/body image, and anterior/posterior colporrhaphy; (ii) references from bibliographies of papers found through the literature search and in the author's reading of available literature. (i) Demographics and psychosexual dynamics of women requesting female genital plastic/cosmetic surgery; (ii) overall and sexual satisfaction of subjects undergoing these procedures. The majority of studies regarding patient satisfaction and sexual function after vaginal aesthetic and functional plastic procedures report beneficial results, with overall patient satisfaction in the 90-95% range, sexual satisfaction over 80-85%. These data are supported by outcome data from nonelective vaginal support procedures. Complications appear minor and acceptable to patients. There are little data available regarding outcomes and satisfaction of HP, or function during the rigors of subsequent vaginal childbirth, although the literature contains no case reports of labiaplasty disruption during parturition. Women requesting labiaplasty and reduction of their clitoral hoods do so for both cosmetic and functional (chafing, interference with coitus, interference with athletic activities, etc.) reasons, while patients requesting VP and/or PP do so in order to increase friction and sexual satisfaction, occasionally for aesthetic reasons. Patients appear generally happy with outcomes. The majority of patients undergoing genital plastic surgery report overall satisfaction and subjective enhancement of sexual function and body image, but the literature is retrospective. Female genital plastic

  14. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in Global Health: Let’s Reconstruct Global Surgery

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    Summary: Since the inception of the Lancet Commission in 2013 and consequent prioritization of Global Surgery at the World Health Assembly, international surgical outreach efforts have increased and become more synergistic. Plastic surgeons have been involved in international outreach for decades, and there is now a demand to collaborate and address local need in an innovative way. The aim of this article was to summarize new developments in plastic and reconstructive surgery in global health, to unify our approach to international outreach. Specifically, 5 topics are explored: current models in international outreach, benefits and concerns, the value of research, the value of international surgical outreach education, and the value of technology. A “Let’s Reconstruct Global Surgery” network has been formed using Facebook as a platform to unite plastic and reconstructive surgeons worldwide who are interested in international outreach. The article concludes with actionable recommendations from each topic. PMID:28507847

  15. Applications of biomaterials in plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jeff J; Evans, Gregory R D

    2012-10-01

    The expansion of the application of biomaterials in plastic surgery has led to the increased availability of commercial products in recent years. This overview discusses soft tissue fillers, bioengineered skins, acellular dermal matrices, biomaterials for craniofacial surgery, and peripheral nerve repair. We summarize indications, properties, uses, types, advantages and disadvantages of some of the currently available products from each category. Finally, the current state of development in drug delivery system is also briefly summarized. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  16. Gene therapy in plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Tepper, Oren M; Mehrara, Babak J

    2002-02-01

    Recent developments in gene therapy have shown promise in the treatment of soft-tissue repair, bone formation, nerve regeneration, and cranial suture development. This special topic article reviews commonly used methods of gene therapy and discusses their various advantages and disadvantages. In addition, an overview of new developments in gene therapy as they relate to plastic surgery is provided.

  17. Prevalence of Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Surgeon Diagnostic Accuracy in Facial Plastic and Oculoplastic Surgery Clinics.

    PubMed

    Joseph, Andrew W; Ishii, Lisa; Joseph, Shannon S; Smith, Jane I; Su, Peiyi; Bater, Kristin; Byrne, Patrick; Boahene, Kofi; Papel, Ira; Kontis, Theda; Douglas, Raymond; Nelson, Christine C; Ishii, Masaru

    2017-07-01

    Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a relative contraindication for facial plastic surgery, but formal screening is not common in practice. The prevalence of BDD in patients seeking facial plastic surgery is not well documented. To establish the prevalence of BDD across facial plastic and oculoplastic surgery practice settings, and estimate the ability of surgeons to screen for BDD. This multicenter prospective study recruited a cohort of 597 patients who presented to academic and private facial plastic and oculoplastic surgery practices from March 2015 to February 2016. All patients were screened for BDD using the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Questionnaire (BDDQ). After each clinical encounter, surgeons independently evaluated the likelihood that a participating patient had BDD. Validated instruments were used to assess satisfaction with facial appearance including the FACE-Q, Blepharoplasty Outcomes Evaluation (BOE), Facelift Outcomes Evaluation (FOE), Rhinoplasty Outcomes Evaluation (ROE), and Skin Rejuvenation Outcomes Evaluation (SROE). Across participating practices (9 surgeons, 3 sites), a total of 597 patients were screened for BDD: 342 patients from site 1 (mean [SD] age, 44.2 [16.5] years); 158 patients, site 2 (mean [SD] age, 46.0 [16.2] years), site 3, 97 patients (mean [SD] age, 56.3 [15.5] years). Overall, 58 patients [9.7%] screened positive for BDD by the BDDQ instrument, while only 16 of 402 patients [4.0%] were clinically suspected of BDD by surgeons. A higher percentage of patients presenting for cosmetic surgery (37 of 283 patients [13.1%]) compared with those presenting for reconstructive surgery (21 of 314 patients [6.7%]) screened positive on the BDDQ (odds ratio, 2.10; 95% CI, 1.20-3.68; P = .01). Surgeons were only able to correctly identify 2 of 43 patients (4.7%) who screened positive for BDD on the BDDQ, and the positive likelihood ratio was only 1.19 (95% CI, 0.28-5.07). Patients screening positive for BDD by the BDDQ had lower

  18. Teaching plastic surgery from different perspectives.

    PubMed

    Cable, Christian; Chong, Tae; Pratt, Daniel D

    2012-06-01

    Just as everyone has a different learning style, teachers too approach the task from different perspectives. There are five basic teaching perspectives or styles: transmission, apprenticeship, developmental, nurturing, and social justice. The acronym BIAS is useful to describe the beliefs, intentions, assessments, and strategies associated with each perspective. The authors present a hypothetical 1-week rotation in plastic and reconstructive surgery in which a student encounters instructors who embody the five basic teaching perspectives. By presenting these perspectives, the authors introduce valuable teaching techniques that can benefit all those charged with the education of learners along the spectrum from premedical to continuing education venues. Educational objectives include the following: (1) explain and illustrate different approaches to effective teaching in plastic surgery; (2) introduce readers to the Teaching Perspectives Inventory as a means of determining their primary teaching style; and (3) argue for a "plurality of the good" in teaching.

  19. Knowledge and perception of plastic surgery among tertiary education students in Enugu, South-East Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Isiguzo, C M; Nwachukwu, C D

    2016-01-01

    Knowledge, perception, and acceptance of plastic surgery among any population are influenced by channel of presentation. A good understanding of the public awareness will define the way plastic surgery services will be provided. To assess the knowledge, awareness of availability, and acceptance of plastic surgery practice in Enugu, South East Nigeria. A questionnaire-based prospective study. The electronic media is the most common medium of awareness. Less than half the sample knew about the existence of plastic surgeons in Enugu even though a large proportion was aware of the existence of plastic surgery as a specialty. The concentration of plastic surgeons in a center is directly related to awareness of plastic surgery services in that facility. The most common esthetic procedure done by a plastic surgeon in Enugu is tattoo removal and scar refashioning. Orthopedic surgeons are thought to be key players in the management of burn patients as much as the plastic surgeons due to the "SIGNPOST EFFECT." The level of awareness is high in the sampled population with associated increase in acceptance of its practice and willing utilization. All public hospitals should be encouraged to employ the services of plastic surgeons. Appropriate branding of specialized hospitals where plastic surgery service is available will advance the practice significantly.

  20. Academic stress disrupts cortical plasticity in graduate students.

    PubMed

    Concerto, Carmen; Patel, Dhaval; Infortuna, Carmenrita; Chusid, Eileen; Muscatello, Maria R; Bruno, Antonio; Zoccali, Rocco; Aguglia, Eugenio; Battaglia, Fortunato

    2017-03-01

    Medical education is a time of high stress and anxiety for many graduate students in medical professions. In this study, we sought to investigate the effect of academic stress on cortical excitability and plasticity by using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). We tested two groups (n = 13 each) of healthy graduate medical students (mean age 33.7 ± 3.8 SE). One group was tested during a final exam week (High-stress group) while the other group was tested after a break, during a week without exams (Low-stress group). Students were required to fill the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS) questionnaire. We investigated resting motor threshold (RMT), motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitude and cortical silent period (CSP). The paired-pulse stimulation paradigm was used to assess short interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) and intracortical facilitation (ICF). Long-term potentiation (LTP)-like plasticity was evaluated with paired associative stimulation (PAS-25). There was no between-group difference in cortical excitability. On the contrary, during examination period, levels of perceived stress were significantly higher (p= .036) and the amount of cortical plasticity (60 min after PAS) was significantly lower (p = .029). LTP-like plasticity (60 min after PAS) was inversely correlated with perceived stress in the High-stress group. The present study showed LTP-like plasticity was reduced by examining stress in graduate students. Our results provide a new opportunity to objectively quantify the negative effect of academic and examination stress on brain plasticity.

  1. Trends, Frequency, and Nature of Surgeon-Reported Conflicts of Interest in Plastic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Lopez, Joseph; Musavi, Leila; Quan, Amy; Calotta, Nicholas; Juan, Ilona; Park, Angela; Tufaro, Anthony P; May, James W; Dorafshar, Amir H

    2017-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify types and trends in industry sponsorship of plastic surgery research since the establishment of conflict-of-interest reporting policies in plastic surgery. The authors analyzed the frequency and types of self-reported conflicts of interest in the plastic surgery literature since the adoption of reporting policies in 2007. All original articles that met the authors' inclusion criteria and were published in the following three journals from 2008 to 2013 were included: Annals of Plastic Surgery, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery. A multivariate regression analysis was performed to determine what study-specific variables were associated with conflict-of-interest disclosures. A total of 3722 articles were analyzed. The incidence of conflicts of interest increased from 14 percent in 2008 to 24 percent in 2009. However, thereafter, the incidence of conflicts of interest decreased steadily from 21 percent in 2010 to 9 percent in 2013. Furthermore, the authors' analysis revealed that from 2008 to 2013, industry decreased direct research support but steadily increased the rate of consultantships (p < 0.001). A multivariate regression analysis revealed that, after adjusting for potential confounders, self-reported conflicts of interest have decreased since 2008 (p = 0.03) and the prevalence of conflicts of interest differs by plastic surgery subspecialty (p < 0.0001), country of origin (p < 0.0001), and journal of publication (p = 0.05). If self-reporting of conflicts of interest is assumed to be accurate, the number of surgeon-reported conflicts of interest in plastic surgery declined overall. Although the absolute number of consultantships did not change, the rate of consultantships rather than direct research support increased over this period.

  2. Trends and Predictors of National Institutes of Health Funding to Plastic Surgery Residency Programs.

    PubMed

    Silvestre, Jason; Abbatematteo, Joseph M; Chang, Benjamin; Serletti, Joseph M

    2017-12-01

    Recent studies have demonstrated low levels of National Institutes of Health funding for surgical research. The authors compared the funding in plastic surgery with the funding for other surgical specialties. A query of National Institutes of Health grants awarded to departments of surgical specialties was performed using the National Institutes of Health RePORTER database (2008 to 2016). Trends in funding were compared by specialty and adjusted for the number of active physicians in each specialty. Plastic surgery residency program characteristics were correlated with funding procurement. Eight hundred eighty-nine faculty at 94 plastic surgery residency programs were queried. Forty-eight investigators (5.4 percent) at 23 programs (24.4 percent) had National Institutes of Health funding. From 2008 to 2016, a total of $84,142,138 was awarded through 81 grants. Funding supported translational (44.6 percent), clinical (26.4 percent), basic science (27.2 percent), and educational (1.7 percent) research. In 2016, plastic surgery received the least amount of National Institutes of Health funding per active physician ($1,530) relative to orthopedic surgery ($3124), obstetrics and gynecology ($3885), urology ($5943), otolaryngology ($9999), general surgery ($11,649), ophthalmology ($11,933), and neurologic surgery ($20,874). Plastic surgery residency program characteristics associated with National Institutes of Health funding were high ranking and had more than 10 clinical faculty (p < 0.05). Plastic surgery receives the least National Institutes of Health funding among the surgical specialties. Departments and divisions of plastic surgery should support investigators applying for research grants to increase future National Institutes of Health funding.

  3. Beauty and the beast: management of breast cancer after plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Bleicher, Richard J; Topham, Neal S; Morrow, Monica

    2008-04-01

    Cosmetic surgery procedures increase in incidence annually, with 11 million performed in 2006. Because breast cancer is the most frequently occurring malignancy in women, a personal history of cosmetic surgery in those undergoing treatment for breast cancer is becoming more common. This review identified key studies from the PubMed database, to consolidate existing data related to treatment of breast cancer after plastic surgery. Data were reviewed for factors affecting breast cancer treatment after breast augmentation, breast reduction, abdominoplasty, and suction lipectomy. There are little comprehensive data on the management of breast cancer after plastic surgical procedures. Plastic surgery may affect diagnostic imaging, surgical options, and radiotherapy management. Breast augmentation and reduction are two of the most common cosmetic procedures performed and knowledge of their influence on the incidence, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer is important for proper management. Plastic surgery does not significantly affect breast cancer outcomes but does present management challenges that must be anticipated when deciding various treatment options. Knowledge of the existing literature may be helpful in discussing those options with patients and planning the multidisciplinary approach to this malignancy.

  4. Social media in plastic surgery practices: emerging trends in North America.

    PubMed

    Wheeler, Chad K; Said, Hakim; Prucz, Roni; Rodrich, Rod J; Mathes, David W

    2011-05-01

    Social media is a common term for web-based applications that offer a way to disseminate information to a targeted audience in real time. In the current market, many businesses are utilizing it to communicate with clients. Although the field of plastic surgery is constantly changing in response to innovative technologies introduced into the specialty, the utilization of social media in plastic surgery practices is currently unclear. The authors evaluate the current attitudes and practices of aesthetic surgeons to emerging social media technology and compare these to attitudes about more traditional modes of communication. A 19-question web-based survey was disseminated by e-mail to all board-certified or board-eligible American plastic surgeons (n = 4817). Respondents were asked to answer questions on three topics: (1) their use of social media in their personal and professional lives, (2) their various forms of practice marketing, and (3) their demographic information. There were 1000 responses (20.8%). Results showed that 28.2% of respondents used social media in their practice, while 46.7% used it in their personal life. Most plastic surgeons managed their social media themselves or through a staff member. The majority of respondents who used social media in their practice claimed that their efforts were directed toward patient referrals. The typical plastic surgery practice that used social media was a solo practice in a large city with a focus on cosmetic surgery. Local competition of plastic surgeons did not correlate with social media use. Most plastic surgeons (88%) advertised, but the form of marketing varied. The most common forms included websites, print, and search engine optimization, but other modalities, such as television, radio, and billboards, were still utilized. Social media represents a new avenue that many plastic surgeons are utilizing, although with trepidation. As social media becomes commonplace in society, its role in plastic surgery

  5. Cosmetic surgery in times of recession: macroeconomics for plastic surgeons.

    PubMed

    Krieger, Lloyd M

    2002-10-01

    Periods of economic downturn place special demands on the plastic surgeon whose practice involves a large amount of cosmetic surgery. When determining strategy during difficult economic times, it is useful to understand the macroeconomic background of these downturns and to draw lessons from businesses in other service industries. Business cycles and monetary policy determine the overall environment in which plastic surgery is practiced. Plastic surgeons can take both defensive and proactive steps to maintain their profits during recessions and to prepare for the inevitable upturn. Care should also be taken when selecting pricing strategy during economic slowdowns.

  6. The positive association of Association for Academic Surgery membership with academic productivity.

    PubMed

    Valsangkar, Nakul P; Milgrom, Daniel P; Martin, Paul J; Parett, Jordan S; Joshi, Mugdha M; Zimmers, Teresa A; Koniaris, Leonidas G

    2016-09-01

    To evaluate the academic productivity and National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding of members of the Association for Academic Surgery (AAS). Academic metrics including, numbers of publications, citations, and NIH funding history were determined for 4015 surgical faculty at the top 55 NIH-funded departments of surgery, using Scopus, NIH RePORT, and the Grantome online databases. AAS membership included 20.5% (824) of all 4015 surgical faculty in this database. For members of the AAS, publications (P) ± standard deviation and citations (C) ± SD were P: 54 ± 96 and C: 985 ± 3321, compared with P: 31 ± 92, C: 528 ± 3001 for nonmembers, P < 0.001. Higher academic productivity among AAS members was observed across all subspecialty types and was especially pronounced for assistant and associate professors. AAS membership was also associated with increased rates of NIH funding and better productivity for equally funded surgical faculty compared with nonmembers. Analysis of AAS membership by subspecialty revealed that AAS members were most commonly general surgery faculty (57.8%); however, only 7.4% of the faculty was affiliated with cardiothoracic surgery. There was also a lack of dedicated science and/or research faculty (0.6% versus 3.4%) among the members of the AAS. AAS membership appears to be correlated with greater academic performance among junior and midlevel surgical faculty. This improvement is observed regardless of subspecialty. Increased participation of faculty within subspecialties such as cardiothoracic surgery and, a greater focus on increasing the numbers of dedicated research faculty within the AAS may help increase the scientific impact and productivity among members of the society. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. How to improve plastic surgery knowledge, skills and career interest in undergraduates in one day.

    PubMed

    Davis, C R; O'Donoghue, J M; McPhail, J; Green, A R

    2010-10-01

    Plastic surgery now occupies a negligible component of many undergraduate curricula. The British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons Undergraduate Course aimed to introduce and improve students' plastic surgery knowledge and skills, as well as develop personal career interests. This research aims to quantify whether this was achieved. Students attending the one-day course were invited to complete a questionnaire before and after the course. Questions were self-reflective and incorporated four key themes: (1) plastic surgery knowledge; (2) awareness of the work of a plastic surgeon; (3) ability to perform basic plastic surgical skills; (4) career interest in plastic surgery. Non-medical students were given an identical questionnaire to quantify public perception of the work of a plastic surgeon. 121 students attended from 17 universities across the UK, with 93 completing the questionnaire (77% response rate). Paired analyses compared mean or median scores of the students' answers before and after the course. After completing the course, medical students significantly improved in all four key themes (p<0.01). 93 non-medical students completed questionnaires. Medical students were significantly more accurate at identifying plastic surgery procedures than non-medical students (P < 0.01), which was further strengthened after completing the course (P < 0.001). This study demonstrates the positive educational impact of a one-day plastic surgery event for medical students and supports the need for plastic surgery education at an undergraduate level. Copyright 2009 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Key textbooks in the development of modern american plastic surgery: the first half of the twentieth century.

    PubMed

    Haddock, Nicholas T; McCarthy, Joseph G

    2013-07-01

    A number of historical texts published during the first half of the twentieth century played a pivotal role in shaping and defining modern plastic surgery in the United States. Blair's Surgery and Diseases of the Mouth and Jaws (1912), John Staige Davis's Plastic Surgery: Its Principles and Practice (1919), Gillies's Plastic Surgery of the Face (1920), Fomon's Surgery of Injury and Plastic Repair (1939), Ivy's Manual of Standard Practice of Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery, Military Surgery Manuals (1943), Padgett and Stephenson's Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (1948), and Kazanjian and Converse's The Surgical Treatment of Facial Injuries (1949) were reviewed. These texts were published at a time when plastic surgery was developing as a distinct specialty. Each work represents a different point in this evolution. All were not inclusive of all of plastic surgery, but all had a lasting impact. Four texts were based on clinical experience from World War I; one included experience from World War II; and two included experience from both. One text became a military surgical handbook in World Wars I and II, playing an important role in care for the wounded. History has demonstrated that times of war spark medical/surgical advancements, and these wars had a dramatic impact on the development of reconstructive plastic surgery. Each of these texts documented surgical advancements and provided an intellectual platform that helped shape and create the independent discipline of plastic surgery during peacetime. For many future leaders of plastic surgery, these books served as their introduction to this new field.

  9. Factors impacting successfully competing for research funding: an analysis of applications submitted to the Plastic Surgery Foundation.

    PubMed

    Hume, Keith M; Giladi, Aviram M; Chung, Kevin C

    2015-02-01

    Federal research funding is decreasing, forcing specialty organizations to have an increasingly important position in developing and fostering research. As the research and innovation arm of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, The Plastic Surgery Foundation has a key role in supporting promising plastic surgery research. Understanding the grant review process and factors that contribute to funding well-written grant funding applications is essential for aspiring academic surgeons. All research grant applications submitted to The Plastic Surgery Foundation in 2012 and 2013 were evaluated. Each reviewer comment was assessed independently by two study team members and classified into key weakness categories. The chi-square test was used to compare results between funded and unfunded grants. Linear regression identified which critique elements corresponded to changes in scores, and logistic regression identified elements that predicted funding. The authors analyzed 1764 comments from 240 applications. Of these, 55 received funding. Funded grants had significantly fewer reviewer comments in four of five weakness categories. As expected, funded grants received better (lower) scores. Concerns in the categories of plan for execution and other elements/grantsmanship significantly affected score and odds of funding. Ensuring that a grant addresses all required elements is important for receiving a low reviewer score. Our study demonstrates that plan for execution and grantsmanship influence reviewer scoring more than others. Investigators must clearly address items associated with conducting their experiments and performing the analysis. Investigators must also give equal attention to elements of overall quality and completeness to optimize chances of funding.

  10. Plastic Surgery Response in Natural Disasters.

    PubMed

    Chung, Susan; Zimmerman, Amanda; Gaviria, Andres; Dayicioglu, Deniz

    2015-06-01

    Disasters cause untold damage and are often unpredictable; however, with proper preparation, these events can be better managed. The initial response has the greatest impact on the overall success of the relief effort. A well-trained multidisciplinary network of providers is necessary to ensure coordinated care for the victims of these mass casualty disasters. As members of this network of providers, plastic surgeons have the ability to efficiently address injuries sustained in mass casualty disasters and are a valuable member of the relief effort. The skill set of plastic surgeons includes techniques that can address injuries sustained in large-scale emergencies, such as the management of soft-tissue injury, tissue viability, facial fractures, and extremity salvage. An approach to disaster relief, the types of disasters encountered, the management of injuries related to mass casualty disasters, the role of plastic surgeons in the relief effort, and resource management are discussed. In order to improve preparedness in future mass casualty disasters, plastic surgeons should receive training during residency regarding the utilization of plastic surgery knowledge in the disaster setting.

  11. The publication gender gap in US academic surgery.

    PubMed

    Mueller, Claudia; Wright, Robert; Girod, Sabine

    2017-02-14

    Terms such as "glass ceiling" and "sticky floor" are still commonly used to describe women's role in academic surgery. Despite continued efforts to address disparities between men and women in the field, gender inequalities persist. In this investigation we highlight gender differences in published surgical literature by both quantity and impact. Websites for departments of surgery of three academic centers were reviewed to assess the bibliometrics of publications by gender over a two-week period. A one-way ANOVA showed a significantly higher H-index for men than women (p > .05). Further, one-way ANOVA showed significantly more articles published by men than women (p = .019). These differences are most dramatic at the rank of associate professor where the H-index for men is three times that of the women. The rank of full professor showed men had double the number of articles published. These findings align with the previous research that shows a disparity between males and females as they climb the academic ladder. Conducting and publishing research is a vital part of advancement in academic medicine. This study suggests that publication productivity may be a factor that hinders women from advancing within surgery compared to men. Continuing to explore and identify reasons for this gender difference in academic surgery may highlight ways to address the imbalance.

  12. Face recognition via edge-based Gabor feature representation for plastic surgery-altered images

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chude-Olisah, Chollette C.; Sulong, Ghazali; Chude-Okonkwo, Uche A. K.; Hashim, Siti Z. M.

    2014-12-01

    Plastic surgery procedures on the face introduce skin texture variations between images of the same person (intra-subject), thereby making the task of face recognition more difficult than in normal scenario. Usually, in contemporary face recognition systems, the original gray-level face image is used as input to the Gabor descriptor, which translates to encoding some texture properties of the face image. The texture-encoding process significantly degrades the performance of such systems in the case of plastic surgery due to the presence of surgically induced intra-subject variations. Based on the proposition that the shape of significant facial components such as eyes, nose, eyebrow, and mouth remains unchanged after plastic surgery, this paper employs an edge-based Gabor feature representation approach for the recognition of surgically altered face images. We use the edge information, which is dependent on the shapes of the significant facial components, to address the plastic surgery-induced texture variation problems. To ensure that the significant facial components represent useful edge information with little or no false edges, a simple illumination normalization technique is proposed for preprocessing. Gabor wavelet is applied to the edge image to accentuate on the uniqueness of the significant facial components for discriminating among different subjects. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated on the Georgia Tech (GT) and the Labeled Faces in the Wild (LFW) databases with illumination and expression problems, and the plastic surgery database with texture changes. Results show that the proposed edge-based Gabor feature representation approach is robust against plastic surgery-induced face variations amidst expression and illumination problems and outperforms the existing plastic surgery face recognition methods reported in the literature.

  13. Near-infrared fluorescence image-guidance in plastic surgery: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Cornelissen, Anouk J M; van Mulken, Tom J M; Graupner, Caitlin; Qiu, Shan S; Keuter, Xavier H A; van der Hulst, René R W J; Schols, Rutger M

    2018-01-01

    Near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging technique, after administration of contrast agents with fluorescent characteristics in the near-infrared (700-900 nm) range, is considered to possess great potential for the future of plastic surgery, given its capacity for perioperative, real-time anatomical guidance and identification. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive literature review concerning current and potential future applications of NIRF imaging in plastic surgery, thereby guiding future research. A systematic literature search was performed in databases of Cochrane Library CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and EMBASE (last search Oct 2017) regarding NIRF imaging in plastic surgery. Identified articles were screened and checked for eligibility by two authors independently. Forty-eight selected studies included 1166 animal/human subjects in total. NIRF imaging was described for a variety of (pre)clinical applications in plastic surgery. Thirty-two articles used NIRF angiography, i.e., vascular imaging after intravenous dye administration. Ten articles reported on NIRF lymphography after subcutaneous dye administration. Although currently most applied, general protocols for dosage and timing of dye administration for NIRF angiography and lymphography are still lacking. Three articles applied NIRF to detect nerve injury, and another three studies described other novel applications in plastic surgery. Future standard implementation of novel intraoperative optical techniques, such as NIRF imaging, could significantly contribute to perioperative anatomy guidance and facilitate critical decision-making in plastic surgical procedures. Further investigation (i.e., large multicenter randomized controlled trials) is mandatory to establish the true value of this innovative surgical imaging technique in standard clinical practice and to aid in forming consensus on protocols for general use.Level of Evidence: Not ratable.

  14. Impact of an Event Reporting System on Resident Complication Reporting in Plastic Surgery Training: Addressing an ACGME and Plastic Surgery Milestone Project Core Competency.

    PubMed

    Parikh, Rajiv P; Snyder-Warwick, Alison; Naidoo, Sybill; Skolnick, Gary B; Patel, Kamlesh B

    2017-11-01

    The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and Plastic Surgery Milestone Project has identified practice-based learning and improvement, which involves systematically analyzing current practices and implementing changes, as a core competency in residency education. In surgical care, complication reporting is an essential component of practice-based learning and improvement as complications are analyzed in morbidity and mortality conference for quality improvement. Unfortunately, current methods for capturing a comprehensive profile of complications may significantly underestimate the true occurrence of complications. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to evaluate an intervention for complication reporting and compare this to current practice, in a plastic surgery training program. This is a preintervention and postintervention study evaluating resident reporting of complications on a plastic surgery service. The intervention was an online event reporting system developed by department leadership and patient safety experts. The cohorts consisted of all patients undergoing surgery during two separate 3-month blocks bridged by an implementation period. A trained reviewer recorded complications, and this served as the reference standard. Fisher's exact test was used for binary comparisons. There were 32 complications detected in 219 patients from June to August of 2015 and 35 complications in 202 patients from October to December of 2015. The proportion of complications reported in the preintervention group was nine of 32 (28.1 percent). After the intervention, this significantly increased to 32 of 35 (91.4 percent) (p < 0.001). An intervention using an event reporting system, supported by departmental leadership, led to significant improvements in complication reporting by plastic surgery residents.

  15. An Analysis of Malpractice Litigation and Expert Witnesses in Plastic Surgery

    PubMed Central

    Therattil, Paul J.; Chung, Stella; Sood, Aditya; Granick, Mark S.

    2017-01-01

    Objective: Expert witness testimony is crucial for juror decision making. The goals of this study were to examine the trends in malpractice litigation in plastic surgery and to examine the characteristics of expert witnesses in litigation. Methods: The Westlaw legal database was queried for jury verdict and settlement reports related to plastic surgery cases from 2009 to 2015. Cases were examined for expert witness testimony, procedure performed, alleged injury, cause of action, verdict, and indemnity payments. Results: Ninety-three relevant cases were examined. Mean plaintiff award was $1,036,469, whereas mean settlement was $633,960. The most commonly litigated procedures involved breast surgery (34.4%), liposuction (18.3%), and body contouring (14.0%). Cases involving body contouring (risk ratio [RR] = 1.48; 95% CI, 1.04-2.10) were more likely to result in favor of the defendant, whereas cases involving breast surgery (RR = 0.27; 95% CI, 0.13-0.57) were more likely to result in favor of the plaintiff (P < .05). Cases in which there was claimed pain (RR = 1.22; 95% CI, 1.01-1.48) or emotional distress (RR = 1.38; 95% CI, 1.11-1.70) were more likely to result in favor of the plaintiff (P < .05). The party of a lawsuit was more likely to win the case if its expert witness was a plastic surgeon (P < .05). Conclusion: Plastic surgery litigation tends to favor defendants. Most litigation involves breast surgery, liposuction, and body contouring. The type of procedure and alleged claim affect case success. Parties with a plastic surgeon as an expert witness tend to be more successful in litigation. PMID:29062461

  16. Understanding and Overcoming Implicit Gender Bias in Plastic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Phillips, Nicole A; Tannan, Shruti C; Kalliainen, Loree K

    2016-11-01

    Although explicit sex-based discrimination has largely been deemed unacceptable in professional settings, implicit gender bias persists and results in a significant lack of parity in plastic surgery and beyond. Implicit gender bias is the result of a complex interplay of cultural and societal expectations, learned behaviors, and standardized associations. As such, both male and female surgeons are subject to its influence. A review of the literature was conducted, examining theories of gender bias, current manifestations of gender bias in plastic surgery and other fields, and interventions designed to address gender bias. Multiple studies demonstrate persistent gender bias that impacts female physicians at all levels of training. Several institutions have enacted successful interventions to identify and address gender bias. Explicit gender bias has largely disappeared, yet unconscious or implicit gender bias persists. A wide-scale commitment to addressing implicit gender bias in plastic surgery is necessary and overdue. Recommendations include immediate actions that can be undertaken on an individual basis, and changes that should be implemented at a national and international level by leaders in the field.

  17. Advances in computer imaging/applications in facial plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Papel, I D; Jiannetto, D F

    1999-01-01

    Rapidly progressing computer technology, ever-increasing expectations of patients, and a confusing medicolegal environment requires a clarification of the role of computer imaging/applications. Advances in computer technology and its applications are reviewed. A brief historical discussion is included for perspective. Improvements in both hardware and software with the advent of digital imaging have allowed great increases in speed and accuracy in patient imaging. This facilitates doctor-patient communication and possibly realistic patient expectations. Patients seeking cosmetic surgery now often expect preoperative imaging. Although society in general has become more litigious, a literature search up to 1998 reveals no lawsuits directly involving computer imaging. It appears that conservative utilization of computer imaging by the facial plastic surgeon may actually reduce liability and promote communication. Recent advances have significantly enhanced the value of computer imaging in the practice of facial plastic surgery. These technological advances in computer imaging appear to contribute a useful technique for the practice of facial plastic surgery. Inclusion of computer imaging should be given serious consideration as an adjunct to clinical practice.

  18. A brief history of plastic surgery in Iran.

    PubMed

    Kalantar-Hormozi, Abdoljalil

    2013-03-01

     Although the exact time of performing plastic surgery is not addressed in the medical and historical literature, it can be supposed that these surgical procedures have a long and fascinating history.  Recent excavations provided many documents regarding the application of medical instruments, surgical and even reconstructive procedures during the pre-historic and ancient periods. Actually, there is no historical definite time-zone separating general and cosmetic operations in the pre-modern time; however, historically there have been many surgeons who tried to perform reconstructive procedures during their usual medical practice. This article presents a brief look at the history of plastic surgery form the ancient to the contemporary era, with a special focus on Iran.

  19. [PLASTIC SURGERY OF THE VULVA AND THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES].

    PubMed

    Rabinerson, David; Salman, Lina; Gabbay-Benziv, Rinnat

    2016-03-01

    Plastic surgery of the vulva for aesthetic reasons is recently gaining popularity in the Western world, as well as in Israel. There are different methods of executing these operations with no meaningful difference in the surgical results and the satisfaction of the patients. There are also more complicated plastic operations, in which the vulva is involved. These are performed in cases of pseudohermaphroditism, various states of intersex, sex change operations and developmental defects of the genitor-urinary systems. These are considered successful procedures. Furthermore, the issue of the illegal mutilation surgery of the external female genitalia, on religious or cultural background, is mentioned. All the above-mentioned types of operations involving the vulva are discussed.

  20. Female plastic surgery patients prefer mirror-reversed photographs of themselves: A prospective study.

    PubMed

    de Runz, Antoine; Boccara, David; Chaouat, Marc; Locatelli, Katia; Bertheuil, Nicolas; Claudot, Frédérique; Bekara, Farid; Mimoun, Maurice

    2016-01-01

    The use of a patient's image in plastic surgery is common today. Thus, plastic surgeons should master the use of the image and be aware of the implications of the patients' perception of themselves. The mere-exposure effect is a psychological phenomenon in which a person tends to rate things more positively merely because (s)he is familiar with them. Faces are asymmetric, so faces in photos are different from those observed in mirrors. The main objective of this study was to assess whether patients within a plastic surgery population, particularly those undergoing facial aesthetic surgery, preferred standard photographs or mirror-reversed photographs of themselves. A prospective study was conducted in a plastic surgery department, which included women who were admitted to the hospital the day before their procedures. The patients were separated into the following two groups: Group 1 was composed of patients who were undergoing facial aesthetic surgeries, and Group 2 consisted of other patients who presented to the plastic surgery department for surgery. The patients were required to rate their appreciation of their own faces and to choose between standard and mirror-reversed photos of themselves. A total of 214 patients participated. The median age was 47.9 years (interquartile range (IQR): 36.4-60.6), and the median face appreciation was 5 (IQR: 5-7). The preference for the mirror-reversed photograph was significantly different from chance (p < 0.001, binomial (214, 156, 0.5)); 73% of the patients preferred the mirror-reversed photographs. The proportions of patients who preferred the mirror-reversed photograph differed significantly (p = 0.047) between Groups 1 (84%) and 2 (70%). Plastic surgery patients have a significant preference for mirror-reversed photographs of themselves over standard photographs. This preference is even more pronounced among patients who are undergoing facial aesthetic surgery. III. Copyright © 2015 British Association of Plastic

  1. Predictors of Readmission after Inpatient Plastic Surgery

    PubMed Central

    Jain, Umang; Salgado, Christopher; Mioton, Lauren; Rambachan, Aksharananda

    2014-01-01

    Background Understanding risk factors that increase readmission rates may help enhance patient education and set system-wide expectations. We aimed to provide benchmark data on causes and predictors of readmission following inpatient plastic surgery. Methods The 2011 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program dataset was reviewed for patients with both "Plastics" as their recorded surgical specialty and inpatient status. Readmission was tracked through the "Unplanned Readmission" variable. Patient characteristics and outcomes were compared using chi-squared analysis and Student's t-tests for categorical and continuous variables, respectively. Multivariate regression analysis was used for identifying predictors of readmission. Results A total of 3,671 inpatient plastic surgery patients were included. The unplanned readmission rate was 7.11%. Multivariate regression analysis revealed a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (odds ratio [OR], 2.01; confidence interval [CI], 1.12-3.60; P=0.020), previous percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (OR, 2.69; CI, 1.21-5.97; P=0.015), hypertension requiring medication (OR, 1.65; CI, 1.22-2.24; P<0.001), bleeding disorders (OR, 1.70; CI, 1.01-2.87; P=0.046), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class 3 or 4 (OR, 1.57; CI, 1.15-2.15; P=0.004), and obesity (body mass index ≥30) (OR, 1.43; CI, 1.09-1.88, P=0.011) to be significant predictors of readmission. Conclusions Inpatient plastic surgery has an associated 7.11% unplanned readmission rate. History of COPD, previous PCI, hypertension, ASA class 3 or 4, bleeding disorders, and obesity all proved to be significant risk factors for readmission. These findings will help to benchmark inpatient readmission rates and manage patient and hospital system expectations. PMID:24665418

  2. Perceived gender-based barriers to careers in academic surgery.

    PubMed

    Cochran, Amalia; Hauschild, Tricia; Elder, William B; Neumayer, Leigh A; Brasel, Karen J; Crandall, Marie L

    2013-08-01

    Women represent roughly 50% of US medical students and one third of US surgery residents. Within academic surgery departments, however, women are disproportionately underrepresented, particularly at senior levels. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that female surgeons perceive different barriers to academic careers relative to their male colleagues. A modified version of the Career Barriers Inventory-Revised was administered to senior surgical residents and early-career surgical faculty members at 8 academic medical centers using an online survey tool. Likert-type scales were used to measure respondents' agreement with each survey item. Fisher's exact test was used to identify significant differences on the basis of gender. Respondents included 70 women (44 residents, 26 faculty members) and 84 men (41 residents, 43 faculty members). Women anticipated or perceived active discrimination in the form of being treated differently and experiencing negative comments about their sex, findings that differed notably from those for male counterparts. Sex-based negative attitudes inhibited the career aspirations of female surgeons. The presence of overt and implicit bias resulted in a sense that sex is a barrier to female surgeons' career development in academic surgery. No differences were observed between male and female respondents with regard to career preparation or structural barriers. Female academic surgeons experience challenges that are perceived to differ from their male counterparts. Women who participated in this study reported feeling excluded from the dominant culture in departments of surgery. This study may help guide transformative initiatives within academic surgery departments. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Joseph Constantine Carpue and the Bicentennial of the Birth of Modern Plastic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Freshwater, M Felix

    2015-08-01

    September 2014 marked the bicentennial of the birth of modern plastic surgery. It was then that Carpue began a prospective observational study of nasal reconstruction that culminated in his 1816 monograph, which caused an explosion of interest in reconstructive surgery throughout Europe. In conducting his study, Carpue demonstrated ethical standards and the power of planning a procedure. His methods to document his results accurately would remain unsurpassed until photography was adopted at the end of the 19th century. Carpue took an apocryphal story of surgery performed in India more than twenty years earlier and transformed it into the beginning of modern plastic surgery. He succeeded in a number of unrecognized tasks that are themselves landmarks not only in plastic surgical history, but surgical history: devising the first prospective observational study, using exclusion criteria, maintaining appropriate patient confidentiality, setting a standard for preoperative disclosure and ethical approval over a century before these measures were codified, having independent documentation of his preoperative and postoperative findings, devising a method to objectively monitor and document the forehead flap, and describing the potential value of tissue expansion. He shared his experience by publishing his results and by lecturing in Europe. His contemporaries recognized him for his contributions and he was honored by election to the Royal Society. Carpue launched the modern era of plastic surgery in an ethical, logical, and objective manner. While plastic surgery has changed in the last two centuries, the principles that Carpue followed remain valid. © 2015 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc.

  4. Self-citation rate and impact factor in the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery.

    PubMed

    Miyamoto, Shimpei

    2018-02-01

    Journal ranking based on the impact factor (IF) can be distorted by self-citation. The aim of this study is to investigate the present status of self-citation in the plastic surgery journals and its effect on the journals' IFs. IF, IF without self-citations (corrected IF), self-cited rate, and self-citing rate for 11 plastic surgery journals were investigated from 2009-2015, by reviewing the Journal Citation Report ® . The correlations of the IF with the self-cited rate and the self-citing rate were statistically assessed. In addition, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery was compared with 15 top journals from other surgical specialties in 2015. IF was significantly correlated with the self-cited rate (R: 0.594, p = 0.001) and the self-citing rate (R: 0.824, p < 0.001). The self-cited rate of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in 2015 was higher than that of top journals from other surgical specialties. The IFs of Microsurgery and Journal of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery increased greatly in recent years, but they were inflated by high self-cited and self-citing rates. The self-citation rate positively affects the IF in plastic surgery journals. A high concentration of self-citation of some journals could distort the ranking among plastic surgery journals in general.

  5. Is there a digital generation gap for e-learning in plastic surgery?

    PubMed

    Stevens, Roger J G; Hamilton, Neil M

    2012-01-01

    Some authors have claimed that those plastic surgeons born between 1965 and 1979 (generation X, or Gen-X) are more technologically able than those born between 1946 and 1964 (Baby Boomers, or BB). Those born after 1980, which comprise generation Y (Gen-Y), might be the most technologically able and most demanding for electronic learning (e-learning) to support their education and training in plastic surgery. These differences might represent a "digital generation gap" and would have practical and financial implications for the development of e-learning. The aim of this study was to survey plastic surgeons on their experience and preferences in e-learning in plastic surgery and to establish whether there was a difference between different generations. Online survey (e-survey) of plastic surgeons within the UK and Ireland was used for this study. In all, 624 plastic surgeons were invited by e-mail to complete an e-survey anonymously for their experience of e-learning in plastic surgery, whether they would like access to e-learning and, if so, whether this should this be provided nationally, locally, or not at all. By stratifying plastic surgeons into three generations (BB, Gen-X, and Gen-Y), the responses between generations were compared using the χ(2)-test for linear trend. A p value < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Of the 624 plastic surgeons contacted, 237 plastic surgeons completed the survey (response rate, 38%), but data from 2 surgeons were excluded. For the remaining 235 plastic surgeons, no evidence was found of statistically significant linear trends between by generation and either experience, access, or provision of e-learning. These findings refute the claim that there are differences in the experience of e-learning of plastic surgeons by generation. Furthermore, there is no evidence that there are differences in whether there should be access to e-learning and how e-learning should be provided for different generations of plastic

  6. Perception and reality-a study of public and professional perceptions of plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Dunkin, Christopher S J; Pleat, Jonathon M; Jones, Sarah A M; Goodacre, Timothy E E

    2003-07-01

    A questionnaire survey of the perception of plastic surgery amongst 1567 members of the public, general practitioners and medical students is presented. Closed-ended format questions were designed to assess understanding of the range of conditions managed by plastic surgeons. Respondents were asked to match nine surgical specialists with 40 conditions or procedures. To investigate understanding of the multidisciplinary nature of some surgery, respondents were asked which type of surgeon might have a supplementary role. Completed questionnaires from 1004 members of the public, 335 general practitioners, and 228 medical students are presented (responses rate>65%). Significant differences were identified between public respondents and other groups. Plastic surgery was associated with reconstruction for trauma and cancer and procedures with a strong aesthetic element by all three groups. The public were poorly informed about some core plastic surgery including burns, melanoma and hand surgery. General practitioner and student respondents had a better understanding of the diversity of the specialty. However, both groups considered orthopaedic surgeons and not plastic surgeons to be hand surgeons. The strengths and weaknesses of this study are discussed together with potential areas for education and promotion.

  7. What Makes a Plastic Surgery Residency Program Attractive? An Applicant's Perspective.

    PubMed

    Atashroo, David A; Luan, Anna; Vyas, Krishna S; Zielins, Elizabeth R; Maan, Zeshaan; Duscher, Dominik; Walmsley, Graham G; Lynch, Michael P; Davenport, Daniel L; Wan, Derrick C; Longaker, Michael T; Vasconez, Henry C

    2015-07-01

    Plastic surgery is among the most competitive specialties in medicine, but little is known about the attributes of programs that are most attractive to successful applicants. This study aimed to understand and provide insights regarding program characteristics that are most influential to students when ranking plastic surgery programs. An anonymous online survey was conducted with newly matched plastic surgery residents for the integrated and combined Match in 2012 and 2013. Subjects were queried regarding their demographics, qualifications, application experiences, and motivations for residency program selection. A total of 92 of 245 matched plastic surgery residents (38 percent) responded to the survey. The perception of resident happiness was the most positive factor influencing program ranking, followed by high operative volume, faculty mentorship, and strong research infrastructure. Perception of a program as "malignant" was the most negative attribute. Applicants with Step 1 scores greater than 245 received significantly more interviews (p =0.001) and considered resident benefits less important (p < 0.05), but geographic location more important (p =0.005). Applicants who published more than two articles also received more interviews (p =0.001) and ranked a strong research infrastructure and program reputation as significantly more important (p < 0.05). Forty-two percent of applicants completed an away rotation at the program with which they matched, and these applicants were more likely to match at their number one ranked program (p = 0.001). Plastic surgery applicants have differing preferences regarding the ideal training program, but some attributes resonate. These trends can guide programs for improvement in attracting the best applicants.

  8. Competency-based medical education for plastic surgery: where do we begin?

    PubMed

    Knox, Aaron D C; Gilardino, Mirko S; Kasten, Steve J; Warren, Richard J; Anastakis, Dimitri J

    2014-05-01

    North American surgical education is beginning to shift toward competency-based medical education, in which trainees complete their training only when competence has been demonstrated through objective milestones. Pressure is mounting to embrace competency-based medical education because of the perception that it provides more transparent standards and increased public accountability. In response to calls for reform from leading bodies in medical education, competency-based medical education is rapidly becoming the standard in training of physicians. The authors summarize the rationale behind the recent shift toward competency-based medical education and creation of the milestones framework. With respect to procedural skills, initial efforts will require the field of plastic surgery to overcome three challenges: identifying competencies (principles and procedures), modeling teaching strategies, and developing assessment tools. The authors provide proposals for how these challenges may be addressed and the educational rationale behind each proposal. A framework for identification of competencies and a stepwise approach toward creation of a principles oriented competency-based medical education curriculum for plastic surgery are presented. An assessment matrix designed to sample resident exposure to core principles and key procedures is proposed, along with suggestions for generating validity evidence for assessment tools. The ideal curriculum should provide exposure to core principles of plastic surgery while demonstrating competence through performance of index procedures that are most likely to benefit graduating residents when entering independent practice and span all domains of plastic surgery. The authors advocate that exploring the role and potential benefits of competency-based medical education in plastic surgery residency training is timely.

  9. Aligning In-Service Training Examinations in Plastic Surgery and Orthopaedic Surgery With Competency-Based Education.

    PubMed

    Ganesh Kumar, Nishant; Benvenuti, Michael A; Drolet, Brian C

    2017-10-01

    In-service training examinations (ITEs) are used to assess residents across specialties. However, it is not clear how they are integrated with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Milestones and competencies. This study explored the distribution of specialty-specific milestones and competencies in ITEs for plastic surgery and orthopaedic surgery. In-service training examinations were publicly available for plastic surgery (PSITE) and orthopaedics (OITE). Questions on the PSITE for 2014-2016 and the OITE for 2013-2015 were mapped to the specialty-specific milestones and the 6 competencies. There was an uneven distribution of milestones and competencies in ITE questions. Nine of the 36 Plastic Surgery Milestones represented 52% (341 of 650) of questions, and 3 were not included in the ITE. Of 41 Orthopaedic Surgery Milestones, 7 represented 51% (201 of 394) of questions, and 5 had no representation on the ITE. Among the competencies, patient care was the most common (PSITE = 62% [403 of 650]; OITE = 59% [233 of 394]), followed by medical knowledge (PSITE = 34% [222 of 650]; OITE = 31% [124 of 394]). Distribution of the remaining competencies differed between the 2 specialties (PSITE = 4% [25 of 650]; OITE = 9% [37 of 394]). The ITEs tested slightly more than half of the milestones for the 2 specialties, and focused predominantly on patient care and medical knowledge competencies.

  10. The effect of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Duty Hours Policy on plastic surgery resident education and patient care: an outcomes study.

    PubMed

    Basu, Chandrasekhar Bob; Chen, Li-Mei; Hollier, Larry H; Shenaq, Saleh M

    2004-12-01

    The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Work-Hours Duty Policy became effective on July 1, 2003, mandating the reduction of resident duty work hours. The Baylor College of Medicine Multi-Institutional Integrated Plastic Surgery Program instituted a resident duty work-hours policy on July 1, 2002 (1 year ahead of the national mandate). Outcomes data are needed to facilitate continuous improvements in plastic surgical residency training while maintaining high-quality patient care. To assess the effect of this policy intervention on plastic surgery resident education as measured through the six core competencies and patient/resident safety, the investigators surveyed all categorical plastic surgery residents 6 months after implementation of the policy. This work represents the first empiric study investigating the effect of duty hours reduction on plastic surgery training and education. The categorical plastic surgery residents at the Baylor College of Medicine Multi-Institutional Integrated Plastic Surgery Program completed a 68-item survey on a five-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree). Residents were asked to rate multiple parameters based on the ACGME six core competencies, including statements on patient care and clinical/operative duties, resident education, resident quality of life, and resident perceptions on this policy. All surveys were completed anonymously. The sample size was n = 12 (program year 3 through program year 6), with a 100 percent response rate. Univariate and bivariate statistical analysis was conducted with SPSS version 10.0 statistical software. Specifically, interquartile deviations were used to find consensus among resident responses to each statement. Descriptive statistics indicated higher percentages of agreement on a majority of statements in three categories, including patient care and clinical/operative duties, academic duties, and resident quality of life. Using interquartile

  11. Psychoactive Drugs in Plastic Surgery

    PubMed Central

    Davison, Steven P.; Hayes, Kylie D.

    2017-01-01

    Background: Psychoactive drug use is on the rise in the United States, with plastic surgery patients a potentially susceptible group. This study aimed to determine the incidence of cosmetic and reconstructive patients in our practice taking psychoactive drugs and to compare those values with the national average. Furthermore, we discuss the patient safety concerns when patients withhold their medical history information over the course of their treatment. Methods: Urban private plastic practice patients who underwent surgery in a closed practice from 2009 to 2016 were divided into cosmetic and reconstructive cohorts. Review for drug use was medical scripts, history, and Surescripts drug reporting. Extracted information includes age, race, procedure, psychoactive medications, and whether or not they stated a mental health diagnosis on their medical history forms. Only patients with complete records were included. Results: A total of 830 patients were included in statistical analysis. Due to minimal cohort number, 70 men were excluded, as there were no comparative national data. Our analysis found that 33.6% cosmetic patients and 46.3% reconstructive patients used at least one psychoactive drug. Conclusion: There is a statistically significant difference between psychoactive drug use at our practice compared with the general population and a significantly larger percentage of reconstructive patients taking drugs compared with the cosmetic cohort. PMID:28458985

  12. Medical tourism in plastic surgery: ethical guidelines and practice standards for perioperative care.

    PubMed

    Iorio, Matthew L; Verma, Kapil; Ashktorab, Samaneh; Davison, Steven P

    2014-06-01

    The goal of this review was to identify the safety and medical care issues that surround the management of patients who had previously undergone medical care through tourism medicine. Medical tourism in plastic surgery occurs via three main referral patterns: macrotourism, in which a patient receives treatments abroad; microtourism, in which a patient undergoes a procedure by a distant plastic surgeon but requires postoperative and/or long-term management by a local plastic surgeon; and specialty tourism, in which a patient receives plastic surgery from a non-plastic surgeon. The ethical practice guidelines of the American Medical Association, International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and American Board of Plastic Surgeons were reviewed with respect to patient care and the practice of medical tourism. Safe and responsible care should start prior to surgery, with communication and postoperative planning between the treating physician and the accepting physician. Complications can arise at any time; however, it is the duty and ethical responsibility of plastic surgeons to prevent unnecessary complications following tourism medicine by adequately counseling patients, defining perioperative treatment protocols, and reporting complications to regional and specialty-specific governing bodies. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

  13. Getting started in academic cardiothoracic surgery.

    PubMed

    Verrier, E D

    2000-04-01

    Preparing to begin a career in academic cardiothoracic surgery requires forethought and desire. Success mandates honesty, discipline, opportunity, and support. This article will attempt to review some fundamental concepts important in starting such an academic career. The thoughts are somewhat personal and not meant to be inclusive. The article will briefly discuss the following issues: choosing the first job, transitions, effective time management, developing clinical confidence, the continued need for mentorship, developing educational value, developing a philosophy of academic growth, intellectual and emotional honesty, myths, mental and physical health, and keys to success.

  14. The Aesthetic Surgery Literature: Do Plastic Surgeons Remain at the Cutting Edge?

    PubMed

    Dolan, Roisin T; Zins, James E; Morrison, Colin M

    2016-07-01

    The aesthetic surgery arena has become a competitive marketplace. Recognition as an authority in aesthetic surgery remains a powerful marketing tool for plastic surgeons, but have significant inroads been made by other specialties? The aims of this study were to analyze publication trends relating to the top five most commonly performed aesthetic surgical procedures, and to assess the origins (i.e., source specialty, authorship, institutions, and countries) of published aesthetic surgical research. Based on the seventeenth annual multispecialty data set provided by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the top five most commonly performed aesthetic surgical procedures were selected. A temporal analysis of publication and citation rates, source institution and country, publishing journal, funding agency trends, and level of evidence was undertaken from 1970 to 2013. Using the search criteria, 7762 articles were identified. There was an 8.8-fold increase in publication volume when the first decade (n = 375) was compared with the last decade (n = 3326). Over the past four decades, 52.2 percent of publications (n = 4053 of 7762) originated from plastic surgery research institutions, with varying contributions from other specialties. Competition was greatest in relation to authorship of blepharoplasty- and rhinoplasty-related publications. Although plastic surgeons continue to maintain a center-stage presence in terms of authorship of aesthetic surgical literature, significant contributions are now made by other specialties. Plastic surgeons must continue to foster high-quality, peer-reviewed research and innovations to maintain their visibility as leaders in the aesthetic surgery literature and sustain a competitive advantage in aesthetic surgery practice.

  15. Significance of Objective Structured Clinical Examinations to Plastic Surgery Residency Training.

    PubMed

    Simmons, Brian J; Zoghbi, Yasmina; Askari, Morad; Birnbach, David J; Shekhter, Ilya; Thaller, Seth R

    2017-09-01

    Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) have proven to be a powerful tool. They possess more than a 30-year track record in assessing the competency of medical students, residents, and fellows. Objective structured clinical examinations have been used successfully in a variety of medical specialties, including surgery. They have recently found their way into the subspecialty of plastic surgery. This article uses a systematic review of the available literature on OSCEs and their recent use in plastic surgery. It incorporates survey results assessing program directors' views on the use of OSCEs. Approximately 40% of programs surveyed use OSCEs to assess the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education core competencies. We found that 40% use OSCEs to evaluate specific plastic surgery milestones. Objective structured clinical examinations are usually performed annually. They cost anywhere between $100 and more than $1000 per resident. Four milestones giving residents the most difficulties on OSCEs were congenital anomalies, noncancer breast surgery, breast reconstruction, and practice-based learning and improvement. It was determined that challenges with milestones were due to lack of adequate general knowledge and surgical ward patient care, as well as deficits in professionalism and system-based problems. Programs were able to remediate weakness found by OSCEs using a variety of methods. Objective structured clinical examinations offer a unique tool to objectively assess the proficiency of residents in key areas of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education core competencies. In addition, they can be used to assess the specific milestones that plastic surgery residents must meet. This allows programs to identify and improve identified areas of weakness.

  16. Emerging perceptions of facial plastic surgery among medical students.

    PubMed

    Rosenthal, E; Clark, J M; Wax, M K; Cook, T A

    2001-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of medical students regarding facial aesthetic surgery and those specialists most likely to perform aesthetic or reconstructive facial surgery. A survey was designed based on a review of the literature to assess the desirable characteristics and the perceived role of the facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon (FPRS). The surveys were distributed to 2 populations: medical students from 4 medical schools and members of the general public. A total of 339 surveys were collected, 217 from medical students and 122 from the general public. Medical students and the public had similar responses. The results demonstrated that respondents preferred a male plastic surgeon from the ages of 41 to 50 years old and would look to their family doctor for a recommendation. Facial aesthetic and reconstructive surgery was considered the domain of maxillofacial and general plastic surgeons, not the FPRS. Integration of the FPRS into the medical school curriculum may help to improve the perceived role of the specialty within the medical community. It is important for the specialty to communicate to aspiring physicians the dedicated training of an otolaryngologist specializing in FPRS.

  17. Effect of academic status on outcomes of surgery for rectal cancer.

    PubMed

    Cagino, Kristen; Altieri, Maria S; Yang, Jie; Nie, Lizhou; Talamini, Mark; Spaniolas, Konstantinos; Denoya, Paula; Pryor, Aurora

    2018-06-01

    The purpose of our study was to investigate surgical outcomes following advanced colorectal procedures at academic versus community institutions. The SPARCS database was used to identify patients undergoing Abdominoperineal resection (APR) and Low Anterior Resection between 2009 and 2014. Linear mixed models and generalized linear mixed models were used to compare outcomes. Laparoscopic versus open procedures, surgery type, volume status, and stoma formation between academic and community facilities were compared. Higher percentages of laparoscopic surgeries (58.68 vs. 41.32%, p value < 0.0001), more APR surgeries (64.60 vs. 35.40%, p value < 0.0001), more high volume hospitals (69.46 vs. 30.54%, p value < 0.0001), and less stoma formation (48.00 vs. 52.00%, p value < 0.0001) were associated with academic centers. After adjusting for confounding factors, academic facilities were more likely to perform APR surgeries (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.04-1.74, p value = 0.0235). Minorities and Medicaid patients were more likely to receive care at an academic facility. Stoma formation, open surgery, and APR were associated with longer LOS and higher rate of ED visit and 30-day readmission. Laparoscopy and APR are more commonly performed at academic than community facilities. Age, sex, race, and socioeconomic status affect the facility at which and the type of surgery patients receive, thereby influencing surgical outcomes.

  18. Safety and efficacy of office-based surgery with monitored anesthesia care/sedation in 4778 consecutive plastic surgery procedures.

    PubMed

    Bitar, George; Mullis, William; Jacobs, William; Matthews, David; Beasley, Michael; Smith, Kevin; Watterson, Paul; Getz, Stanley; Capizzi, Peter; Eaves, Felmont

    2003-01-01

    Office-based surgery has several potential benefits over hospital-based surgery, including cost containment, ease of scheduling, and convenience to both patients and surgeons. Scrutiny of office-based surgery by regulators and state-licensing agencies has increased and must be addressed by improved documentation of safety and efficacy. To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the authors' office-based plastic surgery, a review was undertaken of 3615 consecutive patients undergoing 4778 outpatient plastic surgery procedures under monitored anesthesia care/sedation in a single office. The charts of 3615 consecutive patients who had undergone office-based surgery with monitored anesthesia care/sedation between May of 1995 and May of 2000 were reviewed. In all cases, the anesthesia protocol used included sedation with midazolam, propofol, and a narcotic administered by a board-certified registered nurse anesthetist with local anesthesia provided by the surgeon. Charts were reviewed for patient profile, types of procedures, multiple procedures, duration of anesthesia, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, and complications related to anesthesia. Outcomes measured included death, airway compromise, dyspnea, hypotension, venous thrombosis, pulmonary emboli, protracted nausea and vomiting lasting more than 24 hours, and unplanned hospital admissions. Statistical analyses were performed using the Microsoft Excel program and the SAS package. Results were as follows: 92.3 percent of the patients were female and 7.7 percent were male, with a mean age of 42.7 years (range, 3 to 83 years). Patients underwent aesthetic (95.6 percent) and reconstructive (4.4 percent) plastic surgery procedures. Same-session multiple procedures occurred in 24.8 percent of patients. The vast majority of patients were healthy: 84.3 percent of patients were American Society of Anesthesiologists class I, 15.6 percent were class II, and 0.1 percent were class III. The operations required a mean of

  19. Nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics in plastic surgery: The next frontier.

    PubMed

    Tan, Aaron; Chawla, Reema; G, Natasha; Mahdibeiraghdar, Sara; Jeyaraj, Rebecca; Rajadas, Jayakumar; Hamblin, Michael R; Seifalian, Alexander M

    2016-01-01

    The rapid ascent of nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics as applied to medicine and surgery has seen an exponential rise in the scale of research generated in this field. This is evidenced not only by the sheer volume of papers dedicated to nanotechnology but also in a large number of new journals dedicated to nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics specifically to medicine and surgery. Aspects of nanotechnology that have already brought benefits to these areas include advanced drug delivery platforms, molecular imaging and materials engineering for surgical implants. Particular areas of interest include nerve regeneration, burns and wound care, artificial skin with nanoelectronic sensors and head and neck surgery. This study presents a review of nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics, with focus on its applications and implications in plastic surgery. Copyright © 2015 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. All rights reserved.

  20. [A study on English loan words in French plastic surgery].

    PubMed

    Hansson, E; Tegelberg, E

    2014-10-01

    The French language is less and less used as an international scientific language and many French researchers publish their work in English. Nowadays, Annales de Chirurgie Plastique Esthétique is the only international plastic surgical journal published completely in French. The use of English loan words in French plastic surgery has never been studied. The aim of this study was to describe the frequency and types of English loan words in French plastic surgery. A corpus consisting of all the articles in a number of Annales de Chirurgie Plastique Esthethique, chosen by default, was created. The frequency of English loan words was calculated and the types of words were analysed. The corpus contains 367 (0.8%) English loan words. Most of them are non-integrated loan words and calques. The majority of the plastic surgical loan words describe surgical techniques. The French plastic surgical language seems to be influenced by English. The usage of loan words does not always follow the recommendations and the usage is sometimes ambiguous. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  1. Knowledge and opinions on oncoplastic surgery among breast and plastic surgeons.

    PubMed

    Carstensen, Lena; Rose, Michael; Bentzon, Niels; Kroman, Niels Thorndal

    2015-04-01

    More than 4,000 Danish women are diagnosed with operable breast cancer annually, and 70% receive breast conserving surgery. Without the use of oncoplastic surgery (OPS), 20-30% will get an unsatisfactory cosmetic result. The aim of this study was to illustrate the level of implementation of OPS in Denmark. An electronic questionnaire was sent to breast and plastic surgeons performing breast cancer treatment. The questionnaire included demographics, education, experience with operative procedures and opinions on OPS. The questionnaire was sent to 50 breast surgeons and 22 plastic surgeons; the response rate was 67%. All breast surgery units had an established cooperation with plastic surgeons. Most breast surgeons used unilateral displacement techniques; plastic surgeons also included breast reduction techniques and replacement with local flaps. Almost all symmetrisation procedures were performed by plastic surgeons. Breast surgeons had sought more specific education, both international observerships and specific courses. In both groups of surgeons, the majority expressed that both tumour removal and reconstruction should be performed by doctors of their own specialty. OPS has become integrated in all breast centres, but has not yet been fully implemented. For optimal results in all patients, this study underlines the importance of the inclusion of a dedicated plastic surgeon within the multidisciplinary team for optimal initial evaluation of all breast cancer patients. not relevant. not relevant.

  2. Financial Conflicts of Interest: An Association between Funding and Findings in Plastic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Lopez, Joseph; Lopez, Sandra; Means, Jessica; Mohan, Raja; Soni, Ashwin; Milton, Jacqueline; Tufaro, Anthony P; May, James W; Dorafshar, Amir

    2015-11-01

    Despite a growing interest in examining the effects of industry funding on research in plastic surgery, no study to date has comprehensively examined the effects of financial conflicts of interest on publication outcomes. The authors investigated the association between financial conflicts of interest and reported study findings in plastic surgery research. The authors reviewed all entries in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Annals of Plastic Surgery, and Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2012. All clinical and basic science articles were analyzed. The following article characteristics were extracted: self-reported financial conflicts of interest, sample size, level of evidence, study design, and prospectiveness. The findings reported in each abstract were blindly graded as not applicable, negative, or positive. Of the 1650 abstracts that resulted from the authors' initial search, 568 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The majority of the included articles covered breast (20.8 percent), experimental (19.7 percent), and general reconstruction (31.69 percent). Financial conflicts of interest were disclosed in only 17.6 percent of the articles. Of the total studies that met inclusion criteria, 66.2 percent were reviewed as having positive outcomes, and 33.8 percent were reviewed as having negative or not applicable results. Studies that disclosed a financial conflict of interest were 7.12 times more likely (p < 0.0001) to present a positive outcome over a negative outcome compared with studies with no financial conflict of interest. Investigators with a financial conflict of interest are significantly more likely to publish plastic surgery studies with a positive conclusion compared with investigators with no conflicts of interest.

  3. State of the Plastic Surgery Workforce and the Impact of Graduate Medical Education Reform on Training of Plastic Surgeons.

    PubMed

    Janes, Lindsay; Lanier, Steven T; Evans, Gregory R D; Kasten, Steven J; Hume, Keith M; Gosain, Arun K

    2017-08-01

    Although recent estimates predict a large impending shortage of plastic surgeons, graduate medical education funding through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services remains capped by the 1997 Balanced Budget Act. The authors' aim was to develop a plan to stimulate legislative action. The authors reviewed responses of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, American College of Surgeons, and American Medical Association from January of 2015 to a House Energy & Commerce Committee request for input on graduate medical education funding. In addition, all program directors in plastic surgery were surveyed through the American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons to determine their graduate medical education funding sources. All three organizations agree that current graduate medical education funding is inadequate to meet workforce needs, and this has a significant impact on specialty selection and distribution for residency training. All agreed that funding should be tied to the resident rather than to the institution, but disagreed on whether funds should be divided between direct (allocated to residency training) and indirect (allocated to patient care) pools, as is currently practiced. Program directors' survey responses indicated that only 38 percent of graduate medical education funds comes from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Organized medicine is at risk of losing critically needed graduate medical education funding. Specific legislation to support additional graduate medical education positions and funding (House Resolutions 1180 and 4282) has been proposed but has not been universally endorsed, in part because of a lack of collaboration in organized medicine. Collaboration among major organizations can reinvigorate these measures and implement real change in funding.

  4. Plastic surgery in bariatric patients: a nationwide study of 17,000 patients on the national administrative database.

    PubMed

    Lazzati, Andrea; Katsahian, Sandrine; Maladry, David; Gerard, Emma; Gaucher, Sonia

    2018-05-01

    Bariatric patients are often candidates for plastic surgery. However, the rate of postbariatric procedures is not known. The aim of this study was to analyze the rate of plastic surgery, and factors related to surgery, in bariatric patients. University hospital, France. This was a cohort study based on administrative data. All adult patients who received bariatric surgery in France between 2007 and 2013 were included to estimate the rate of plastic surgery and related predictive factors. Data are reported according to the reporting of studies conducted using observational routinely collected data guidelines for observational studies on administrative data. Among the 183,514 patients who underwent bariatric surgery in the study period, 23,120 plastic surgeries were performed on 17,695 patients, including abdominoplasty (62%), dermolipectomy of the upper or lower limbs (25%), and reconstruction of the breast (14%). The rates of plastic surgery were 13%, 18%, and 21% at 3, 5, and 7 years post-bariatric surgery, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that patients who had a biliopancreatic diversion or a gastric bypass had a hazard ratio of 2.67 and 2.67 for subsequent plastic surgery, respectively, compared with patients who had adjustable gastric banding. Women had a 2-fold probability of surgery compared with men (hazard ratio 2.02). Important variability in the rate of surgery was found among different hospitals; rates ranged from 6.1% to 41.3% at 5 years. This study showed that 21% of bariatric patients undergo plastic surgery. Large variability exists among hospitals, suggesting that several unmeasured factors may limit access to contouring surgery. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  5. Quality of Life and Aesthetic Plastic Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Dreher, Rodrigo; Blaya, Carolina; Tenório, Juliana L C; Saltz, Renato; Ely, Pedro B; Ferrão, Ygor A

    2016-09-01

    Quality of life (QoL) is an important outcome in plastic surgery. However, authors use different scales to address this subject, making it difficult to compare the outcomes. To address this discrepancy, the aim of this study was to perform a systematic review and a random effect meta-analysis. The search was made in two electronic databases (LILACS and PUBMED) using Mesh and non-Mesh terms related to aesthetic plastic surgery and QoL. We performed qualitative and quantitative analyses of the gathered data. We calculated a random effect meta-analysis with Der Simonian and Laird as variance estimator to compare pre- and postoperative QoL standardized mean difference. To check if there is difference between aesthetic surgeries, we compared reduction mammoplasty to other aesthetic surgeries. Of 1,715 identified, 20 studies were included in the qualitative analysis and 16 went through quantitative analysis. The random effect of all aesthetic surgeries shows that QoL improved after surgery. Reduction mammoplasty has improved QoL more than other procedures in social functioning and physical functioning domains. Aesthetic plastic surgery increases QoL. Reduction mammoplasty seems to have better improvement compared with other aesthetic surgeries.

  6. Disclosure of Financial Conflicts of Interest in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

    PubMed

    Luce, Edward A; Jackman, Carye A

    2017-09-01

    Recent articles in the scientific literature have expressed concerns about financial conflicts of interest in the profession of medicine in general and the specialty of plastic surgery in particular. Disclosure of financial ties to industry has been regarded as an address of a possible bias. The policies of medical journals places responsibility on authors for self-reporting of financial conflicts of interest, yet underreporting of conflicts of interest has occurred. The investigative hypothesis was that authors in the plastic surgery literature, in particular, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, underreported financial conflicts of interest. A review of articles published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery from July of 2015 through April of 2016 for author disclosures was accomplished. The disclosure statements were compared to the information available in the Open Payments database for 2015. The lack of disclosure on the part of an author, when present, was individually examined for relevance of the corporate conflicts of interest to the subject matter of the involved article. A total of 302 articles authored by 1262 individuals were reviewed. One hundred thirty-nine (45.5 percent) had neither a disclosed nor an actual conflict of interest. In 61 articles (20.2 percent), one or more authors disclosed; 105 articles (34.8 percent) did not provide disclosure of a financial conflict of interest. In assessment of relevance, 10 undisclosed conflicts of interest (9.5 percent) were determined relevant, and one-third of that total were non-plastic surgeons. Nondisclosure of financial conflicts of interest is common, but only a small minority pose a potential for harm from bias.

  7. Eumorphic Plastic Surgery: Expectation Versus Satisfaction in Body Dysmorphic Disorder.

    PubMed

    Morselli, Paolo Giovanni; Micai, Alessandro; Boriani, Filippo

    2016-08-01

    Eumorphic Plastic Surgery aims at improving the severe psychosocial pain caused by a deformity. Dysmorphopathology is an increasingly relevant problem facing the plastic surgeon. The aim of this study is to describe the perioperative questionnaires created by the senior author and to present a cohort of plastic surgery patients suffering from dysmorphopathies. These patients were prospectively followed and evaluated with the proposed questionnaires through their surgical pathway to explore the degree of satisfaction or disappointment compared to expectations. All candidates for plastic surgery procedures between April 2011 and June 2013 were included in the study. Preoperatively, all patients completed the Patient Expectation Questionnaire (E-pgm). Twelve months postoperatively, they completed the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (S-pgm). The E-pgm and S-pgm were compared to evaluate the consistency between the patient's preoperative expectations and postoperative evaluations. A total of 158 patients were included in the study. Out of them, 79 % experienced an improvement or no variation between preoperative expectations and postoperative satisfaction. With regard to the motivation for undergoing surgery, 91 % showed that the surgical procedure met the motivation. An overall positive perioperative change in life was experienced by 93 % of patients. The E-pgm questionnaire proved to be a valid and reliable tool for the selection of suitable candidates for surgery and for identification of dysmorphophobic patients. Enhancing the doctor-patient relationship and communication can reduce ambiguity and avoid troublesome misunderstandings, litigation and other legal implications. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

  8. Plastic Surgery Management of Victims of Terrorist Violence in Ankara, Turkey.

    PubMed

    İğde, Murat; Kaplan, Ahmet

    2017-12-01

    Terror attacks have been progressively increasing worldwide through the present era. The management of the consequences of terrorism events is under debate in almost every scientific area. The organization and advancement of health services constitute important components of the crisis management. Similar to other specialty areas in medicine, the medical management of terrorist attacks is becoming important in terms of plastic and reconstructive surgery.Ankara, the capital of Turkey, has been subject to 2 terrorist events in public places within a year. The total number of patients involved in both cases was 434. Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital is a tertiary health care institution and one of the most important trauma centers in the region. A total of 178 Patients exposed to these events referred to our hospital. Of the total, 34 patients were completely or partially treated in the plastic and reconstructive surgery clinic. In this study, we tried to discuss the difficulties encountered in the classification of patients and plastic surgery during the treatment period of patients who experienced these attacks.Data were obtained from The National News Agency, hospital, and our own clinic registries. Patient classification was based on the injured parts of the body. Statistical analysis was performed for all data. In conclusion, the role and the importance of plastic surgery department especially in trauma management have been emphasized in the light of our findings.

  9. Low Levels of Evidence on the Plastic Surgery In-Service Training Exam.

    PubMed

    Silvestre, Jason; Bilici, Nadir; Serletti, Joseph M; Chang, Benjamin

    2016-06-01

    The Plastic Surgery In-Service Training Exam is written by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Examinees reasonably infer that tested material reflects the Society's vision for the core curriculum in plastic surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine the levels of evidence on which credited answers to the examination questions are based. Two recent Plastic Surgery In-Service Training Exams (2014 and 2015) were analyzed. Questions were categorized using a taxonomy model. Recommended journal article references for Level III (decision-making) questions were assigned a level of evidence. Exam sections were analyzed for differences in question taxonomy distribution and level of evidence. To look for studies with higher levels of evidence, a PubMed search was conducted for a random sample of 10 questions from each section. One hundred three Level I (25.8 percent), 138 Level II (34.5 percent), and 159 Level III (39.8 percent) questions were analyzed (p < 0.001). The hand and lower extremity section had the highest percentage of Level III questions (50.0 percent; p = 0.005). Journal articles had a mean level of evidence of 3.9 ± 0.7. The number of articles with a low level of evidence (IV and V) (p = 0.624) and the percentage of questions supported by articles with a high level of evidence (I and II) (p = 0.406) did not vary by section. The PubMed search revealed no instances of a higher level of evidence than the recommended reading list. A significant percentage of Plastic Surgery In-Service Training Exam questions test clinical management, but most are supported with a low level of evidence. Although that is consistent with low level of evidence of plastic surgery literature, educators should recognize the potential for biases of question writers.

  10. Program director opinions of core competencies in hand surgery training: analysis of differences between plastic and orthopedic surgery accredited programs.

    PubMed

    Sears, Erika Davis; Larson, Bradley P; Chung, Kevin C

    2013-03-01

    The authors' aim was to conduct a national survey of hand surgery fellowship program directors to determine differences of opinions of essential components of hand surgery training between program directors from plastic and orthopedic surgery programs. The authors performed a Web-based survey of 74 program directors from all Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited hand surgery fellowship programs to determine components that are essential for hand surgery training. The survey included assessment of nine general areas of practice, 97 knowledge topics, and 172 procedures. Twenty-seven scales of related survey items were created to determine differences between specialty groups based on clinical themes. An 84 percent response rate was achieved, including 49 orthopedic and 12 plastic surgery program directors. There were significant differences in mean responses between the specialty groups in 11 of 27 scales. Only one scale, forearm fractures, contained items with a significantly stronger preference for essential rating among orthopedic surgeons. The other 10 scales contained items with a significantly higher preference for essential rating among plastic surgeons, most of which related to soft-tissue injury and reconstruction. The burn scale had the greatest discrepancy in opinion of essential ratings between the groups, followed by pedicled and free tissue transfer, and amputation and fingertip injuries. Despite being united under the subspecialty of hand surgery, program directors tend to emphasize clinical areas that are stressed in their respective primary disciplines. These differences promote the advantage of programs that provide exposure to both plastic surgery-trained and orthopedic surgery-trained hand surgeons.

  11. The Dawn of Transparency: Insights from the Physician Payment Sunshine Act in Plastic Surgery

    PubMed Central

    Ahmed, Rizwan; Lopez, Joseph; Bae, Sunjae; Massie, Allan B.; Chow, Eric K.; Chopra, Karan; Orandi, Babak J.; Lonze, Bonnie E.; May, James W; Sacks, Justin M.; Segev, Dorry L.

    2016-01-01

    Background The Physician Payments Sunshine Act (PSSA) is a government initiative that requires all biomedical companies to publicly disclose payments to physicians through the Open Payments Program (OPP). The goal of this study was to utilize the OPP database and evaluate all non-research related financial transactions between plastic surgeons and biomedical companies. Methods Using the first wave of OPP data published on September 30, 2014, we studied the national distribution of industry payments made to plastic surgeons during a five month period. We explored whether a plastic surgeon’s scientific productivity, (as determined by their h-index), practice setting (private versus academic), geographic location, and subspecialty were associated with payment amount. Results Plastic surgeons (N=4,195) received a total of $5,278,613. The median (IQR) payment to a plastic surgeon was $115($35–298); mean $1,258. The largest payment to an individual was $341,384. The largest payment category was non-CEP speaker fees ($1,709,930) followed by consulting fees ($1,403,770). Plastic surgeons in private practice received higher payments per surgeon compared to surgeons in academic practice (median [IQR] $165[$81 – $441] vs. median [IQR] $112 [$33–$291], rank-sum p<0.001). Among academic plastic surgeons, a higher h-index was associated with 77% greater chance of receiving at least $1000 in total payments (RR/10 unit h-index increase=1.47 1.77 2.11, p<0.001). This association was not seen among plastic surgeons in private practice (RR=0.89 1.09 1.32, p<0.4). Conclusion Plastic surgeons in private practice receive higher payments from industry. Among academic plastic surgeons, higher payments were associated with higher h-indices. PMID:28182596

  12. 21 CFR 878.4810 - Laser surgical instrument for use in general and plastic surgery and in dermatology.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... plastic surgery and in dermatology. 878.4810 Section 878.4810 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES Surgical Devices § 878.4810 Laser surgical instrument for use in general and plastic surgery and in...

  13. 21 CFR 878.4810 - Laser surgical instrument for use in general and plastic surgery and in dermatology.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... plastic surgery and in dermatology. 878.4810 Section 878.4810 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES Surgical Devices § 878.4810 Laser surgical instrument for use in general and plastic surgery and in...

  14. 21 CFR 878.4810 - Laser surgical instrument for use in general and plastic surgery and in dermatology.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... plastic surgery and in dermatology. 878.4810 Section 878.4810 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES Surgical Devices § 878.4810 Laser surgical instrument for use in general and plastic surgery and in...

  15. 21 CFR 878.4810 - Laser surgical instrument for use in general and plastic surgery and in dermatology.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... plastic surgery and in dermatology. 878.4810 Section 878.4810 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES Surgical Devices § 878.4810 Laser surgical instrument for use in general and plastic surgery and in...

  16. 21 CFR 878.4810 - Laser surgical instrument for use in general and plastic surgery and in dermatology.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... plastic surgery and in dermatology. 878.4810 Section 878.4810 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES Surgical Devices § 878.4810 Laser surgical instrument for use in general and plastic surgery and in...

  17. Plastic surgery marketing in a generation of "tweeting".

    PubMed

    Wong, Wendy W; Gupta, Subhas C

    2011-11-01

    "Social media" describes interactive communication through Web-based technologies. It has become an everyday part of modern life, yet there is a lack of research regarding its impact on plastic surgery practice. The authors evaluate and compare the prevalence of classic marketing methods and social media in plastic surgery. The Web sites of aesthetic surgeons from seven US cities were compared and evaluated for the existence of Facebook, Twitter, or MySpace links and promotions. To find the sites, the authors conducted a Google search for the phrase "plastic surgery" with the name of each city to be studied: Beverly Hills, California; Dallas, Texas; Houston, Texas; Las Vegas, Nevada; Miami, Florida; New York City, New York; and San Francisco, California. The trends of social networking memberships were also studied in each of these cities. In comparison to aesthetic surgeons practicing in other cities, those in Miami, Florida, favored social media the most, with 50% promoting a Facebook page and 46% promoting Twitter. Fifty-six percent of New York City aesthetic surgeons promoted their featured articles in magazines and newspapers, whereas 54% of Beverly Hills aesthetic surgeons promoted their television appearances. An increase in the number of new Facebook memberships among cosmetic providers in the seven cities began in October 2008 and reached a peak in October, November, and December 2009, with subsequent stabilization. The increase in the number of new Twitter memberships began in July 2008 and remained at a steady rate of approximately 15 new memberships every three months. Social media may seem like a new and unique communication tool, but it is important to preserve professionalism and apply traditional Web site-building ethics and principles to these sites. We can expect continued growth in plastic surgeons' utilization of these networks to enhance their practices and possibly to launch direct marketing campaigns.

  18. Cleft and Craniofacial Care During Military Pediatric Plastic Surgery Humanitarian Missions.

    PubMed

    Madsen, Christopher; Lough, Denver; Lim, Alan; Harshbarger, Raymond J; Kumar, Anand R

    2015-06-01

    Military pediatric plastic surgery humanitarian missions in the Western Hemisphere have been initiated and developed since the early 1990 s using the Medical Readiness Education and Training Exercise (MEDRETE) concept. Despite its initial training mission status, the MEDRETE has developed into the most common and advanced low level medical mission platform currently in use. The objective of this study is to report cleft- and craniofacial-related patient outcomes after initiation and evolution of a standardized treatment protocol highlighting lessons learned which apply to civilian plastic surgery missions. A review of the MEDRETE database for pediatric plastic surgery/cleft and craniofacial missions to the Dominican Republic from 2005 to 2009 was performed. A multidisciplinary team including a craniofacial surgeon evaluated all patients with a cleft/craniofacial and/or pediatric plastic condition. A standardized mission time line included predeployment site survey and predeployment checklist, operational brief, and postdeployment after action report. Deployment data collection, remote patient follow-up, and coordination with larger land/amphibious military operations was used to increase patient follow-up data. Data collected included sex, age, diagnosis, date and type of procedure, surgical outcomes including speech scores, surgical morbidity, and mortality. Five hundred ninety-four patients with cleft/craniofacial abnormalities were screened by a multidisciplinary team including craniofacial surgeons over 4 years. Two hundred twenty-three patients underwent 330 surgical procedures (cleft lip, 53; cleft palate, 73; revision cleft lip/nose, 73; rhinoplasty, 15; speech surgery, 24; orthognathic/distraction, 21; general pediatric plastic surgery, 58; fistula repair, 12). Average follow-up was 30 months (range, 1-60). The complication rate was 6% (n = 13) (palate fistula, lip revision, dental/alveolar loss, revision speech surgery rate). The average pre

  19. Medical Specialty Society Sponsored Data Registries – Opportunities in Plastic Surgery

    PubMed Central

    Hume, Keith M.; Crotty, Catherine A.; Simmons, Christopher J.; Neumeister, Michael W.; Chung, Kevin C.

    2014-01-01

    Clinical data registries are commonly used worldwide and are implemented for a variety of purposes ranging from physician or facility clinic logs for tracking patients, collecting outcomes data, to measuring quality improvement or safety of medical devices. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration has used data collected through registries to facilitate the drug and device regulatory process, ongoing surveillance during the product life-cycle, and for disease appraisals. Furthermore, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, in certain instances, base registry participation and submitting data to registries as factors for reimbursement decisions. The purpose of this article is to discuss the use of clinical data registries, the role that medical specialty societies, in particular the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and The Plastic Surgery Foundation, can have in the development and management of registries, and the opportunities for registry use in Plastic Surgery. As outcomes data are becoming essential measures of quality healthcare delivery, participating in registry development and centralized data collection has become a critical effort for Plastic Surgery to engage in to proactively participate in the national quality and performance measurement agenda. PMID:23806935

  20. Insta-grated Plastic Surgery Residencies: The Rise of Social Media Use by Trainees and Responsible Guidelines for Use.

    PubMed

    Chandawarkar, Akash A; Gould, Daniel J; Stevens, W Grant

    2018-02-21

    Ethical guidelines for appropriate use of social media are beginning to be delineated. As social media becomes ingrained in plastic surgery culture, education of residents on appropriate use of social media is increasingly important. Recently, plastic surgery residency programs have begun to utilize social media. This study characterizes the trends and content of plastic surgery residency-associated Instagram accounts. Active individual residency program Instagram accounts were identified for integrated plastic surgery programs. Metrics for each account were retrieved on September 16, 2017, including date of first post, number of posts, and followers. Individual posts were analyzed for content of post. Fourteen of 67 (21%) integrated plastic surgery programs were found to have active Instagram accounts. There has been an exponential growth of programs adopting Instagram since August 2015. A total of 806 posts were created. Thirty-two (3.97%) posts had intraoperative photos and only one (0.12%) showed a patient image. There were 4466 followers of plastic surgery residency programs. A linear correlation was found between number of posts and number of followers, while there was no correlation of number of followers and time since account start. Instagram use by plastic surgery integrated programs continues to grow exponentially, and programs are appropriately using the platform. Active use of the resident social media results in increased influence. Resident use of social media has many benefits. We propose social media guidelines for plastic surgery trainees and advocate for continued appropriate use and auto-regulation by plastic surgery trainees.

  1. 75 FR 61507 - General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee; Amendment of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-05

    ...] General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee; Amendment of Notice... announcing an amendment to the notice of meeting of the General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the..., FDA announced that a meeting of the General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Medical Devices...

  2. Plastic surgery in 17th century Europe. case study: Nicolae Milescu, the snub-nosed.

    PubMed

    Dumbravă, Daniela; Luchian, Stefan

    2013-01-01

    The rising and the existence of plastic and aesthetic surgery in early modern Europe did not have a specific pattern, but was completely different from one nation to another. Colleges of Physicians could only be found in some places in Europe; different Parliaments of Europe's nations did not always elevate being a surgeon to the dignity of a profession, and being a surgeon did not always come with corporate and municipal privileges, or with attractive stipends. Conversely, corporal punishments for treacherous surgeons were ubiquitous. Rhinoplasty falls into the category of what Ambroise Paré named "facial plastic surgery". The technique is a medical source from which many histories derive, one more fascinating than the other: the history of those whose nose was cut off (because of state betrayal, adultery, abjuration, or duelling with swords), the history of those who invented the surgery of nose reconstruction (e.g. SuSruta-samhita or Tagliacozzi?), the history of surgeries kept secret in early modern Europe (e.g. Tropea, Calabria, Leiden, Padua, Paris, Berlin), and so on. Where does the history of Nicolae Milescu the Snub-nosed fall in all of this? How much of this history do the Moldavian Chronicles record? Is there any "scholarly gossip" in the aristocratic and diplomatic environments at Constantinople? What exactly do the British ambassadors learn concerning Rhinoplasty when they meet Milescu? How do we "walk" within these histories, and why should we be interested at all? What is their stike for modernity? Such are the interrogations that this article seeks to provoke; its purpose is to question (and eventually, synchronise) histories, and not exclusively history, both in academic terms but also by reassessing the practical knowledge of the 17th century.

  3. Operating room waste reduction in plastic and hand surgery.

    PubMed

    Albert, Mark G; Rothkopf, Douglas M

    2015-01-01

    Operating rooms (ORs), combined with labour and delivery suites, account for approximately 70% of hospital waste. Previous studies have reported that recycling can have a considerable financial impact on a hospital-wide basis; however, its importance in the OR has not been demonstrated. To propose a method of decreasing cost through judicious selection of instruments and supplies, and initiation of recycling in plastic and hand surgery. The authors identified disposable supplies and instruments that are routinely opened and wasted in common plastic and hand surgery procedures, and calculated the savings that can result from eliminating extraneous items. A cost analysis was performed, which compared the expense of OR waste versus single-stream recycling and the benefit of recycling HIPAA documents and blue wrap. Fifteen total items were removed from disposable plastic packs and seven total items from hand packs. A total of US$17,381.05 could be saved per year from these changes alone. Since initiating single-stream recycling, the authors' institution has saved, on average, US$3,487 per month at the three campuses. After extrapolating at the current savings rate, one would expect to save a minimum of US$41,844 per year. OR waste reduction is an effective method of decreasing cost in the surgical setting. By revising the contents of current disposable packs and instrument sets designated for plastic and hand surgery, hospitals can reduce the amount of opened and unused material. Significant financial savings and environmental benefit can result from this judicious supply and instrument selection, as well as implementation of recycling.

  4. Trends in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Accreditation for Subspecialty Fellowship Training in Plastic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Silvestre, Jason; Serletti, Joseph M; Chang, Benjamin

    2018-05-01

    The purposes of this study were to (1) determine the proportion of plastic surgery residents pursuing subspecialty training relative to other surgical specialties, and (2) analyze trends in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education accreditation of plastic surgery subspecialty fellowship programs. The American Medical Association provided data on career intentions of surgical chief residents graduating from 2014 to 2016. The percentage of residents pursuing fellowship training was compared by specialty. Trends in the proportion of accredited fellowship programs in craniofacial surgery, hand surgery, and microsurgery were analyzed. The percentage of accredited programs was compared between subspecialties with added-certification options (hand surgery) and subspecialties without added-certification options (craniofacial surgery and microsurgery). Most integrated and independent plastic surgery residents pursued fellowship training (61.8 percent versus 49.6 percent; p = 0.014). Differences existed by specialty from a high in orthopedic surgery (90.8 percent) to a low in colon and rectal surgery (3.2 percent). From 2005 to 2015, the percentage of accredited craniofacial fellowship programs increased, but was not significant (from 27.8 percent to 33.3 percent; p = 0.386). For hand surgery, the proportion of accredited programs that were plastic surgery (p = 0.755) and orthopedic surgery (p = 0.253) was stable, whereas general surgery decreased (p = 0.010). Subspecialty areas with added-certification options had more accredited fellowships than those without (100 percent versus 19.2 percent; p < 0.001). There has been slow adoption of accreditation among plastic surgery subspecialty fellowships, but added-certification options appear to be highly correlated.

  5. The prominent role of plastic surgery in the Wenchuan earthquake disaster.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jianlin; Ding, Wei; Chen, Aimin; Jiang, Hua

    2010-10-01

    : On May 12, 2008, an earthquake of magnitude 8.0 on Richter scale struck Sichuan Province of China and destroyed Wenchuan County. Two days later, a field hospital from the Second Military Medical University (Shanghai, China) arrived at Anxian County near the epicenter as a reinforcement hospital before rehabilitation of the local medical facilities. Surgical services in the field hospital were supplied by general, orthopedic, plastic, anesthetic, obstetrical surgeons, and two physicians. The plastic surgeons were responsible for assessment of all soft tissue injuries at the hospital and patient needs for plastic surgery services in a crisis intervention field hospital. : Information was gathered regarding soft tissue injuries throughout the activities of the hospital. In addition, patient charts, operation reports, and entry and evacuation logs were reviewed for all patients who were admitted and treated in the field hospital. : Of 1,013 patients who were treated in the field hospital in Wenchuan; 102 (10.07%) sought aid for soft tissue injuries, all of which were earthquake related. Twenty-one percent of the operations performed in the hospital were concerned with the treatment of soft tissue injuries, and 15% of the hospital beds were reserved for plastic surgery patients. : Plastic surgery services at a field hospital play a prominent and irreplaceable role in rescuing casualties in formidable conditions especially in a serious earthquake situation.

  6. Added Healthcare Charges Conferred by Smoking in Outpatient Plastic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Sieffert, Michelle R; Johnson, R Michael; Fox, Justin P

    2018-01-31

    A history of smoking confers additional risk of complications following plastic surgical procedures, which may require hospital-based care to address. To determine if patients with a smoking history experience higher rates of complications leading to higher hospital-based care utilization, and therefore greater healthcare charges, after common outpatient plastic surgeries. Using ambulatory surgery data from California, Florida, Nebraska, and New York, we identified adult patients who underwent common facial, breast, or abdominal contouring procedures from January 2009 to November 2013. Our primary outcomes were hospital-based, acute care (hospital admissions and emergency department visits), serious adverse events, and cumulative healthcare charges within 30 days of discharge. Multivariable regression models were used to compare outcomes between patients with and without a smoking history. The final sample included 214,761 patients, of which 10,426 (4.9%) had a smoking history. Compared to patients without, those with a smoking history were more likely to have a hospital-based, acute care encounter (3.4% vs 7.1%; AOR = 1.36 [1.25-1.48]) or serious adverse event (0.9% vs 2.2%; AOR = 1.38 [1.18-1.60]) within 30 days. On average, these events added $1826 per patient with a smoking history. These findings were consistent when stratified by specific procedure and controlled for patient factors. Patients undergoing common outpatient plastic surgery procedures who have a history of smoking are at risk for more frequent complications, and incur higher healthcare charges than patients who are nonsmokers. © 2018 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com

  7. Maximizing Technological Resources in Plastic Surgery Resident Education.

    PubMed

    Khansa, Ibrahim; Janis, Jeffrey E

    2015-11-01

    Modern plastic surgery resident education demands the acquisition of an ever-increasing fund of knowledge and familiarity with more surgical techniques than ever before. This all must take place within the context and boundaries of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-mandated restrictions on work hours as well as balance of education and service. Technological resources have been developed and can be used to complement the skills that residents acquire while performing their day-to-day activities such as taking care of patients, reading textbooks and journal articles, and assisting or performing surgical procedures. Those complementary resources provide the benefits of portability and accessibility, and can thus be conveniently incorporated into the hectic daily life of a resident. This article presents a summary of the most commonly used currently available advanced technologies in plastic surgery resident education, and suggestions for integration of those technologies into a curriculum.

  8. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality in Plastic Surgery: A Review

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Youngjun; Kim, Hannah

    2017-01-01

    Recently, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have received increasing attention, with the development of VR/AR devices such as head-mounted displays, haptic devices, and AR glasses. Medicine is considered to be one of the most effective applications of VR/AR. In this article, we describe a systematic literature review conducted to investigate the state-of-the-art VR/AR technology relevant to plastic surgery. The 35 studies that were ultimately selected were categorized into 3 representative topics: VR/AR-based preoperative planning, navigation, and training. In addition, future trends of VR/AR technology associated with plastic surgery and related fields are discussed. PMID:28573091

  9. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality in Plastic Surgery: A Review.

    PubMed

    Kim, Youngjun; Kim, Hannah; Kim, Yong Oock

    2017-05-01

    Recently, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have received increasing attention, with the development of VR/AR devices such as head-mounted displays, haptic devices, and AR glasses. Medicine is considered to be one of the most effective applications of VR/AR. In this article, we describe a systematic literature review conducted to investigate the state-of-the-art VR/AR technology relevant to plastic surgery. The 35 studies that were ultimately selected were categorized into 3 representative topics: VR/AR-based preoperative planning, navigation, and training. In addition, future trends of VR/AR technology associated with plastic surgery and related fields are discussed.

  10. Factors influencing patient interest in plastic surgery and the process of selecting a surgeon.

    PubMed

    Galanis, Charles; Sanchez, Ivan S; Roostaeian, Jason; Crisera, Christopher

    2013-05-01

    Understanding patient interest in cosmetic surgery is an important tool in delineating the current market for aesthetic surgeons. Similarly, defining those factors that most influence surgeon selection is vital for optimizing marketing strategies. The authors evaluate a general population sample's interest in cosmetic surgery and investigate which factors patients value when selecting their surgeon. An anonymous questionnaire was distributed to 96 individuals in waiting rooms in nonsurgical clinics. Respondents were questioned on their ability to differentiate between a "plastic" surgeon and a "cosmetic" surgeon, their interest in having plastic surgery, and factors affecting surgeon and practice selection. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to define any significant correlative relationships. Respondents consisted of 15 men and 81 women. Median age was 34.5 (range, 18-67) years. Overall, 20% were currently considering plastic surgery and 78% stated they would consider it in the future. The most common area of interest was a procedure for the face. The most important factors in selecting a surgeon were surgeon reputation and board certification. The least important were quality of advertising and surgeon age. The most cited factor preventing individuals from pursuing plastic surgery was fear of a poor result. Most (60%) patients would choose a private surgicenter-based practice. The level of importance for each studied attribute can help plastic surgeons understand the market for cosmetic surgery as well as what patients look for when selecting their surgeon. This study helps to define those attributes in a sample population.

  11. Management of Contaminated Autologous Grafts in Plastic Surgery

    PubMed Central

    Centeno, Robert F; Desai, Ankit R; Watson, Marla E

    2008-01-01

    Background: Contamination of autologous grafts unfortunately occurs in plastic surgery, but the literature provides no guidance for management of such incidents. Methods: American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery members were asked to complete an online survey that asked about the number and causes of graft contaminations experienced, how surgeons dealt with the problem, the clinical outcomes, and patient disclosure. Results: Nineteen hundred surgeons were asked to participate in the survey, and 223 responded. Of these, 70% had experienced at least 1 graft contamination incident, with 26% experiencing 4 or more. The most frequently reported reason for graft contamination was a graft falling on the floor (reported by 75%). Nearly two thirds of the contaminated grafts related to craniofacial procedures. Ninety-four percent of grafts were managed with decontamination and completion of the operation. The most common method of decontamination was washing with povidone-iodine, but this practice is contrary to recommendations in the literature. Only 3 surgeons (1.9%) said a clinical infection developed following decontaminated graft use. Patients were not informed in 60% of graft contamination incidents. The survey results and review of the literature led to development of algorithms for the management of inadvertent graft contamination and patient disclosure. Conclusions: Although autologous grafts do become contaminated in plastic surgery, the overwhelming majority can be safely decontaminated and produce minimal or no clinical sequelae. The algorithms presented are intended to serve as guides for prevention of contamination events or for their management should they occur. PMID:18496583

  12. The future of the New Zealand plastic surgery workforce.

    PubMed

    Adams, Brandon M; Klaassen, Michael F; Tan, Swee T

    2013-04-05

    The New Zealand (NZ) plastic and reconstructive surgery (PRS) workforce provides reconstructive plastic surgery (RPS) public services from six centres. There has been little analysis on whether the workforce is adequate to meet the needs of the NZ population currently or in the future. This study analysed the current workforce, its distribution and future requirements. PRS manpower data, workforce activities, population statistics, and population modelling were analysed to determine current needs and predict future needs for the PRS workforce. The NZ PRS workforce is compared with international benchmarks. Regional variation of the workforce was analysed with respect to the population's access to PRS services. Future supply of specialist plastic surgeons is analysed. NZ has a lower number of plastic surgeons per capita than comparable countries. The current NZ PRS workforce is mal-distributed. Areas of current and emerging future need are identified. The current workforce mal-distribution will worsen with future population growth and distribution. Up to 60% of the NZ population will be at risk of inadequate access to PRS services by 2027. Development of PRS services must be coordinated to ensure that equitable and sustainable services are available throughout NZ. Strategies for ensuring satisfactory future workforce are discussed.

  13. [Systematic analysis of the readability of patient information on the websites of clinics for plastic surgery].

    PubMed

    Esfahani, B Janghorban; Faron, A; Roth, K S; Schaller, H-E; Medved, F; Lüers, J-C

    2014-12-01

    The Internet is becoming increasing-ly important as a source of information for patients in medical issues. However, many patients have problems to adequately understand texts, especially with medical content. A basic requirement to understand a written text is the read-ability of a text. The aim of the present study was to examine texts on the websites of German -plastic-surgical hospitals with patient information regarding their readability. In this study, the read-ability of texts of 27 major departments of plastic and Hand surgery in Germany was systematically analysed using 5 recognised readability indices. First, texts were searched based on 20 representative key words and themes. Thereafter, texts were assigned to one of 3 major themes in order to enable statistical analysis. In addition to the 5 readability indices, further objective text parameters were also recorded. Overall, 288 texts were found for analyzation. Most articles were found on the topic of "handsurgery" (n=124), less were found for "facial plastic surgery" (n=80) and "flaps, breast and reconstructive surgery" (n=84). Consistently, all readability indices showed a poor readability for the vast majority of analysed texts with the text appearing readable only for readers with a higher educational level. No significant differences in readability were found between the 3 major themes. Especially in the communication of medical information, it is important to consider the knowledge and education of the addressee. The texts studied consistently showed a readability that is understandable only for academics. Thus, a large part of the intended target group is probably not reached. In order to adequately deliver online information material, a revision of the analysed internet texts appears to be recommendable. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  14. The Ethics of Sharing Plastic Surgery Videos on Social Media: Systematic Literature Review, Ethical Analysis, and Proposed Guidelines.

    PubMed

    Dorfman, Robert G; Vaca, Elbert E; Fine, Neil A; Schierle, Clark F

    2017-10-01

    Recent videos shared by plastic surgeons on social media applications such as Snapchat, Instagram, and YouTube, among others, have blurred the line between entertainment and patient care. This has left many in the plastic surgery community calling for the development of more structured oversight and guidance regarding video sharing on social media. To date, no official guidelines exist for plastic surgeons to follow. Little is known about the ethical implications of social media use by plastic surgeons, especially with regard to video sharing. A systematic review of the literature on social media use in plastic surgery was performed on October 31, 2016, with an emphasis on ethics and professionalism. An ethical analysis was conducted using the four principles of medical ethics. The initial search yielded 87 articles. Thirty-four articles were included for analyses that were found to be relevant to the use of social media in plastic surgery. No peer-reviewed articles were found that mentioned Snapchat or addressed the ethical implications of sharing live videos of plastic surgery on social media. Using the four principles of medical ethics, it was determined that significant ethical concerns exist with broadcasting these videos. This analysis fills an important gap in the plastic surgery literature by addressing the ethical issues concerning live surgery broadcasts on social media. Plastic surgeons may use the guidelines proposed here to avoid potential pitfalls.

  15. A Systematic Review of Smartphone Applications for Plastic Surgery Providers: Target Audience, Uses, and Cost.

    PubMed

    Reusche, Ryan; Buchanan, Patrick J; Kozlow, Jeffrey H; Vercler, Christian J

    2016-01-01

    The growth and acceptance of smartphones among clinicians has been remarkable over the last decade. Over 87% of doctors use a smartphone or tablet capable of running third-party software known as applications (apps). In the field of plastic surgery, apps have been designed for personal practice development, education, clinical tools and guidelines, and entertainment. This study reviews the literature on apps related to plastic surgery and determines the number and types of apps available. A systematic review of the literature was performed to find articles written about plastic surgery applications. Queries were run in the Apple iPhone iOS App store and Google Play using the term "plastic surgery." Apps were reviewed for ratings, downloads, and cost. In addition, apps were categorized based on purpose. Categories include practice development, media/literature, clinical tool and guideline apps, or recreation. The literature search yielded 8 articles for review, 2 articles focused on categorizing apps and 6 articles focused on describing useful apps. Searching Apple's iTunes (iOS) store identified 273 and Google Play identified 250 apps related to plastic surgery; since 2013, a 62%, and 580% increase, respectively. The iOS store included practice development (46%), recreation (26%), media/literature (14%), and clinical tool and guideline (11%). Google Play store included recreation apps (44%), practice development (24%), clinical tools and guidelines (11%), and media and literature (9%). Apps related to the field of plastic surgery are increasing in prevalence. The content of these apps are variable, and the majority are intended for marketing and development of private practices. Apps linking to literature, texts, study materials, and clinical tools and guidelines are developed for both practicing plastic surgeons and surgical trainees. Finding "useful" apps takes time because searches are often complicated by a variety of apps.

  16. Perceived obstacles to career success for women in academic surgery.

    PubMed

    Colletti, L M; Mulholland, M W; Sonnad, S S

    2000-08-01

    We conducted this study to determine whether concerns expressed by male and female surgeons at 1 academic center are generally reflective of broader concerns for academic surgery and academic medicine. We reviewed published studies concerning women in academic surgery within the context of reporting the results of a survey of both male and female surgeons at 1 academic center. We developed a survey that included demographic information, work experience, and social issues. The survey was distributed to the entire faculty. For key questions, we compared answers between male and female faculty. Additional data came from the published literature. We reviewed all available studies identified by a MEDLINE search with key words women and academic and medicine or physician. Included studies contained either data collection or editorial comment concerning women in academic medicine. Data and opinions from all included studies paralleling survey questions were extracted from each article. Male and female faculty members reported different experiences and perceptions, specifically relating to relationships between family and professional life and perceptions of subtle sex-related biases. Both men and women reported insufficient mentoring and difficulties in balancing personal and professional responsibilities. Attitudes, behaviors, and traditions surrounding how we structure work and evaluate participation in academic surgery are more difficult to change than just addressing obvious inequities in support for female surgeons. However, attempting the deeper changes is worthwhile, because addressing obstacles faced by female faculty, many of which also affect men, will allow progress toward environments that attract and retain the best physicians, regardless of sex.

  17. Vibration for Pain Reduction in a Plastic Surgery Clinic.

    PubMed

    Eichhorn, Mitchell George; Karadsheh, Murad Jehad; Krebiehl, Johanna Ruth; Ford, Dawn Marie; Ford, Ronald D

    2016-01-01

    Patients can experience significant pain during routine procedures in the plastic surgery clinic. Methods for clinical pain reduction are often impractical, time-consuming, or ineffective. Vibration is a safe, inexpensive, and highly applicable modality for pain reduction that can be readily utilized for a wide variety of procedures. This study evaluated the use of vibration as a viable pain-reduction strategy in the clinical plastic surgery setting. Patients requiring at least 2 consecutive procedures that are considered painful were enrolled in the study. These included injections, staple removal, and suture removal. In the same patient, one half of the procedures were performed without vibration and the other half with vibration. After completing the procedures, the patients rated their pain with vibration and without vibration. The patient and the researcher also described the experience with a short questionnaire. Twenty-eight patients were enrolled in the study. Patients reported significantly less pain on the Numeric Rating Scale pain scale when vibration was used compared with the control group (p < .001). The average pain score was 3.46 without vibration and 1.93 with vibration, and vibration with injections resulted in the greatest improvement. Eighty-six percent of the patients claimed that vibration significantly reduced their pain. Vibration is an effective method of pain reduction. It significantly reduces the pain experienced by patients during minor office procedures. Given its practicality and ease of use, it is a welcome tool in the plastic surgery clinic.

  18. Young Plastic Surgeons Forum member survey: Part II. Advocacy in plastic surgery: opinions toward the ASPS and PlastyPAC.

    PubMed

    Ver Halen, Jon P; Chen, Andrew; Jeffers, Lynn; Basu, C Bob

    2014-08-01

    Given the continued evolution of the American health system, the authors explored young plastic surgeons' attitudes on challenges affecting the specialty and the future role of organized plastic surgery and its advocacy mission. A 21-question online survey was distributed to all members of the Young Plastic Surgeons Forum. Questions were related to demographics, attitudes toward policy issues, participation in the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and its advocacy efforts. The survey was e-mailed to 2155 Forum members, of which 397 responded (19% response rate). Young plastic surgeons appear to be interested in American Society of Plastic Surgeons and PlastyPAC, as evidenced by a higher than normal response rate to this survey and rate of contribution. However, a lack of awareness about the details of the organizations and mechanisms for involvement remains. Scope-of-practice issues and encroachment on the specialty by noncore providers remain the top concern of young plastic surgeons. Other top concerns were financial barriers to participation in advocacy efforts and concerns with return on investment on PlastyPAC contributions. A majority received minimal or no public policy education on issues affecting plastic surgery during training. A minority currently participate in American Society of Plastic Surgeons advocacy efforts. These data represent the first such collection of opinions from Young Plastic Surgeons members regarding goals and directions of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and PlastyPAC. These organizations are in a uniquely strong position to enlist participation from and provide for the future success of the profession's younger members.

  19. Duty hours and home call: the experience of plastic surgery residents and fellows.

    PubMed

    Drolet, Brian C; Prsic, Adnan; Schmidt, Scott T

    2014-05-01

    Although resident duty hours are strictly regulated by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, there are fewer restrictions on at-home call for residents. To date, no studies have examined the experience of home call for plastic surgery trainees or the impact of home call on patient care and education in plastic surgery. an anonymous electronic survey to plastic surgery trainees at 41 accredited programs. They sought to produce a descriptive assessment of home call and to evaluate the perceived impact of home call on training and patient care. A total of 214 responses were obtained (58.3 percent completion rate). Nearly all trainees reported taking home call (98.6 percent), with 66.7 percent reporting call frequency every third or fourth night. Most respondents (63.3 percent) felt that home call regulations are vague but that Council regulation (44.9 percent) and programmatic oversight (56.5 percent) are adequate. Most (91.2 percent) believe their program could not function without home call and that home call helps to avoid strict duty hour restrictions (71.5 percent). Nearly all respondents (92.3 percent) preferred home call to in-house call. This is the first study to examine how plastic surgery residents experience and perceive home call within the framework of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education duty hour regulations. Most trainees feel the impact of home call is positive for education (50.2 percent) and quality of life (56.5 percent), with a neutral impact on patient care (66.7 percent). Under the Council's increasing regulations, home call provides a balance of education and patient care appropriate for training in plastic and reconstructive surgery.

  20. A study of an assisting robot for mandible plastic surgery based on augmented reality.

    PubMed

    Shi, Yunyong; Lin, Li; Zhou, Chaozheng; Zhu, Ming; Xie, Le; Chai, Gang

    2017-02-01

    Mandible plastic surgery plays an important role in conventional plastic surgery. However, its success depends on the experience of the surgeons. In order to improve the effectiveness of the surgery and release the burden of surgeons, a mandible plastic surgery assisting robot, based on an augmented reality technique, was developed. Augmented reality assists surgeons to realize positioning. Fuzzy control theory was used for the control of the motor. During the process of bone drilling, both the drill bit position and the force were measured by a force sensor which was used to estimate the position of the drilling procedure. An animal experiment was performed to verify the effectiveness of the robotic system. The position error was 1.07 ± 0.27 mm and the angle error was 5.59 ± 3.15°. The results show that the system provides a sufficient accuracy with which a precise drilling procedure can be performed. In addition, under the supervision's feedback of the sensor, an adequate safety level can be achieved for the robotic system. The system realizes accurate positioning and automatic drilling to solve the problems encountered in the drilling procedure, providing a method for future plastic surgery.

  1. The erasure of gender in academic surgery: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Webster, Fiona; Rice, Kathleen; Christian, Jennifer; Seemann, Natashia; Baxter, Nancy; Moulton, Carol-Anne; Cil, Tulin

    2016-10-01

    The number of women in surgery has steadily increased, yet their numbers in academic surgery positions and in high-ranking leadership roles remain low. To create strategies to address and improve this problem, it is essential to examine how gender plays into the advancement of a woman's career in academic surgery. Focus group (1) and one-on-one qualitative interviews (8) were conducted with women academic surgeons from various subspecialties in a large university setting. Interviews examined women surgeons' accounts of their experiences as women in surgery. Audio-recorded data were transcribed verbatim and coded thematically. NVivo10 software was used for cross-referencing of data and categorization of data into themes. Focus group data suggested that gender discrimination was pervasive in academic surgery. However, in interviews, most interviewees strongly disavowed the possibility that their gender had any bearing on their professional lives. These surgeons attempted to distance themselves from the possibility of discrimination by suggesting that differences in men and women surgeons' experiences are due to personality issues and personal choices. However, their narratives highlighted deep contradiction; they both affirmed and denied the relevance of gender for their experience as surgeons. As overt acts of discrimination become less acceptable in society, it does not necessarily disappear but rather manifests itself in covert forms. By disavowing and distancing themselves from discrimination, these women exposed the degree to which these issues continue to be pervasive in surgery. Women surgeons' ability to both identify and resist discrimination was hobbled by narratives of individualism, gender equality, and normative ideas of gender difference. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  2. Demand management in plastic surgery for low priority procedures: the Welsh experience.

    PubMed

    Hunter, J E; Laing, J H E; Carroll, G

    2010-11-01

    Health Commission Wales (Specialist Services) [HCW] are responsible for resource allocation and demand management in plastic surgery for the population of Wales (2.9 M). Since 2004, all low priority plastic surgery referrals have been screened by a single HCW Case Officer against clinical inclusion criteria before the referral is passed to the provider. Only patients fulfilling these criteria proceed to an outpatient appointment, although there is an appeals procedure. Revised guidelines were introduced in 2006. Our aim was to investigate the effectiveness of the process and the impact of the revised criteria. The Case Officer's database was used to determine numbers of index procedures referred and those disallowed before and after the policy change. Since 2004 9,654 referrals have been screened. In 2005-6, 32.5% failed to meet the inclusion criteria and were disallowed. In the year after the policy revision fewer low priority patients were referred (1720 vs. 2013) and more (46.6%) were declined. Body contouring / abdominoplasty were particularly affected with 73.2% not compliant with funding criteria. The Welsh model is an efficient, effective and equitable system for demand management, which amounts to thousands of requests per year. After 2006, tighter guidelines have resulted in a higher proportion of patients not meeting the criteria for funding, particularly for body contouring / abdominoplasty procedures. Difficulties remain however in determining reproducible and clinically appropriate criteria for patients seeking plastic surgery following massive weight-loss. Whilst this process streamlines the provision of NHS plastic surgery for the people of Wales, there is a potential impact on specialist training. Copyright © 2009 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. The American Association of Plastic Surgeons Recent History, with a Review of the Past.

    PubMed

    Lawrence, W Thomas

    2016-07-01

    The American Association of Plastic Surgeons was founded in 1921 and is the oldest of the plastic surgery societies. It was born out of the enthusiasm of reconstructive surgeons who had recently increased in numbers and expanded the scope of their activities as a result of the challenges posed by battle-injured soldiers during World War I. Early meetings were small, focused exclusively on the head and neck, and often included live surgical demonstrations. The Association has grown in size and scope with time, but it has maintained its academic focus. This article focuses on the most recent 15 years of the Association's history, as prior publications have chronicled the history of the organization up to 2000. The organization has remained robust in the new millennium, with the national meetings being its most prominent activity. The format of the meetings has continually been improved to remain relevant and of interest to the membership and other attendees. The organization continues to support the development of young academic plastic surgeons through the Academic Scholars Program. It has established new programs such as the Constable Fellowship to support international exchange and has also sponsored two consensus conferences to help define standards of care in plastic surgery-related issues. The Association annually recognizes significant contributors to the field through the variety of awards that it bestows as well. The mission of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons is to provide scholarly leadership in plastic surgery, and the organization continues to successfully accomplish this mission.

  4. A large multicenter outcome study of female genital plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Goodman, Michael P; Placik, Otto J; Benson, Royal H; Miklos, John R; Moore, Robert D; Jason, Robert A; Matlock, David L; Simopoulos, Alex F; Stern, Bernard H; Stanton, Ryan A; Kolb, Susan E; Gonzalez, Federico

    2010-04-01

    Female Genital Plastic Surgery, a relatively new entry in the field of Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery, has promised sexual enhancement and functional and cosmetic improvement for women. Are the vulvovaginal aesthetic procedures of Labiaplasty, Vaginoplasty/Perineoplasty ("Vaginal Rejuvenation") and Clitoral Hood Reduction effective, and do they deliver on that promise? For what reason do women seek these procedures? What complications are evident, and what effects are noted regarding sexual function for women and their partners? Who should be performing these procedures, what training should they have, and what are the ethical considerations? This study was designed to produce objective, utilizable outcome data regarding FGPS. 1) Reasons for considering surgery from both patient's and physician's perspective; 2) Pre-operative sexual functioning per procedure; 3) Overall patient satisfaction per procedure; 4) Effect of procedure on patient's sexual enjoyment, per procedure; 5) Patient's perception of effect on her partner's sexual enjoyment, per procedure; 6) Complications. This cross-sectional study, including 258 women and encompassing 341 separate procedures, comes from a group of twelve gynecologists, gynecologic urologists and plastic surgeons from ten centers in eight states nationwide. 104 labiaplasties, 24 clitoral hood reductions, 49 combined labiaplasty/clitoral hood reductions, 47 vaginoplasties and/or perineoplasties, and 34 combined labiaplasty and/or reduction of the clitoral hood plus vaginoplasty/perineoplasty procedures were studied retrospectively, analyzing both patient's and physician's perception of surgical rationale, pre-operative sexual function and several outcome criteria. Combining the three groups, 91.6% of patients were satisfied with the results of their surgery after a 6-42 month follow-up. Significant subjective enhancement in sexual functioning for both women and their sexual partners was noted (p = 0.0078), especially in patients

  5. Validity, Reliability, and the Questionable Role of Psychometrics in Plastic Surgery

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Summary: This report examines the meaning of validity and reliability and the role of psychometrics in plastic surgery. Study titles increasingly include the word “valid” to support the authors’ claims. Studies by other investigators may be labeled “not validated.” Validity simply refers to the ability of a device to measure what it intends to measure. Validity is not an intrinsic test property. It is a relative term most credibly assigned by the independent user. Similarly, the word “reliable” is subject to interpretation. In psychometrics, its meaning is synonymous with “reproducible.” The definitions of valid and reliable are analogous to accuracy and precision. Reliability (both the reliability of the data and the consistency of measurements) is a prerequisite for validity. Outcome measures in plastic surgery are intended to be surveys, not tests. The role of psychometric modeling in plastic surgery is unclear, and this discipline introduces difficult jargon that can discourage investigators. Standard statistical tests suffice. The unambiguous term “reproducible” is preferred when discussing data consistency. Study design and methodology are essential considerations when assessing a study’s validity. PMID:25289354

  6. Reflections on the mating pool for women in plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Ridgway, Emily B; Sauerhammer, Tina; Chiou, A Portia; LaBrie, Richard A; Mulliken, John B

    2014-01-01

    Almost three times as many board-certified female plastic surgeons are unmarried compared with male colleagues. The purpose of this study was to determine why women in plastic surgery are less likely to be married. A 52-question survey was sent to all female members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Questions focused on type of training and practice; marital status; age at marriage; spousal education, financial, and professional status; relational goals, values, and satisfaction. A total of 729 questionnaires were sent via e-mail; responses were anonymous. Response rate was 34 percent (n = 250). Respondents were either married (64 percent), engaged (2 percent), in a "serious" relationship (11 percent), or not in a committed relationship (23 percent). Of unmarried respondents, 56 percent wanted to marry, 44 percent did not wish marriage at the time of the survey, and 42 percent had deliberatively postponed marriage. The most frequently cited reasons for being single were perceived lack of desirable partners (45 percent), job constraints (14 percent), and personality differences (13 percent). Female plastic surgeons who married later than 36 years of age were more likely to choose a spouse with a lower income, less education, and lower financial success compared with female plastic surgeons who married at a younger age. Women in surgical practice who marry later are less likely to find a partner with equal educational level, financial resources, and professional success. Hence, a shift occurs from hypergamy toward hypogamy. These findings are not unique to plastic surgery.

  7. 76 FR 42713 - General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee; Amendment of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-07-19

    ...] General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee; Amendment of Notice... announcing an amendment to the notice of meeting of the General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the... INFORMATION: In the Federal Register of July 7, 2011, FDA announced that a meeting of the General and Plastic...

  8. Awareness and Perception of Plastic Surgery among Healthcare Professionals in Pune, India: Do They Really Know What We Do?

    PubMed Central

    Panse, Nikhil; Panse, Smita; Kulkarni, Priya; Dhongde, Rajendra; Sahasrabudhe, Parag

    2012-01-01

    Purpose. The aim of this study is to understand the level of awareness and knowledge of plastic surgery in healthcare professionals in a tertiary health care facility in Pune, India. This study also aims to highlight the perception of the medical professionals about plastic surgery and what they think a plastic surgeon does. Materials and Methods. A questionnaire-based survey was done at B.J Medical College and Sassoon Hospital, Pune in 2011. Feedback evaluation forms from hundred resident doctors and faculty were evaluated and analyzed. Results. There is not much awareness about plastic surgery as a specialty amongst health care providers. Plastic surgery is mostly perceived as cosmetic surgery, and the other spectrum of the patients we cater to goes largely unnoticed. Of all the clinical conditions given to the participants, there was not a single clinical condition where the respondents favored unanimously for plastic surgeons. Conclusion. Plastic surgery as a specialty is poorly understood by our medical colleagues, and the onus of creating and improving the awareness and perception of our specialty lies on us. Herculean unified efforts at individual as well as global level will help us achieve this goal. PMID:22685647

  9. Women in academic surgery: why is the playing field still not level?

    PubMed

    Seemann, Natashia M; Webster, Fiona; Holden, Helen Alyx; Moulton, Carol-Anne E; Baxter, Nancy; Desjardins, Christine; Cil, Tulin

    2016-02-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore career satisfaction and advancement for women in academic surgery. A 48-item web-based survey was emailed to women surgeons in academic centers across Canada, exploring career advancement, family planning, mentorship, discrimination, and career satisfaction. The survey response rate was 38% (81 of 212); 18% of participants felt they experienced gender discrimination in medical school, 36% in residency, 12% in fellowship, and 41% as staff surgeons. More than half felt that their gender had played a role in the career challenges they faced. Responses to open-ended questions suggested that many surgeons struggled to balance their academic careers with family life. Despite this, participants rated their career satisfaction very highly. There remain ongoing challenges for women in academic surgery including lack of gender equality, appropriate mentorship, and accommodations for surgeons with families. Continued advancement of women in academic surgery is dependent on addressing these concerns. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Principles of plastic surgery portrayed by the professional life of Dr John Peter Mettauer.

    PubMed

    Avashia, Yash J; Thaller, Seth R

    2011-11-01

    Regarded as "America's first plastic surgeon," Dr John Peter Mettauer's professional life displays 3 fundamental keystones of plastic surgery: education, innovation, and practice. To fully appreciate the history of our plastic surgery, one must look beyond a purely factual recount of noteworthy actions performed decades ago. Fundamental principles that governed achievements of our predecessors remain applicable even today. Dr Mettauer thrived as a medical student under the influence of distinguished professors in medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Later, he continued to propagate their basic tenets when he established his medical institute in 1837. Throughout his life, Dr Mettauer combined ingenuity with scientific inquiry to devise numerous unprecedented surgical techniques and instruments. He was a prolific writer and exquisitely documented his work in medical journals for the benefit of both contemporary and future surgeons. One of Dr Mettauer's momentous achievements in plastic surgery that displays his remarkable capabilities was his contributions to management of both simple and complicated cases of cleft palate. He was the first to describe relaxing lateral incisions for treating complete cleft palates and, incidentally, was the first to successfully treat this in America. He invariably replicated similar success in establishing techniques for treating a wide range of anatomic deformities. Cumulatively, Dr Mettauer's lifelong commitment and diligence have truly laid a foundation for the eventual progress and success in the field of plastic surgery.

  11. Surgery without papilla incision: tunneling flap procedures in plastic periodontal and implant surgery.

    PubMed

    Zuhr, Otto; Rebele, Stephan F; Cheung, Stefani L; Hürzeler, Markus B

    2018-06-01

    Diverse clinical advancements, together with some relevant technical innovations, have led to an increase in popularity of tunneling flap procedures in plastic periodontal and implant surgery in the recent past. This trend is further promoted by the fact that these techniques have lately been introduced to a considerably expanded range of indications. While originally described for the treatment of gingival recession-type defects, tunneling flap procedures may now be applied successfully in a variety of clinical situations in which augmentation of the soft tissues is indicated in the esthetic zone. Potential clinical scenarios include surgical thickening of thin buccal gingiva or peri-implant mucosa, alveolar ridge/socket preservation and implant second-stage surgery, as well as soft-tissue ridge augmentation or pontic site development. In this way, tunneling flap procedures developed from a technique, originally merely intended for surgical root coverage, into a capacious surgical conception in plastic periodontal and implant surgery. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive overview on tunneling flap procedures, to introduce the successive development of the approach along with underlying ideas on surgical wound healing and to present contemporary clinical scenarios in step-by-step photograph-illustrated sequences, which aim to provide clinicians with guidance to help them integrate tunneling flap procedures into their daily clinical routine. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Plastic Surgery Inclusion in the Undergraduate Medical Curriculum: Perception, Challenges, and Career Choice—A Comparative Study

    PubMed Central

    Vaughan, R.; Thomas, S.

    2017-01-01

    Objective The undergraduate medical curriculum has been overcrowded with core learning outcomes with no formal exposure to plastic surgery. The aim of this study was to compare medical students from two educational settings for the basic understanding, preferred learning method, and factors influencing a career choice in plastic surgery. Design and Setting A prospective cohort study based on a web-based anonymous questionnaire sent to final year medical students at Birmingham University (United Kingdom), McGill University (Canada), and a control group (non-medical staff). The questions were about plastic surgery: (1) source of information and basic understanding; (2) undergraduate curriculum inclusion and preferred learning methods; (3) factors influencing a career choice. A similar questionnaire was sent to non-medical staff (control group). The data was analysed based on categorical outcomes (Chi-square χ2) and level of significance p ≤ 0.05. Results Questionnaire was analysed for 243 students (Birmingham, n = 171/332, 52%) (McGill n = 72/132, 54%). Birmingham students (14%) considered the word “plastic” synonymous with “cosmetic” more than McGill students (4%, p < 0.025). Teaching was the main source of knowledge for McGill students (39%, p < 0.001) while Birmingham students and control group chose the media (70%, p < 0.001). McGill students (67%) more than Birmingham (49%, p < 0.010) considered curriculum inclusion. The preferred learning method was lectures for McGill students (61%, p < 0.01) but an optional module for Birmingham (61%). A similar proportion (18%) from both student groups considered a career in plastic surgery. Conclusions Medical students recognised the need for plastic surgery inclusion in the undergraduate curriculum. There was a difference for plastic surgery source of information, operations, and preferred method of learning for students. The study highlighted the urgent need to reform plastic surgery undergraduate teaching in

  13. Identification of Best Practices for Resident Aesthetic Clinics in Plastic Surgery Training: The ACAPS National Survey

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Cindy; Bentz, Michael L.; Redett, Richard J.; Shack, R. Bruce; David, Lisa R.; Taub, Peter J.; Janis, Jeffrey E.

    2015-01-01

    Introduction: Resident aesthetic clinics (RACs) have demonstrated good outcomes and acceptable patient satisfaction, but few studies have evaluated their educational, financial, or medicolegal components. We sought to determine RAC best practices. Methods: We surveyed American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeon members (n = 399), focusing on operational details, resident supervision, patient safety, medicolegal history, financial viability, and research opportunities. Of the 96 respondents, 63 reported having a RAC, and 56% of plastic surgery residency program directors responded. Results: RACs averaged 243 patient encounters and 53.9 procedures annually, having been in existence for 19.6 years (mean). Full-time faculty (73%) supervised chief residents (84%) in all aspects of care (65%). Of the 63 RACs, 45 were accredited, 40 had licensed procedural suites, 28 had inclusion/exclusion criteria, and 31 used anesthesiologists. Seventeen had overnight capability, and 17 had a Life Safety Plan. No cases of malignant hyperthermia occurred, but 1 facility death was reported. Sixteen RACs had been involved in a lawsuit, and 33 respondents reported financial viability of the RACs. Net revenue was transferred to both the residents’ educational fund (41%) and divisional/departmental overhead (37%). Quality measures included case logs (78%), morbidity/mortality conference (62%), resident surveys (52%), and patient satisfaction scores (46%). Of 63 respondents, 14 have presented or published RAC-specific research; 80 of 96 of those who were surveyed believed RACs enhanced education. Conclusions: RACs are an important component of plastic surgery education. Most clinics are financially viable but carry high malpractice risk and consume significant resources. Best practices, to maximize patient safety and optimize resident education, include use of accredited procedural rooms and direct faculty supervision of all components of care. PMID:26146599

  14. Patient perceptions on physician reimbursement in plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Garcia, Ryan M; Cassinelli, Ezequiel H; Hultman, C Scott; Erdmann, Detlev

    2014-07-01

    Public perception on physician reimbursement may be that considerable payments are received for procedures: a direct contrast to the actual decline. We aim to investigate patient perceptions toward plastic surgeon reimbursements from insurance companies. A survey of 4 common, single-staged procedures was administered to 140 patients. Patients were asked for their opinion on current insurance company reimbursement fees and what they believed the reimbursement fee should be. Eighty-four patients completed the survey. Patients estimated physician's reimbursements at 472% to 1061% more for breast reduction, 347% to 770% for abdominal hernia reconstruction, 372% to 787% for panniculectomy, and 290% to 628% for mandibular fracture repair. Despite these perceived higher-than-actual-fee payments, 87% of patients thought reimbursements should still be higher. Patients surveyed overestimated plastic surgery procedure fees by 290% to 1061%. Patients should be informed and educated regarding current fee schedules to plastic surgeons to correct current misconceptions.

  15. Efficacy of communication amongst staff members at plastic and reconstructive surgery section using smartphone and mobile WhatsApp.

    PubMed

    Wani, Shabeer Ahmad; Rabah, Sari M; Alfadil, Sara; Dewanjee, Nancy; Najmi, Yahya

    2013-09-01

    The objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of smartphone and its WhatsApp application as a communication method amongst the staff of plastic and reconstructive surgery section at tertiary care health facility. From January 2012 onwards, the authors used smartphones and its WhatsApp application as a communication method amongst their team for various aspects of patient management and as a tool for academic endorsements. During the period of this study, there were 116 episodes regarding patient management, which were handled, in a timely fashion by using this application. In addition opinion of rotating residents in the section was sought regarding the efficacy of this method of communication. Overall majority of residents were satisfied with this mode of communication. This new method of communication is an effective method for clinical and academic endorsements. The method is cheap and quick and easy to operate.

  16. 3D animation of facial plastic surgery based on computer graphics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Zonghua; Zhao, Yan

    2013-12-01

    More and more people, especial women, are getting desired to be more beautiful than ever. To some extent, it becomes true because the plastic surgery of face was capable in the early 20th and even earlier as doctors just dealing with war injures of face. However, the effect of post-operation is not always satisfying since no animation could be seen by the patients beforehand. In this paper, by combining plastic surgery of face and computer graphics, a novel method of simulated appearance of post-operation will be given to demonstrate the modified face from different viewpoints. The 3D human face data are obtained by using 3D fringe pattern imaging systems and CT imaging systems and then converted into STL (STereo Lithography) file format. STL file is made up of small 3D triangular primitives. The triangular mesh can be reconstructed by using hash function. Top triangular meshes in depth out of numbers of triangles must be picked up by ray-casting technique. Mesh deformation is based on the front triangular mesh in the process of simulation, which deforms interest area instead of control points. Experiments on face model show that the proposed 3D animation facial plastic surgery can effectively demonstrate the simulated appearance of post-operation.

  17. Study on possibilities of reconstructive--plastic surgery in patients with stage III breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Ismagilov, A K; Khasanov, R S; Navrusov, S N; Beknazarov, Z P

    2011-01-01

    This population based study aimed to use reconstructive-plastic surgery with autologous tissue as a treatment of patients with stage III breast cancer. We identified women (374) diagnosed with stage III breast cancer between 2000 and 2009 years. We compared radical operations with and without a plastic step, where 29 patients underwent the surgery in combination with an immediate radical resection with LD-flap replacement, mastectomy concurrently to TRAM-flap reconstruction in 103 patients. We examined the immediate and remote results of therapy. In data analysis, there were higher summarized indices of physical and mental health rates in patients who underwent the reconstruction plastic surgery compared to patients with mastectomy. All treated women 5 -year survival rate was 77.4+3.6 %, 63.5+3.2% and 40.1+3.1 % in stages IIIa, IIIb, IIIc respectively. In the control group, the rates were 78.6+3.4 %, 64.0+3.3 %, and 39.3+3.1 % (p<0.05) respectively. Our results showed that women with stage III breast cancer who underwent reconstructive-plastic surgeries had a chance to improve their quality of life, and did not increase the frequency, neither did reduce 5 year survival (Tab. 2, Fig. 4, Ref. 19). Full Text in free PDF www.bmj.sk.

  18. Barriers to advancement in academic surgery: views of senior residents and early career faculty.

    PubMed

    Cochran, Amalia; Elder, William B; Crandall, Marie; Brasel, Karen; Hauschild, Tricia; Neumayer, Leigh

    2013-11-01

    A significant faculty attrition rate exists in academic surgery. The authors hypothesized that senior residents and early-career faculty members have different perceptions of advancement barriers in academic surgery. A modified version of the Career Barriers Inventory-Revised was administered electronically to surgical residents and early-career surgical faculty members at 8 academic medical centers. Residents identified a lack of mentorship as a career barrier about half as often as faculty members. Residents were twice as likely as faculty members to view childbearing as a career barrier. Many early-career faculty members cite a lack of mentors as a limitation to their career development in academic surgery. Childbearing remains a complex perceived influence for female faculty members in particular. Female faculty members commonly perceive differential treatment and barriers on the basis of their sex. Faculty development programs should address both systemic and sex-specific obstacles if academic surgery is to remain a vibrant field. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. The scope of plastic surgery according to 2434 allopathic medical students in the United States.

    PubMed

    Kling, Russell E; Nayar, Harry S; Harhay, Michael O; Emelife, Patrick O; Manders, Ernest K; Ahuja, Naveen K; Losee, Joseph E

    2014-04-01

    The general public and physicians often equate plastic surgery with cosmetic surgery. The authors investigate whether this perception is present in U.S. medical students. A national survey of first- and second-year allopathic medical students was conducted. Students were asked to determine whether 46 specific procedures are performed by plastic surgeons: 12 aesthetic and 34 reconstructive procedures, which were further separated into three subgroups (general reconstruction and breast, craniofacial, and hand and lower extremity). Of the questionnaires sent out, 2434 from 44 medical schools were returned completed (23 percent response rate); 90.7 percent of aesthetic, 66.0 percent of general reconstruction and breast, 51.0 percent of craniofacial, and 33.4 percent of hand and lower extremity procedures were correctly identified. There was no relationship with self-reported interest in plastic surgery (1 = not at all interested to 10 = extremely interested) and the number of correctly identified aesthetic procedures. However, there was a nonlinear relationship with correctly identified reconstructive procedures; compared to those with an interest level of 1 to 5, those who chose 10 scored on average 6.5 points higher (14.2 versus 20.7) (p < 0.01). An anticipated career in surgery was associated with more correctly identified procedures across all sections but neither year (first versus second) nor region (Northeast, South, Central, West) with any section. U.S. medical students are unaware of the true scope of plastic surgery. Early exposure to basic aspects of plastic surgery could serve as a means of increasing interest and knowledge in the field and help educate future generations of referring physicians.

  20. Progressive Surgical Autonomy in a Plastic Surgery Resident Clinic

    PubMed Central

    Scott, Jillian K.; Gao, Lani; Lee, Tara M.; Waldrop, Jimmy L.; Sargent, Larry A.; Kennedy, J. Woody; Rehm, Jason P.; Brzezienski, Mark A.

    2017-01-01

    Background: Resident clinics are thought to catalyze educational milestone achievement through opportunities for progressively autonomous surgical care, but studies are lacking for general plastic surgery resident clinics (PSRCs). We demonstrate the achievement of increased surgical autonomy and continuity of care in a PSRC. Methods: A retrospective review of all patients seen in a PSRC from October 1, 2010, to October 1, 2015, was conducted. Our PSRC is supervised by faculty plastic surgery attendings, though primarily run by chief residents in an accredited independent plastic surgery training program. Surgical autonomy was scored on a 5-point scale based on dictated operative reports. Graduated chief residents were additionally surveyed by anonymous online survey. Results: Thousand one hundred forty-four patients were seen in 3,390 clinic visits. Six hundred fifty-three operations were performed by 23 total residents, including 10 graduating chiefs. Senior resident autonomy averaged 3.5/5 (SD = 1.5), 3.6/5 (SD = 1.5), to 3.8/5 (SD = 1.3) in postgraduate years 6, 7, and 8, respectively. A linear mixed model analysis demonstrated that training level had a significant impact on operative autonomy when comparing postgraduate years 6 and 8 (P = 0.026). Graduated residents’ survey responses (N = 10; 100% response rate) regarded PSRC as valuable for surgical experience (4.1/5), operative autonomy (4.4/5), medical knowledge development (4.7/5), and the practice of Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education core competencies (4.3/5). Preoperative or postoperative continuity of care was maintained in 93.5% of cases. Conclusion: The achievement of progressive surgical autonomy may be demonstrated within a PSRC model. PMID:28607848

  1. Geographic Trends in the Plastic Surgery Match.

    PubMed

    Silvestre, Jason; Lin, Ines C; Serletti, Joseph M; Chang, Benjamin

    2016-01-01

    The integrated plastic surgery match is among the most competitive residency matches in recent years. Although previous studies have correlated applicant characteristics with successful match outcomes, none have comprehensively investigated the role of geography in the match. This study elucidates regional biases in the match. Plastic surgery residents who matched during 2011-2015 were eligible for study inclusion. Names of residents were obtained from official residency program websites and cross-referenced with data obtained from the Student Doctor Network. For each resident, region of residency program and medical school were compared. From 67 programs, 622 residents were identified. Most graduated from US medical schools (97.9%). A total of 94 residents matched at a home institution (15.1%). Half of the residents matched in the same region as their medical school (48.9%). Programs in the South matched the greatest number of residents from the same region (60.8%), whereas West programs matched the least (30.8%, p < 0.001). No regional differences existed regarding residents matching at their home institution (p = 0.268). More women matched at West programs (43.1%) versus East programs (30.6%, p < 0.05). A significant number of residents matched at their home institution. Roughly, half matched at a program in the same region as their medical school. Whether this regional phenomenon stems from applicant or program factors remains unknown. Yet, given the limited number of interviews and the high costs of interviewing, applicants and programs can use these data to help optimize the match process. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. [Plastic surgery application in artistic studies of breast cosmetic].

    PubMed

    Fabié, A; Delay, E; Chavoin, J-P; Soulhiard, F; Seguin, P

    2006-04-01

    As, quest for beauty has always been an aim. There is a need to define the "ideal" beautifull breast with objective caracteristics, usable in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery. After, we have defined the necessary parameters usable in breast surgery. We realized an anthropomorphic study including 70 volunteer women and one molded model. Multiple pictures have been taken for each volunteer, that were evaluated and noted by five plastic surgeon, five doctors from other speciality, five women, five men. A twenty notation was used for this study. The main values for the ten women that obtained best notation (>or=14/20) were used in order to defined the ideal measures for surgery. Breast arrow and breast arrow over the trunck height were the most significant factors. According statistical studies, this fraction is about 0,387 (P=0,000969). The nice breast has a round shape and look like juvenile breast. Bra size, cup size, base, segments II and III, fraction II/III are not significant in our series of (non operated) natural breast. The ideal breast is in harmony and proportional to the trunck height, with the main fraction of breast arrow on the trunck height about 0,387 in our serie.

  3. [Two French pioneers of plastic surgery: François Dubois and Raymond Passot].

    PubMed

    Derquenne, François

    2015-01-01

    After World War, especially during the interwar years, new plastic surgical techniques were highly developed by I two French surgeons: Dr Raymond Passot, a pupil of Pr Hippolyte Morestin, Head of surgery department in Val-de-Grâce military hospital, Father of the Gueules cassées and Dr François Dubois, a pupil of Pr Sébileau, head of ear nose throat disorders department at Lariboisière Hospital in Paris. By the way of papers, publications and interviews to media, they described new French cosmetic techniques (rhitidectomy, sutures, liposuccion) and extensively developed this outpatient surgery. They used to renove famous actresse's and actors' face and nose and those of hundreds of patients. They participate to French societies of plastic surgery meetings and publications. Their enthusiastic dare largely participated to the current success of cosmetic surgery in France.

  4. Plastic Surgery Statistics in the US: Evidence and Implications.

    PubMed

    Heidekrueger, Paul I; Juran, Sabrina; Patel, Anup; Tanna, Neil; Broer, P Niclas

    2016-04-01

    The American Society of Plastic Surgeons publishes yearly procedural statistics, collected through questionnaires and online via tracking operations and outcomes for plastic surgeons (TOPS). The statistics, disaggregated by U.S. region, leave two important factors unaccounted for: (1) the underlying base population and (2) the number of surgeons performing the procedures. The presented analysis puts the regional distribution of surgeries into perspective and contributes to fulfilling the TOPS legislation objectives. ASPS statistics from 2005 to 2013 were analyzed by geographic region in the U.S. Using population estimates from the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau, procedures were calculated per 100,000 population. Then, based on the ASPS member roster, the rate of surgeries per surgeon by region was calculated and the interaction of these two variables was related to each other. In 2013, 1668,420 esthetic surgeries were performed in the U.S., resulting in the following ASPS ranking: 1st Mountain/Pacific (Region 5; 502,094 procedures, 30 % share), 2nd New England/Middle Atlantic (Region 1; 319,515, 19 %), 3rd South Atlantic (Region 3; 310,441, 19 %), 4th East/West South Central (Region 4; 274,282, 16 %), and 5th East/West North Central (Region 2; 262,088, 16 %). However, considering underlying populations, distribution and ranking appear to be different, displaying a smaller variance in surgical demand. Further, the number of surgeons and rate of procedures show great regional variation. Demand for plastic surgery is influenced by patients' geographic background and varies among U.S. regions. While ASPS data provide important information, additional insight regarding the demand for surgical procedures can be gained by taking certain demographic factors into consideration. This journal requires that the authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online

  5. Plastic surgery in the undergraduate curriculum: the importance of considering students' perceptions.

    PubMed

    Burd, Andrew; Chiu, Tor; McNaught, Carmel

    2004-12-01

    As the undergraduate medical curriculum becomes increasingly crowded the competition for time inevitably increases and surgical specialties have decreasing representation. Plastic surgery is regarded with some confusion in terms of its relevance to the generic doctor. Plastic surgeons have no doubt about the relevance of the specialty to undergraduates. Others see this as a very technical specialty dealing with complex reconstructions and surgical interventions or, as a rather indulgent specialty focusing mainly on glamour and cosmesis. This study focuses on students' perceptions of an undergraduate teaching program in plastic surgery. The reality is that highly pressured undergraduates do not have the luxury of time to consider the finer details of the specialties to which they are exposed. Their priority is to pass their examinations and, having addressed that concern, further information becomes an acceptable bonus. The conclusion is that if plastic surgeons are going to gain greater involvement in the undergraduate curriculum they must start with involvement in examinations and assessments. The students will then ensure that adequate and appropriate teaching time is allocated.

  6. [Some similarities between the work of M.C. Escher and plastic surgery].

    PubMed

    Marck, K W

    2002-12-21

    At first sight there would appear to be no similarities between the work of the Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher and plastic surgery. M.C. Escher was a gifted graphic artist who produced a large collection of work. Most of his fame is due to the works that play with symmetry, space and infinity and leave the viewer astounded. However, how Escher came to produce these works is less well known. A theory which he developed himself formed the basis of the regular plane division. It later became apparent that this theory almost completely agreed with the mathematics of plane division. Two movements (isometries) defined in mathematics, translation and rotation, are equivalent to two techniques for transferring local skin in plastic surgery, namely, advancement and transposition. Escher's performance on the plane of a sheet of paper and a plastic surgeon's performance on the plane of the skin, therefore have a similar mathematical background. Escher has visualised these mathematical rules in an unusual and artistic manner, whereas plastic surgeons apply these rules in the grace of an elastic and healing nature.

  7. Laser therapy in plastic surgery: decolorization in port wine stains

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peszynski-Drews, Cezary; Wolf, Leszek

    1996-03-01

    For the first time laserotherapy is described as a method of port wine stain decolorization in plastic surgery. The authors present their 20-year experience in the treatment of port wine stains with the argon laser and dye laser.

  8. Building a Sustainable Global Surgical Program in an Academic Department of Surgery.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Linda P; Silverberg, Daniel; Divino, Celia M; Marin, Michael

    Global surgery and volunteerism in surgery has gained significant interest in recent years for general surgery residents across the country. However, there are few well-established long-term surgical programs affiliated with academic institutions. The present report discusses the implementation process and challenges facing an academic institution in building a long-term sustainable global surgery program. As one of the pioneer programs in global surgery for residents, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai global surgery rotation has been successfully running for the last 10 years in a small public hospital in the Dominican Republic. The present report details many key components of implementing a sustainable global surgery program and the evolution of this program over time. Since 2005, 80 general surgery residents have rotated through Juan Pablo Pina Hospital in the Dominican Republic. They have performed a total of 1239 major operations and 740 minor operations. They have also participated in 328 emergency cases. More importantly, this rotation helped shape residents' sense of social responsibility and ownership in their surgical training. Residents have also contributed to the training of local residents in laparoscopic skills and through cultural exchange. As interest in global surgery grows among general surgery residents, it is essential that supporting academic institutions create sustainable and capacity-building rotations for their residents. These programs must address many of the barriers that can hinder maintenance of a sustainable global surgery experience for residents. After 10 years of sending our residents to the Dominican Republic, we have found that it is possible and valuable to incorporate a formal global surgery rotation into a general surgery residency. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  9. [Information and assent: presentation of 32 information cards concerning plastic and aesthetic surgery].

    PubMed

    Flageul, G; Horay, P; Rouanet, F

    2009-06-01

    Obligation to deliver full information and obtaining enlightened assent are now, for the whole French practitioner, a necessary preliminary to each operation. Henceforth, in case of suit, the practitioner must prove the reality and the quality of preoperative information. The authors propose 32 information cards corresponding to the most currently operations of plastic and aesthetic surgery. They will being clear and simple, with a large agreement, strictly informative and yearly up to date. They have the label and therefore the scientific guaranty of the French Society of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery.

  10. [Jean-Louis-Paul Denucé (1824-1889): A forgotten pioneer of plastic surgery].

    PubMed

    Marck, K W; Martin, D

    2016-02-01

    The authors propose to define as main characterization of plastic reconstructive surgery the conceptual thinking that leads to a rational choice of an operative treatment. Conceptual thinking in plastic surgery started halfway the nineteenth century with the first schematic representations of the operative procedures available at that time, in which Von Ammon and Baumgarten, Szymanowski and Denucé played a prominent role. These four authors and their works are presented with special attention for the less known of them, Jean-Paul Denucé, surgeon in Bordeaux. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  11. The Drivers of Academic Success in Cleft and Craniofacial Centers: A 10-Year Analysis of over 2000 Publications.

    PubMed

    Plana, Natalie M; Massie, Jonathan P; Stern, Marleigh J; Alperovich, Michael; Runyan, Christopher M; Staffenberg, David A; Koniaris, Leonidas G; Grayson, Barry H; Diaz-Siso, J Rodrigo; Flores, Roberto L

    2017-02-01

    Cleft and craniofacial centers require significant investment by medical institutions, yet variables contributing to their academic productivity remain unknown. This study characterizes the elements associated with high academic productivity in these centers. The authors analyzed cleft and craniofacial centers accredited by the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association. Variables such as university affiliation; resident training; number of plastic surgery, oral-maxillofacial, and dental faculty; and investment in a craniofacial surgery, craniofacial orthodontics fellowship program, or both, were obtained. Craniofacial and cleft-related research published between July of 2005 and June of 2015 was identified. A stepwise multivariable linear regression analysis was performed to measure outcomes of total publications, summative impact factor, basic science publications, total journals, and National Institutes of Health funding. One hundred sixty centers were identified, comprising 920 active faculty, 34 craniofacial surgery fellowships, and eight craniofacial orthodontic fellowships; 2356 articles were published in 191 journals. Variables most positively associated with a high number of publications were craniofacial surgery and craniofacial orthodontics fellowships (β = 0.608), craniofacial surgery fellowships (β = 0.231), number of plastic surgery faculty (β = 0.213), and university affiliation (β = 0.165). Variables most positively associated with high a number of journals were craniofacial surgery and craniofacial orthodontics fellowships (β = 0.550), university affiliation (β = 0.251), number of plastic surgery faculty (β = 0.230), and craniofacial surgery fellowship (β = 0.218). Variables most positively associated with a high summative impact factor were craniofacial surgery and craniofacial orthodontics fellowships (β = 0.648), craniofacial surgery fellowship (β = 0.208), number of plastic surgery faculty (β = 0.207), and university affiliation

  12. How Informative are the Plastic Surgery Residency Websites to Prospective Applicants?

    PubMed

    Hashmi, Asra; Policherla, Rohan; Campbell, Hector; Khan, Faraz A; Schumaier, Adam; Al-Mufarrej, Faisal

    To evaluate the comprehensiveness of plastic surgery program websites. American Medical Association interactive database was accessed for the list of integrated plastic surgery programs, in June 2015. Since then, 67 plastic surgery program websites were accessed and searched for the presence or absence of 31 criteria, which were further grouped into 5 categories: First, program contact information; second, training and research; third, program setup; fourth, benefits and facilities; and fifth, information for applicants. Programs were categorized based on US census bureau designated regions, and number of residency positions available. One-way ANOVA test was used for comparison. Only 25% (17) program website had information available on more than two-thirds (21 or more of 31) of the criteria. The 3 least factors commonly available by program websites were: operative log (10%), contract (10%), and information on night float (25%). The 3 most commonly available factors included: coordinator information (92%), number of residents (92%), and comprehensive faculty list (88%). Less than 50% of the programs provided information regarding fellowship opportunities, active and previous research projects, and operative logs. There was no difference in amount of information on program websites when analyzed for program size or program geographic location. Programs should consider revising their websites to include aforementioned 31 criteria. This would make applicants and potential resident physicians better informed of the programs before the interview process such that they would be more likely to apply to only those programs that match their specific aspirations. Copyright © 2016 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Flash scanning the CO2 laser: a revival of the CO2 laser in plastic surgery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lach, Elliot

    1994-09-01

    The CO2 laser has broad clinical application yet also presents a number of practical disadvantages. These drawbacks have limited the success and utilization of this laser in plastic surgery. Flashscanner technology has recently been used for char-free CO2 laser surgery of the oropharynx, the external female genital tract, and perirectal mucosa. A commercially available optomechanical flashscanner unit `Swiftlase,' was adapted to a CO2 laser and used for treatment in numerous plastic surgical applications. Conditions and situations that were treated in this study included generalized neurofibromatosis, tuberous sclerosis, rhinophyma, viral warts, breast reconstruction, and deepithelialization prior to microsurgery or local flap transfer and/or skin graft placement. There were no significant wound healing complications. Some patients previously sustained undue scarring from conventional CO2 laser surgery. Conservative, primarily ablative CO2 laser surgery with the Swiftlase has usefulness for treatment of patients in plastic surgery including those that were previously unsuccessfully treated.

  14. 75 FR 47606 - General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee; Notice of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-08-06

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0001] General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee; Notice of... General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee scheduled for August...

  15. The Ethics of Stem Cell-Based Aesthetic Surgery: Attitudes and Perceptions of the Plastic Surgery Community.

    PubMed

    Nayar, Harry S; Caplan, Arthur L; Eaves, Felmont F; Rubin, J Peter

    2014-08-01

    The emerging field of stem cell-based aesthetics has raised ethical concerns related to advertising campaigns and standards for safety and efficacy. The authors sought to characterize the attitudes of plastic surgeons regarding the ethics of stem cell-based aesthetics. A cross-sectional electronic survey was distributed to 4592 members of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Statements addressed ethical concerns about informed consent, conflicts of interest, advertising, regulation, and stem cell tourism. An agreement score (AS) from 0 to 100 was calculated for each statement. Majority agreement was designated as ≥60 and majority disagreement as ≤40. A total of 770 questionnaires were received (16.7%). The majority of respondents indicated that knowledge regarding the risks and benefits of stem cell procedures is insufficient to obtain valid informed consent (AS, 29) and that direct-to-consumer advertising for these technologies is inappropriate and unethical (AS, 23). Most respondents reported that patients should be actively warned against traveling abroad to receive aesthetic cell therapies (AS, 86) and that registries and evaluations of these clinics should be made publicly available (AS, 71). Even more respondents noted that financial conflicts of interest should be disclosed to patients (AS, 96) and that professional societies should participate in establishing regulatory standards (AS, 93). The plastic surgeons surveyed in this study support a well-regulated, evidence-based approach to aesthetic procedures involving stem cells. © 2014 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc.

  16. An analysis of leading, lagging, and coincident economic indicators in the United States and its relationship to the volume of plastic surgery procedures performed.

    PubMed

    Hoppe, Ian C; Pastor, Craig J; Paik, Angie M

    2012-10-01

    In plastic surgery, 2 predominant practice environments exist, namely, the academic setting and private practice. These 2 groups cater their practice toward the needs and demands of 2 very different patient populations. The goal of this paper is to examine well-established economic indicators and delineate their relationship, if any, with the volume of different plastic surgical procedures performed in the United States. Information from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons' annual reports on plastic surgery statistics was collected from the year 2000 through 2010 and compared to readily available and established economic indicators. There was a significant positive relationship with total cosmetic procedures and gross domestic product (GDP), GDP per capita, personal income, consumer price index (CPI) (all), and CPI (medical). There was a significant positive relationship between cosmetic surgical procedures and the issuance of new home permits and the average prime rate charged by banks. There was a significant positive relationship with cosmetic minimally invasive procedures and GDP, GDP per capita, personal income, CPI (all), and CPI (medical). There was a significant negative relationship between reconstructive procedures and GDP, GDP per capita, personal income, CPI (all), and CPI (medical). Cosmetic minimally invasive procedures seem to be decided on relatively quickly during good economic times. Cosmetic surgical procedures seem to be more planned and less related to the economic environment. The plastic surgeon may use this relationship to tailor the focus of his or her practice to be best situated for economic fluctuations.

  17. 76 FR 65200 - General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee: Notice of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-10-20

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2011-N-0002] General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee: Notice of... Administration (FDA) is postponing the meeting of the General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Medical...

  18. 78 FR 30928 - General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee; Notice of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-05-23

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2013-N-0001] General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting... the public. Name of Committee: General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Medical Devices...

  19. 75 FR 49940 - General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee; Notice of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-08-16

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0001] General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting... the public. Name of Committee: General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Medical Devices...

  20. Efficacy of communication amongst staff members at plastic and reconstructive surgery section using smartphone and mobile WhatsApp

    PubMed Central

    Wani, Shabeer Ahmad; Rabah, Sari M.; AlFadil, Sara; Dewanjee, Nancy; Najmi, Yahya

    2013-01-01

    Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of smartphone and its WhatsApp application as a communication method amongst the staff of plastic and reconstructive surgery section at tertiary care health facility. Materials and Methods: From January 2012 onwards, the authors used smartphones and its WhatsApp application as a communication method amongst their team for various aspects of patient management and as a tool for academic endorsements. Results: During the period of this study, there were 116 episodes regarding patient management, which were handled, in a timely fashion by using this application. In addition opinion of rotating residents in the section was sought regarding the efficacy of this method of communication. Overall majority of residents were satisfied with this mode of communication. Conclusions: This new method of communication is an effective method for clinical and academic endorsements. The method is cheap and quick and easy to operate. PMID:24459338

  1. Is Article Methodological Quality Associated With Conflicts of Interest?: An Analysis of the Plastic Surgery Literature.

    PubMed

    Cho, Brian H; Lopez, Joseph; Means, Jessica; Lopez, Sandra; Milton, Jacqueline; Tufaro, Anthony P; May, James W; Dorafshar, Amir H

    2017-12-01

    Conflicts of interest (COI) are an emerging area of discussion within the field of plastic surgery. Recently, several reports have found that research studies that disclose COI are associated with publication of positive outcomes. We hypothesize that this association is driven by higher-quality studies receiving industry funding. This study aimed to investigate the association between industry support and study methodological quality. We reviewed all entries in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Annals of Plastic Surgery, and Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery within a 1-year period encompassing 2013. All clinical research articles were analyzed. Studies were evaluated blindly for methodology quality based on a validated scoring system. An ordinal logistic regression model was used to examine the association between methodology score and COI. A total of 1474 articles were reviewed, of which 483 met our inclusion criteria. These articles underwent methodological quality scoring. Conflicts of interest were reported in 28 (5.8%) of these articles. After adjusting for article characteristics in the ordinal logistic regression analysis, there was no significant association between articles with COI and higher methodological scores (P = 0.7636). Plastic surgery studies that disclose COI are not associated with higher methodological quality when compared with studies that do not disclose COI. These findings suggest that although the presence of COI is associated with positive findings, the association is not shown to be driven by higher-quality studies.

  2. Electronic Communication in Plastic Surgery: Guiding Principles from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Health Policy Committee.

    PubMed

    Eberlin, Kyle R; Perdikis, Galen; Damitz, Lynn; Krochmal, Dan J; Kalliainen, Loree K; Bonawitz, Steven C

    2018-02-01

    With the advancement of technology, electronic communication has become an important mode of communication within plastic and reconstructive surgery. This can take the form of e-mail, text messaging, video conferencing, and social media, among others. There are currently no defined American Society of Plastic Surgeons guidelines for appropriate professional use of these technologies. A search was performed on PubMed and the Cochrane database; terms included "telemedicine," "text messaging," "HIPAA," "metadata," "video conferencing," "photo sharing," "social media," "Facebook," "Twitter," and "Instagram." Initial screening of all identified articles was performed; the level of evidence, limitations, and recommendations were evaluated and articles were reviewed. A total of 654 articles were identified in the level I screening process; after more comprehensive review, 41 articles fit inclusion criteria: social networking, 12; telemedicine, 11; text messaging, 10; metadata, four; video conferencing, three; and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, one. General themes were identified from these articles and guidelines proposed. Electronic communication can provide an efficient method of information exchange for professional purposes within plastic surgery but should be used thoughtfully and with all professional, legal, and ethical considerations.

  3. One-Stop Clinic Utilization in Plastic Surgery: Our Local Experience and the Results of a UK-Wide National Survey.

    PubMed

    Gorman, Mark; Coelho, James; Gujral, Sameer; McKay, Alastair

    2015-01-01

    Introduction. "See and treat" one-stop clinics (OSCs) are an advocated NHS initiative to modernise care, reducing cancer treatment waiting times. Little studied in plastic surgery, the existing evidence suggests that though they improve care, they are rarely implemented. We present our experience setting up a plastic surgery OSC for minor skin surgery and survey their use across the UK. Methods. The OSC was evaluated by 18-week wait target compliance, measures of departmental capacity, and patient satisfaction. Data was obtained from 32 of the 47 UK plastic surgery departments to investigate the prevalence of OSCs for minor skin cancer surgery. Results. The OSC improved 18-week waiting times, from a noncompliant mean of 80% to a compliant 95% average. Department capacity increased 15%. 95% of patients were highly satisfied with and preferred the OSC to a conventional service. Only 25% of UK plastic surgery units run OSCs, offering varying reasons for not doing so, 42% having not considered their use. Conclusions. OSCs are underutilised within UK plastic surgery, where a significant proportion of units have not even considered their benefit. This is despite associated improvements in waiting times, department capacity, and levels of high patient satisfaction. We offer our considerations and local experience instituting an OSC service.

  4. One-Stop Clinic Utilization in Plastic Surgery: Our Local Experience and the Results of a UK-Wide National Survey

    PubMed Central

    Gorman, Mark; Coelho, James; Gujral, Sameer; McKay, Alastair

    2015-01-01

    Introduction. “See and treat” one-stop clinics (OSCs) are an advocated NHS initiative to modernise care, reducing cancer treatment waiting times. Little studied in plastic surgery, the existing evidence suggests that though they improve care, they are rarely implemented. We present our experience setting up a plastic surgery OSC for minor skin surgery and survey their use across the UK. Methods. The OSC was evaluated by 18-week wait target compliance, measures of departmental capacity, and patient satisfaction. Data was obtained from 32 of the 47 UK plastic surgery departments to investigate the prevalence of OSCs for minor skin cancer surgery. Results. The OSC improved 18-week waiting times, from a noncompliant mean of 80% to a compliant 95% average. Department capacity increased 15%. 95% of patients were highly satisfied with and preferred the OSC to a conventional service. Only 25% of UK plastic surgery units run OSCs, offering varying reasons for not doing so, 42% having not considered their use. Conclusions. OSCs are underutilised within UK plastic surgery, where a significant proportion of units have not even considered their benefit. This is despite associated improvements in waiting times, department capacity, and levels of high patient satisfaction. We offer our considerations and local experience instituting an OSC service. PMID:26236502

  5. The transforming power of early career acute care surgery research scholarships on academic productivity.

    PubMed

    Zarzaur, Ben L; Valsangkar, Nakul; Feliciano, David F; Koniaris, Leonidas G

    2016-07-01

    More than 75% of respondents to an Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma survey felt that barriers to research had increased and that acute care surgeon (ACS) academic productivity had decreased. Recent data confirm this impression and show lower academic productivity of junior ACS faculty compared with peers in other general surgical fields. The purpose of this study was to determine if early career acute care surgery research scholarships are associated with improved ACS academic productivity. Faculty data at the Top 55 National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded departments of surgery (Top 55) were obtained using SCOPUS, NIH, department, and professional society databases. Academic productivity was measured using total publications, citations, and the Hirsch index. Scholarship recipients from the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma and Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma were identified. A total of 4,101 surgical faculty (8.3% ACS) who belong to the Top 55 NIH-funded departments of surgery and 85 scholarship recipients were identified. After merging, 34 scholarship recipients (40%) were current faculty at a Top 55 NIH-funded department of surgery, and 24 of those (71%) were ACS faculty. Scholarship recipients had higher median total publications compared with nonrecipients at assistant and associate ranks but not at full professor rank. For all ranks, scholarship recipients were more likely to have NIH funding compared with nonrecipients (33% vs. 11%, p < 0.05). On multivariable analysis, only NIH funding was associated with increased total publications, with an average of 89 more publications over a career (p < 0.05). Research scholarships granted by acute care surgery professional organizations remain largely among ACS faculty in Top 55 NIH-funded departments of surgery. Among junior ACS faculty, recipients are associated with increased academic productivity and NIH funding. To fill the academic productivity gap among junior ACSs

  6. 75 FR 1395 - General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee; Amendment of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-01-11

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2009-N-0606] General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee; Amendment of Notice...) is announcing an amendment to the notice of a meeting of the General and Plastic Surgery Devices...

  7. Prophylactic antibiotics in plastic surgery: trends of use over 25 years of an evolving specialty.

    PubMed

    Lyle, W Glenn; Outlaw, Kitti; Krizek, Thomas J; Koss, Neal; Payne, Wyatt G; Robson, Martin C

    2003-05-01

    Infection complicating a plastic-surgery procedure can be a catastrophic event, both for the patient and the surgeon. Surveys published in 1975 and 1985 demonstrated the "usual and customary" practices of plastic surgeons with regard to the use of prophylactic antibiotics. The objective of this study was to determine plastic surgeons' current use of prophylactic antibiotics, to compare these data with similar data from 1975 and 1985, and to gain relevant information regarding newer aesthetic procedures. We conducted a survey of members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons to elicit information on the frequency and timing of and modifying influences on their use of prophylactic antibiotics for plastic surgery procedures. The data we compiled were compared with the 1985 and 1975 data. Respondents returned 1804 questionnaires, for a 35% response rate. Antibiotic usage increased by 100% in nearly half of the operative categories surveyed since 1985 (P = .001). Aesthetic procedures were most common in this group. In 7 procedures, usage increased by 200% (P = 0.001). These categories included rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, rhytidectomy, and arm contouring. The use of prophylactic antibiotics by plastic surgeons is increasing, especially in aesthetic procedures. A review of the literature indicates that this increase in use is not based on scientific evidence of increased incidence of infection or on increased evidence of efficacy. The necessary data to provide scientific guidelines for antibiotic usage in plastic surgery do not exist. (Aesthetic Surg J 2003;23:177-183.).

  8. Discrepancies Between Plastic Surgery Meeting Abstracts and Subsequent Full-Length Manuscript Publications.

    PubMed

    Denadai, Rafael; Araujo, Gustavo Henrique; Pinho, Andre Silveira; Denadai, Rodrigo; Samartine, Hugo; Raposo-Amaral, Cassio Eduardo

    2016-10-01

    The purpose of this bibliometric study was to assess the discrepancies between plastic surgery meeting abstracts and subsequent full-length manuscript publications. Abstracts presented at the Brazilian Congress of Plastic Surgery from 2010 to 2011 were compared with matching manuscript publications. Discrepancies between the abstract and the subsequent manuscript were categorized as major (changes in the purpose, methods, study design, sample size, statistical analysis, results, and conclusions) and minor (changes in the title and authorship) variations. The overall discrepancy rate was 96 %, with at least one major (76 %) and/or minor (96 %) variation. There were inconsistencies between the study title (56 %), authorship (92 %), purpose (6 %), methods (20 %), study design (36 %), sample size (51.2 %), statistical analysis (14 %), results (20 %), and conclusions (8 %) of manuscripts compared with their corresponding meeting abstracts. As changes occur before manuscript publication of plastic surgery meeting abstracts, caution should be exercised in referencing abstracts or altering surgical practices based on abstracts' content. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

  9. The Application of Three-Dimensional Surface Imaging System in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

    PubMed

    Li, Yanqi; Yang, Xin; Li, Dong

    2016-02-01

    Three-dimensional (3D) surface imaging system has gained popularity worldwide in clinical application. Unlike computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, it has the ability to capture 3D images with both shape and texture information. This feature has made it quite useful for plastic surgeons. This review article is mainly focusing on demonstrating the current status and analyzing the future of the application of 3D surface imaging systems in plastic and reconstructive surgery.Currently, 3D surface imaging system is mainly used in plastic and reconstructive surgery to help improve the reliability of surgical planning and assessing surgical outcome objectively. There have already been reports of its using on plastic and reconstructive surgery from head to toe. Studies on facial aging process, online applications development, and so on, have also been done through the use of 3D surface imaging system.Because different types of 3D surface imaging devices have their own advantages and disadvantages, a basic knowledge of their features is required and careful thought should be taken to choose the one that best fits a surgeon's demand.In the future, by integrating with other imaging tools and the 3D printing technology, 3D surface imaging system will play an important role in individualized surgical planning, implants production, meticulous surgical simulation, operative techniques training, and patient education.

  10. Generation Y and the Integrated Plastic Surgery Residency Match: A Cross-sectional Study of the 2011 Match Outcomes

    PubMed Central

    Narayan, Deepak

    2013-01-01

    Background: Plastic surgery is the most competitive specialty in medicine. We sought to identify factors associated with the successful match of generation Y applicants into integrated plastic surgery residency. Methods: We utilized the most recent data from the Charting Outcomes in the Match published by the National Resident Matching Program in 2011. We had data on US senior or independent applicant status, Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) status, attendance of top 40 medical schools, advanced degree status, and number of contiguous ranks within plastic surgery. Our main outcome measure was match status. Results: A total of 81 out of 197 applicants (41.1%) successfully matched into integrated plastic surgery in the 2011 main match. US seniors matched at a significantly higher rate compared to independent applicants (44.0% vs 24.1%, P = 0.044). Matched US seniors were more likely to have AOA membership compared to unmatched US seniors (45.9% vs 27.7%, P = 0.014) and attend a top 40 medical school (52.7% vs 35.1%, P = 0.022). There were no differences in terms of advanced degrees between matched and unmatched US seniors. Unmatched US seniors were more likely to have 3 or fewer contiguous ranks of plastic surgery residency programs than matched US seniors (86.2% vs 68.9%, P = 0.007). Conclusions: US senior status, AOA membership, and attendance at a top 40 medical school are predictors of matching into integrated plastic surgery. Program directors need to be aware of the background of the millennial applicants to recruit and maintain top residents. PMID:25289227

  11. Nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics in plastic surgery: The next frontier

    PubMed Central

    Tan, Aaron; Chawla, Reema; Natasha, G; Mahdibeiraghdar, Sara; Jeyaraj, Rebecca; Rajadas, Jayakumar; Hamblin, Michael R.; Seifalian, Alexander M.

    2015-01-01

    Summary The rapid ascent of nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics as applied to medicine and surgery has seen an exponential rise in the scale of research generated in this field. This is evidenced not only by the sheer volume of papers dedicated to nanotechnology but also in a large number of new journals dedicated to nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics specifically to medicine and surgery. Aspects of nanotechnology that have already brought benefits to these areas include advanced drug delivery platforms, molecular imaging and materials engineering for surgical implants. Particular areas of interest include nerve regeneration, burns and wound care, artificial skin with nanoelectronic sensors and head and neck surgery. This study presents a review of nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics, with focus on its applications and implications in plastic surgery. PMID:26422652

  12. Surgical management of necrotizing cellulitis: Results of a survey conducted in French plastic surgery departments.

    PubMed

    Niddam, J; Bosc, R; Hersant, B; Bouhassira, J; Meningaud, J-P

    2016-10-01

    Necrotizing cellulitis (NC) is a severe infection of the skin and soft tissues, requiring an urgent multidisciplinary approach. We aimed to clarify the surgical management of NC in French plastic surgery departments. Thirty-two French plastic surgery departments were invited to complete a survey sent by email. Questions focused on diagnostic and therapeutic management of NC in France. Twenty-five plastic surgery departments completed the survey (78%) and each center had a lead plastic surgeon. Overall, 88% of surgeons declared to have managed at least five NC patients within the year. The plastic surgeon was the lead surgical specialist for NC in 80% of cases. Conversely, 76% of interviewed facilities reported not to have any lead medical specialist. Time between surgical indication and surgical management was less than six hours in 92% of cases. Overall, 24% of responding facilities declared that access to the operating room never delayed management. Finally, 80% of facilities declared to be in favor of dedicated care pathways to improve the management of necrotizing cellulitis patients. Our study results highlight the heterogeneity of necrotizing cellulitis management in France. The lack of a dedicated care pathway may lead to diagnostic and treatment delays. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  13. Elevation: developing a mentorship model to raise the next generation of plastic surgery professionals.

    PubMed

    Wagner, Ida Janelle; Hultman, Charles Scott

    2013-05-01

    To elucidate the components of professionalism specific to plastic surgery, we surveyed surgeons, anesthesiologists, and fourth-year medical students at a public university. We sought to define the central components of professionalism in plastic surgery, to determine the difference in perception of professionalism by plastic surgeons (PSs), compared to other practitioners (OPs), and to improve education in professionalism by obtaining data on attitudes of professionalism among practitioners. Using SurveyMonkey, we distributed a questionnaire to members of the Departments of Surgery and Anesthesia and fourth-year medical students. The responses of PSs (n = 22) were compared to non-plastic surgeons (OPs, n = 294). Of the 594 participants, 316 completed the survey (response rate, 53%). Participants consisted of 211 (66.8%) medical students, 60 (19%) residents, 5 (1.6%) fellows, 28 (8.9%) attending physicians, 6 (1.9%) nonphysician providers, and 6 (1.9%) administrators. Both PS and OP listed "the development and conformance to a body of ethics" the most important component of professionalism. Most participants thought that professionalism could be taught, and assessed. Plastic surgeons listed "not enough mentors" (63.2%) as the main obstacle to teaching professionalism, whereas OP listed "not a priority in medical school curriculum" (48.2%). Both PS and OP cited substance abuse, fraud, and sexual misconduct as egregious displays of unprofessional behavior. Opinions differed between the groups, regarding aspects of professionalism pertaining to plastic surgery. When asked about "charity raffles" for cosmetic surgery, 72.2% of PS ranked this as a 4 or 5 (with 5 representing the most unprofessional behavior), compared to only 46.7% of OP who assigned this a 4 or 5. For the scenario of a PS deceiving patients, by showing them another surgeon's before and after photographs, 84.2% of PS assigned this a 4 or 5, whereas 71.0% of OP ranked this a 4 or 5. Both groups cited

  14. The Impact of Financial Conflicts of Interest in Plastic Surgery: Are They All Created Equal?

    PubMed

    Lopez, Joseph; Juan, Ilona; Wu, Adela; Samaha, Georges; Cho, Brian; Luck, J D; Soni, Ashwin; Milton, Jacqueline; May, James W; Tufaro, Anthony P; Dorafshar, Amir H

    2016-08-01

    Recently, several studies have demonstrated that articles that disclose conflicts of interests (COI) are associated with publication of positive results. The purpose of this study was to learn more about the different types of COI as they relate to the general topic of COI in plastic surgery. Specifically, we aimed to examine whether different types of COI are more likely than others to be associated with the presentation of positive findings. We reviewed all original articles in Annals of Plastic Surgery, Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery, and Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2013. All scientific articles were analyzed, and several article characteristics were extracted. Disclosed COI were categorized into the following categories: consultant/employee, royalties/stock options, and research support. The findings reported in each article abstract were blindly graded as reporting a positive, negative, neutral, or not applicable result. A multivariable analysis was performed to determine whether an association existed between certain types of COI and publication of positive conclusions. A total of 3124 articles were identified of which 1185 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Financial COI were reported in 153 studies (12.9%). The most common type of COI was "research support" (7.3%), whereas the least common was "royalties/stock options" (1.2%). Rates of different types of COI varied significantly by plastic surgery subspecialty field (P < 0.001). In the multivariable analysis, authors who disclosed COI related to research support, consultant/employee, and royalties/stock options were 1.31, 6.62, and 8.72 times more likely, respectively, to publish positive findings when compared with authors that disclosed no COI after correcting for potential confounding factors. However, consultancy/employee status was the only COI category statistically associated with publication of positive results (P < 0.001). Self

  15. The Future of Basic Science in Academic Surgery

    PubMed Central

    Keswani, Sundeep G.; Moles, Chad M.; Morowitz, Michael; Zeh, Herbert; Kuo, John S.; Levine, Matthew H.; Cheng, Lily S.; Hackam, David J.; Ahuja, Nita; Goldstein, Allan M.

    2017-01-01

    Objective The aim of this study was to examine the challenges confronting surgeons performing basic science research in today’s academic surgery environment. Summary of Background Data Multiple studies have identified challenges confronting surgeon-scientists and impacting their ability to be successful. Although these threats have been known for decades, the downward trend in the number of successful surgeon-scientists continues. Clinical demands, funding challenges, and other factors play important roles, but a rigorous analysis of academic surgeons and their experiences regarding these issues has not previously been performed. Methods An online survey was distributed to 2504 members of the Association for Academic Surgery and Society of University Surgeons to determine factors impacting success. Survey results were subjected to statistical analyses. We also reviewed publicly available data regarding funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Results NIH data revealed a 27% decline in the proportion of NIH funding to surgical departments relative to total NIH funding from 2007 to 2014. A total of 1033 (41%) members responded to our survey, making this the largest survey of academic surgeons to date. Surgeons most often cited the following factors as major impediments to pursuing basic investigation: pressure to be clinically productive, excessive administrative responsibilities, difficulty obtaining extramural funding, and desire for work-life balance. Surprisingly, a majority (68%) did not believe surgeons can be successful basic scientists in today’s environment, including departmental leadership. Conclusions We have identified important barriers that confront academic surgeons pursuing basic research and a perception that success in basic science may no longer be achievable. These barriers need to be addressed to ensure the continued development of future surgeon-scientists. PMID:27643928

  16. The Quality of Systematic Reviews in Head and Neck Microsurgery: A Perspective from Plastic Surgery and Otolaryngology.

    PubMed

    Sun, Beatrice J; Tijerina, Jonathan; Nazerali, Rahim S; Lee, Gordon K

    2018-05-01

    In recent years, there has been a push to publish higher level of evidence studies in medicine, particularly in plastic surgery. Well-conducted systematic reviews are considered the strongest level of evidence in medicine, recently becoming the key process indicators for quality delivery. A varying quality of systematic reviews, however, has led to concerns of their validity in clinical decision-making. We perform a quality analysis of systematic reviews published in head and neck microsurgery by the surgical specialties of plastic surgery and otolaryngology. An evaluation of systematic reviews published on microsurgery in 13 high-impact surgical journals was conducted by searching PubMed and Scopus. Two authors independently performed searches, screened for eligibility, and extracted data from included articles. Discrepancies were resolved by discussion and consensus. Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) criteria were used to assess methodological quality. The initial database search retrieved 166 articles. After removing duplicates, screening titles and abstracts, 26 articles remained for full text review. Seven did not focus on head and neck microsurgery and were further excluded, leaving 19 systematic reviews for final analysis. Of those, 10 systematic reviews were published by otolaryngology, and 9 were published by plastic surgery. Median AMSTAR score was 8 for otolaryngology, 7 for plastic surgery, and 8 overall, reflecting "fair to good" quality. The number of systematic reviews on head and neck microsurgery markedly increased over time. Of note, both the AMSTAR score and the number of systematic reviews published by plastic surgery have steadily increased from 2014 to 2016, whereas those published by otolaryngology have remained relatively stable since 2010. Our review shows a trend toward publishing more systematic reviews. The increasing quantity and quality of systematic reviews published by plastic surgeons indicates recognition in the

  17. Does intentional support of degree programs in general surgery residency affect research productivity or pursuit of academic surgery?

    PubMed

    Joshua Smith, Jesse; Patel, Ravi K; Chen, Xi; Tarpley, Margaret J; Terhune, Kyla P

    2014-01-01

    Many residents supplement general surgery training with years of dedicated research, and an increasing number at our institution pursue additional degrees. We sought to determine whether it was worth the financial cost for residency programs to support degrees. We reviewed graduating chief residents (n = 69) in general surgery at Vanderbilt University from 2001 to 2010 and collected the data including research time and additional degrees obtained. We then compared this information with the following parameters: (1) total papers, (2) first-author papers, (3) Journal Citation Reports impact factors of journals in which papers were published, and (4) first job after residency or fellowship training. The general surgery resident training program at Vanderbilt University is an academic program, approved to finish training 7 chief residents yearly during the time period studied. Chief residents in general surgery at Vanderbilt who finished their training 2001 through 2010. We found that completion of a degree during residency was significantly associated with more total and first-author publications as compared with those by residents with only dedicated research time (p = 0.001 and p = 0.017). Residents completing a degree also produced publications of a higher caliber and level of authorship as determined by an adjusted resident impact factor score as compared with those by residents with laboratory research time only (p = 0.005). Degree completion also was significantly correlated with a first job in academia if compared to those with dedicated research time only (p = 0.046). Our data support the utility of degree completion when economically feasible and use of dedicated research time as an effective way to significantly increase research productivity and retain graduates in academic surgery. Aggregating data from other academic surgery programs would allow us to further determine association of funding of additional degrees as a means to encourage academic

  18. Volunteers in plastic surgery guidelines for providing surgical care for children in the less developed world: part II. Ethical considerations.

    PubMed

    Schneider, William J; Migliori, Mark R; Gosain, Arun K; Gregory, George; Flick, Randall

    2011-09-01

    Many international volunteer groups provide free reconstructive plastic surgery for the poor and underserved in developing countries. An essential issue in providing this care is that it meets consistent guidelines for both quality and safety-a topic that has been addressed previously. An equally important consideration is how to provide that care in an ethical manner. No literature presently addresses the various issues involved in making those decisions. With these ethical considerations in mind, the Volunteers in Plastic Surgery Committee of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons/Plastic Surgery Foundation undertook a project to create a comprehensive set of guidelines for volunteer groups planning to provide this type of reconstructive plastic surgery in developing countries. The committee worked in conjunction with the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia on this project. The Board of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons/Plastic Surgery Foundation has approved the ethical guidelines created for the delivery of care in developing countries. The guidelines address the variety of ethical decisions that may be faced by a team working in an underdeveloped country. These guidelines make it possible for a humanitarian effort to anticipate the types of ethical decisions that are often encountered and be prepared to deal with them appropriately. Any group seeking to undertake an international mission trip in plastic surgery should be able to go to one source to find a detailed discussion of the perceived needs in providing ethical humanitarian care. This document was created to satisfy that need and is a companion to our original guidelines addressing safety and quality.

  19. Combined Soft and Hard Tissue Peri-Implant Plastic Surgery Techniques to Enhance Implant Rehabilitation: A Case Report

    PubMed Central

    Baltacıoğlu, Esra; Korkmaz, Fatih Mehmet; Bağış, Nilsun; Aydın, Güven; Yuva, Pınar; Korkmaz, Yavuz Tolga; Bağış, Bora

    2014-01-01

    This case report presents an implant-aided prosthetic treatment in which peri-implant plastic surgery techniques were applied in combination to satisfactorily attain functional aesthetic expectations. Peri-implant plastic surgery enables the successful reconstruction and restoration of the balance between soft and hard tissues and allows the option of implant-aided fixed prosthetic rehabilitation. PMID:25489351

  20. Emerging Applications of Bedside 3D Printing in Plastic Surgery

    PubMed Central

    Chae, Michael P.; Rozen, Warren M.; McMenamin, Paul G.; Findlay, Michael W.; Spychal, Robert T.; Hunter-Smith, David J.

    2015-01-01

    Modern imaging techniques are an essential component of preoperative planning in plastic and reconstructive surgery. However, conventional modalities, including three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions, are limited by their representation on 2D workstations. 3D printing, also known as rapid prototyping or additive manufacturing, was once the province of industry to fabricate models from a computer-aided design (CAD) in a layer-by-layer manner. The early adopters in clinical practice have embraced the medical imaging-guided 3D-printed biomodels for their ability to provide tactile feedback and a superior appreciation of visuospatial relationship between anatomical structures. With increasing accessibility, investigators are able to convert standard imaging data into a CAD file using various 3D reconstruction softwares and ultimately fabricate 3D models using 3D printing techniques, such as stereolithography, multijet modeling, selective laser sintering, binder jet technique, and fused deposition modeling. However, many clinicians have questioned whether the cost-to-benefit ratio justifies its ongoing use. The cost and size of 3D printers have rapidly decreased over the past decade in parallel with the expiration of key 3D printing patents. Significant improvements in clinical imaging and user-friendly 3D software have permitted computer-aided 3D modeling of anatomical structures and implants without outsourcing in many cases. These developments offer immense potential for the application of 3D printing at the bedside for a variety of clinical applications. In this review, existing uses of 3D printing in plastic surgery practice spanning the spectrum from templates for facial transplantation surgery through to the formation of bespoke craniofacial implants to optimize post-operative esthetics are described. Furthermore, we discuss the potential of 3D printing to become an essential office-based tool in plastic surgery to assist in preoperative planning, developing

  1. Emerging Applications of Bedside 3D Printing in Plastic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Chae, Michael P; Rozen, Warren M; McMenamin, Paul G; Findlay, Michael W; Spychal, Robert T; Hunter-Smith, David J

    2015-01-01

    Modern imaging techniques are an essential component of preoperative planning in plastic and reconstructive surgery. However, conventional modalities, including three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions, are limited by their representation on 2D workstations. 3D printing, also known as rapid prototyping or additive manufacturing, was once the province of industry to fabricate models from a computer-aided design (CAD) in a layer-by-layer manner. The early adopters in clinical practice have embraced the medical imaging-guided 3D-printed biomodels for their ability to provide tactile feedback and a superior appreciation of visuospatial relationship between anatomical structures. With increasing accessibility, investigators are able to convert standard imaging data into a CAD file using various 3D reconstruction softwares and ultimately fabricate 3D models using 3D printing techniques, such as stereolithography, multijet modeling, selective laser sintering, binder jet technique, and fused deposition modeling. However, many clinicians have questioned whether the cost-to-benefit ratio justifies its ongoing use. The cost and size of 3D printers have rapidly decreased over the past decade in parallel with the expiration of key 3D printing patents. Significant improvements in clinical imaging and user-friendly 3D software have permitted computer-aided 3D modeling of anatomical structures and implants without outsourcing in many cases. These developments offer immense potential for the application of 3D printing at the bedside for a variety of clinical applications. In this review, existing uses of 3D printing in plastic surgery practice spanning the spectrum from templates for facial transplantation surgery through to the formation of bespoke craniofacial implants to optimize post-operative esthetics are described. Furthermore, we discuss the potential of 3D printing to become an essential office-based tool in plastic surgery to assist in preoperative planning, developing

  2. Body image, psychosocial functioning, and personality: how different are adolescents and young adults applying for plastic surgery?

    PubMed

    Simis, K J; Verhulst, F C; Koot, H M

    2001-07-01

    This study addressed three questions: (1) Do adolescents undergoing plastic surgery have a realistic view of their body? (2) How urgent is the psychosocial need of adolescents to undergo plastic surgery? (3) Which relations exist between bodily attitudes and psychosocial functioning and personality? From 1995 to 1997, 184 plastic surgical patients aged 12 to 22, and a comparison group of 684 adolescents and young adults from the general population aged 12 to 22 years, and their parents, were interviewed and completed questionnaires and standardised rating scales. Adolescents accepted for plastic surgery had realistic appearance attitudes and were psychologically healthy overall. Patients were equally satisfied with their overall appearance as the comparison group, but more dissatisfied with the specific body parts concerned for operation, especially when undergoing corrective operations. Patients had measurable appearance-related psychosocial problems. Patient boys reported less self-confidence on social areas than all other groups. There were very few patient-comparison group differences in correlations between bodily and psychosocial variables, indicating that bodily attitudes and satisfaction are not differentially related to psychosocial functioning and self-perception in patients than in peers. We concluded that adolescents accepted for plastic surgery have considerable appearance-related psychosocial problems, patients in the corrective group reporting more so than in the reconstructive group. Plastic surgeons may assume that these adolescents in general have a realistic attitude towards their appearance. are psychologically healthy, and are mainly dissatisfied about the body parts concerned for operation. corrective patients more so than reconstructive patients. Introverted patients may need more attention from plastic surgeons during the psychosocial assessment.

  3. The plastic surgery postcode lottery in England.

    PubMed

    Henderson, James

    2009-12-01

    The National Health Service (NHS) provides treatment free at the point of delivery to patients. Elective medical procedures in England are funded by 149 independent Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), which are each responsible for patients within a defined geographical area. There is wide variation of availability for many treatments, leading to a "postcode lottery" for healthcare provision in England. The aims were to review funding policies for cosmetic procedures, to evaluate the criteria used to decide eligibility against national guidelines, and to evaluate the extent of any postcode lottery for cosmetic surgery on the National Health Service. This study is the first comprehensive review of funding policies for cosmetic surgery in England. All PCTs in England were asked for their funding policies for cosmetic procedures including breast reduction & augmentation, removal of implants, mastopexy, abdominoplasty, facelift, blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty, pinnaplasty, body lifting, surgery for gynaecomastia and tattoo removal. Details of policies were received from 124/149 PCTs (83%). Guidelines varied widely; some refuse all procedures, whilst others allow a full range. Different and sometimes contradictory rules governing symptoms, body mass indices, breast sizes, weights, heights, and other criteria are used to assess patients for funding. Nationally produced guidelines were only followed by nine PCTs. A "postcode lottery" exists in the UK for plastic surgery procedures, despite national guidelines. Some of the more interesting findings are highlighted.

  4. Catheter use and infection reduction in plastic surgery

    PubMed Central

    Barnes, Zach J; Mahabir, Raman C

    2013-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) are the most common hospital-associated infection and can result in increased health care costs, morbidity and even mortality. In 2009, The Scott & White Memorial Hospital/Texas A&M Health Science Center (Texas, USA) system’s CAUTI rate placed it in the upper quartile (ie, highest rate) for the country, necessitating a system-wide change. OBJECTIVE: To design and implement a guideline to reduce the incidence of CAUTI. METHODS: A multidisciplinary team was formed and completed both a root cause analysis and a review of the available literature. Consolidating the best evidence, the team formulated a best practice guideline detailing the proper indications for insertion of, improper use of and techniques to minimize infection with catheters. Included as part of this protocol was nursing and patient education, changes in identifying patients with a catheter and automatic termination orders. Three-, six- and 12-month reviews identifying additional opportunities for improvement at the end of 2010 were completed. RESULTS: In 2009, the hospital’s CAUTI rate was 1.46 per 1000 catheter days. In 2011 – the first complete year of the finalized guideline – the hospital’s CAUTI rate was 0.52 per 1000 catheter days, ranking the institution in the bottom quartile (ie, lowest rate) for the country. The surgery and plastic surgery subgroup analyses also demonstrated statistically significant reduction in both catheter use and CAUTI. CONCLUSION: The incidence of CAUTI was successfully reduced at The Texas A&M Healthcare Center. The guideline, its development and how it applies to plastic surgery patients are discussed. PMID:24431946

  5. Financial conflicts of interest in plastic surgery: background, potential for bias, disclosure, and transparency.

    PubMed

    Luce, Edward A

    2015-04-01

    Relationships between physicians and industry, whether it be pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, or purveyors of medical technology, contain both an element of potential for good and a potential for harm. Certainly, the potential for good is realized when the collaboration results in improved plastic surgery patient care due to product and technology development. If the collaboration contains a financial component, the potential for harm exists in the form of a financial conflict of interest on the part of the physician. Recently, considerable discussion has been directed toward the pervasiveness of financial conflict of interest in all three arenas of the profession of medicine: education, research, and clinical practice, although an overlap exists among all three with respect to the issue of conflict of interest. This article will focus on conflict of interest in plastic surgery education, both continuing medical education for practitioners and graduate medical education for plastic surgery residents, as well as conflict of interest in research, such as conflicts related to publications in our literature.

  6. The ACAPS and SESPRS surveys to identify the most influential innovators and innovations in plastic surgery: no line on the horizon.

    PubMed

    Hultman, Charles Scott; Friedstat, Jonathan S

    2014-01-01

    Who and what have been the most influential innovators and innovations in plastic surgery? This historical paper attempts to determine our most important contributors and contributions. We conducted an anonymous, 7-question, web-based survey of all members of the American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons (ACAPS) and the Southeastern Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (SESPRS). We asked respondents to list their top 5 most influential surgeons, the most important publications or bodies of work, and the most important innovations in plastic surgery, past and present. Of the 86 nominees from ACAPS, the 15 most influential surgeons of the past century were Tessier, Buncke, Murray, Millard, Gillies, Mathes, Jurkiewicz, Taylor, Converse, Blair, Kleinert, Edgerton, McCraw, Peacock, and Brown, in that order. The most 10 influential surgeons of the current era are Rohrich, McCarthy, Wei, Lee, Siemionow, Allen, Coleman, Guyuron, Serletti, and Nahai. Of the 112 nominees from SESPRS, the 15 most influential surgeons of the past century were Gillies, Millard, Tessier, Buncke, Murray, Jurkiewicz, Hartrampf, Mathes, Taylor, Bostwick, McCraw, Furlow, Converse, Peacock, and Blair, in that order. The 10 most influential surgeons of the current era are Rohrich, Nahai, Wei, McCarthy, Coleman, MacKinnon, McGrath, Rubin, Guyuron, and Hammond. Pooled from both lists, the 10 most influential publications or bodies of work were Hartrampf's TRAM flap, Millard's cleft lip repair, McCraw/Mathes/Nahai's myocutaneous flaps, Furlow's cleft palate repair, Tessier's cleft classification and craniofacial repairs, Ramirez's components separation, Buncke's replantation/toe-to-thumb transfer, McCarthy's mandibular distraction osteogenesis, Taylor's free flap and angiosome concepts, and Murray's kidney transplant. The top 10 innovations of the 20th century were myocutaneous flaps, microsurgery, craniofacial surgery, skin grafts, transplantation, liposuction, bioimplants, distraction

  7. Clinical applications of dynamic infrared thermography in plastic surgery: a systematic review

    PubMed Central

    John, Hannah Eliza; Niumsawatt, Vachara; Whitaker, Iain S.

    2016-01-01

    Background Infrared thermography (IRT) has become an increasingly utilized adjunct to more expensive and/or invasive investigations in a range of surgical fields, no more so than in plastic surgery. The combination of functional assessment, flow characteristics and anatomical localization has led to increasing applications of this technology. This article aims to perform a systematic review of the clinical applications of IRT in plastic surgery. Methods A systematic literature search using the keywords ‘IRT’ and ‘dynamic infrared thermography (DIRT)’ has been accomplished. A total of 147 papers were extracted from various medical databases, of which 34 articles were subjected to a full read by two independent reviewers, to ensure the papers satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Studies focusing on the use of IRT in breast cancer diagnosis were excluded. Results A systematic review of 29 publications demonstrated the clinical applications of IRT in plastic surgery today. They include preoperative planning of perforators for free flaps, post operative monitoring of free flaps, use of IRT as an adjunct in burns depth analysis, in assessment of response to treatment in hemangioma and as a diagnostic test for cutaneous melanoma and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Conclusions Modern infrared imaging technology with improved standardization protocols is now a credible, useful non-invasive tool in clinical practice. PMID:27047781

  8. Early Mentoring of Medical Students and Junior Doctors on a Path to Academic Cardiothoracic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Fricke, Tyson A; Lee, Melissa G Y; Brink, Johann; d'Udekem, Yves; Brizard, Christian P; Konstantinov, Igor E

    2018-01-01

    In 2005 the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at The Royal Children's Hospital started an early academic mentoring program for medical students and junior doctors with the aim of fostering an interest in academic surgery. Between 2005 and 2015, 37 medical students and junior doctors participated in research in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at The Royal Children's Hospital. Each was given an initial project on which to obtain ethics approval, perform a literature review, data collection, statistical analysis, and prepare a manuscript for publication. A search of the names of these former students and doctors was conducted on PubMed to identify publications. A total of 113 journal articles were published in peer-reviewed journals with an average impact factor of 4.1 (range, 1.1 to 19.9). Thirty (30 of 37, 81%) published at least one article. A mean of 4.3 journal articles was published per student or junior doctor (range, 0 to 29). Eleven (11 of 37, 30%) received scholarships for their research. Nine (9 of 37, 24%) have completed or are enrolled in higher research degrees with a cardiothoracic surgery focus. Of these 9, 2 have completed doctoral degrees while in cardiothoracic surgery training. Five will complete their cardiothoracic surgery training with a doctoral degree and the other 2 are pursuing training in cardiology. A successful early academic mentoring program in a busy cardiothoracic surgery unit is feasible. Mentoring of motivated individuals in academic surgery benefits not only their medical career, but also helps maintain high academic output of the unit. Copyright © 2018 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Advanced technologies in plastic surgery: how new innovations can improve our training and practice.

    PubMed

    Grunwald, Tiffany; Krummel, Thomas; Sherman, Randy

    2004-11-01

    Over the last two decades, virtual reality, haptics, simulators, robotics, and other "advanced technologies" have emerged as important innovations in medical learning and practice. Reports on simulator applications in medicine now appear regularly in the medical, computer science, engineering, and popular literature. The goal of this article is to review the emerging intersection between advanced technologies and surgery and how new technology is being utilized in several surgical fields, particularly plastic surgery. The authors also discuss how plastic and reconstructive surgeons can benefit by working to further the development of multimedia and simulated environment technologies in surgical practice and training.

  10. Plastic Surgery on Children with Down Syndrome: Parents' Perceptions of Physical, Personal, and Social Functioning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kravetz, Shlomo; And Others

    1992-01-01

    This study compared perceptions of parents of 19 children with Down's syndrome (DS) who had undergone plastic facial surgery with perceptions of parents of DS children who had not received surgery. The comparison found little evidence of positive impact of the surgery on parents' perceptions of their children's physical, personal, and social…

  11. The Medical Mission and Modern Core Competency Training: A 10-Year Follow-Up of Resident Experiences in Global Plastic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Yao, Caroline A; Swanson, Jordan; McCullough, Meghan; Taro, Trisa B; Gutierrez, Ricardo; Bradshaw, Allison; Campbell, Alex; Magee, William P; Magee, William P

    2016-09-01

    The emphasis on cultural competency for physicians and surgeons is increasingly important, as communication with both patients and other providers significantly affects individual and system-wide outcomes. International surgical training has been shown to improve leadership skills, cultural competency, and technical proficiency of participants in short-term follow-up. This study explores the long-term impact of international surgical mission experiences on developing participants' core competencies, professional outcomes, and commitment to global health. All 208 plastic and reconstructive surgeons who completed the Operation Smile Regan/Stryker fellowship programs between 2006 and 2015 were surveyed electronically. One hundred sixty-five surveys were returned, for an overall response rate of 79.3 percent. The majority of participants reported that the fellowship positively impacted all six Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education core competencies. Most participants who were attending physicians at the time of the survey were practicing general plastic surgery, with 42 percent in an academic/teaching environment, 32 percent in assistant/associate professor positions, and 6 percent in either a program director or department chairman position. The majority currently volunteer on local or international missions, and all respondents would consider volunteering again. Carefully structured and rigorously proctored programs such as the Regan/Stryker Fellowship offer plastic surgery residents the opportunity to gain valuable professional and personal experiences that benefit them long after their service experience. Programs of this nature can not only effectively improve cultural competency of physicians, but also positively influence their attitudes toward leadership and direct that potential to meet the growing need for surgical care in low- and middle-income countries.

  12. Stem cell regenerative potential for plastic and reconstructive surgery.

    PubMed

    Boháč, Martin; Csöbönyeiová, Mária; Kupcová, Ida; Zamborský, Radoslav; Fedeleš, Jozef; Koller, Ján

    2016-12-01

    Stem cells represent heterogeneous population of undifferentiated cells with unique characteristics of long term self renewal and plasticity. Moreover, they are capable of active migration to diseased tissues, secretion of different bioactive molecules, and they have immunosuppressive potential as well. They occur in all tissues through life and are involved in process of embryogenesis and regeneration. During last decades stem cells attracted significant attention in each field of medicine, including plastic and reconstructive surgery. The main goal of the present review article is to present and discuss the potential of stem cells and to provide information about their safe utilization in chronic wounds and fistulae healing, scar management, breast reconstruction, as well as in bone, tendon and peripheral nerve regeneration.

  13. The Impact of Specialty on Cases Performed During Hand Surgery Fellowship Training.

    PubMed

    Silvestre, Jason; Upton, Joseph; Chang, Benjamin; Steinberg, David R

    2018-03-07

    Hand surgery fellowship programs in the United States are predominately sponsored by departments or divisions of orthopaedic surgery or plastic surgery. This study compares the operative experiences of hand surgery fellows graduating from orthopaedic or plastic surgery hand surgery fellowships. Operative case logs of 3 cohorts of hand surgery fellows graduating during the academic years of 2012-2013, 2013-2014, and 2014-2015 were analyzed. The median case volumes were compared by specialty via Mann-Whitney U tests. An arbitrary 1,000% change between the 90th and 10th percentiles of fellows was used as a threshold to highlight case categories with substantial variability. In this study, 413 orthopaedic hand surgery fellows (87%) and 62 plastic surgery hand surgery fellows (13%) were included. Plastic surgery fellows reported more cases in the following categories: wound closure with graft; wound reconstruction with flap; vascular repair, reconstruction, replantation, or microvascular; closed treatment of fracture or dislocation; nerve injury; and congenital (p < 0.05). Orthopaedic surgery fellows reported more cases in the following categories: wound irrigation and debridement fasciotomy or wound preparation; hand reconstruction or releases; wrist reconstruction, releases, or arthrodesis; forearm, elbow, or shoulder reconstruction or releases; hand fractures, dislocation, or ligament injury; wrist fractures or dislocations; forearm and proximal fractures or dislocations; miscellaneous insertion or removal of devices; shoulder arthroscopy, elbow arthroscopy, and wrist arthroscopy; decompression of tendon sheath, synovectomy, or ganglions; nerve decompression; Dupuytren; and tumor or osteomyelitis (p < 0.05). Plastic surgery fellows reported substantial variability for 12 case categories (range, 1,024% to 2,880%). Orthopaedic surgery fellows reported substantial variability for 9 case categories (range, 1,110% to 9,700%). Orthopaedic and plastic hand surgery

  14. [Tobacco and plastic surgery: An absolute contraindication?

    PubMed

    Matusiak, C; De Runz, A; Maschino, H; Brix, M; Simon, E; Claudot, F

    2017-08-01

    Smoking increases perioperative risk regarding wound healing, infection rate and failure of microsurgical procedures. There is no present consensus about plastic and aesthetic surgical indications concerning smoking patients. The aim of our study is to analyze French plastic surgeons practices concerning smokers. A questionnaire was send by e-mail to French plastic surgeons in order to evaluate their own operative indications: patient information about smoking dangers, pre- and postoperative delay of smoking cessation, type of intervention carried out, smoking cessation supports, use of screening test and smoking limit associated to surgery refusing were studied. Statistical tests were used to compare results according to practitioner activity (liberal or public), own smoking habits and time of installation. In 148 questionnaires, only one surgeon did not explain smoking risk. Of the surgeons, 49.3% proposed smoking-cessation supports, more frequently with public practice (P=0.019). In total, 85.4% of surgeons did not use screening tests. Years of installation affected operative indication with smoking patients (P=0.02). Pre- and postoperative smoking cessation delay were on average respectively 4 and 3 weeks in accordance with literature. Potential improvements could be proposed to smoking patients' care: smoking cessation assistance, screening tests, absolute contraindication of some procedures or level of consumption to determine. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  15. A Systematic Review of the Role of Robotics in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery-From Inception to the Future.

    PubMed

    Dobbs, Thomas D; Cundy, Olivia; Samarendra, Harsh; Khan, Khurram; Whitaker, Iain Stuart

    2017-01-01

    The use of robots in surgery has become commonplace in many specialties. In this systematic review, we report on the current uses of robotics in plastic and reconstructive surgery and looks to future roles for robotics in this arena. A systematic literature search of Medline, EMBASE, and Scopus was performed using appropriate search terms in order to identify all applications of robot-assistance in plastic and reconstructive surgery. All articles were reviewed by two authors and a qualitative synthesis performed of those articles that met the inclusion criteria. The systematic review and results were conducted and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. A total of 7,904 articles were identified for title and abstract review. Sixty-eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Robotic assistance in plastic and reconstructive surgery is still in its infancy, with areas such as trans-oral robotic surgery and microvascular procedures the dominant areas of interest currently. A number of benefits have been shown over conventional open surgery, such as improved access and greater dexterity; however, these must be balanced against disadvantages such as the lack of haptic feedback and cost implications. The feasibility of robotic plastic surgery has been demonstrated in several specific indications. As technology, knowledge, and skills in this area improve, these techniques have the potential to contribute positively to patient and provider experience and outcomes.

  16. Obesity is associated with increased health care charges in patients undergoing outpatient plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Sieffert, Michelle R; Fox, Justin P; Abbott, Lindsay E; Johnson, R Michael

    2015-05-01

    Obesity is associated with greater rates of surgical complications. To address these complications after outpatient plastic surgery, obese patients may seek care in the emergency department and potentially require admission to the hospital, which could result in greater health care charges. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of obesity, postdischarge hospital-based acute care, and hospital charges within 30 days of outpatient plastic surgery. From state ambulatory surgery center databases in four states, all discharges for adult patients who underwent liposuction, abdominoplasty, breast reduction, and blepharoplasty were identified. Patients were grouped by the presence or absence of obesity. Multivariable regression models were used to compare the frequency of hospital-based acute care, serious adverse events, and hospital charges within 30 days between groups while controlling for confounding variables. The final sample included 47,741 discharges, with 2052 of these discharges (4.3 percent) being obese. Obese patients more frequently had a hospital-based acute care encounter [7.3 percent versus 3.9 percent; adjusted OR, 1.35 (95% CI,1.13 to 1.61)] or serious adverse event [3.2 percent versus 0.9 percent; adjusted OR, 1.73 (95% CI, 1.30 to 2.29)] within 30 days of surgery. Obese patients had adjusted hospital charges that were, on average, $3917, $7412, and $7059 greater (p < 0.01) than those of nonobese patients after liposuction, abdominoplasty, and breast reduction, respectively. Obese patients who undergo common outpatient plastic surgery procedures incur substantially greater health care charges, in part attributable to more frequent adverse events and hospital-based health care within 30 days of surgery. Risk, II.

  17. Clinical Application of Platelet-Rich Fibrin in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Yu, Panxi; Zhai, Zhen; Jin, Xiaolei; Yang, Xiaonan; Qi, Zuoliang

    2018-04-01

    Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) has been applied in the clinical field for more than a decade, but largely in oral surgery and implant dentistry. Its utilization in plastic and reconstructive surgery is limited and lacking a comprehensive review. Hence, this article focuses on the various clinical applications of PRF pertaining to the plastic and reconstructive field through a systematic review. In this review, articles describing the clinical application of PRF in plastic and reconstructive surgery were screened using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The articles were summarized and divided into groups based on the utilization of PRF. The effects and complications of PRF were analyzed and concluded. Among the 634 articles searched, 7 articles describing 151 cases are eligible. PRF was applied on 116 (76.8%) wounds to facilitate tissue healing, and the complete wound closure rate was 91.4% (106/116). Otherwise, PRF was applied in 10 (6.6%) cases of zygomaticomaxillary fracture to reconstruct orbital floor defects and in 25 (16.6%) cases of facial autologous fat grafts to increase the fat retention rate successfully. There is no report of PRF-related complications. PRF could facilitate wound healing, including the healing of soft tissues and bony tissues, and facilitate fat survival rate. Further studies are needed to test the mechanism of PRF and expand its scope of application in plastic and reconstructive surgery. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

  18. Big Data and Machine Learning in Plastic Surgery: A New Frontier in Surgical Innovation.

    PubMed

    Kanevsky, Jonathan; Corban, Jason; Gaster, Richard; Kanevsky, Ari; Lin, Samuel; Gilardino, Mirko

    2016-05-01

    Medical decision-making is increasingly based on quantifiable data. From the moment patients come into contact with the health care system, their entire medical history is recorded electronically. Whether a patient is in the operating room or on the hospital ward, technological advancement has facilitated the expedient and reliable measurement of clinically relevant health metrics, all in an effort to guide care and ensure the best possible clinical outcomes. However, as the volume and complexity of biomedical data grow, it becomes challenging to effectively process "big data" using conventional techniques. Physicians and scientists must be prepared to look beyond classic methods of data processing to extract clinically relevant information. The purpose of this article is to introduce the modern plastic surgeon to machine learning and computational interpretation of large data sets. What is machine learning? Machine learning, a subfield of artificial intelligence, can address clinically relevant problems in several domains of plastic surgery, including burn surgery; microsurgery; and craniofacial, peripheral nerve, and aesthetic surgery. This article provides a brief introduction to current research and suggests future projects that will allow plastic surgeons to explore this new frontier of surgical science.

  19. Residency characteristics that matter most to plastic surgery applicants: a multi-institutional analysis and review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Sinno, Sammy; Mehta, Karan; Squitieri, Lee; Ranganathan, Kavitha; Koeckert, Michael S; Patel, Ashit; Saadeh, Pierre B; Thanik, Vishal

    2015-06-01

    The National Residency Matching Program Match is a very unique process in which applicants and programs are coupled to each other based on a ranking system. Although several studies have assessed features plastic surgery programs look for in applicants, no study in the present plastic surgery literature identifies which residency characteristics are most important to plastic surgery applicants. Therefore, we sought to perform a multi-institutional assessment as to which factors plastic surgery residency applicants consider most important when applying for residency. A validated and anonymous questionnaire containing 37 items regarding various program characteristics was e-mailed to 226 applicants to New York University, Albany, University of Michigan, and University of Southern California plastic surgery residency programs. Applicants were asked to rate each feature on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the most important. The 37 variables were ranked by the sum of the responses. The median rating and interquartile range as well as the mean for each factor was then calculated. A Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to compare medians in rank order. A total of 137 completed questionnaires were returned, yielding a 61% response rate. The characteristics candidates considered most important were impressions during the interview, experiences during away rotations, importance placed on resident training/support/mentoring by faculty, personal experiences with residents, and the amount of time spent in general surgery. The characteristics candidates considered least important were second-look experiences, compensation/benefits, program reputation from Internet forums, accessibility of program coordinator, opportunity for laboratory research, and fellowship positions available at the program. Applicants value personal contact and time spent in general surgery when selecting residency programs. As the number of integrated programs continues to grow, programs will benefit

  20. The Rise of Technology in Plastic Surgery Education: Is the Textbook Dead on Arrival (DOA)?

    PubMed

    Waltzman, Joshua T; Tadisina, Kashyap K; Zins, James E

    2016-02-01

    Over the past decade there has been a dramatic rise in the use of technology. Evaluating our use of technology is crucial to advancing the next generation of plastic surgeons. The goals of this study were to assess the current use of technology by residents, help Program Directors allocate financial resources, and predict the future of technology and education. A 17-question online survey was emailed to American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery resident/fellow members (n = 447). The survey evaluated current use of technology, preferred use of educational resources, and directions for the future. Ample space was allocated for free response questions. The response rate was 40%. The average age of respondents was 32 years old (standard deviation 3.7). The majority (86.5%) of residents own iPhones, and 90% of residents own tablets. There was a heavy daily reliance on smartphone technology. Sixty percent of residents used physical textbooks on a weekly basis. The Plastic Surgery Education Network was used on a weekly basis by 42% of residents. In contrast, 78% of residents were not aware of, or had never used, the readily available digital aesthetic resource (RADAR) Resource iPad application. In order to remain at the forefront of education, we as a specialty need to adapt with technology. Program Directors should support integrating technology with electronic access to educational materials. There exists an opportunity in resident education to increase awareness and utilization of the RADAR Resource. The future of plastic surgery education will be reliant on platforms like the iPhone and iPad to conveniently provide large volumes of information with only a finger touch. © 2015 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  1. Parents Speak Out: Facial Plastic Surgery for Children with Down Syndrome.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goeke, Jennifer

    2003-01-01

    This qualitative study examined comments of 250 parents of children with Down syndrome concerning facial plastic surgery as a means of improving the physical functioning, appearance, and social acceptance of these children. Most respondents viewed improvement of negative societal attitudes toward individuals with Down syndrome and futhering their…

  2. Journalism and Academic Surgery: The Denver Post and The American Surgeon.

    PubMed

    Nakayama, Don K

    2015-07-01

    Publication in professional journals is where advancements in surgery are reported and verified. Thus academic surgery holds common ground with journalism, where the principles of service, communication, and integrity are the basis of their public trust and standing in society. Writing for the Denver Post the author learned lessons that are relevant to academic surgery. Facts have to be solid. There are important issues to be discussed. Articles have to be interesting and not tiresome to read. And if it's something new--the essence of news--get it out there first. The American Surgeon embodies the same principles. The journal is a place where members of the Southeastern Surgical Congress discuss important matters, like surgical education, and share stories of interest, like a Japanese surgeon trying to treat victims of nuclear war. It is accessible yet disciplined, dedicated to advancing our field and fostering fellowship and communication among its members.

  3. Gender inequality in career advancement for females in Japanese academic surgery.

    PubMed

    Okoshi, Kae; Nomura, Kyoko; Fukami, Kayo; Tomizawa, Yasuko; Kobayashi, Katsutoshi; Kinoshita, Koichi; Sakai, Yoshiharu

    2014-11-01

    During the past three decades, the participation of women in medicine has increased from 10.6% (1986) to 19.7% (2012) in Japan. However, women continue to be underrepresented in the top tiers of academic medicine. We highlight gender inequality and discuss the difficulties faced by female surgeons in Japanese academic surgery. Using anonymous and aggregate employment data of medical doctors at Kyoto University Hospital from 2009 and 2013, and a commercially-published faculty roster in 2012-2013, we compared gender balance stratified by a professional and an academic rank. The numbers of total and female doctors who worked at Kyoto University Hospital were 656 and 132 (20.1%) in 2009 and 655 and 132 (20.2%) in 2013, respectively. Approximately half the men (n = 281) were in temporary track and the rest (n = 242) were in tenure track, but only one fifth of women (n = 24) were in tenure track compared to 108 women in temporary track (p < 0.0001) in 2013. There were three female associate professors in basic medicine (8.1%), two female professors in clinical non-surgical medicine (3.9%) and one female lecturer in clinical surgical medicine (2.3%) in 2012. Fewer female doctors were at senior positions and at tenure positions than male doctors at Kyoto University Hospital. There were no female associate and full professors in surgery. The status of faculty members indicates the gender differences in leadership opportunities in Japanese academic surgery.

  4. Academic Productivity of Faculty Associated With Craniofacial Surgery Fellowship Programs.

    PubMed

    Ruan, Qing Zhao; Ricci, Joseph A; Silvestre, Jason; Ho, Olivia A; Ganor, Oren; Lee, Bernard T

    2017-11-01

    The H-index is increasingly being used as a measure of academic productivity and has been applied to various surgical disciplines. Here the authors calculate the H-index of craniofacial surgery fellowship faculty in North America in order to determine its utility for academic productivity among craniofacial surgeons. A list of fellowship programs was obtained from the website of the American Society of Craniofacial Surgery. Faculty demographics and institution characteristics were obtained from official program websites and the H-index was calculated using Scopus (Elsevier, USA). Data were assessed using bivariate analysis tools (Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests) to determine the relationship between independent variables and career publications, H-index and 5-year H-index (H5-index) of faculty. Dunn test for multiple comparisons was also calculated. A total of 102 faculty members from 29 craniofacial surgery fellowship programs were identified and included. Faculty demographics reflected a median age of 48 (interquartile range [IQR] 13), a predominantly male sample (88/102, 89.7%), and the rank of assistant professor being the most common among faculty members (41/102, 40.2%). Median of career publications per faculty was 37 (IQR 52.5) and medians of H-index and H5-index were 10.0 (IQR 13.75) and 3.5 (IQR 3.25), respectively. Greater age, male gender, Fellow of the American College of Surgeons membership, higher academic rank, and program affiliation with ranked research medical schools were significantly associated with higher H-indices. Variables associated with seniority were positively associated with the H-index. These results suggest that the H-index may be used as an adjunct in determining academic productivity for promotions among craniofacial surgeons.

  5. Developing Cognitive Task Analysis-based Educational Videos for Basic Surgical Skills in Plastic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Yeung, Celine; McMillan, Catherine; Saun, Tomas J; Sun, Kimberly; D'hondt, Veerle; von Schroeder, Herbert P; Martou, Glykeria; Lee, Matthew; Liao, Elizabeth; Binhammer, Paul

    To describe the development of cognitive task analysis (CTA)-based multimedia educational videos for surgical trainees in plastic surgery. A needs assessment survey was used to identify 5 plastic surgery skills on which to focus the educational videos. Three plastic surgeons were video-recorded performing each skill while describing the procedure, and were interviewed with probing questions. Three medical student reviewers coded transcripts and categorized each step into "action," "decision," or "assessment," and created a cognitive demands table (CDT) for each skill. The CDTs were combined into 1 table that was reviewed by the surgeons performing each skill to ensure accuracy. The final CDTs were compared against each surgeon's original transcripts. The total number of steps identified, percentage of steps shared, and the average percentage of steps omitted were calculated. Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, an urban tertiary care teaching center. Canadian junior plastic surgery residents (n = 78) were sent a needs assessment survey. Four plastic surgeons and 1 orthopedic surgeon performed the skills. Twenty-eight residents responded to the survey (36%). Subcuticular suturing, horizontal and vertical mattress suturing, hand splinting, digital nerve block, and excisional biopsy had the most number of residents (>80%) rank the skills as being skills that students should be able to perform before entering residency. The number of steps identified through CTA ranged from 12 to 29. Percentage of steps shared by all 3 surgeons for each skill ranged from 30% to 48%, while the average percentage of steps that were omitted by each surgeon ranged from 27% to 40%. Instructional videos for basic surgical skills may be generated using CTA to help experts provide comprehensive descriptions of a procedure. A CTA-based educational tool may give trainees access to a broader, objective body of knowledge, allowing them to learn decision-making processes

  6. Medical Ethics in Plastic Surgery: A Mini Review

    PubMed Central

    Nejadsarvari, Nasrin; Ebrahimi, Ali; Ebrahimi, Azin; Hashem-Zade, Haleh

    2016-01-01

    Currently, cosmetic surgery is spread around the world. Several factors are involved in this rapidly evolving field such as socio-economic development, changes in cultural norms, globalization and the effects of Western culture, advertising, media, and mental disorders. Nowadays the cosmetic surgery is becoming a profitable business, which deals exclusively with human appearance and less from the perspective of beauty based on physical protests and considering factors such as sex, age, and race. The morality of plastic surgery subspecialty has undergone many moral dilemmas in the past few years. The role of the patient regardless of his unrealistic dreams has questionable ethical dimension. The problem is the loss of human values and replacing them with false values, of pride and glory to a charismatic person of higher status, that may underlie some of the posed ethical dilemmas. Cosmetic surgery has huge difference with the general principle of legal liability in professional orientation, because the objective for cosmetic surgeries is different from common therapeutic purposes. To observe excellence in the medical profession, we should always keep in mind that these service providers, often as a therapist (healer) must maintain a commitment and priority for patient safety and prior to any action, a real apply for this service recipient should be present. Also, patient–physician confidentiality is the cornerstone of medical ethics. In this review, we study the issues addressed and the ways that they can be resolved. PMID:27853683

  7. Medical Ethics in Plastic Surgery: A Mini Review.

    PubMed

    Nejadsarvari, Nasrin; Ebrahimi, Ali; Ebrahimi, Azin; Hashem-Zade, Haleh

    2016-09-01

    Currently, cosmetic surgery is spread around the world. Several factors are involved in this rapidly evolving field such as socio-economic development, changes in cultural norms, globalization and the effects of Western culture, advertising, media, and mental disorders. Nowadays the cosmetic surgery is becoming a profitable business, which deals exclusively with human appearance and less from the perspective of beauty based on physical protests and considering factors such as sex, age, and race. The morality of plastic surgery subspecialty has undergone many moral dilemmas in the past few years. The role of the patient regardless of his unrealistic dreams has questionable ethical dimension. The problem is the loss of human values and replacing them with false values, of pride and glory to a charismatic person of higher status, that may underlie some of the posed ethical dilemmas. Cosmetic surgery has huge difference with the general principle of legal liability in professional orientation, because the objective for cosmetic surgeries is different from common therapeutic purposes. To observe excellence in the medical profession, we should always keep in mind that these service providers, often as a therapist (healer) must maintain a commitment and priority for patient safety and prior to any action, a real apply for this service recipient should be present. Also, patient-physician confidentiality is the cornerstone of medical ethics. In this review, we study the issues addressed and the ways that they can be resolved.

  8. Sub-specialization in plastic surgery in Sub-saharan Africa: capacities, gaps and opportunities

    PubMed Central

    Ibrahim, Abdulrasheed

    2014-01-01

    The skill set of a plastic surgeon, which addresses a broad range of soft tissue conditions that are prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, remains relevant in the unmet need for surgical care. Recently, there has being a major paradigm shift from discipline-based to disease-based care, resulting in an emerging component of patient-centered care; adequate access to subspecialty care in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Given the need for an evolution in sub-specialization, this article focuses on the benefits and future role of differentiation of plastic surgeons into sub-specialty training pathways in sub-Saharan Africa. PMID:25584125

  9. A funding model for a psychological service to plastic and reconstructive surgery in UK practice.

    PubMed

    Clarke, A; Lester, K J; Withey, S J; Butler, P E M

    2005-07-01

    Appearance related distress in both clinical and general populations is associated with the increasing identification of surgery as a solution, leading to referrals for cosmetic surgery and pressure on NHS resources. Cosmetic surgery guidelines are designed to control this growing demand, but lack a sound evidence base. Where exceptions are provided on the basis of psychological need, this may recruit patients inappropriately into a surgical pathway, and creates a demand for psychological assessment which transfers the resource problem from one service to another. The model described below evaluates the impact of a designated psychology service to a plastic surgery unit. Developing an operational framework for delivering cosmetic guidelines, which assesses patients using clearly defined and measurable outcomes, has significantly reduced numbers of patients proceeding to the NHS waiting list and provided a systematic audit process. The associated cost savings have provided a way of funding a psychologist within the plastic surgery service so that psychological assessment becomes routine, alternative methods of treatment are easily available and all patients have access to psychological input as part of the routine standard of care.

  10. Paying and playing with plastic. The meaning of plastics, plasticity, and plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Williams, D

    1996-11-01

    Plastics are not only the proverbial everyday commodity, but they also permeate almost every aspect of medical devices, from technology to clinical application. This article addresses some of the confusing features of plasticity as they relate to the materials called plastics, to the phenomena of material plasticity, and to the clinical and biological usage of the word.

  11. [3-dimensional imaging systems: first experience in planning and documentation of plastic surgery procedures].

    PubMed

    Spanholtz, T A; Leitsch, S; Holzbach, T; Volkmer, E; Engelhardt, T; Giunta, R E

    2012-08-01

    A reproducible 3-dimensional photographic system enables plastic surgeons to perform preoperative planning and helps them to understand the patient's expectations. There are a few systems available that allow a reproducible 3-dimensional scans of the patient with direct simulation of the planned procedure. The Vectra Volumetric 3D Surface Imaging® by Canfield® provides such an option and helps the surgeons to document and compare postoperative changes at different time points. Since January 2011 we are digitally documenting all patients receiving form-modulating procedures in our plastic surgery unit. We present the spectrum of clinical implications and discuss advantages and disadvantages of the system. Furthermore, we have studied the accuracy of the system in comparison to direct measurement in 15 volunteers. The system is especially suited for planning and evaluation of breast augmentation, facial aesthetic and reconstructive surgery as well as volumetric measurements before and after liposuction and lipofilling. Computer-assisted measurements correlate with a median deviation of 2.3% with manually measured distances in the face. We found the user-friendly Vectra® system to be a reliable and reproducible device for planning plastic surgery therapies and for documenting postoperative results. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  12. Military and academic programs outperform community programs on the American Board of Surgery Examinations.

    PubMed

    Falcone, John L; Charles, Anthony G

    2013-01-01

    There is a paucity of American Board of Surgery (ABS) Qualifying Examination (QE) and Certifying Examination (CE) outcomes comparing residency programs by academic, community, or military affiliation. We hypothesize that the larger academic programs will outperform the smaller community programs. In this retrospective study from 2002 to 2012, examination performance on the ABS QE and CE were obtained from the ABS for all of the general surgery residency programs. Programs were categorized by academic, community, and military affiliation. Both nonparametric and parametric statistics were used for comparison, using an α = 0.05. There were 137/235 (58.3%) academic programs, 90/235 (38.3%) community programs, and 8/235 (3.4%) military programs that satisfied inclusion criteria for this study. The Mann-Whitney U tests showed that the military programs outperformed academic and community programs on the ABS QE and the ABS CE, and had a higher proportion of examinees passing both examinations on the first attempt (all p≤0.02). One-tailed Student t-tests showed that academic programs had higher pass rates than community programs on the ABS QE (85.4%±9.5% vs. 81.9%±11.5%), higher pass rates on the ABS CE (83.6%±8.3% vs. 80.6%±11.0%), and a higher proportion of examinees passing both examinations on the first attempt (0.73±0.12 vs. 0.68±0.15) (all p≤0.01). The chi-square and Fisher exact tests showed that examinees performed highest in military programs, followed by academic programs, and lowest in community programs on the ABS QE and ABS CE (all p≤ 0.01). Military programs have the highest degrees of success on all of the ABS examinations. Academic programs outperform community programs. These results have the potential to affect application patterns to established general surgery residency programs. Copyright © 2013 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Academic skills in the long term after epilepsy surgery in childhood.

    PubMed

    Puka, Klajdi; Smith, Mary Lou

    2016-09-01

    We evaluated the progression of academic skills in a cohort of patients who underwent, or were considered for, epilepsy surgery in childhood, four to eleven years before. The few existing studies that have evaluated cognitive function in the long term after surgery have examined intelligence and memory. Participants were 97 patients with childhood-onset intractable epilepsy; 61 had undergone resective epilepsy surgery. Participants completed standardized tests of reading, spelling, arithmetic, and intelligence at baseline and, on average, 7years after. Surgical patients were additionally assessed one year postsurgery. At baseline and long-term follow-up, 61% and 69% of patients, respectively, scored at least one standard deviation below normative data in at least one academic domain. Evaluation of change over time while controlling for IQ showed that arithmetic scores were lower at long-term follow-up in comparison with those at baseline among all patient groups, whereas reading and spelling scores remained unchanged. Few advantages were associated with seizure control. Multiple regression analyses found that older age at surgery, cessation of antiepileptic medications, improved IQ, and low baseline scores were independently associated with improvement in some academic domains among all patient groups. We found that arithmetic scores were lower at long-term follow-up, suggesting a lack of ongoing development or deterioration in skills. Reading and spelling scores remained stable suggesting that patients made gains in abilities at a rate expected for their increase in age; this finding contrasts with recent short-term outcome studies identifying significantly lower scores over time in these areas. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Certification Examination Cases of Candidates for Certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery: Trends in Practice Profiles Spanning a Decade (2000–2009)

    PubMed Central

    Chung, Kevin C.; Song, Jae W.; Shauver, Melissa J.; Cullison, Terry M.; Noone, R. Barrett

    2011-01-01

    Background To evaluate the case mix of plastic surgeons in their early years of practice by examining candidate case-logs submitted for the Oral Examination. Methods De-identified data from 2000–2009 consisting of case-logs submitted by young plastic surgery candidates for the Oral Examination were analyzed. Data consisted of exam year, CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) Codes and the designation of each CPT code as cosmetic or reconstructive by the candidate, and patient age and gender. Subgroup analyses for comprehensive, cosmetic, craniomaxillofacial, and hand surgery modules were performed by using the CPT code list designated by the American Board of Plastic Surgery Maintenance of Certification in Plastic Surgery ( ) module framework. Results We examined case-logs from a yearly average of 261 candidates over 10 years. Wider variations in yearly percent change in median cosmetic surgery case volumes (−62.5% to 30%) were observed when compared to the reconstructive surgery case volumes (−18.0% to 25.7%). Compared to cosmetic surgery cases per candidate, which varied significantly from year-to-year (p<0.0001), reconstructive surgery cases per candidate did not vary significantly (p=0.954). Subgroup analyses of proportions of types of surgical procedures based on CPT code categories, revealed hand surgery to be the least performed procedure relative to comprehensive, craniomaxillofacial, and cosmetic surgery procedures. Conclusions Graduates of plastic surgery training programs are committed to performing a broad spectrum of reconstructive and cosmetic surgical procedures in their first year of practice. However, hand surgery continues to have a small presence in the practice profiles of young plastic surgeons. PMID:21788850

  15. Association for Academic Surgery presidential address: sticky floors and glass ceilings.

    PubMed

    Greenberg, Caprice C

    2017-11-01

    This 2017 Presidential Address for the Association for Academic Surgery was delivered on February 8, 2017. It addresses the difficult topic of gender disparities in surgery. Mixing empirical data with personal anecdotes, Dr. Caprice Greenberg provides an insightful overview of this difficult challenge facing the surgical discipline and practical advice on how we can begin to address it. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. From the operating room to the courtroom: a comprehensive characterization of litigation related to facial plastic surgery procedures.

    PubMed

    Svider, Peter F; Keeley, Brieze R; Zumba, Osvaldo; Mauro, Andrew C; Setzen, Michael; Eloy, Jean Anderson

    2013-08-01

    Malpractice litigation has increased in recent decades, contributing to higher health-care costs. Characterization of complications leading to litigation is of special interest to practitioners of facial plastic surgery procedures because of the higher proportion of elective cases relative to other subspecialties. In this analysis, we comprehensively examine malpractice litigation in facial plastic surgery procedures and characterize factors important in determining legal responsibility, as this information may be of great interest and use to practitioners in several specialties. Retrospective analysis. The Westlaw legal database was examined for court records pertaining to facial plastic surgery procedures. The term "medical malpractice" was searched in combination with numerous procedures obtained from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery website. Of the 88 cases included, 62.5% were decided in the physician's favor, 9.1% were resolved with an out-of-court settlement, and 28.4% ended in a jury awarding damages for malpractice. The mean settlement was $577,437 and mean jury award was $352,341. The most litigated procedures were blepharoplasties and rhinoplasties. Alleged lack of informed consent was noted in 38.6% of cases; other common complaints were excessive scarring/disfigurement, functional considerations, and postoperative pain. This analysis characterized factors in determining legal responsibility in facial plastic surgery cases. Several factors were identified as potential targets for minimizing liability. Informed consent was the most reported entity in these malpractice suits. This finding emphasizes the importance of open communication between physicians and their patients regarding expectations as well as documentation of specific risks, benefits, and alternatives. © 2013 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.

  17. America's fertile frontier: how America surpassed Britain in the development and growth of plastic surgery during the interwar years of 1920-1940.

    PubMed

    Fraser, James F; Hultman, Charles Scott

    2010-05-01

    Most historians agree that modern plastic surgery was born out of the efforts of reconstructive surgeons in World War I (WW I). In a single British hospital, over 8000 wounded soldiers were treated for disfiguring facial wounds. These gruesome injuries provided surgeons with enough cases to make unprecedented advances in tissue reconstruction. After the war, however, surgeons returned to civilian society where they found relatively few cases to support their new niche. In England, plastic surgery failed to establish itself while, in the United States, plastic surgeons had much greater success in founding their new specialty. Emphasizing this trend is the staggering statistic that, at the outbreak of World War II (WW II), the US boasted 60 trained plastic surgeons compared with only 4 in Britain. This article analyzes a variety of primary sources (speeches, journal articles, letters, and live interviews) obtained from several libraries and special collections to argue that the relative success of US plastic surgery in the interwar period (1920-1940) can be attributed to (1) the efforts of pioneering American plastic surgeons (Varaztad Kazanjian, Vilray Blair, and John Davis), (2) the post-Flexner report restructuring of US medical training, and (3) a much warmer reception both by the US public and general surgical community to plastic surgery.

  18. Paulus Aegineta, a seventh century encyclopedist and surgeon: his role in the history of plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Gurunluoglu, R; Gurunluoglu, A

    2001-12-01

    Paulus Aegineta (625-690 ad), born on the island of Aegina, practiced medicine at Alexandria. The last of the eclectic Greek compilers in the Byzantine period, he wrote an Epitome of medicine in seven books. The sixth book, which is considered the best section of his work, is devoted mainly to surgery. The first edition, "editio princeps," of his Epitome was published in Greek by the Aldine press in Venice in 1528 and later translated into English for the Sydenham Society by Francis Adams of Banchory (1844-1847). Paulus was not only a compiler but also a competent and skillful surgeon. In addition to his achievements in general surgical progress, Paulus Aegineta, especially in the book on surgery, made valuable contributions in the history of plastic surgery. He may be considered as one of the originators of plastic surgery as it is known today. He described procedures varying from the treatment of nasal and jaw fractures to operations for gynecomastia, ganglion, and hypospadias. This Grecian master influenced not only his own but also the subsequent ages. Rhazes, Haly Abbas, Albucasis, Avicenna, and Fabricius ab Aquapendente were the greatest physicians influenced by Paulus Aegineta. Because the work of Paulus Aegineta was the only source for many of the surgical treatises of Arabian authors, his Epitome bridged Western and Eastern medicine and conveyed surgical experience and knowledge, including several plastic surgery procedures, to the subsequent ages.

  19. Melting the Plastic Ceiling: Overcoming Obstacles to Foster Leadership in Women Plastic Surgeons.

    PubMed

    Silva, Amanda K; Preminger, Aviva; Slezak, Sheri; Phillips, Linda G; Johnson, Debra J

    2016-09-01

    The underrepresentation of women leaders in plastic surgery echoes a phenomenon throughout society. The importance of female leadership is presented, and barriers to gender equality in plastic surgery, both intrinsic and extrinsic, are discussed. Strategies for fostering women in leadership on an individual level and for the specialty of plastic surgery are presented.

  20. An analysis of 1361 aesthetic procedures from 2000 to 2005 in a large regional plastic surgery unit: implications for cosmetic surgery training.

    PubMed

    Whitaker, Iain S; Mason, Lyndon; Boyce, D E; Cooper, M A C S

    2007-01-01

    One of the challenges facing our profession is the adequate training of plastic surgeons in the subspeciality of aesthetic surgery, in addition to covering the rest of the large curriculum. The UK's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, has recently called for better training for doctors, better information for patients, and a touger regulatory structure for private cosmetic surgery. In this study, we show that the training of cosmetic procedures in our unit has risen steadily over the 6 year period studied. As part of our committment to improving training, our unit has recently organised a 3 month block soely dedicated to aesthetic surgery, allowing increasing exposure to cosmetic clinics and theatre sessions. It is clear that as a group, we must continue to develop robust training schemes to produce plastic surgeons able to cope with the demands of 21st Century healthcare, and ensure that the public does not fall prey to practitioners in unregulated clinics.

  1. A gender-based comparison of academic rank and scholarly productivity in academic neurological surgery.

    PubMed

    Tomei, Krystal L; Nahass, Meghan M; Husain, Qasim; Agarwal, Nitin; Patel, Smruti K; Svider, Peter F; Eloy, Jean Anderson; Liu, James K

    2014-07-01

    The number of women pursuing training opportunities in neurological surgery has increased, although they are still underrepresented at senior positions relative to junior academic ranks. Research productivity is an important component of the academic advancement process. We sought to use the h-index, a bibliometric previously analyzed among neurological surgeons, to evaluate whether there are gender differences in academic rank and research productivity among academic neurological surgeons. The h-index was calculated for 1052 academic neurological surgeons from 84 institutions, and organized by gender and academic rank. Overall men had statistically higher research productivity (mean 13.3) than their female colleagues (mean 9.5), as measured by the h-index, in the overall sample (p<0.0007). When separating by academic rank, there were no statistical differences (p>0.05) in h-index at the assistant professor (mean 7.2 male, 6.3 female), associate professor (11.2 male, 10.8 female), and professor (20.0 male, 18.0 female) levels based on gender. There was insufficient data to determine significance at the chairperson rank, as there was only one female chairperson. Although overall gender differences in scholarly productivity were detected, these differences did not reach statistical significance upon controlling for academic rank. Women were grossly underrepresented at the level of chairpersons in this sample of 1052 academic neurological surgeons, likely a result of the low proportion of females in this specialty. Future studies may be needed to investigate gender-specific research trends for neurosurgical residents, a cohort that in recent years has seen increased representation by women. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Analysis of Practice Settings for Craniofacial Surgery Fellowship Graduates in North America.

    PubMed

    Silvestre, Jason; Runyan, Christopher; Taylor, Jesse A

    In North America, the number of craniofacial surgery fellowship graduates is increasing, yet an analysis of practice settings upon graduation is lacking. We characterize the practice types of recent graduates of craniofacial fellowship programs in the United States and Canada. A 6-year cohort of craniofacial fellows in the United States and Canada (2010-2016) were obtained from craniofacial programs recognized by the American Society of Craniofacial Surgery. Practice setting was determined at 1 and 3 years of postgraduation, and predictors of practice setting were determined. A total of 175 craniofacial surgeons were trained at 35 fellowship programs. At 1 year of postgraduation, 33.6% had an academic craniofacial position and 27.1% were in private practice (p = 0.361). A minority of graduates pursued additional fellowships (16.4%), nonacademic craniofacial positions (10.0%), academic noncraniofacial positions (5.7%), and international practices (7.1%). At 3 years of postgraduation, the percentage of graduates in academic craniofacial positions was unchanged (34.5% vs 33.6%, p = 0.790). The strongest predictors of future academic craniofacial practice were completing plastic surgery residency at a program with a craniofacial fellowship program (odds ratio = 6.78, p < 0.001) and completing an academic craniofacial fellowship program (odds ratio = 4.48, p = 0.020). A minority of craniofacial fellowship graduates practice academic craniofacial surgery. A strong academic craniofacial surgery background during residency and fellowship is associated with a future career in academic craniofacial surgery. These data may assist trainees choose training programs that align with career goals and educators select future academic surgeons. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  3. Evidence-based medicine in plastic surgery: where did it come from and where is it going?

    PubMed

    Ricci, Joseph A; Desai, Naman S

    2014-05-01

    Evidence-based medicine, particularly randomized controlled trials, influence many of the daily decisions within plastic surgery as well as nearly every other medical specialty, and will continue to play a larger role in medicine in the future. Even though it is certainly not a new idea, evidence-based medicine continues to remain a hot topic among members of the healthcare community. As evidence-based medicine continues to grow and evolve, it is becoming more important for all physicians to understand the fundamentals of evidence-based medicine: how evidence-based medicine has changed, and how to successfully incorporate it into the daily practice of medicine. Admittedly, the wide acceptance and implementation of evidence-based medicine has been slower in surgical fields such as plastic surgery given the difficulty in performing large scale blinded randomized controlled trials due to the inherent nature of a surgical intervention as a treatment modality. Despite these challenges, the plastic surgery literature has recently begun to respond to the demand for more evidence-based medicine. Today's plastic surgeons are making a concerted embrace evidence-based medicine by increasing the amount of out of high-level clinical evidence and should be encouraged to continue to further their endeavors in the field of evidence-based medicine in the future. © 2014 Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  4. Cataract Surgery

    MedlinePlus

    ... Plastic Surgery Center Laser Surgery Education Center Redmond Ethics Center Global Ophthalmology Guide Academy Publications EyeNet Ophthalmology ... Plastic Surgery Center Laser Surgery Education Center Redmond Ethics Center Global Ophthalmology Guide Find an Ophthalmologist Advanced ...

  5. Experience of plastic surgery registrars in a European Working Time Directive compliant rota.

    PubMed

    de Blacam, Catherine; Tierney, Sean; Shelley, Odhran

    2017-08-01

    Surgical training requires exposure to clinical decision-making and operative experience in a supervised environment. It is recognised that learning ability is compromised when fatigued. The European Working Time Directive requires a decrease in working hours, but compliance reduces trainees' clinical exposure, which has profound implications for plastic surgery training. The aim of this study was to evaluate plastic surgery registrars' experience of an EWTD-compliant rota, and to examine its impact on patient care, education, and logbook activity. An electronic survey was distributed to plastic surgery registrars in a university teaching hospital. Registrars were asked to rate 31 items on a five-point Likert scale, including statements on patient care, clinical and operative duties, training, and quality-of-life. Interquartile deviations explored consensus among responses. Operative caseload was objectively evaluated using eLogbook data to compare activity at equal time points before and after implementation of the EWTD rota. Highest levels of consensus among respondents were found in positive statements addressing alertness and preparation for theatre, as well as time to read and study for exams. Registrars agreed that EWTD compliance improved their quality-of-life. However, it was felt that continuity of patient care was compromised by work hours restriction. Registrars were concerned about their operative experience. eLogbook data confirmed a fall-off in mean caseload of 31.8% compared to activity prior to EWTD rota implementation. While EWTD compliant rotas promote trainee quality-of-life and satisfaction with training, attention needs to be paid to optimising operative opportunities.

  6. A systematic review of the factors predicting the interest in cosmetic plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Milothridis, Panagiotis; Pavlidis, Leonidas; Haidich, Anna-Bettina; Panagopoulou, Efharis

    2016-01-01

    A systematic review of the literature was performed to clarify the psychosocial characteristics of patients who have an interest in cosmetic plastic surgery. Medical literature was reviewed by two independent researchers, and a third reviewer evaluated their results. Twelve studies addressing the predictors of interest in cosmetic surgery were finally identified and analysed. Interest in cosmetic surgery was associated with epidemiological factors, their social networks, their psychological characteristics, such as body image, self-esteem and other personality traits and for specific psychopathology and found that these may either positively or negatively predict their motivation to seek and undergo a cosmetic procedure. The review examined the psychosocial characteristics associated with an interest in cosmetic surgery. Understanding cosmetic patients' characteristics, motivation and expectation for surgery is an important aspect of their clinical care to identify those patients more likely to benefit most from the procedure.

  7. Looking at plastic surgery through Google Glass: part 1. Systematic review of Google Glass evidence and the first plastic surgical procedures.

    PubMed

    Davis, Christopher R; Rosenfield, Lorne K

    2015-03-01

    Google Glass has the potential to become a ubiquitous and translational technological tool within clinical plastic surgery. Google Glass allows clinicians to remotely view patient notes, laboratory results, and imaging; training can be augmented via streamed expert master classes; and patient safety can be improved by remote advice from a senior colleague. This systematic review identified and appraised every Google Glass publication relevant to plastic surgery and describes the first plastic surgical procedures recorded using Google Glass. A systematic review was performed using PubMed National Center for Biotechnology Information, Ovid MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, following modified Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Key search terms "Google" and "Glass" identified mutually inclusive publications that were screened for inclusion. Eighty-two publications were identified, with 21 included for review. Google Glass publications were formal articles (n = 3), editorial/commentary articles (n = 7), conference proceedings (n = 1), news reports (n = 3), and online articles (n = 7). Data support Google Glass' positive impact on health care delivery, clinical training, medical documentation, and patient safety. Concerns exist regarding patient confidentiality, technical issues, and limited software. The first plastic surgical procedure performed using Google Glass was a blepharoplasty on October 29, 2013. Google Glass is an exciting translational technology with the potential to positively impact health care delivery, medical documentation, surgical training, and patient safety. Further high-quality scientific research is required to formally appraise Google Glass in the clinical setting.

  8. What Do Our Patients Truly Want? Conjoint Analysis of an Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Practice Using Internet Crowdsourcing.

    PubMed

    Wu, Cindy; Scott Hultman, C; Diegidio, Paul; Hermiz, Steven; Garimella, Roja; Crutchfield, Trisha M; Lee, Clara N

    2017-01-01

    What do patients want when looking for an aesthetic surgeon? When faced with attributes like reputation, years in practice, testimonials, photos, and pricing, which is more valuable? Moreover, are attributes procedure-specific? Currently, inadequate evidence exists on which attributes are most important to patients, and to our knowledge, none on procedure-specific preferences. First, to determine the most important attributes to breast augmentation, combined breast/abdominal surgery, and facelift patients using conjoint analysis. Second, to test the conjoint using an internet crowdsourcing service (Amazon Mechanical Turk [MTurk]). Anonymous university members were asked, via mass electronic survey, to pick a surgeon for facelift surgery based on five attributes. Attribute importance and preference was calculated. Once pre-tested, the facelift, breast augmentation and combined breast/abdominal surgery surveys were administered worldwide to MTurk. The university facelift cohort valued testimonials (33.9%) as the most important, followed by photos (31.6%), reputation (18.2%), pricing (14.4%), and practice years (1.9%). MTurk breast augmentation participants valued photos (35.3%), then testimonials (33.9%), reputation (15.7%), pricing (12.2%), and practice years (3%). MTurk combined breast/abdominal surgery and facelift participants valued testimonials (38.3% and 38.1%, respectively), then photos (27.9%, 29.4%), reputation (17.5%, 15.8%), pricing (13.9%, 13.9%), practice years (2.4%, 2.8%). Breast augmentation patients placed higher importance on photos; combined breast/abdominal surgery and facelift patients valued testimonials. Conjoint analysis has had limited application in plastic surgery. To our knowledge, internet crowdsourcing is a novel participant recruitment method in plastic surgery. Its unique benefits include broad, diverse and anonymous participant pools, low-cost, rapid data collection, and high completion rate. © 2016 The American Society for

  9. What is the Utility Of a Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Service in an Academic Department of Orthopaedic Surgery?

    PubMed

    Rozbruch, S Robert; Rozbruch, Elizabeth S; Zonshayn, Samuel; Borst, Eugene W; Fragomen, Austin T

    2015-10-01

    Limb lengthening and reconstruction surgery is a relatively new subspecialty of orthopaedic surgery in the United States. Despite increased awareness and practice of the specialty, it is rarely vested as a separate clinical service in an academic department of orthopaedic surgery. We have had experience growing such a dedicated service within an academic department of orthopaedic surgery over the past 9 years. We explored (1) the use of a limb deformity service (LDS) in an academic department of orthopaedic surgery by examining data on referral patterns, our clinical volume, and academic productivity; and (2) the surgical breadth of cases comprising the patients of the LDS in an academic department of orthopaedic surgery by examining data on caseload by anatomic sites, category, and surgical techniques/tools. We (SRR, ATF, EWB) retrospectively examined data on numbers of surgical cases and outpatient visits from the limb lengthening and complex reconstruction service at the Hospital for Special Surgery from 2005 to 2013 to evaluate growth. We studied 672 consecutive surgical cases performed by our service for a sample period of 1 year, assessing referral patterns within and outside our medical center, anatomic region, surgical category, and surgical technique/tool. Academic productivity was measured by review of our service's publications. During the time period studied (2005-2013), outpatient and surgical volume significantly increased by 120% (1530 to 3372) and 105% (346 to 708), respectively, on our LDS. Surgical volume growth was similar to the overall growth of the department of orthopaedic surgery. Referrals were primarily from orthopaedic surgeons (56%) and self/Internet research (25%). Physician referrals were predominantly from our own medical center (83%). Referrals from within our institution came from a variety of clinical services. Forty-nine peer-reviewed articles and 23 book chapters were published by staff members of our service. Anatomic surgical

  10. Feedback in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Education: Past, Present, and Future.

    PubMed

    Connolly, Katharine A; Azouz, Solomon M; Smith, Anthony A

    2015-11-01

    Education is to be provided efficiently and effectively according to guidelines in the United States by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education as core competencies and in Canada by the Royal College according to the CanMEDS framework. This article defines formative feedback, reviews the currently available validated feedback tools, and describes the future use of technology to enhance feedback in plastic surgery education.

  11. [Application advances of three-dimensional bioprinting in burn and plastic surgery field].

    PubMed

    Li, R B; Li, M X; Guo, G H; Zhang, H Y

    2017-10-20

    Three-dimensional bioprinting is one of the latest and fastest growing technologies in the medical field. It has been implemented to print part of the transplantable tissues and organs, such as skin, ear, and bone. This paper introduces the application status, challenges, and application prospect of three-dimensional bioprinting in burn and plastic surgery field.

  12. Google Trends as a Resource for Informing Plastic Surgery Marketing Decisions.

    PubMed

    Ward, Brittany; Ward, Max; Paskhover, Boris

    2018-04-01

    Celebrities have long influenced the medical decisions of the general population. By analyzing Google search data using Google Trends, we measured the impact of highly publicized plastic surgery-related events on the interest level of the general population in specific search terms. Additionally, we investigated seasonal and geographic trends around interest in rhinoplasties, which is information that physicians and small surgical centers can use to optimize marketing decisions. Google Trends was used to access search data histories for three separate areas of interest: Kylie Jenner and lip fillers, Joan Rivers and plastic surgery, and rhinoplasty, which were then analyzed using two-tailed, two-sample equal variance t-tests. The average interest level in fillers increased by 30.31 points after Kylie Jenner announced that she received Juvéderm lip injections. The interest level in plastic surgery was decreased by 21.3% the month after Joan Rivers' death. Between January 2004 and May 2017, the average interest level for rhinoplasty was significantly different in January/December (67.91 ± 20.68) and June/July (70.12 ± 18.89) from the remaining calendar months (63.58 ± 19.67). Los Angeles, New York City, and Miami showed consistently high interest levels throughout the time period, while Tulsa, OK, showed a major interest increase between 2015 to 2016 of 65 points. A noticeable impact was observed in both celebrity cases on search term volume, and a seasonal effect is apparent for rhinoplasty searches. As many surgeons already employ aggressive Internet marketing strategies, understanding and utilizing these trends could help optimize their investments, increase social engagement, and increase practice awareness by potential patients. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www

  13. Simulation of plastic surgery and microvascular procedures using perfused fresh human cadavers.

    PubMed

    Carey, Joseph N; Rommer, Elizabeth; Sheckter, Clifford; Minneti, Michael; Talving, Peep; Wong, Alex K; Garner, Warren; Urata, Mark M

    2014-02-01

    Surgical simulation models are often limited by their lack of fidelity, which hinders their essential purpose, making a better surgeon. Fresh cadaveric tissue is a superior model of simulation owing to its approximation of live tissue. One major unresolved difference between dead and live tissue is perfusion. Here, we propose a means of enhancing the fidelity of cadaveric simulation through the development of a perfused cadaveric model whereby simulation is further able to approach life-like surgery and teach one of the more technically demanding skills of plastic surgery: microsurgery. Fresh tissue human cadavers were procured according to university protocol. Perfusion was performed via cannulation of large vessels, and arterial and venous pressure was maintained by centrifugal circulation. Skin perfusion was evaluated with incisions in the perfused regions and was evaluated using indocyanine green angiography. Surgical simulations were selected to broadly evaluate applicability to plastic surgical education. Surgical simulation of 38 procedures ranging in complexity from skin excisions to microsurgical cases was performed with high priority given to the accurate simulation of clinical procedures. Flap dissections included perforator flaps, muscle flaps, and fasciocutaneous flaps. Effective perfusion was noted with ICG angiography and notable bleeding vessels. Microsurgical flap transfer was successfully performed. We report the establishment of a high fidelity surgical simulation using a perfused fresh tissue model in a realistic environment akin to the operating room. We anticipate utilization of this model prior to entering the operating room will enhance surgical ability and offer a valuable resource in plastic surgical education. Copyright © 2013 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. [Photography in plastic surgery: practices, uses and legislation].

    PubMed

    de Runz, A; Simon, E; Brix, M; Sorin, T; Brengard-Bresler, T; Pineau, V; Guyon, G; Claudot, F

    2015-02-01

    Photography in plastic surgery is omnipresent. Through its various uses, it may present both ethical and forensic risks. The objective of this study is to analyze the use of medical photography by the plastic surgeon, the perception of this use by the patient, and consequence of such use. A questionnaire about the use of medical photography was assessed to 629 plastic surgeons. A questionnaire was given to patients, about their perception of the use of photography by their surgeon. One hundred and seventy-six surgeon's questionnaires and 93 patient's questionnaires were analyzed. For 97.7% of the responding surgeons, the proportion of patients refusing to be photographed was less then 1/20. The objective of the photography was especially medicolegal for 62.5% of the surgeons, especially for following the patient progress (87.5%), partially for the formation (72.1%), partially for scientific publications (57.8%) and not at all for the personal publicity (73.1%). Surgeons often share his photographs with others surgeons (71.1%), sometimes with others medical personnel (48.8%). The security and the access to photographs were determined to be correct for 67.6% of the surgeons and perfect for 23.3%. In total, 17.2% of the surgeons obtained a written consent, 41.4% obtained an oral consent, and 38.5% did not request patient consent. It was found that 48.3% of the surgeons and 40.2% of the patients think that the right to the photographic images belong to the patient. Medical photographs expose the plastic surgeon to medico-legal risks. He must know and follow the law in order to prevent eventual legal proceedings. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  15. Prevention of venous thromboembolism in body contouring surgery: a national survey of 596 ASPS surgeons.

    PubMed

    Clavijo-Alvarez, Julio A; Pannucci, Christopher J; Oppenheimer, Adam J; Wilkins, Edwin G; Rubin, J Peter

    2011-03-01

    Venous thromboembolism (VTE) has been identified as a major public health issue. Postbariatric body contouring surgery represents a major challenge for VTE prophylaxis due to the presence of multiple risk factors and broad areas of dissection that potentially increase the risk of postoperative bleeding. To define current VTE prophylaxis practices among surgeons of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, performing postbariatric body contouring surgery in the United States. A total of 4081 surveys were sent to registered members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons by e-mail. We received 596 (14.6%) responses. A total of 596 surgeons returned completed surveys, with 83% of respondents in private practice and 17% in academic practice. Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) was reported by 40% surgeons, pulmonary embolism (PE) by 34%, and 7% had at least 1 patient having died of a postoperative PE. About 39% to 48% participant surgeons reported providing no chemoprophylaxis to their postbariatric body contouring patients. The most common reason for not using routine prophylaxis was the concern for bleeding (84%), followed by lack of evidence specific to plastic surgery practice (50%). Academic surgeons were more likely to provide chemoprophylaxis when compared with those in nonacademic practice (P < 0.05). For postbariatric body contouring surgery, DVT has occurred in over one-third of plastic surgeons' practices with 7% of surgeons reporting a patient death from PE. A substantial proportion of surgeons performing postbariatric body contouring are not using chemoprophylaxis due to bleeding risk and perceived lack of evidence. VTE prophylaxis in postbariatric body contouring remains a topic that deserves further study.

  16. Leg ulcer plastic surgery descent by laser therapy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Telfer, Jacqui; Filonenko, Natalia; Salansky, Norman M.

    1994-02-01

    Low energy laser therapy (LELT) was used to treat chronic leg ulcers. Seven patients, aged 59 to 96 years, with 11 leg ulcers were referred for laser therapy by plastic surgeons. They had a history of ulceration of 3 - 50 years and five of the patients had breakdown of previous skin grafts. Laser treatments were administered with a microprocessor-controlled device. A 22 red ((lambda) equals 660 nm) laser head was utilized to provide a dose of (4 - 6) J/cm2 and 7 infrared ((lambda) equals 880 nm) head to provide a dose of (4 - 8) J/cm2. The patients were treated three to five times per week, 25 - 30 treatments per course. Three patients underwent two courses of laser therapy with three weeks interval between them. All patients, after 5 - 10 laser treatments, have gotten relief of pain and decreased the amount of analgesics used. All ulcers in six patients were completely healed and two ulcers in the seventh patient decreased in size by 75%. One may conclude the developed laser methodology might be used as a preventative measure to avoid plastic surgery or improve its success.

  17. The use of prophylactic antibiotics in plastic surgery: update in 2010.

    PubMed

    Hauck, Randy M; Nogan, Stephen

    2013-01-01

    The indications for prophylactic antibiotics in plastic surgery remain controversial. No recent survey has been reported on the use of prophylactic antibiotics by plastic surgeons in clinical practice. This survey was designed to assess the current use of prophylactic antibiotics by plastic surgeons and to compare trends with previous studies. All members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons with an e-mail address on the Society's website were contacted via an e-mail and sent a link to a SurveyMonkey questionnaire. To survey only in those subspecialty areas that they practice in, surgeons were queried only on the procedures that they perform. Within each section, a list of common representative procedures was included, with questions about the use of antibiotic prophylaxis. A total of 3824 American Society of Plastic Surgeons members were contacted. Of the 3613, 910 with working e-mail addresses responded to the survey for a response rate of 25%. And 833 or 91.5% completed the survey. Survey data cover the percentage of surgeons reporting their use of antibiotics in procedures that they currently perform. The percentage of plastic surgeons who use prophylactic antibiotics in almost all procedures studied has increased significantly when compared with earlier studies. The use of prophylactic antibiotics by plastic surgeons has increased considerably since the prior studies by Krizek et al (Plast Reconstr Surg. 1975;55:21-32 and 1985;76:953-963). Some of these uses are appropriate because of the use in procedures involving implants and longer operations. The elevated rates for clean procedures are not part of the evidence-based practice.

  18. Is there still a glass ceiling for women in academic surgery?

    PubMed

    Zhuge, Ying; Kaufman, Joyce; Simeone, Diane M; Chen, Herbert; Velazquez, Omaida C

    2011-04-01

    Despite the dramatically increased entry of women into general surgery and surgical subspecialties, traditionally male-dominated fields, there remains a gross under-representation of women in the leadership positions of these departments. Women begin their careers with fewer academic resources and tend to progress through the ranks slower than men. Female surgeons also receive significantly lower salaries than their male counterparts and are more vulnerable to discrimination, both obvious and covert. Although some argue that female surgeons tend to choose their families over careers, studies have actually shown that women are as eager as men to assume leadership positions, are equally qualified for these positions as men, and are as good as men at leadership tasks.Three major constraints contribute to the glass-ceiling phenomenon: traditional gender roles, manifestations of sexism in the medical environment, and lack of effective mentors. Gender roles contribute to unconscious assumptions that have little to do with actual knowledge and abilities of an individuals and they negatively influence decision-making when it comes to promotions. Sexism has many forms, from subtle to explicit forms, and some studies show that far more women report being discriminately against than do men. There is a lack of same-sex mentors and role models for women in academic surgery, thereby isolating female academicians further. This review summarizes the manifestation of the glass-ceiling phenomenon, identifies some causes of these inequalities, and proposes different strategies for continuing the advancement of women in academic surgery and to shatter the glass ceiling.

  19. Plastic Surgery Applications Using Three-Dimensional Planning and Computer-Assisted Design and Manufacturing.

    PubMed

    Pfaff, Miles J; Steinbacher, Derek M

    2016-03-01

    Three-dimensional analysis and planning is a powerful tool in plastic and reconstructive surgery, enabling improved diagnosis, patient education and communication, and intraoperative transfer to achieve the best possible results. Three-dimensional planning can increase efficiency and accuracy, and entails five core components: (1) analysis, (2) planning, (3) virtual surgery, (4) three-dimensional printing, and (5) comparison of planned to actual results. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of three-dimensional virtual planning and to provide a framework for applying these systems to clinical practice. Therapeutic, V.

  20. 3D Printing: current use in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery.

    PubMed

    Hsieh, Tsung-Yen; Dedhia, Raj; Cervenka, Brian; Tollefson, Travis T

    2017-08-01

    To review the use of three-dimensional (3D) printing in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, with a focus on current uses in surgical training, surgical planning, clinical outcomes, and biomedical research. To evaluate the limitations and future implications of 3D printing in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. Studies reviewed demonstrated 3D printing applications in surgical planning including accurate anatomic biomodels, surgical cutting guides in reconstruction, and patient-specific implants fabrication. 3D printing technology also offers access to well tolerated, reproducible, and high-fidelity/patient-specific models for surgical training. Emerging research in 3D biomaterial printing have led to the development of biocompatible scaffolds with potential for tissue regeneration in reconstruction cases involving significant tissue absence or loss. Major limitations of utilizing 3D printing technology include time and cost, which may be offset by decreased operating times and collaboration between departments to diffuse in-house printing costs SUMMARY: The current state of the literature shows promising results, but has not yet been validated by large studies or randomized controlled trials. Ultimately, further research and advancements in 3D printing technology should be supported as there is potential to improve resident training, patient care, and surgical outcomes.

  1. Pressure sores–a constant problem for plegic patients and a permanent challenge for plastic surgery

    PubMed Central

    Marinescu, S; Florescu, IP; Jecan, C

    2010-01-01

    Pressure sores–a constant problem for plegic patients and a permanent challenge for plastic surgery Pressure sores can be defined as lesions caused by unrelieved pressure resulting in damage of the underlying tissue. They represent a common problem in the pathology of plegic patients and, plastic surgery has a significant role in their treatment. Pressure sores occur over bony prominences and so, they are most commonly seen at the sacrum and trochanters in paralyzed patients and at ischium for the patients who sit in a wheelchair for a long time. For these patients, surgical treatment is very important because on one hand, it stops the loss of nutrients and proteins at the site of the pressure sore, and on the other hand, it permits the initiation of neuromuscular recuperation treatment much faster. PMID:20968200

  2. The influence of social media and easily accessible online information on the aesthetic plastic surgery practice: literature review and our own experience.

    PubMed

    Montemurro, Paolo; Porcnik, Ales; Hedén, Per; Otte, Maximilian

    2015-04-01

    Patients interested in aesthetic plastic surgery procedures increasingly seek advice on social media and rely on easily accessible online information. The investigatory goal was to determine the impact of this phenomenon on the everyday aesthetic plastic surgery practice. Five hundred consecutive patients completed a questionnaire prior to their consultation with a plastic surgeon at our clinic. A questionnaire was also completed by 128 plastic surgeons practising in 19 different countries. A literature review was performed. Almost all patients (95%) used the internet to collect information prior to consultation, for 68% of them it being their first search method. Social media were used by 46% of patients and 40% of these were strongly influenced when choosing a specific doctor. The majority of plastic surgeons (85%) thought the information found on social media could lead to unrealistic expectations. However, 45% of plastic surgeons believed that their consultations became easier after the advent of social media, 29% found them more difficult. A literature review showed a high percentage of poor quality internet websites regarding plastic surgery and an increase in use of social media among plastic surgeons. The internet and social media play an important and growing role in plastic surgery. This results in more informed patients but may create unrealistic expectations. Even if the internet provides ample information, it cannot replace the face-to-face consultation, which always should remain a detailed process, covering both risks and limitations of alternative procedures. Available literature on how social media influences the medical practice is still scarce and further research is needed. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

  3. Interactive navigation-guided ophthalmic plastic surgery: the techniques and utility of 3-dimensional navigation.

    PubMed

    Ali, Mohammad Javed; Naik, Milind N; Kaliki, Swathi; Dave, Tarjani Vivek; Dendukuri, Gautam

    2017-06-01

    To demonstrate the techniques and utility of 3-dimensional reconstruction (3DR) of the target pathologies for subsequent navigation guidance in ophthalmic plastic surgery. Prospective interventional case series. Stereotactic surgeries using 3D reconstruction of target lesions as the intraoperative image-guiding tool were performed in 5 patients with varied etiopathologies. All the surgeries were performed using the intraoperative image-guided StealthStation system in the electromagnetic mode. 3DR was performed using StealthStation 3D model software. The utility of 3D reconstruction for extensive orbital mass lesions, large orbital fractures, intraconal foreign body, and delineation of perilesional intricate structures was studied. The intraoperative ease and usefulness for the navigation of a 3D lesion at crucial phases of the surgery were noted. Intraoperative geometric localization of the 3D lesions was found to be enhanced and precise. 3D reconstruction of the lesion along with the major vessels and nerves in the vicinity helped the surgeon to prevent potential injuries to these structures. The fracture defects could be navigated in a 3D plane and this helped in moderate customization of the implants intraoperatively. Foreign body located in difficult access positions could be accurately targeted for geometric localization before safe retrieval. Detailed preoperative 3D reconstruction by the surgeon was found to be beneficial for successful outcomes. Three-dimensional navigation is very useful in providing detailed anatomical delineation of the targets and enhances the precision in certain complex cases in ophthalmic plastic surgery. Copyright © 2017 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Qualitative and quantitative outcomes of audience response systems as an educational tool in a plastic surgery residency program.

    PubMed

    Arneja, Jugpal S; Narasimhan, Kailash; Bouwman, David; Bridge, Patrick D

    2009-12-01

    In-training evaluations in graduate medical education have typically been challenging. Although the majority of standardized examination delivery methods have become computer-based, in-training examinations generally remain pencil-paper-based, if they are performed at all. Audience response systems present a novel way to stimulate and evaluate the resident-learner. The purpose of this study was to assess the outcomes of audience response systems testing as compared with traditional testing in a plastic surgery residency program. A prospective 1-year pilot study of 10 plastic surgery residents was performed using audience response systems-delivered testing for the first half of the academic year and traditional pencil-paper testing for the second half. Examination content was based on monthly "Core Quest" curriculum conferences. Quantitative outcome measures included comparison of pretest and posttest and cumulative test scores of both formats. Qualitative outcomes from the individual participants were obtained by questionnaire. When using the audience response systems format, pretest and posttest mean scores were 67.5 and 82.5 percent, respectively; using traditional pencil-paper format, scores were 56.5 percent and 79.5 percent. A comparison of the cumulative mean audience response systems score (85.0 percent) and traditional pencil-paper score (75.0 percent) revealed statistically significantly higher scores with audience response systems (p = 0.01). Qualitative outcomes revealed increased conference enthusiasm, greater enjoyment of testing, and no user difficulties with the audience response systems technology. The audience response systems modality of in-training evaluation captures participant interest and reinforces material more effectively than traditional pencil-paper testing does. The advantages include a more interactive learning environment, stimulation of class participation, immediate feedback to residents, and immediate tabulation of results for the

  5. Conversion of Plastic Surgery meeting abstract presentations to full manuscripts: a brazilian perspective.

    PubMed

    Denadai, Rafael; Pinho, André Silveira; Samartine, Hugo; Denadai, Rodrigo; Raposo-Amaral, Cassio Eduardo

    2017-01-01

    to assess the conversion rate of Plastic Surgery meeting abstract presentations to full manuscript publications and examine factors associated with this conversion. we assessed the abstracts presented at the 47th and 48th Brazilian Congresses of Plastic Surgery by cross-referencing with multiple databases. We analyzed the Abstracts' characteristics associated with full manuscript publications. of the 200 abstracts presented, 50 abstracts were subsequently published in full, giving the conference a conversion rate of 25%. The mean time to publish was 15.00±13.75 months. In total, there were 4.93±1.63 authors per abstract and 67.8±163 subjects per abstract; 43.5% of the abstracts were of retrospective studies; 69% comprised the plastic surgery topics head and neck, and chest and trunk, and 88.5% had no statistical analysis. Overall, 80% of the manuscripts were published in plastic surgery journals, 76% had no impact factor and 52% had no citations. Bivariate and multivariate analyses revealed the presence of statistical analysis to be the most significant (p<0.05) predictive factor of conversion of abstracts into full manuscripts. the conversion rate found from this bibliometric research appeared a bit lower than the conversion trend of international plastic surgery meetings, and statistical analysis was a determinant of conversion success. avaliar a taxa de conversão de resumos apresentados em congressos de Cirurgia Plástica em publicações de manuscritos completos e examinar fatores associados a essa conversão. resumos apresentados nos XLVII e XLVIII Congressos Brasileiros de Cirurgia Plástica foram avaliados por meio de referências cruzadas em diversos bancos de dados. Averiguaram-se as características dos resumos associadas às publicações de manuscritos completos. dos 200 resumos apresentados, 50 foram posteriormente publicados na íntegra, determinando uma taxa de publicação de 25%. O tempo médio para publicação foi 15,00±13,75 meses. No total

  6. A Model for Integrating Ambulatory Surgery Centers Into an Academic Health System Using a Novel Ambulatory Surgery Coordinating Council.

    PubMed

    Ishii, Lisa; Pronovost, Peter J; Demski, Renee; Wylie, Gill; Zenilman, Michael

    2016-06-01

    An increasing volume of ambulatory surgeries has led to an increase in the number of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Some academic health systems have aligned with ASCs to create a more integrated care delivery system. Yet, these centers are diverse in many areas, including specialty types, ownership models, management, physician employment, and regulatory oversight. Academic health systems then face challenges in integrating these ASCs into their organizations. Johns Hopkins Medicine created the Ambulatory Surgery Coordinating Council in 2014 to manage, standardize, and promote peer learning among its eight ASCs. The Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality provided support and a model for this organization through its quality management infrastructure. The physician-led council defined a mission and created goals to identify best practices, uniformly provide the highest-quality patient-centered care, and continuously improve patient outcomes and experience across ASCs. Council members built trust and agreed on a standardized patient safety and quality dashboard to report measures that include regulatory, care process, patient experience, and outcomes data. The council addressed unintentional outcomes and process variation across the system and agreed to standard approaches to optimize quality. Council members also developed a process for identifying future goals, standardizing care practices and electronic medical record documentation, and creating quality and safety policies. The early success of the council supports the continuation of the Armstrong Institute model for physician-led quality management. Other academic health systems can learn from this model as they integrate ASCs into their complex organizations.

  7. General surgery vs fellowship: the role of the Independent Academic Medical Center.

    PubMed

    Adra, Souheil W; Trickey, Amber W; Crosby, Moira E; Kurtzman, Scott H; Friedell, Mark L; Reines, H David

    2012-01-01

    To compare career choices of residency graduates from Independent Academic Medical Center (IAMC) and University Academic Medical Center (UAMC) programs and evaluate program directors' perceptions of residents' motivations for pursuing general surgery or fellowships. From May to August 2011, an electronic survey collected information on program characteristics, graduates' career pursuits, and career motivations. Fisher's exact tests were calculated to compare responses by program type. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent program characteristics associated with graduates pursuing general surgery. Data were collected on graduates over 3 years (2009-2011). Surgery residency program directors. Seventy-four program directors completed the survey; 42% represented IAMCs. IAMCs reported more graduates choosing general surgery. Over one-quarter of graduates pursued general surgery from 52% of IAMC vs 37% of UAMC programs (p = 0.243). Career choices varied significantly by region: over one-quarter of graduates pursue general surgery from 78% of Western, 60% of Midwestern, 40% of Southern, and 24% of Northeastern programs (p = 0.018). On multivariate analysis, IAMC programs were independently associated with more graduates choosing general surgery (p = 0.017), after adjustment for other program characteristics. Seventy-five percent of UAMC programs reported over three-fourths of graduates receive first choice fellowship, compared with only 52% of IAMC programs (p = 0.067). Fellowships were comparable among IAMC and UAMC programs, most commonly MIS/Bariatric (16%), Critical Care/Trauma (16%), and Vascular (14%). IAMC and UAMC program directors cite similar reasons for graduate career choices. Most general surgery residents undergo fellowship training. Graduates from IAMC and UAMC programs pursue similar specialties, but UAMC programs report more first choice acceptance. IAMC programs may graduate proportionately more general surgeons. Further

  8. Evaluation of results in aesthetic plastic surgery: preliminary observations on mammaplasty.

    PubMed

    Ferreira, M C

    2000-12-01

    Aesthetic plastic surgery has received wide public attention in the past few years. Expectations of patients regarding results have been exaggerated; the real place and medical importance of the procedures are still not clear because of a lack of more objective evidence. This study discusses the difficulties encountered related to the scientific evaluation of the aesthetic operations and proposes alternatives for assessment. A frequently performed procedure, reduction mammaplasty, is presented as an example, with its specific evaluation.

  9. [Plastic surgery in the setting of a public hospital day care unit].

    PubMed

    Faga, A; Valdatta, L; Magnani, S; Thione, A

    2000-09-01

    The authors describe the advantages and disadvantages of plastic surgery performed in a day-care public hospital unit. A retrospective study was made of the day-surgery activities over 16 months (1998-1999) as part of a centralized system. Data were compared to day-surgery activities undertaken in 1997 using a non-centralized system. The study was based in the Macchi Foundation Hospital in Varese. A total of 179 patients were treated from all age group whose clinical, intellectual and social characteristics enabled them to be treated using a day-hospital regime. The pathologies treated can be classified into six groups: benign skin pathologies, malignant skin pathologies, scar pathologies, hand disorders, burns and others. All operations were performed as planned under general, local or regional anesthesia with the help of an anesthetist. The centralized system has a number of advantages of a social and technical kind; there are few disadvantages, mainly consisting in the impossibility of using this approach for emergency surgery and its overall rigidity. This form of surgery provides a service that stands out for its quality, organisational efficiency and low cost.

  10. Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire for screening children and adolescents for plastic surgery: cross-cultural validation study.

    PubMed

    Sucupira, Eduardo; Sabino, Miguel; Lima, Edson Luiz de; Dini, Gal Moreira; Brito, Maria José Azevedo de; Ferreira, Lydia Masako

    2017-01-01

    Patient-reported outcome measurements assessing the emotional state of children and adolescents who seek plastic surgery are important for determining whether the intervention is indicated or not. The aim of this study was to cross-culturally adapt and validate the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (child/adolescent and parent versions) for Brazilian Portuguese, test its psychometric properties and assess the emotional state of children and adolescents who seek plastic surgery. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-cultural validation study conducted in a plastic surgery outpatient clinic at a public university hospital. A total of 124 consecutive patients of both sexes were selected between September 2013 and February 2014. Forty-seven patients participated in the cultural adaptation of the questionnaire. The final version was tested for reliability on 20 patients. Construct validity was tested on 57 patients by correlating the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (child/adolescent and parent versions) with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale. The child/adolescent and parent versions of the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire showed Cronbach's alpha of 0.768 and 0.874, respectively, and had good inter-rater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC = 0.757 and ICC = 0.853, respectively) and intra-rater reliability (ICC = 0.738 and ICC = 0.796, respectively). The Brazilian-Portuguese version of the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire is a reproducible instrument with face, content and construct validity.The mood state and feelings among children and adolescents seeking cosmetic surgery were healthy.

  11. Local flaps: a real-time finite element based solution to the plastic surgery defect puzzle.

    PubMed

    Sifakis, Eftychios; Hellrung, Jeffrey; Teran, Joseph; Oliker, Aaron; Cutting, Court

    2009-01-01

    One of the most fundamental challenges in plastic surgery is the alteration of the geometry and topology of the skin. The specific decisions made by the surgeon concerning the size and shape of the tissue to be removed and the subsequent closure of the resulting wound may have a dramatic affect on the quality of life for the patient after the procedure is completed. The plastic surgeon must look at the defect created as an organic puzzle, designing the optimal pattern to close the hole aesthetically and efficiently. In the past, such skills were the distillation of years of hands-on practice on live patients, while relevant reference material was limited to two-dimensional illustrations. Practicing this procedure on a personal computer [1] has been largely impractical to date, but recent technological advances may come to challenge this limitation. We present a comprehensive real-time virtual surgical environment, based on finite element modeling and simulation of tissue cutting and manipulation. Our system demonstrates the fundamental building blocks of plastic surgery procedures on a localized tissue flap, and provides a proof of concept for larger simulation systems usable in the authoring of complex procedures on elaborate subject geometry.

  12. An Assessment of Gender Differences in Plastic Surgery Patient Education and Information in the United States: Are We Neglecting Our Male Patients?

    PubMed

    Sinno, Sammy; Lam, Gretl; Brownstone, Nicholas D; Steinbrech, Douglas S

    2016-01-01

    The number of total cosmetic procedures performed yearly has increased by more than 274% between 1997 and 2014, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. However, the vast majority of plastic surgery procedures are still targeted toward women, with little attention toward men. This study sought to quantify the extent of gender discrepancies observed in online plastic surgery marketing in this country. For the 48 contiguous United States, a systematic Google (Mountain View, CA) search was performed for "[state] plastic surgeon." The first 10 solo or group practice websites in each state were analyzed for the gender of the first 10 images featured, presence of a male services section, and which procedures were offered to men. The results were statistically analyzed using SPSS Software (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY). A total of 453 websites were analyzed, as 5 states did not have 10 unique solo or group practice websites. Of the 4239 images reviewed, 94.1% were of females, 5.0% were of males, and 0.9% were of a male and female together. A male services page was present in 22% of websites. The most common procedures marketed toward men were gynecomastia reduction (58%), liposuction (17%), blepharoplasty (13%), and facelift (10%). Less than 10% of all websites offered other procedures to males, with a total of 15 other aesthetic procedures identified. Many plastic surgeons choose to ignore or minimize male patients in their online marketing efforts. However, as the number of men seeking cosmetic procedures continues to grow, plastic surgeons will benefit from incorporating male patients into their practice model. © 2015 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  13. Procedural Portfolio Planning in Plastic Surgery, Part 1: Strategic Changes in Clinical Practice to Increase Physician Revenue, Improve Operative Throughput, and Maintain Patient Satisfaction.

    PubMed

    Hultman, Charles Scott

    2016-06-01

    Portfolio planning in health care represents the strategic prioritization of services that permits an organization to better achieve its goals of margin and mission. Because of recent volatility in the economy, declining reimbursement, and rising costs of providing care, such strategic planning has become increasingly important if physicians want to remain leaders in health care. This project assesses the financial impact of procedural portfolio planning on an academic plastic surgery practice from the physician's perspective. We tracked the top 50 procedures, defined as total charges per CPT code, that were performed in our baseline year, for 6 providers in a stable plastic surgery practice. At the end of the first year, we implemented 3 types of strategic changes: growth of areas with high contribution margin (laser resurfacing of burn scars), curtailment of high-risk procedures with negative contribution margin (panniculectomy in smokers), and improved efficiency of mission-critical services with high resource consumption (free-flap breast reconstruction). During the 2-year study period, we had no turnover in faculty, did not pursue any formal marketing, did not change our surgical fees or billing system, provided care independent of payer mix, and maintained our commitment to indigent care. Outcome measures included procedural charges and revenue, collection rates, work relative value units, operating room times, idle times (room time less case time), receipts/minute in operating room, uncompensated charity care, and patient satisfaction (Press-Gainey scores). Before the study period, annual incremental growth in our practice was 1% to 2%, in terms of charges and receipts. After implementation of the portfolio planning project, the financial position of our division improved significantly, with patient satisfaction rates increasing from 85.5% to 94.1% and charity care remaining constant at US $400,000 per year. Encounters, work relative value units, charges

  14. Away Rotations and Matching in Integrated Plastic Surgery Residency: Applicant and Program Director Perspectives.

    PubMed

    Drolet, Brian C; Brower, Jonathan P; Lifchez, Scott D; Janis, Jeffrey E; Liu, Paul Y

    2016-04-01

    Although nearly all medical students pursuing integrated plastic surgery residency participate in elective rotations away from their home medical school, the value and costs of these "away" rotations have not been well studied. The authors surveyed all integrated plastic surgery program directors and all applicants in the 2015 National Residency Matching Program. Forty-two program directors and 149 applicants (64 percent and 70 percent response rate, respectively) completed the survey. Applicants reported 13.7 weeks spent on plastic surgery rotations during medical school, including a mean of 9.2 weeks on away rotations. Average reported cost for away rotations was $3591 per applicant. Both applicants and program directors most commonly reported "making a good impression" (44.6 percent and 36.6 percent, respectively) or finding a "good-fit" program (27.7 percent and 48.8 percent, respectively) as the primary goal for away rotations. Almost all applicants (91.1 percent) believed an away rotation made them more competitive for matching to a program at which they rotated. Program directors ranked a strong away rotation performance as the most important residency selection criterion. Twenty-seven percent of postgraduate year-1 positions were filled by an away rotatorm and an additional 17 percent were filled by a home medical student. Away rotations appear to be mutually beneficial for applicants and programs in helping to establish a good fit between students and training programs through an extended interaction with the students, residents, and faculty. In addition, making a good impression on a senior elective rotation (home or away) may improve an applicant's chance of matching to a residency program.

  15. The Economics of Private Practice versus Academia in Surgery.

    PubMed

    Baimas-George, Maria; Fleischer, Brian; Korndorffer, James R; Slakey, Douglas; DuCoin, Christopher

    2018-04-16

    Residents often make career decisions regarding future practice without adequate knowledge to the realities of professional life. Currently there is a paucity of data regarding economic differences between practice models. This study seeks to illuminate the financial differences of surgical subspecialties between academic and private practice. Data were collected from the Association of American Medical College (AAMC) and the Medical Group Management Association's (MGMA) 2015 reports of average annual salaries. Salaries were analyzed for general surgery and 7 subspecialties. Fixed time of practice was set at 30 years. Assumptions included 5 years as assistant professor, 10 years as associate professor, and 15 years as full professor. Formula used: (average yearly salary) × [years of practice (30 yrs - fellowship/research yrs)] + ($50,000 × yrs of fellowship/research) = total adjusted lifetime revenue. As a full professor, academic surgeons in all subspecialties make significantly less than their private practice counterparts. The largest discrepancy is in vascular and cardiothoracic surgery, with full professors earning 16% and 14% less than private practitioners. Plastic surgery and general surgery are the only 2 disciplines that have similar lifetime revenues to private practitioners, earning 2% and 6% less than their counterparts' lifetime revenue. Academic surgeons in all surgical subspecialties examined earn less lifetime revenue compared to those in private practice. This difference in earnings decreases but remains substantial as an academic surgeon advances. With limited exposure to the diversity of professional arenas, residents must be aware of this discrepancy. Copyright © 2018 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Cosmetic ear surgery

    MedlinePlus

    ... ear reduction. In: Rubin JP, Neligan PC, eds. Plastic Surgery: Volume 2: Aesthetic Surgery . 4th ed. Philadelphia, ... Tang Ho, MD, Assistant Professor, Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and ...

  17. Analysis of Malpractice Claims Associated with Surgical Site Infection in the Field of Plastic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Park, Bo Young; Kwon, Jung Woo; Kang, So Ra; Hong, Seung Eun

    2016-12-01

    Postoperative infections are rare after plastic surgery; however, when present, they can affect the aesthetic outcome. Currently, many malpractice lawsuits are associated with surgical site infection. The present study aimed to analyze malpractice claims associated with surgical site infection in the field of plastic surgery through a review of Korean precedents. We analyzed the type of procedure, associated complications, and legal judgment in these cases. Most claimants were women, and claims were most often related to breast surgery. The common complications related to surgical site infection were deformity, scar, and asymmetry. Among the 40 cases, 34 were won by the plaintiff, and the mean claim settlement was 2,832,654 KRW (USD 2,636.6). The reasons for these judgements were as follows: 1) immediate bacterial culture tests were not performed and appropriate antibiotics were not used; 2) patients were not transferred to a high-level hospital or the infection control department was not consulted; 3) surgical site infection control measures were not appropriate; and 4) surgical procedures were performed without preoperative explanation about surgical site infection. The number of claims owing to surgical site infection after surgery is increasing. Infection handling was one of the key factors that influenced the judgement, and preoperative explanation about the possibility of infection is important. The findings will help surgeons achieve high patient satisfaction and reduce liability concerns.

  18. Plastic surgery and global health: how plastic surgery impacts the global burden of surgical disease.

    PubMed

    Semer, Nadine B; Sullivan, Stephen R; Meara, John G

    2010-08-01

    The global burden of surgical disease is estimated as being 11% of the total global burden of disease. In this article we discuss the portion of this burden which could be ameliorated with plastic surgical expertise. Although not necessarily seen as a major player in issues related to global health, plastic surgeons are uniquely qualified to decrease the burden of surgical disease afflicting people in the developing world. Burns, traumatic injuries, and congenital anomalies are some of the areas where the presence of plastic surgical expertise can make a significant difference in patient outcomes and thereby decrease the years of life lost due to disability due to these highly treatable conditions. In light of the severe shortage of plastic surgeons throughout the developing world, it falls to those concentrated in the developed world to harness their skills and address the vast unmet needs of the developing world so as to enhance global health. Copyright 2009 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Canadian Plastic Surgery Resident Work Hour Restrictions: Practices and Perceptions of Residents and Program Directors.

    PubMed

    McInnes, Colin W; Vorstenbosch, Joshua; Chard, Ryan; Logsetty, Sarvesh; Buchel, Edward W; Islur, Avinash

    2018-02-01

    The impact of resident work hour restrictions on training and patient care remains a highly controversial topic, and to date, there lacks a formal assessment as it pertains to Canadian plastic surgery residents. To characterize the work hour profile of Canadian plastic surgery residents and assess the perspectives of residents and program directors regarding work hour restrictions related to surgical competency, resident wellness, and patient safety. An anonymous online survey developed by the authors was sent to all Canadian plastic surgery residents and program directors. Basic summary statistics were calculated. Eighty (53%) residents and 10 (77%) program directors responded. Residents reported working an average of 73 hours in hospital per week with 8 call shifts per month and sleep 4.7 hours/night while on call. Most residents (88%) reported averaging 0 post-call days off per month and 61% will work post-call without any sleep. The majority want the option of working post-call (63%) and oppose an 80-hour weekly maximum (77%). Surgical and medical errors attributed to post-call fatigue were self-reported by 26% and 49% of residents, respectively. Residents and program directors expressed concern about the ability to master surgical skills without working post-call. The majority of respondents oppose duty hour restrictions. The reason is likely multifactorial, including the desire of residents to meet perceived expectations and to master their surgical skills while supervised. If duty hour restrictions are aggressively implemented, many respondents feel that an increased duration of training may be necessary.

  20. Microsurgery: the top 50 classic papers in plastic surgery: a citation analysis.

    PubMed

    Joyce, Cormac Weekes; Carroll, Sean Michael

    2014-03-01

    The number of citations that a published article has received reflects the importance of the paper in the particular area of practice. In microsurgery, thus far, which journal articles are cited most frequently is unknown. The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze the characteristics of the top 50 papers in the field of microsurgery in the plastic surgery literature. The 50 most cited papers published in high impact plastic surgery and microsurgery journals were identified. The articles were ranked in the order of the number of citations received. These 50 classic papers were analyzed for article type, journal distribution, and geographic and institutional origin. Six international journals contributed to the top 50 papers in microsurgery. The most cited paper reported on the early use of the vascularized bone graft and was cited 116 times. The top 50 papers originated from just 10 countries with the United States producing the most. The Preston and Northcote Community Hospital, Melbourne published 5 papers and this was the most productive institution in the top 50. These papers represent many important milestones in the relatively short history of microsurgery. Furthermore, our citation analysis provides useful information to budding authors as to what makes a paper attain a "classic" status.

  1. The impact of operative time on complications after plastic surgery: a multivariate regression analysis of 1753 cases.

    PubMed

    Hardy, Krista L; Davis, Kathryn E; Constantine, Ryan S; Chen, Mo; Hein, Rachel; Jewell, James L; Dirisala, Karunakar; Lysikowski, Jerzy; Reed, Gary; Kenkel, Jeffrey M

    2014-05-01

    Little evidence within plastic surgery literature supports the precept that longer operative times lead to greater morbidity. The authors investigate surgery duration as a determinant of morbidity, with the goal of defining a clinically relevant time for increased risk. A retrospective chart review was conducted of patients who underwent a broad range of complex plastic surgical procedures (n = 1801 procedures) at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, from January 1, 2008 to January 31, 2012. Adjusting for possible confounders, multivariate logistic regression assessed surgery duration as an independent predictor of morbidity. To define a cutoff for increased risk, incidence of complications was compared among quintiles of surgery duration. Stratification by type of surgery controlled for procedural complexity. A total of 1753 cases were included in multivariate analyses with an overall complication rate of 27.8%. Most operations were combined (75.8%), averaging 4.9 concurrent procedures. Each hour increase in surgery duration was associated with a 21% rise in odds of morbidity (P < .0001). Compared with the first quintile of operative time (<2.0 hours), there was no change in complications until after 3.1 hours of surgery (odds ratio, 1.6; P = .017), with progressively greater odds increases of 3.1 times after 4.5 hours (P < .0001) and 4.7 times after 6.8 hours (P < .0001). When stratified by type of surgery, longer operations continued to be associated with greater morbidity. Surgery duration is an independent predictor of complications, with a significantly increased risk above 3 hours. Although procedural complexity undoubtedly affects morbidity, operative time should factor into surgical decision making.

  2. Twenty years of experience with particulate silicone in plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Planas, J; del Cacho, C

    1992-01-01

    The use of particulate silicone in plastic surgery involves the introduction of solid silicone into the body. The silicone is in small pieces in order for it to adapt to the shape of the defect. This way large quantities can be introduced through small incisions. It is also possible to distribute the silicone particles from outside the skin to make the corrections more regular. This method has been very useful for correcting post-traumatic depressions in the face and all areas where the depression has a rigid back support. We consider it the treatment of choice for correcting the funnel chest deformity.

  3. Predictors and causes of unplanned re-operations in outpatient plastic surgery: a multi-institutional analysis of 6749 patients using the 2011 NSQIP database.

    PubMed

    Lim, Seokchun; Jordan, Sumanas W; Jain, Umang; Kim, John Y S

    2014-08-01

    Studies that evaluate the predictors and causes of unplanned re-operation in outpatient plastic surgery. This study retrospectively reviewed the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) and identified all plastic surgery outpatient cases performed in 2011. Multiple logistic regression analysis was utilised to identify independent risk factors and causes of unplanned reoperations. Of the 6749 outpatient plastic surgery cases identified, there were 125 (1.9%) unplanned re-operations (UR). Regression analysis demonstrated that body mass index (BMI, OR = 1.041, 95% CI = 1.019-1.065), preoperative open wound/wound infection (OR = 3.498, 95% CI = 1.593-7.678), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class 3 (OR = 2.235, 95% CI = 1.048-4.765), and total work relative value units (RVU, OR = 1.014, 95% CI = 1.005-1.024) were significantly predictive of UR. Additionally, the presence of any complication was significantly associated with UR (OR = 15.065, 95% CI = 5.705-39.781). In an era of outcomes-driven medicine, unplanned re-operation is a critical quality indicator for ambulatory plastic surgery facilities. The identified risk factors will aid in surgical planning and risk adjustment.

  4. A monitoring tool for performance improvement in plastic surgery at the individual level.

    PubMed

    Maruthappu, Mahiben; Duclos, Antoine; Orgill, Dennis; Carty, Matthew J

    2013-05-01

    The assessment of performance in surgery is expanding significantly. Application of relevant frameworks to plastic surgery, however, has been limited. In this article, the authors present two robust graphic tools commonly used in other industries that may serve to monitor individual surgeon operative time while factoring in patient- and surgeon-specific elements. The authors reviewed performance data from all bilateral reduction mammaplasties performed at their institution by eight surgeons between 1995 and 2010. Operative time was used as a proxy for performance. Cumulative sum charts and exponentially weighted moving average charts were generated using a train-test analytic approach, and used to monitor surgical performance. Charts mapped crude, patient case-mix-adjusted, and case-mix and surgical-experience-adjusted performance. Operative time was found to decline from 182 minutes to 118 minutes with surgical experience (p < 0.001). Cumulative sum and exponentially weighted moving average charts were generated using 1995 to 2007 data (1053 procedures) and tested on 2008 to 2010 data (246 procedures). The sensitivity and accuracy of these charts were significantly improved by adjustment for case mix and surgeon experience. The consideration of patient- and surgeon-specific factors is essential for correct interpretation of performance in plastic surgery at the individual surgeon level. Cumulative sum and exponentially weighted moving average charts represent accurate methods of monitoring operative time to control and potentially improve surgeon performance over the course of a career.

  5. Prioritization for Plastic Surgery Procedures Aimed to Improve Quality of Life: Moral Considerations

    PubMed Central

    Kolby, Lars; Elander, Anna

    2017-01-01

    Background: Different health conditions are treated in a Plastic Surgery unit, including those cases whose main goal is to enable patients to feel and integrate better within society and therefore improving quality of life, rather then physical functions. Methods: We discuss moral principles that can be used as a guide for health professionals to revise and create policies for plastic surgery patients presenting with non–life-threatening conditions. Results: A specific anatomical feature is not always an indicator of patient’s well-being and quality of life, and therefore it cannot be used as the sole parameter to identify the worst-off and prioritize the provision of health care. A policy should identify who preoperatively are the worst-off and come to some plausible measure of how much they can be expected to benefit from an operation. Policies that do not track these principles in any reliable way can cause discrimination. Conclusions: A patient-centered operating system and patient’s informed preferences might be implemented in the process of prioritizing health. In circumstances when the effectiveness of a specific treatment is unproven, professionals should not make assumptions based on their own values. PMID:28894658

  6. The Academic Scholar Award of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons: the first 20 years.

    PubMed

    Sweeney, Walter M; Cederna, Paul S; Losee, Joseph E; Lee, W P Andrew; Katz, Adam J; Rubin, J Peter; Gosain, Arun K

    2015-02-01

    This study evaluated the 20-year history of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons Academic Scholar Award from 1992 through 2012, to assess the program's value and justify future investment. The curricula vitae of 18 Academic Scholars who completed their award by 2012 were analyzed. Data were compiled into 5-year blocks and reviewed. Award recipients has 589 grants, an average of 33 per recipient. Sixty-nine grants were active, and the recipient was the principal investigator in 61 of these grants. Active funding is $68 million. Recipients average 3.7 active grants per person, with a value of $3.8 million per grant. The average number of grants peaks at 5 to 10 years after award completion and then declines slightly to 42 at 10 to 15 years. During this time, total grant money increased from $956,667 to $8.1 million, suggesting that senior surgeons produce more money with fewer grants. Recipients produced 2378 peer-reviewed articles, and productivity was the highest 5 to 10 years after award completion. Three hundred forty-one individuals were mentored, and each recipient mentored an average of 18 individuals. Forty-two mentees entered academics, and 32 generated extramural funding. Scholars increased mentorship activity, as demonstrated by (1) increased grants as any role, (2) increased grant funding as any role, (3) increased median number of senior author publications, and (4) mentorship activities and accomplishments of mentees. The Academic Scholar program met its goals based on (1) Scholars' careers, (2) increased mentorship, and (3) cost-benefit ratio of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons investment. Every $1 invested produces $70, with a return that exceeds 1000 percent.

  7. Increased anaesthesia duration increases venous thromboembolism risk in plastic surgery: A 6-year analysis of over 19,000 cases using the NSQIP dataset.

    PubMed

    Mlodinow, Alexei S; Khavanin, Nima; Ver Halen, Jon P; Rambachan, Aksharananda; Gutowski, Karol A; Kim, John Y S

    2015-01-01

    Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in the postoperative setting. Various risk stratification schema exist in the plastic surgery literature, but do not take into account variations in procedure length. The putative risk of VTE conferred by increased length of time under anaesthesia has never been rigorously explored. The goal of this study is to assess this relationship and to benchmark VTE rates in plastic surgery. A large, multi-institutional quality-improvement database was queried for plastic and reconstructive surgery procedures performed under general anaesthesia between 2005-2011. In total, 19,276 cases were abstracted from the database. Z-scores were calculated based on procedure-specific mean surgical durations, to assess each case's length in comparison to the mean for that procedure. A total of 70 patients (0.36%) experienced a post-operative VTE. Patients with and without post-operative VTE were compared with respect to a variety of demographics, comorbidities, and intraoperative characteristics. Potential confounders for VTE were included in a regression model, along with the Z-scores. VTE occurred in both cosmetic and reconstructive procedures. Longer surgery time, relative to procedural means, was associated with increased VTE rates. Further, regression analysis showed increase in Z-score to be an independent risk factor for post-operative VTE (Odds Ratio of 1.772 per unit, p-value < 0.001). Subgroup analyses corroborated these findings. This study validates the long-held view that increased surgical duration confers risk of VTE, as well as benchmarks VTE rates in plastic surgery procedures. While this in itself does not suggest an intervention, surgical time under general anaesthesia would be a useful addition to existing risk models in plastic surgery.

  8. Peri-implant plastic surgery techniques to hard and soft tissue augmentation in implant rehabilitation

    PubMed Central

    Baltacioğlu, Esra; Korkmaz, Yavuz Tolga; Korkmaz, Fatih Mehmet; Aydin, Güven; Sukuroglu, Erkan

    2017-01-01

    This report presents the clinical results of peri-implant plastic surgical approaches for hard and soft tissues before and during the implant placement in a patient with vertical ridge deformation and a shallow vestibule sulcus, and the subsequently performed prosthetic rehabilitation. The surgical approaches used in this case reduced the crown-height space and crown-to-implant ratio and ensured that the implants were placed in their ideal positions, and peri-implant tissue health was maintained. In conclusion, developments in the peri-implant plastic surgery enable the successful augmentation of hard and soft tissue defects and provide the implant-supported fixed prosthetic rehabilitation. PMID:29386805

  9. International efforts in plastic surgery: the Hartford Hospital, Connecticut Children's Medical Center and University of Connecticut experience in Ecuador.

    PubMed

    Hughes, Christopher; Wong, Anselm; McCormack, Susan; Castiglione, Charles; Pap, Stephen A; Silverman, Richard; Babigian, Alan

    2012-01-01

    Plastic and reconstructive surgery provide a necessary and essential service to public health efforts in resource-poor regions around the world. Disease processes amenable to plastic surgical treatment significantly contribute to worldwide disability, and it is the poor and underserved who are disproportionately affected. We conducted a week-long plastic and reconstructive surgical trip to Latacunga, Ecuador to provide reconstructive surgical services for the underserved in this region. Over the course of a week, 97 patients received surgery. Most patients were young (mean age = 21.8 years) and 50.5% were female. Burns and burn scar contractures were the most common diagnoses requiring surgery(21.6%), but cleft lip and palate deformities, scars, nevi, and congenital ear deformities comprised a significant proportion of the case load as well (17.5%, 11.3%, 12.4%, and 10.3%, respectively). There was one postoperative complication requiring reoperation. This short-term surgical trip successfully delivered essential reconstructive surgical care to an underserved population in rural Ecuador. Although this is most certainly only a fraction of the true surgical disease burden within this population, our experience provides a testament to the need for essential reconstructive surgical services in developing nations around the world.

  10. [Nomadic plastic surgery: 1 NGO, 10 years, 30 missions].

    PubMed

    Knipper, P; Antoine, P; Carré, C; Baudet, J

    2015-06-01

    This publication presents the results of 10 years of nomadic plastic surgery missions by a small French non-governmental organization: Interplast-France/surgery without borders (www.Interplast-France.net). This NGO is specialized in reconstructive surgery in challenging conditions and works in developing countries. We present a view of 10 years of missions carried out between 2003 and 2013. This experience covers a uniform period both by the objectives proposed and the regularity of missions observed. This work shows the way surgical missions take place and the methodology used. We carried out 30 missions. We made more than 4000 consultations and we operated 1500 patients. Interventions are divided into one quarter cleft, one quarter tumors, one quarter burn injuries and one quarter of various diseases such as noma and Buruli ulcer. We show some adaptations such as autonomy during missions, the adjustment guidance in relation to this new environment and the integration of local traditions in our therapeutic action. We offer practical notions on the surgical procedures and some reflections on the societal level. This work aims primarily to pay tribute to all the invisible actors in this long chain of humanity, and thanks to the simple intervention of men, a patient can have the same medical treatment whether he is in an industrial country or in some isolated place on this earth. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  11. Periodontal plastic surgery of gingival recessions at single and multiple teeth.

    PubMed

    Cairo, Francesco

    2017-10-01

    This manuscript aims to review periodontal plastic surgery for root coverage at single and multiple gingival recessions. Techniques are assessed based on biological principles, surgical procedures, prognosticative factors and expected clinical and esthetic outcomes. The use of coronally advanced flap, laterally sliding flap, free gingival graft, the tunnel grafting technique, barrier membranes, enamel matrix derivative, collagen matrix and acellular dermal matrix are evaluated. The clinical scenario and practical implications are analyzed according to a modern evidence-based approach. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Who benefits from peer review? An analysis of the outcome of 100 requests for review by Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

    PubMed

    Loonen, Martijn P J; Hage, J Joris; Kon, Moshe

    2005-10-01

    Little is known of what is done with the comments on submitted manuscripts provided by peer reviewers or to what extent these comments benefit the editor in deciding to accept or reject the manuscript, the author(s) in revising their manuscript, or the readership at large. Furthermore, nothing is known of any possible benefits of the process to the peer reviewer. Finally, the peer-review process may even be maleficent because of its implicit delay of publication and a possible bias against manuscripts originating from non-Anglo-American countries. The authors evaluated the benefits of the peer-review process to authors, editor, readers, and reviewers by a bibliometric analysis of the outcome of 100 requests for review made by the editor of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery from 1992 through 2003. The publication delay and potential geographical bias were evaluated as potential disadvantages. The authors' reviewer advised acceptance of 56 percent of the manuscripts, and the editor mostly agreed with his advice. This suggests that the editor benefited from the review. The authors addressed 48 to 81 percent of the reviewer's constructive suggestions, and this suggests that they and the readers benefited also. Readers of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery may further benefit because manuscripts rejected by Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery end up in less prestigious journals. The implicit delay of publication is limited, and the authors found no bias against non-Anglo-American submissions. The cost-effectiveness of the process for the peer reviewer remains unclear. The peer-review system of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, in general, is beneficial.

  13. Publication Productivity and Experience: Factors Associated with Academic Rank Among Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty in the United States.

    PubMed

    Ence, Andrew K; Cope, Seth R; Holliday, Emma B; Somerson, Jeremy S

    2016-05-18

    Many factors play a role in academic promotion among orthopaedic surgeons. This study specifically examined the importance of publication productivity metrics, career duration, and sex on academic rank in orthopaedic surgery programs in the United States. Faculty at 142 civilian academic orthopaedic surgery departments in 2014 were identified. Geographic region, department size, and 3 specific faculty characteristics (sex, career duration, and academic position) were recorded. The Hirsch index (h-index), defined as the number (h) of an investigator's publications that have been cited at least h times, was recorded for each surgeon. The m-index was also calculated by dividing the h-index by career duration in years. Thresholds for the h-index and the m-index were identified between junior and senior academic ranks. Multivariate analysis was used to determine whether the 3 physician factors correlated independently with academic rank. The analysis included 4,663 orthopaedic surgeons at 142 academic institutions (24.7% clinical faculty and 75.3% academic faculty). Among academic faculty, the median h-index was 5, the median career duration was 15 years, and the median m-index was 0.37. Thresholds between junior and senior faculty status were 12 for the h-index and 0.51 for the m-index. Female academic faculty had a lower median h-index (3 compared with 5; p < 0.001) and career duration (10 years compared with 16 years; p < 0.001) than male academic faculty, but had a similar median m-index (0.33 compared with 0.38; p = 0.103). A higher h-index and longer career duration correlated independently with an increased probability of senior academic rank (p < 0.001), but sex did not (p = 0.217). This analysis demonstrates that a higher h-index and m-index correlate with a higher academic orthopaedic faculty rank. Although female surgeons had a lower median h-index and a shorter median career duration than male surgeons, their m-index was not significantly different, and thus

  14. Clinical application of three-dimensional printing technology in craniofacial plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Choi, Jong Woo; Kim, Namkug

    2015-05-01

    Three-dimensional (3D) printing has been particularly widely adopted in medical fields. Application of the 3D printing technique has even been extended to bio-cell printing for 3D tissue/organ development, the creation of scaffolds for tissue engineering, and actual clinical application for various medical parts. Of various medical fields, craniofacial plastic surgery is one of areas that pioneered the use of the 3D printing concept. Rapid prototype technology was introduced in the 1990s to medicine via computer-aided design, computer-aided manufacturing. To investigate the current status of 3D printing technology and its clinical application, a systematic review of the literature was conducted. In addition, the benefits and possibilities of the clinical application of 3D printing in craniofacial surgery are reviewed, based on personal experiences with more than 500 craniofacial cases conducted using 3D printing tactile prototype models.

  15. Clinical Application of Three-Dimensional Printing Technology in Craniofacial Plastic Surgery

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Namkug

    2015-01-01

    Three-dimensional (3D) printing has been particularly widely adopted in medical fields. Application of the 3D printing technique has even been extended to bio-cell printing for 3D tissue/organ development, the creation of scaffolds for tissue engineering, and actual clinical application for various medical parts. Of various medical fields, craniofacial plastic surgery is one of areas that pioneered the use of the 3D printing concept. Rapid prototype technology was introduced in the 1990s to medicine via computer-aided design, computer-aided manufacturing. To investigate the current status of 3D printing technology and its clinical application, a systematic review of the literature was conducted. In addition, the benefits and possibilities of the clinical application of 3D printing in craniofacial surgery are reviewed, based on personal experiences with more than 500 craniofacial cases conducted using 3D printing tactile prototype models. PMID:26015880

  16. The use of stem cells in aesthetic dermatology and plastic surgery procedures. A compact review of experimental and clinical applications.

    PubMed

    Nowacki, Maciej; Kloskowski, Tomasz; Pietkun, Katarzyna; Zegarski, Maciej; Pokrywczyńska, Marta; Habib, Samy L; Drewa, Tomasz; Zegarska, Barbara

    2017-12-01

    The aim of this paper was to collect currently available data related to the use of stem cells in aesthetic dermatology and plastic surgery based on a systemic review of experimental and clinical applications. We found that the use of stem cells is very promising but the current state of art is still not effective. This situation is connected with not fully known mechanisms of cell interactions, possible risks and side effects. We think that there is a big need to create and conduct different studies which could resolve problems of stem cells use for implementation into aesthetic dermatology and plastic surgery.

  17. Aesthetic breast shape preferences among plastic surgeons.

    PubMed

    Broer, Peter Niclas; Juran, Sabrina; Walker, Marc E; Ng, Reuben; Weichman, Katie; Tanna, Neil; Liu, Yuen-Jong; Shah, Ajul; Patel, Anup; Persing, John A; Thomson, James Grant

    2015-06-01

    There has been little discussion in the plastic surgery literature regarding breast shape preferences among plastic surgeons, despite strong evidence that such aesthetic preferences are influenced by multiple factors. Much effort has been focused on delineating the objective criteria by which an "attractive" breast might be defined. This study aimed at providing a better understanding of the presence and significance of differences in personal aesthetic perception, and how these relate to a plastic surgeon's demographic, ethnic, and cultural background, as well as practice type (academic vs private). An interactive online survey was designed. Modifiable ranges of upper pole fullness and areola size were achieved via digital alteration, enabling participants to interactively change the shape of a model's breasts. The questionnaire was translated into multiple languages and sent to plastic surgeons worldwide. Demographic data were also collected. Analysis of variance was used to elucidate plastic surgeon's breast shape preferences in respect to sex and age, geographic and ethnic background, as well as practice type. The authors gathered 614 responses from 29 different countries. Significant differences regarding preferences for upper pole fullness, areola size in the natural breast, and areola size in the augmented breast were identified across surgeons from the different countries. Further, significant relationships regarding breast shape preferences were distilled between the age and sex of the surgeon, as well as the practice type. No differences were found in respect to the surgeons' self-reported ethnic background. Country of residence, age, and practice type significantly impact breast shape preferences of plastic surgeons. These findings have implications for both patients seeking and surgeons performing cosmetic and reconstructive breast surgery. In an increasingly global environment, cultural differences and international variability must be considered when

  18. In-training factors predictive of choosing and sustaining a productive academic career path in neurological surgery.

    PubMed

    Crowley, R Webster; Asthagiri, Ashok R; Starke, Robert M; Zusman, Edie E; Chiocca, E Antonio; Lonser, Russell R

    2012-04-01

    Factors during neurosurgical residency that are predictive of an academic career path and promotion have not been defined. To determine factors associated with selecting and sustaining an academic career in neurosurgery by analyzing in-training factors for all graduates of American College of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited programs between 1985 and 1990. Neurological surgery residency graduates (between 1985 and 1990) from ACGME-approved training programs were analyzed to determine factors associated with choosing an academic career path and having academic success. Information was available for 717 of the 720 (99%) neurological surgery resident training graduates (678 male, 39 female). One hundred thirty-eight graduates (19.3%) held full-time academic positions. One hundred seven (14.9%) were professors and 35 (4.9%) were department chairs/chiefs. An academic career path/success was associated with more total (5.1 vs 1.9; P < .001) and first-author publications (3.0 vs 1.0; P < .001) during residency. Promotion to professor or chair/chief was associated with more publications during residency (P < .001). Total publications and first-author publications were independent predictors of holding a current academic position and becoming professor or chair/chief. Although male trainees published more than female trainees (2.6 vs 0.9 publications; P < .004) during training, no significant sex difference was observed regarding current academic position. Program size (≥ 2 graduates a year; P = .02) was predictive of an academic career but not predictive of becoming professor or chair/chief (P > .05). Defined in-training factors including number of total publications, number of first-author publications, and program size are predictive of residents choosing and succeeding in an academic career path.

  19. H-index and academic rank in general surgery and surgical specialties in the United States.

    PubMed

    Ashfaq, Awais; Kalagara, Roshini; Wasif, Nabil

    2018-09-01

    H-index serves as an alternative to measure academic achievement. Our objective is to study the h-index as a measure of academic attainment in general surgery and surgical specialties. A database of all surgical programs in the United States was created. Publish or Perish software was used to determine surgeons h-index. A total of 134 hospitals and 3712 surgeons (79% male) were included. Overall, mean h-index was 14.9 ± 14.8. H-index increased linearly with academic rank: 6.8 ± 6.4 for assistant professors (n = 1557, 41.9%), 12.9 ± 9.3 for associate professors (n = 891, 24%), and 27.9 ± 17.4 for professors (n = 1170, 31.5%); P < 0.001. Thoracic surgery and surgical oncology had the highest subspecialty mean h-indices (18.7 ± 16.7 and 18.4 ± 17.6, respectively). Surgeons with additional postgraduate degrees, university affiliations and male had higher mean h-indices; P < 0.001. Scatterplot analysis showed a strong correlation between h-index and the number of publications (R2 = 0.817) and citations (R2 = 0.768). The h-index of academic surgeons correlates with academic rank and serves a potential tool to measure academic productivity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Impact of reconstructive transplantation on the future of plastic and reconstructive surgery.

    PubMed

    Siemionow, Maria

    2012-10-01

    This article summarizes the current knowledge on the new developing field of reconstructive transplantation. A brief outline of vascularized composite allografts (VCA) such as human hand, face, larynx, and abdominal wall transplants is provided. The clinical applications and indications for these new reconstructive transplantation procedures are outlined. The advantages, disadvantages, and complications and concerns surrounding clinical VCA are discussed. Finally, the impact of reconstructive transplantation on the future of plastic and reconstructive surgery is presented. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Unique Assessment of Hand Surgery Knowledge by Specialty.

    PubMed

    Silvestre, Jason; Lin, Ines C; Chang, Benjamin; Levin, L Scott

    2016-03-01

    Orthopedic and plastic surgery residents receive unique training yet often compete for similar hand surgery fellowships. This study compared didactic hand surgery training during orthopedic and plastic surgery residency. The Plastic Surgery In-Service Training Exam and Orthopaedic In-Training Examination were analyzed for hand content for the years 2009 to 2013. Topics were categorized with the content outline for the Surgery of the Hand Examination. Differences were elucidated by means of Fisher's exact test. Relative to the Orthopaedic In-Training Examination, the Plastic Surgery In-Service Training Exam had greater hand representation (20.3 percent versus 8.1 percent; p < 0.001) with more annual hand questions (40 ± 3 versus 24 ± 2; p < 0.001). The Plastic Surgery Exam questions had more words, were less often level I-recall type, and were less often image-based. The questions focused more on finger and hand/palm anatomy, whereas the Orthopaedic examination was more wrist-focused. The Plastic Surgery Exam emphasized wound management and muscle/tendon injuries, but underemphasized fractures/dislocations. References differed, but Journal of Hand Surgery (American Volume) and Green's Operative Hand Surgery were common on both examinations. The Plastic Surgery Exam had a greater publication lag for journal references (10.7 ± 0.5 years versus 9.0 ± 0.6; p = 0.035). Differences in didactic hand surgery training are elucidated for plastic surgery and orthopedic residents. Deficiencies in the Plastic Surgery In-Service Training Exam hand curriculum relative to the Orthopaedic In-Training Examination may underprepare plastic surgeons for the Surgery of the Hand Examination. These data may assist future modifications to hand surgery training in the United States.

  2. Perception of laypersons and dental professionals and students as regards the aesthetic impact of gingival plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Pithon, Matheus Melo; Santos, Adrielle Mangabeira; Campos, Matheus Souza; Couto, Felipe Santos; dos Santos, Alex Ferreira; Coqueiro, Raildo da Silva; Oliveira, Dauro Douglas; Tanaka, Orlando Motohiro

    2014-04-01

    To evaluate the degree of perception of laypersons, professionals, and dental students, regarding the aesthetic appearance of the smile in cases of gingival plastic surgery of the maxilla for correction of a gingival smile, by examining alterations in photographs. Alterations were made to an extraoral front-view-photograph of a gingival smile in normal occlusion, by gingival recontouring of the maxilla, simulating a gingival plastic surgery procedure to diminish gingival exposure. For this purpose, specific image-manipulation program (Adobe-Photoshop-Software-CS3) was used. Images were printed on photographic-paper, attached to questionnaire, distributed among laypersons, professionals, and dental students to evaluate degree of aesthetics (n = 150). To evaluate degree of aesthetics, an attractiveness scale was used, with 0 representing hardly attractive, 5 for attractive, and 10 for very attractive. Differences between examiners were examined by Mann-Whitney test. All the statistics were performed with a confidence level of 95 per cent. Both dental professionals and students and laypersons were capable of identifying alterations resulting from gingival plastic surgery. In all evaluated groups, they demonstrated that large gingival extension does not always affect aesthetic appearance of the smile, and maxillary incisors not being much visualized is characterized as hardly attractive, with statistically lower scores being attributed (P < 0.05). According to aesthetic parameters, the presence of the gingiva is important in the composition of the smile, however, only when exposed to small extent.

  3. Return of the cadaver: Key role of anatomic dissection for plastic surgery resident training.

    PubMed

    Krähenbühl, Swenn Maxence; Čvančara, Paul; Stieglitz, Thomas; Bonvin, Raphaël; Michetti, Murielle; Flahaut, Marjorie; Durand, Sébastien; Deghayli, Lina; Applegate, Lee Ann; Raffoul, Wassim

    2017-07-01

    Successful Plastic Surgery Residency training is subjected to evolving society pressure of lower hourly work weeks imposed by external committees, labor laws, and increased public awareness of patient care quality. Although innovative measures for simulation training of surgery are appearing, there is also the realization that basic anatomy training should be re-enforced and cadaver dissection is of utmost importance for surgical techniques.In the development of new technology for implantable neurostimulatory electrodes for the management of phantom limb pain in amputee patients, a design of a cadaveric model has been developed with detailed steps for innovative transfascicular insertion of electrodes. Overall design for electrode and cable implantation transcutaneous was established and an operating protocol devised.Microsurgery of the nerves of the upper extremities for interfascicular electrode implantation is described for the first time. Design of electrode implantation in cadaver specimens was adapted with a trocar delivery of cables and electrodes transcutaneous and stabilization of the electrode by suturing along the nerve. In addition, the overall operating arena environment with specific positions of the multidisciplinary team necessary for implantable electrodes was elaborated to assure optimal operating conditions and procedures during the organization of a first-in-man implantation study.Overall importance of plastic surgery training for new and highly technical procedures is of importance and particularly there is a real need to continue actual cadaveric training due to patient variability for nerve anatomic structures.

  4. Increased ICU resource needs for an academic emergency general surgery service*.

    PubMed

    Lissauer, Matthew E; Galvagno, Samuel M; Rock, Peter; Narayan, Mayur; Shah, Paulesh; Spencer, Heather; Hong, Caron; Diaz, Jose J

    2014-04-01

    ICU needs of nontrauma emergency general surgery patients are poorly described. This study was designed to compare ICU utilization of emergency general surgery patients admitted to an acute care emergency surgery service with other general surgery patients. Our hypothesis is that tertiary care emergency general surgery patients utilize more ICU resources than other general surgical patients. Retrospective database review. Academic, tertiary care, nontrauma surgical ICU. All patients admitted to the surgical ICU over age 18 between March 2004 and June 2012. None. Six thousand ninety-eight patients were evaluated: 1,053 acute care emergency surgery, 1,964 general surgery, 1,491 transplant surgery, 995 facial surgery/otolaryngology, and 595 neurosurgery. Acute care emergency surgery patients had statistically significantly longer ICU lengths of stay than other groups: acute care emergency surgery (13.5 ± 17.4 d) versus general surgery (8.7 ± 12.9), transplant (7.8 ± 11.6), oral-maxillofacial surgery (5.5 ± 4.2), and neurosurgery (4.47 ± 9.8) (all p< 0.01). Ventilator usage, defined by percentage of total ICU days patients required mechanical ventilation, was significantly higher for acute care emergency surgery patients: acute care emergency surgery 73.4% versus general surgery 64.9%, transplant 63.3%, oral-maxillofacial surgery 58.4%, and neurosurgery 53.1% (all p < 0.01). Continuous renal replacement therapy usage, defined as percent of patients requiring this service, was significantly higher in acute care emergency surgery patients: acute care emergency surgery 10.8% versus general surgery 4.3%, transplant 6.6%, oral-maxillofacial surgery 0%, and neurosurgery 0.5% (all p < 0.01). Acute care emergency surgery patients were more likely interhospital transfers for tertiary care services than general surgery or transplant (24.5% vs 15.5% and 8.3% respectively, p < 0.001 for each) and more likely required emergent surgery (13.7% vs 6.7% and 3.5%, all p < 0

  5. Safely re-integrating silicone breast implants into the plastic surgery practice.

    PubMed

    Gladfelter, Joanne

    2006-01-01

    In the early 1990s, it was reported that silicone breast implants were possibly responsible for serious damage to women's health. In January 1992, the Food and Drug Administration issued a voluntary breast implant moratorium and, in April, issued a ban on the use of silicone gel-filled implants for cosmetic breast augmentation. Since that time, silicone gel-filled breast implants have been available to women only for select cases: women seeking breast reconstruction or revision of an existing breast implant, women who have had breast cancer surgery, a severe injury to the breast, a birth defect that affects the breast, or a medical condition causing a severe breast deformity. Since the ban on the use of silicone gel-filled breast implants for cosmetic breast augmentation, numerous scientific studies have been conducted. To ensure patient safety, the American Board of Plastic Surgery believes that these scientific studies and the Food and Drug Administration's scrutiny of silicone gel-filled breast implants have been appropriate and necessary.

  6. Plastic surgery practice models and research aims under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

    PubMed

    Giladi, Aviram M; Yuan, Frank; Chung, Kevin C

    2015-02-01

    As the health care landscape in the United States changes under the Affordable Care Act, providers are set to face numerous new challenges. Although concerns about practice sustainability with declining reimbursement have dominated the dialogue, there are more pressing changes to the health care funding mechanism as a whole that must be addressed. Plastic surgeons, involved in various practice models each with different relationships to hospitals, referring physicians, and payers, must understand these reimbursement changes to dictate adequate compensation in the future. In this article, the authors discuss bundle payments and accountable care organizations, and how plastic surgeons might best engage in these new system designs. In addition, the authors review the value of a focused and driven health-services research agenda in plastic surgery, and the importance of this research in supporting long-term financial stability for the specialty.

  7. Plastic Surgery Practice Models and Research Aims Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

    PubMed Central

    Giladi, Aviram M.; Yuan, Frank; Chung, Kevin C.

    2014-01-01

    As the healthcare landscape in the United States changes under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), providers are set to face numerous new challenges. Although concerns about practice sustainability with declining reimbursement have dominated the dialogue, there are more pressing changes to the healthcare funding mechanism as a whole that must be addressed. Plastic surgeons, involved in various practice models each with different relationships to hospitals, referring physicians, and payers, must understand these reimbursement changes in order to dictate adequate compensation in the future. Here we discuss bundle payments and Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), and how plastic surgeons might best engage in these new system designs. In addition, we review the value of a focused and driven health-services research agenda in plastic surgery, and the importance of this research in supporting long-term financial stability for the specialty. PMID:25626805

  8. The use of stem cells in aesthetic dermatology and plastic surgery procedures. A compact review of experimental and clinical applications

    PubMed Central

    Nowacki, Maciej; Kloskowski, Tomasz; Pietkun, Katarzyna; Zegarski, Maciej; Pokrywczyńska, Marta; Habib, Samy L.; Drewa, Tomasz

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this paper was to collect currently available data related to the use of stem cells in aesthetic dermatology and plastic surgery based on a systemic review of experimental and clinical applications. We found that the use of stem cells is very promising but the current state of art is still not effective. This situation is connected with not fully known mechanisms of cell interactions, possible risks and side effects. We think that there is a big need to create and conduct different studies which could resolve problems of stem cells use for implementation into aesthetic dermatology and plastic surgery. PMID:29422816

  9. Determining the Drivers of Academic Success in Surgery: An Analysis of 3,850 Faculty

    PubMed Central

    Valsangkar, Nakul P.; Zimmers, Teresa A.; Kim, Bradford J.; Blanton, Casi; Joshi, Mugdha M.; Bell, Teresa M.; Nakeeb, Attila; Dunnington, Gary L.; Koniaris, Leonidas G.

    2015-01-01

    Objective Determine drivers of academic productivity within U.S. departments of surgery. Methods Eighty academic metrics for 3,850 faculty at the top 50 NIH-funded university- and 5 outstanding hospital-based surgical departments were collected using websites, Scopus, and NIH RePORTER. Results Mean faculty size was 76. Overall, there were 35.3% assistant, 27.8% associate, and 36.9% full professors. Women comprised 21.8%; 4.9% were MD-PhDs and 6.1% PhDs. By faculty-rank, median publications/citations were: assistant, 14/175, associate, 39/649 and full-professor, 97/2250. General surgery divisions contributed the most publications and citations. Highest performing sub-specialties per faculty member were: research (58/1683), transplantation (51/1067), oncology (41/777), and cardiothoracic surgery (48/860). Overall, 23.5% of faculty were principal investigators for a current or former NIH grant, 9.5% for a current or former R01/U01/P01. The 10 most cited faculty (MCF) within each department contributed to 42% of all publications and 55% of all citations. MCF were most commonly general (25%), oncology (19%), or transplant surgeons (15%). Fifty-one-percent of MCF had current/former NIH funding, compared with 20% of the rest (p<0.05); funding rates for R01/U01/P01 grants was 25.1% vs. 6.8% (p<0.05). Rate of current-NIH MCF funding correlated with higher total departmental NIH rank (p < 0.05). Conclusions Departmental academic productivity as defined by citations and NIH funding is highly driven by sections or divisions of research, general and transplantation surgery. MCF, regardless of subspecialty, contribute disproportionally to major grants and publications. Approaches that attract, develop, and retain funded MCF may be associated with dramatic increases in total departmental citations and NIH-funding. PMID:26177096

  10. Academic goals in surgery.

    PubMed

    Bleier, Joshua I S; Kann, Brian

    2013-12-01

    The development of an academic surgical career can be an overwhelming prospect, and one that is not intuitive. Establishing a structured plan and support structure is critical to success. Starting a successful academic surgical career begins with defining one's academic goals within several broad categories: personal goals, academic goals, research goals, educational goals, and financial goals. Learning the art of self-promotion is the means by which many of these goals are achieved. It is important to realize that achieving these goals requires a delicate personal balance between work and home life, and the key ways in which to achieve success require establishment of well thought-out goals, a reliable support structure, realistic and clear expectations, and frequent re-evaluation.

  11. [Aesthetic surgery].

    PubMed

    Bruck, Johannes C

    2006-01-01

    The WHO describes health as physical, mental and social well being. Ever since the establishment of plastic surgery aesthetic surgery has been an integral part of this medical specialty. It aims at reconstructing subjective well-being by employing plastic surgical procedures as described in the educational code and regulations for specialists of plastic surgery. This code confirms that plastic surgery comprises cosmetic procedures for the entire body that have to be applied in respect of psychological exploration and selection criteria. A wide variety of opinions resulting from very different motivations shows how difficult it is to differentiate aesthetic surgery as a therapeutic procedure from beauty surgery as a primarily economic service. Jurisdiction, guidelines for professional conduct and ethical codes have tried to solve this question. Regardless of the intention and ability of the health insurances, it has currently been established that the moral and legal evaluation of advertisements for medical procedures depends on their purpose: advertising with the intent of luring patients into cosmetic procedures that do not aim to reconstruct a subjective physical disorder does not comply with a medical indication. If, however, the initiative originates with the patient requesting the amelioration of a subjective disorder of his body, a medical indication can be assumed.

  12. A Systematic Review of the Use of Telemedicine in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Dermatology.

    PubMed

    Vyas, Krishna S; Hambrick, H Rhodes; Shakir, Afaaf; Morrison, Shane D; Tran, Duy C; Pearson, Keon; Vasconez, Henry C; Mardini, Samir; Gosman, Amanda A; Dobke, Marek; Granick, Mark S

    2017-06-01

    Telemedicine, the use of information technology and telecommunication to provide healthcare at a distance, is a burgeoning field with applications throughout medicine. Given the visual nature of plastic surgery and dermatology, telemedicine has a myriad of potential applications within the field. A comprehensive literature review of articles published on telemedicine since January 2010 was performed. Articles were selected for their relevance to plastic and reconstructive surgery and dermatology, and then reviewed for their discussion of the applications, benefits, and limitations of telemedicine in practice. A total of 3119 articles were identified in the initial query. Twenty-three articles met the inclusion criteria in plastic surgery (7 wound management, 5 burn management, 5 trauma, 4 free flap care, 2 in cleft lip/palate repair). Twenty-three (100%) reported a benefit of telemedicine often related to improved postoperative monitoring, increased access to expertise in rural settings, and cost savings, either predicted or actualized. Eight (35%) reported limitations and barriers to the application of telemedicine, including overdiagnosis and dependence on functional telecommunication systems. Sixty-six articles focused on telemedicine in dermatology and also demonstrated significant promise. Telemedicine holds special promise in increasing the efficiency of postoperative care for microsurgical procedures, improving care coordination and management of burn wounds, facilitating interprofessional collaboration across time and space, eliminating a significant number of unnecessary referrals, and connecting patients located far from major medical centers with professional expertise without impinging on-and in some cases improving-the quality or accuracy of care provided. Teledermatology consultation was found to be safe and has a comparable or superior efficacy to the traditional in-patient consultation. The system was consistently rated as convenient and easy to use

  13. Academic Influence and Its Relationship to Industry Payments in Orthopaedic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Buerba, Rafael A; Sheppard, William L; Herndon, Karen E; Gajewski, Nicholas; Patel, Ankur D; Leong, Natalie L; Bernthal, Nicholas M; SooHoo, Nelson F

    2018-05-02

    The Hirsch index (h-index) quantifies research publication productivity for an individual, and has widely been considered a valuable measure of academic influence. In 2010, the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (PPSA) was introduced as a way to increase transparency regarding U.S. physician-industry relationships. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between industry payments and academic influence as measured by the h-index and number of publications among orthopaedic surgeons. We also examined the relationship of the h-index to National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding. The h-indices of faculty members at academic orthopaedic surgery residency programs were obtained using the Scopus database. The PPSA web site was used to abstract their 2014 industry payments. NIH funding data were obtained from the NIH web site. Mann-Whitney U testing and Spearman correlations were used to explore the relationships. Of 3,501 surgeons, 78.3% received nonresearch payments, 9.2% received research payments, and 0.9% received NIH support. Nonresearch payments ranged from $6 to $4,538,501, whereas research payments ranged from $16 to $517,007. Surgeons receiving NIH or industry research funding had a significantly higher mean h-index and number of publications than those not receiving such funding. Surgeons receiving nonresearch industry payments had a slightly higher mean h-index and number of publications than those not receiving these kinds of payments. Both the h-index and the number of publications had weak positive correlations with industry nonresearch payment amount, industry research payment amount, and total number of industry payments. There are large differences in industry payment size and distribution among academic surgeons. The small percentage of academic surgeons who receive industry research support or NIH funding tend to have higher h-indices. For the overall population of orthopaedic surgery faculty, the h-index correlates poorly with the

  14. [Analysis of the application and funding projects of National Natural Science Foundation of China in the field of burns and plastic surgery from 2010 to 2016].

    PubMed

    Zhang, Z C; Dou, D; Wang, X Y; Xie, D H; Yan, Z C

    2017-02-20

    We analyzed the data of application and funding projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) during 2010-2016 in the field of burns and plastic surgery and summarized the NSFC funding pattern, the research hotspots, and weaknesses in this field. The NSFC has funded 460 projects in the field of burns and plastic surgery, with total funding of RMB 227.96 million. The scientific issues involved in the funding projects include orthotherapy against malformations, wound repair, basic research of burns, skin grafting, scars prevention, and regeneration of hair follicle and sweat glands. The research techniques involved in the funding projects are diversified. NSFC plays an important role in the scientific research and talents training in the field of burns and plastic surgery.

  15. Surgery and anesthesia capacity-building in resource-poor settings: description of an ongoing academic partnership in Uganda.

    PubMed

    Lipnick, Michael; Mijumbi, Cephas; Dubowitz, Gerald; Kaggwa, Samuel; Goetz, Laura; Mabweijano, Jacqueline; Jayaraman, Sudha; Kwizera, Arthur; Tindimwebwa, Joseph; Ozgediz, Doruk

    2013-03-01

    Surgery and perioperative care have been neglected in the arena of global health despite evidence of cost-effectiveness and the growing, substantial burden of surgical conditions. Various approaches to address the surgical disease crisis have been reported. This article describes the strategy of Global Partners in Anesthesia and Surgery (GPAS), an academically based, capacity-building collaboration between North American and Ugandan teaching institutions. The collaboration's projects shift away from the trainee exchange, equipment donation, and clinical service delivery models. Instead, it focuses on three locally identified objectives to improve surgical and perioperative care capacity in Uganda: workforce expansion, research, collaboration. Recruitment programs from 2007 to 2011 helped increase the number of surgery and anesthesia trainees at Mulago Hospital (Kampala, Uganda) from 20 to 40 and 2 to 19, respectively. All sponsored trainees successfully graduated and remained in the region. Postgraduate academic positions were created and filled to promote workforce retention. A local research agenda was developed, more than 15 collaborative, peer-reviewed papers have been published, and the first competitive research grant for a principal investigator in the Department of Surgery at Mulago was obtained. A local projects coordinator position and an annual conference were created and jointly funded by partnering international efforts to promote collaboration. Sub-Saharan Africa has profound unmet needs in surgery and perioperative care. This academically based model helped increase recruitment of trainees, expanded local research, and strengthened stakeholder collaboration in Uganda. Further analysis is underway to determine the impact on surgical disease burden and other important outcome measures.

  16. A survey of patient comprehension of readily accessible online educational material regarding plastic surgery procedures.

    PubMed

    Hoppe, Ian C; Ahuja, Naveen K; Ingargiola, Michael J; Granick, Mark S

    2013-03-01

    When an elective procedure is under consideration, the Internet may often be the first resource utilized by a patient. The goal of the present study was to examine the comprehension of readily available online educational material by the patient population in a single plastic surgery clinic. Two 5-question surveys were constructed: 1 for breast augmentation and 1 for rhinoplasty, each based on explanatory passages from patient education sections of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) websites. Demographic data were also collected. One hundred patients who presented to the University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey, completed the survey. Mean patient age was 38.8 years. Mean number of completed educational years was 11.7. Across all groups, the mean score recorded was 3.41 out of a possible 5, with 1 point being assigned for each correct answer. The mean score was 3.54 for the ASPS website and 3.28 for the ASAPS website. The mean score was 3.26 for the breast augmentation survey and 3.56 for rhinoplasty. Neither difference was significant. No significant difference in scores was noted between websites or procedures. Patients understood the majority of the information presented in the passage provided to them. It is unrealistic to expect a patient to answer all questions correctly, although 23% of participants did. Patients appear to understand the material and are able to subsequently apply this knowledge to an objective measure of comprehension.

  17. Current evidence on the role of smoking in plastic surgery elective procedures: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Theocharidis, Vasileios; Katsaros, Ioannis; Sgouromallis, Emmanouil; Serifis, Nikolaos; Boikou, Vasileios; Tasigiorgos, Sotirios; Kokosis, George; Economopoulos, Konstantinos P

    2018-05-01

    Smoking is considered to be a significant risk factor for the development of postoperative complications after various surgical procedures, mainly by limiting oxygen delivery to tissues. Evidence on the collective impact of smoking in aesthetic procedure outcomes is scarce. The aim of this study is to evaluate the current evidence on the association between smoking and postoperative outcomes in patients who underwent common elective procedures in plastic surgery. PubMed and Cochrane bibliographical databases were searched from January 1950 to October 2016 for studies reporting on patients who underwent facelift, abdominoplasty, breast reduction and breast reconstruction and for studies with included data on smoking history of treated patients. Fifty-three studies reporting on postoperative complications in tobacco users undergoing facelift, abdominoplasty, breast reduction and reconstruction were identified. Tobacco use is found to significantly increase the total number of postoperative complications as far as abdominoplasty (OR: 5.43; 95% CI = 2.92-10.10), breast reduction (OR: 2.36; 95% CI = 1.64-3.39) and breast reconstruction (OR: 1.91; 95% CI = 1.69-2.17) are concerned. Smoking history does not significantly affect total postoperative complications after facelift procedures (OR: 3.36; 95% CI = 0.92-12.30). Smoking predisposes to surgical site infections, delayed wound healing and skin necrosis in patients undergoing the most common aesthetic procedures in plastic surgery. More rigorous and detailed reporting on the history of tobacco use and surgical outcomes following plastic surgery procedures is needed to better quantify the impact of smoking on the overall postoperative care for this patient population. Copyright © 2018 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. The Rhetorical Limits of the "Plastic Body"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jordan, John W.

    2004-01-01

    This essay analyzes the "plastic body" as it is produced in the discourse of plastic surgery. The contemporary industry has constructed a popular image of plastic surgery as a readily available and personally empowering means to resolve body image issues, on the presumption that any body can become a "better" body. The ideology underlying the…

  19. Prevalence of Body Dysmorphic Disorder in Plastic Surgery and Dermatology Patients: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.

    PubMed

    Ribeiro, Rafael Vilela Eiras

    2017-08-01

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder in plastic surgery and dermatology patients, by performing a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis. The most relevant studies published originally in any language were analyzed. The literature search was performed using the PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Scielo databases. The final sample comprised 33 publications that were submitted to meta-analysis. The study verified that 15.04% of plastic surgery patients had body dysmorphic disorder (range 2.21-56.67%); patient mean age was 34.54 ± 12.41 years, and most were women (74.38%). Among dermatology patients, 12.65% (range 4.52-35.16%) had body dysmorphic disorder; patient mean age was 27.79 ± 9.03 years, and most were women (76.09%). Both plastic surgeons and dermatologists must adequately assess their patients to identify those with a higher likelihood of body dysmorphic disorder and should arrange multidisciplinary care for such individuals. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

  20. Nutritional deficiency of post-bariatric surgery body contouring patients: what every plastic surgeon should know.

    PubMed

    Agha-Mohammadi, Siamak; Hurwitz, Dennis J

    2008-08-01

    Bariatric surgery, particularly the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, is currently the most effective method of sustainable weight loss for the morbidly obese patient population. Unfortunately, the nutritional adequacy of the postoperative diet has frequently been overlooked, and in the months to years that follow, many nutritional deficiencies have become apparent. Furthermore, once weight loss has reached a plateau, many patients become candidates for body contouring surgery and other aesthetic operations. The aim of this review was to highlight the nutritional deficiencies of post-bariatric surgery patients as related to planned body contouring surgery. This review was prepared by an extensive search of the bariatric surgery literature. The current data indicate that many post-bariatric surgery patients have protein-calorie malnutrition as well as various vitamins and mineral deficiencies that may limit optimal health and healing. It is essential that those plastic surgeons who treat post-bariatric surgery patients are aware of these nutritional deficiencies, which can be minimized by adhering to eating guidelines and supplemental prescriptions. Although there are many studies documenting relationships between malnutrition and poor wound healing, the optimal nutrient intake in the post-bariatric surgery state to promote wound healing is unknown. It is, however, clear that proteins, vitamin A, vitamin C, arginine, glutamine, zinc, and selenium have significant beneficial effects on wound healing and optimizing the immune system.

  1. IBUPROFEN DOES NOT INCREASE BLEEDING RISK IN PLASTIC SURGERY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

    PubMed Central

    Kelley, Brian P.; Bennett, Katelyn G.; Chung, Kevin C.; Kozlow, Jeffrey H.

    2016-01-01

    Background Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen are common medications with multiple useful effects including pain relief and reduction of inflammation. However, surgeons commonly hold all NSAIDs peri-operatively because of bleeding concerns. However, not all NSAIDs irreversibly block platelet function. We hypothesized that the use of ibuprofen would have no effect on postoperative bleeding in plastic surgery patients. Methods A literature review was performed using Medline (PubMed), EMBASE, and the Cochrane Collaboration Library for primary research articles on ibuprofen and bleeding. Inclusion criteria were primary journal articles examining treatment of acute postoperative based on any modality. Data related to pain assessment, postoperative recovery, and complications were extracted. Bias assessment and meta-analysis were performed. Results A total of 881 publications were reviewed. Four primary randomized controlled trials were selected for full analysis. Articles were of high quality by bias assessment. No significant difference was noted regarding bleeding events (p = 0.32) and pain control was noted to be equivalent. Conclusion Ibuprofen is a useful medication in the setting of surgery with multiple beneficial effects. This meta-analysis represents a small set of high quality studies that suggests ibuprofen provides equivalent pain control to narcotics. Importantly, ibuprofen was not associated with an increased risk of bleeding. Further large studies will be necessary to elucidate this issue further, but ibuprofen is a safe postoperative analgesic in patients undergoing common plastic surgery soft tissue procedures. PMID:27018685

  2. Cosmetic breast surgery - discharge

    MedlinePlus

    ... Higdon KK. Reduction mammaplasty. In: Neligan PC, ed. Plastic Surgery . 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2013: ... Gabriel A. Breast augmentation. In: Neligan PC, ed. Plastic Surgery . 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2013: ...

  3. Video Capture of Plastic Surgery Procedures Using the GoPro HERO 3+.

    PubMed

    Graves, Steven Nicholas; Shenaq, Deana Saleh; Langerman, Alexander J; Song, David H

    2015-02-01

    Significant improvements can be made in recoding surgical procedures, particularly in capturing high-quality video recordings from the surgeons' point of view. This study examined the utility of the GoPro HERO 3+ Black Edition camera for high-definition, point-of-view recordings of plastic and reconstructive surgery. The GoPro HERO 3+ Black Edition camera was head-mounted on the surgeon and oriented to the surgeon's perspective using the GoPro App. The camera was used to record 4 cases: 2 fat graft procedures and 2 breast reconstructions. During cases 1-3, an assistant remotely controlled the GoPro via the GoPro App. For case 4 the GoPro was linked to a WiFi remote, and controlled by the surgeon. Camera settings for case 1 were as follows: 1080p video resolution; 48 fps; Protune mode on; wide field of view; 16:9 aspect ratio. The lighting contrast due to the overhead lights resulted in limited washout of the video image. Camera settings were adjusted for cases 2-4 to a narrow field of view, which enabled the camera's automatic white balance to better compensate for bright lights focused on the surgical field. Cases 2-4 captured video sufficient for teaching or presentation purposes. The GoPro HERO 3+ Black Edition camera enables high-quality, cost-effective video recording of plastic and reconstructive surgery procedures. When set to a narrow field of view and automatic white balance, the camera is able to sufficiently compensate for the contrasting light environment of the operating room and capture high-resolution, detailed video.

  4. Parotitis after epidural anesthesia in plastic surgery: report of three cases.

    PubMed

    Rosique, Marina Junqueira Ferreira; Rosique, Rodrigo Gouvea; Costa, Ilson Rosique; Lara, Brunno Rosique; Figueiredo, Jozé Luiz Ferrari; Ribeiro, Davidson Gomes Barbosa

    2013-08-01

    Acute swelling of the parotid glands after general anesthesia has become known as anesthesia mumps. Its cause is unknown. Only one case of postsurgical parotitis without general anesthesia is reported. This report describes three cases in this setting after plastic surgery. A 37-year-old women underwent breast surgery and abdominoplasty with a dual thoracic/lumbar epidural block (bupivacaine 0.5 %). The operative time totaled almost 6 h. Subsequently, 4 h after surgery, the patient experienced painless bilateral parotid swelling without palpable crepitus. The edema resolved completely within 12 h under clinical observation and parenteral hydration. A 45-year-old patient received subglandular breast implants and body contouring with liposuction, all with the patient under a dual thoracic/lumbar epidural block with 0.5 % marcaine. The total surgical time was 5 h. Subsequently, 3 h after surgery, the patient experienced a similar clinical presentation. The problem resolved completely in 36 h with clinical observation and parenteral hydration. CASE 3: A 30-year-old patient received a subglandular breast implant and underwent liposuction of the outer thighs using a dual thoracic/lumbar epidural block with lidocaine 1 %. The duration of surgery was 1 h. Subsequently, 5 h postoperatively, the patient experienced a similar clinical presentation. Dexamethasone and parenteral hydration were administered. The problem resolved completely in 48 h without sequelae. The occurrence of parotitis in patients undergoing surgery under epidural anesthesia is a novel situation, which increases the range of possible etiologies for this little known condition. Dehydration leading to transient parotid secretion obstruction may play a significant role. Further reports of parotitis occurring in the regional anesthesia setting are expected to help elucidate its pathophysiology. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of

  5. Impact of fellowship training on research productivity in academic neurological surgery.

    PubMed

    Agarwal, Nitin; Clark, Scott; Svider, Peter F; Couldwell, William T; Eloy, Jean Anderson; Liu, James K

    2013-12-01

    An increasing number of neurological surgeons have sought fellowship training in recent years, and previous analyses have suggested these practitioners are more likely to pursue an academic career. Scholarly productivity is a key component in academic advancement. We used the h-index to evaluate whether fellowship training impacts research productivity and whether any differences exist in scholarly output among practitioners in the various neurosurgical subspecialties. Online listings from academic neurological surgery departments were used to organize faculty by academic rank and fellowship training. Using the Scopus database, we calculated the h-index for 869 full-time clinical faculty. Mean h-index did not differ between fellowship- and nonfellowship-trained practitioners (h = 12.6 vs. 13.0, P = 0.96). When organized by academic rank, the difference between h-indices of those who completed fellowships was substantially greater at all ranks, with statistical significance at the associate professor rank (P = 0.003). Upon further examination by individual subspecialties, significant differences in relative research impact were noted (P < 0.0001). The stereotactic and functional fellowship was found to have the greatest mean h-index score, whereas the trauma/critical care fellowship had the lowest. No significant difference existed between the mean h-index scores of neurological surgeons who completed fellowships and those who did not. However, when stratified by academic rank, a trend was observed showing greater mean h-index scores for those who completed fellowships. This trend persists across nearly all subspecialties. Overall, being a senior faculty member corresponds with a greater h-index score, regardless of whether a fellowship was completed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Evaluation of Body Image and Sexual Satisfaction in Women Undergoing Female Genital Plastic/Cosmetic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Goodman, Michael P; Placik, Otto J; Matlock, David L; Simopoulos, Alex F; Dalton, Teresa A; Veale, David; Hardwick-Smith, Susan

    2016-10-01

    Little prospective data exists regarding the procedures constituting female genital plastic/cosmetic surgery (FGPS). To evaluate whether the procedures of labiaplasty and vaginoperineoplasty improve genital self image, and evaluate effects on sexual satisfaction. Prospective cohort case-controlled study of 120 subjects evaluated at baseline, 6, 12, and 24 months postoperative, paired with a demographically similar control group. Interventions include labiaplasty, clitoral hood reduction, and/or aesthetic vaginal tightening, defined as perineoplasty + "vaginoplasty" (aka "vaginal rejuvenation."). Outcome measures include body image, genital self-image, sexual satisfaction, and body esteem. As a group, study patients tested at baseline showing body dissatisfaction, negative genital self-image, and poorer indices of sexual satisfaction. Preoperative body image of study patients were in a range considered to be mild to moderately dysmorphic, but matched controls at one and two years; genital self-image scores at entry were considerably lower than controls, but by 2-year follow-up had surpassed control value at entry. Similarly, sexual satisfaction values, significantly lower at entry, equaled at one, and surpassed control values, at 2 years. Postoperatively, at all points in time, these differences in body image and genital self-image disappeared, and sexual satisfaction markedly improved. Overall body esteem did not differ between study and control groups, with the exception of the genital esteem quotient, which improved after surgery. Women requesting and completing FGPS, when tested by validated instruments, at entry report sexual dissatisfaction and negative genital self-image. When tested at several points in time after surgery up to two years, these findings were no longer present. When performed by an experienced surgeon, FGPS appears to provide sexual and genital self-image improvement. 2 Therapeutic. © 2016 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

  7. Incorporation of a Global Surgery Rotation into an Academic General Surgery Residency Program: Impact and Perceptions.

    PubMed

    LeCompte, Michael Thomas; Goldman, Connor; Tarpley, John L; Tarpley, Margaret; Hansen, Erik N; Nthumba, Peter M; Terhune, Kyla P; Kauffmann, Rondi M

    2018-03-14

    Global surgery is increasingly recognized as a vital component of international public health. Access to basic surgical care is limited in much of the world, resulting in a global burden of treatable disease. To address the lack of surgical workforce in underserved environments and to foster ongoing interest in global health among US-trained surgeons, our institution established a residency rotation through partnership with an academic hospital in Kijabe, Kenya. This study evaluates the perceptions of residents involved in the rotation, as well as its impact on their future involvement in global health. A retrospective review of admission applications from residents matriculating at our institution was conducted to determine stated interest in global surgery. These were compared to post-rotation evaluations and follow-up surveys to assess interest in global surgery and the effects of the rotation on the practices of the participants. A total of 78 residents matriculated from 2006 to 2016. Seventeen participated in the rotation with 76% of these reporting high satisfaction with the rotation. Sixty-five percent had no prior experience providing health care in an international setting. Post-rotation surveys revealed an increase in global surgery interest among participants. Long-term interest was demonstrated in 33% (n = 6) who reported ongoing activity in global health in their current practices. Participation in global rotations was also associated with increased interest in domestically underserved populations and affected economic and cost decisions within graduates' practices.

  8. [Plastic surgery treatment techniques for interdisciplinary therapy of pressure sores].

    PubMed

    Müller, Karin; Becker, Frederic; Pfau, Matthias; Werdin, Frank

    2017-06-01

    Pressure sores in geriatric patients represent a challenge for all disciplines involved in the treatment process; however, the prerequisite for successful treatment is the elaboration of an interdisciplinary treatment concept. The treatment goals should be adapted to the individual needs of the patients including the life situation, general condition and local findings. In addition to general basic operative techniques, such as wound cleansing and conditioning, plastic and reconstructive surgery provides a wide range of highly specialized operative techniques for the treatment of these patients by which a definitive defect coverage can be achieved. The aim of this article is to raise awareness for these complex and highly specialized procedures for all disciplines participating in the treatment in order to improve the interdisciplinary cooperation and ultimately the quality of treatment.

  9. [Features of skin graft in pediatric plastic surgery].

    PubMed

    Depoortère, C; François, C; Belkhou, A; Duquennoy-Martinot, V; Guerreschi, P

    2016-10-01

    Skin graft is a skin tissue fragment transferred from a donor site to a receiving site with a spontaneous revascularization. Basic process of plastic surgery, skin graft known in children, specific, warnings and refinements. It finds its indication in many pediatric cases: integumental diseases (neavus, hamartoma), acute burns and scars, traumatic loss of substance or surgically induced, congenital malformations of the hands and feet, etc. Specific skin graft techniques in children are developed: donor sites, sampling technique and procedure, early postoperative care. Especially in children, the scalp is a perfect site for split skin graft and technique is actively developed. Refinements and special cases are discussed: use of dermal matrices, allografts, xenografts, negative pressure therapy, prior skin expansion of the donor site. Results of skin graft in children are exposed: taking of graft, growth and shrinkage, pigmentation. Skin graft sometimes allows to stay the complex movement and get the best final benefit, permanent or at least temporary, in a growing being. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  10. Association Among Facial Paralysis, Depression, and Quality of Life in Facial Plastic Surgery Patients

    PubMed Central

    Nellis, Jason C.; Ishii, Masaru; Byrne, Patrick J.; Boahene, Kofi D. O.; Dey, Jacob K.; Ishii, Lisa E.

    2017-01-01

    IMPORTANCE Though anecdotally linked, few studies have investigated the impact of facial paralysis on depression and quality of life (QOL). OBJECTIVE To measure the association between depression, QOL, and facial paralysis in patients seeking treatment at a facial plastic surgery clinic. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS Data were prospectively collected for patients with all-cause facial paralysis and control patients initially presenting to a facial plastic surgery clinic from 2013 to 2015. The control group included a heterogeneous patient population presenting to facial plastic surgery clinic for evaluation. Patients who had prior facial reanimation surgery or missing demographic and psychometric data were excluded from analysis. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Demographics, facial paralysis etiology, facial paralysis severity (graded on the House-Brackmann scale), Beck depression inventory, and QOL scores in both groups were examined. Potential confounders, including self-reported attractiveness and mood, were collected and analyzed. Self-reported scores were measured using a 0 to 100 visual analog scale. RESULTS There was a total of 263 patients (mean age, 48.8 years; 66.9% were female) were analyzed. There were 175 control patients and 88 patients with facial paralysis. Sex distributions were not significantly different between the facial paralysis and control groups. Patients with facial paralysis had significantly higher depression, lower self-reported attractiveness, lower mood, and lower QOL scores. Overall, 37 patients with facial paralysis (42.1%) screened positive for depression, with the greatest likelihood in patients with House-Brackmann grade 3 or greater (odds ratio, 10.8; 95% CI, 5.13–22.75) compared with 13 control patients (8.1%) (P < .001). In multivariate regression, facial paralysis and female sex were significantly associated with higher depression scores (constant, 2.08 [95% CI, 0.77–3.39]; facial paralysis effect, 5.98 [95% CI, 4.38–7

  11. Status of Microsurgical Simulation Training in Plastic Surgery: A Survey of United States Program Directors.

    PubMed

    Al-Bustani, Saif; Halvorson, Eric G

    2016-06-01

    Various simulation models for microsurgery have been developed to overcome the limitations of Halstedian training on real patients. We wanted to assess the status of microsurgery simulation in plastic surgery residency programs in the United States. Data were analyzed from responses to a survey sent to all plastic surgery program directors in the United States, asking for type of simulation, quality of facilities, utilization by trainees, evaluation of trainee sessions, and perception of the relevance of simulation. The survey response rate was 50%. Of all programs, 69% provide microsurgical simulation and 75% of these have a laboratory with microscope and 52% provide live animal models. Half share facilities with other departments. The quality of facilities is rated as good or great in 89%. Trainee utilization is once every 3 to 6 months in 82% of programs. Only in 11% is utilization monthly. Formal evaluation of simulation sessions is provided by 41% of programs. All program directors agree simulation is relevant to competence in microsurgery, 60% agree simulation should be mandatory, and 43% require trainees to complete a formal microsurgery course prior to live surgery. There seems to be consensus that microsurgical simulation improves competence, and the majority of program directors agree it should be mandatory. Developing and implementing standardized simulation modules and assessment tools for trainees across the nation as part of a comprehensive competency-based training program for microsurgery is an important patient safety initiative that should be considered. Organizing with other departments to share facilities may improve their quality and hence utilization.

  12. Bioterrorism: Preparing the Plastic Surgeon

    PubMed Central

    Chopra, Karan; Conde-Green, Alexandra; Folstein, Matthew K.; Knepp, Erin K.; Christy, Michael R.; Singh, Devinder P.

    2011-01-01

    Introduction: Many medical disciplines, such as emergency medicine, trauma surgery, dermatology, psychiatry, family practice, and dentistry have documented attempts at assessing the level of bioterrorism preparedness in their communities. Currently, there is neither such an assessment nor an existing review of potential bioterrorism agents as they relate to plastic surgery. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to present plastic surgeons with a review of potential bioterrorism agents. Methods: A review of the literature on bioterrorism agents and online resources of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was conducted. Category A agents were identified and specific attention was paid to the management issues that plastic surgeons might face in the event that these agents are used in an attack. Results: Disease entities reviewed were smallpox, anthrax, plague, viral hemorrhagic fever, tularemia, and botulism. For each agent, we presented the microbiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, potential for weaponization, medical management, and surgical issues related to the plastic surgeon. Conclusion: This article is the first attempt at addressing preparedness for bioterrorism in the plastic surgery community. Many other fields have already started a similar process. This article represents a first step in developing evidence-based consensus guidelines and recommendations for the management of biological terrorism for plastic surgeons. PMID:22132252

  13. The Future of Basic Science in Academic Surgery: Identifying Barriers to Success for Surgeon-scientists.

    PubMed

    Keswani, Sundeep G; Moles, Chad M; Morowitz, Michael; Zeh, Herbert; Kuo, John S; Levine, Matthew H; Cheng, Lily S; Hackam, David J; Ahuja, Nita; Goldstein, Allan M

    2017-06-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the challenges confronting surgeons performing basic science research in today's academic surgery environment. Multiple studies have identified challenges confronting surgeon-scientists and impacting their ability to be successful. Although these threats have been known for decades, the downward trend in the number of successful surgeon-scientists continues. Clinical demands, funding challenges, and other factors play important roles, but a rigorous analysis of academic surgeons and their experiences regarding these issues has not previously been performed. An online survey was distributed to 2504 members of the Association for Academic Surgery and Society of University Surgeons to determine factors impacting success. Survey results were subjected to statistical analyses. We also reviewed publicly available data regarding funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIH data revealed a 27% decline in the proportion of NIH funding to surgical departments relative to total NIH funding from 2007 to 2014. A total of 1033 (41%) members responded to our survey, making this the largest survey of academic surgeons to date. Surgeons most often cited the following factors as major impediments to pursuing basic investigation: pressure to be clinically productive, excessive administrative responsibilities, difficulty obtaining extramural funding, and desire for work-life balance. Surprisingly, a majority (68%) did not believe surgeons can be successful basic scientists in today's environment, including departmental leadership. We have identified important barriers that confront academic surgeons pursuing basic research and a perception that success in basic science may no longer be achievable. These barriers need to be addressed to ensure the continued development of future surgeon-scientists.

  14. Barriers to participation in global surgery academic collaborations, and possible solutions: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Fallah, Parisa Nicole; Bernstein, Mark

    2018-04-06

    OBJECTIVE There is a global lack of access to surgical care, and this issue disproportionately affects those in low- and middle-income countries. Global surgery academic collaborations (GSACs) between surgeons in high-income countries and those in low- and middle-income countries are one possible sustainable way to address the global surgical need. The objective of this study was to examine the barriers to participation in GSACs and to suggest ways to increase involvement. METHODS A convenience sample of 86 surgeons, anesthesiologists, other physicians, residents, fellows, and nurses from the US, Canada, and Norway was used. Participants were all health care providers from multiple specialties and multiple academic centers with varied involvement in GSACs. More than half of the participants were neurosurgeons. Participants were interviewed in person or over Skype in Toronto over the course of 2 months by using a predetermined set of open-ended questions. Thematic content analysis was used to evaluate the participants' responses. RESULTS Based on the data, 3 main themes arose that pointed to individual, community, and system barriers for involvement in GSACs. Individual barriers included loss of income, family commitments, young career, responsibility to local patients, skepticism of global surgery efforts, ethical concerns, and safety concerns. Community barriers included insufficient mentorship and lack of support from colleagues. System barriers included lack of time, minimal academic recognition, insufficient awareness, insufficient administrative support and organization, and low political and funding support. CONCLUSIONS Steps can be taken to address some of these barriers and to increase the involvement of surgeons from high-income countries in GSACs. This could lead to a necessary scale-up of global surgery efforts that may help increase worldwide access to surgical care.

  15. Video Capture of Plastic Surgery Procedures Using the GoPro HERO 3+

    PubMed Central

    Graves, Steven Nicholas; Shenaq, Deana Saleh; Langerman, Alexander J.

    2015-01-01

    Background: Significant improvements can be made in recoding surgical procedures, particularly in capturing high-quality video recordings from the surgeons’ point of view. This study examined the utility of the GoPro HERO 3+ Black Edition camera for high-definition, point-of-view recordings of plastic and reconstructive surgery. Methods: The GoPro HERO 3+ Black Edition camera was head-mounted on the surgeon and oriented to the surgeon’s perspective using the GoPro App. The camera was used to record 4 cases: 2 fat graft procedures and 2 breast reconstructions. During cases 1-3, an assistant remotely controlled the GoPro via the GoPro App. For case 4 the GoPro was linked to a WiFi remote, and controlled by the surgeon. Results: Camera settings for case 1 were as follows: 1080p video resolution; 48 fps; Protune mode on; wide field of view; 16:9 aspect ratio. The lighting contrast due to the overhead lights resulted in limited washout of the video image. Camera settings were adjusted for cases 2-4 to a narrow field of view, which enabled the camera’s automatic white balance to better compensate for bright lights focused on the surgical field. Cases 2-4 captured video sufficient for teaching or presentation purposes. Conclusions: The GoPro HERO 3+ Black Edition camera enables high-quality, cost-effective video recording of plastic and reconstructive surgery procedures. When set to a narrow field of view and automatic white balance, the camera is able to sufficiently compensate for the contrasting light environment of the operating room and capture high-resolution, detailed video. PMID:25750851

  16. [Plastic surgery in day hospital conditions: comparison between two hospital models].

    PubMed

    Faga, A; Carminati, M; Falconi, D; Gatti, S; Rottino, A

    2003-12-01

    Personal experience of plastic surgery carried out in Day Hospital conditions is reported. The experience took place within the hospital structure through two different organisational models called here transversal and divisional organisation models: characteristic of the former is that it uses a dedicated interdivisional structure within the hospital involving the centralization of all day-surgery activities, whereas the latter organizes Day Surgery activities within the operating unit whose structures it shares. On the basis of a comparison between the two models we were able to note advantages and disadvantages. We can review our experience in brief by stating that our own preference went to the transversal model which presents the indubitable advantage of being a logistic structure which is hinged on daytime activity and is ready therefore to satisfy on the one hand the needs of this type of patient and, on the other, the needs of the structure itself in efficiency terms. We propose to correct the disadvantages of the transversal model which can be outlined in its lack of homogeneity in the pathology treated and in the subtraction of the criterion of clinical priority in waiting lists through the attainment of a critical dimensional threshold such as to permit programmable sessions with patients with homogeneous pathology (i.e. belonging to the same hospital unit) and through the maintenance of a certain number of Day Hospital beds (around 25%) reserved for new emergency clinical cases.

  17. Nanotechnology tolls the bell for plastic surgeons.

    PubMed

    Salehahmadi, Zeinab; Hajiliasgari, Fatemeh

    2013-06-01

    Nanotechnology is an emerging discipline, having power to revolutionarize every scientific field to a very deep level which previously thought to be a science fiction. Having a great potential to beneficially change the way a disease is diagnosed, treated and prevented, nanotechnology practically impacts on state of the art healthcare technologies and plays a crucial role in changing the field of surgery. Surgeons are constantly looking for minimally invasive ways to treat their patients, as recovery is faster when a lesser trauma is inflicted upon a patient, scarring is lessened and there are usually fewer complications in the aftermath of the operation. Through nanotechnology, tiny biosensors could be constructed which could take these factors into account, thus shortening the patient recovery period and saving hospitals money, reducing infection rates within the hospital, reducing the waiting lists for operation and allowing doctors to treat more patients in the same period of time. This review employs a thematic analysis of online series of academic papers focuses on the potentials of nanotechnology in surgery, especially in plastic surgery and addresses the possible future prospects of nanotechnology in this field.

  18. Nanotechnology Tolls the Bell for Plastic Surgeons

    PubMed Central

    Salehahmadi, Zeinab; Hajiliasgari, Fatemeh

    2013-01-01

    Nanotechnology is an emerging discipline, having power to revolutionarize every scientific field to a very deep level which previously thought to be a science fiction. Having a great potential to beneficially change the way a disease is diagnosed, treated and prevented, nanotechnology practically impacts on state of the art healthcare technologies and plays a crucial role in changing the field of surgery. Surgeons are constantly looking for minimally invasive ways to treat their patients, as recovery is faster when a lesser trauma is inflicted upon a patient, scarring is lessened and there are usually fewer complications in the aftermath of the operation. Through nanotechnology, tiny biosensors could be constructed which could take these factors into account, thus shortening the patient recovery period and saving hospitals money, reducing infection rates within the hospital, reducing the waiting lists for operation and allowing doctors to treat more patients in the same period of time. This review employs a thematic analysis of online series of academic papers focuses on the potentials of nanotechnology in surgery, especially in plastic surgery and addresses the possible future prospects of nanotechnology in this field. PMID:25489508

  19. Evidence-based Medicine in Facial Plastic Surgery: Current State and Future Directions.

    PubMed

    Dedhia, Raj; Hsieh, Tsung-Yen; Tollefson, Travis T; Ishii, Lisa E

    2016-08-01

    Evidence-based medicine (EBM) encompasses the evaluation and application of best available evidence, incorporation of clinical experience, and emphasis on patient preference and values. Different scales are used to rate levels of evidence. Translating available data for interventions to clinical practice guidelines requires an assessment of both the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendation. Essential to the practice of EBM is evaluating the effectiveness of an intervention through outcome measures. This article discusses principles essential to EBM, resources commonly used in EBM practice, and the strengths and limitations of EBM in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Current trends in breast reconstruction: survey of American Society of Plastic Surgeons 2010.

    PubMed

    Gurunluoglu, Raffi; Gurunluoglu, Aslin; Williams, Susan A; Tebockhorst, Seth

    2013-01-01

    We conducted a retrospective survey of American Society of Plastic Surgeons to ascertain the current trends in breast reconstruction (BR). Surveys were sent to 2250 active American Society of Plastic Surgeons members by e-mail with a cover letter including the link using Survey Monkey for the year 2010. In all, 489 surveys (a response rate of 21.7%) were returned. Three hundred fifty-eight surveys from respondents performing BR in their practices were included in the study. The survey included questions on surgeon demographics, practice characteristics, BR after mastectomy, number of BR per year, type and timing of BR, use of acellular dermal matrix, reconstructive choices in the setting of previous irradiation and in patients requiring postmastectomy radiation therapy, timing of contralateral breast surgery, fat grafting, techniques used for nipple-areola reconstruction, the complications, and physician satisfaction and physician reported patient satisfaction. Returned responses were tabulated and assessed. After prophylactic mastectomy, 16% of BRs were performed. In all, 81.2% of plastic surgeons predominantly performed immediate BR. In patients requiring postmastectomy radiation therapy, 81% did not perform immediate BR. Regardless of practice setting and laterality of reconstruction, 82.7% of respondents predominantly performed implant-based BR. Half of the plastic surgeons performing prosthetic BR used acellular dermal matrix. Only 14% of plastic surgeons predominantly performed autologous BR. Surgeons in solo, plastic surgery group practices, and multispecialty group practices preferred implant-based BR for both unilateral and bilateral cases more frequently than those in academic practices (P < 0.05). Overall, plastic surgeons in academic settings preferred autologous BR more frequently than those in other practice locations (P < 0.05). Of total respondents, 64.8% did not perform microsurgical BR at all; 28% reported performing deep inferior epigastric

  1. Impact of fellowship training on research productivity in academic ophthalmology.

    PubMed

    Huang, Grace; Fang, Christina H; Lopez, Santiago A; Bhagat, Neelakshi; Langer, Paul D; Eloy, Jean Anderson

    2015-01-01

    To assess whether scholarly impact of academic ophthalmologists, as measured using the h-index, is affected by fellowship training status and to further characterize differences in productivity among the various subspecialties and by departmental rank. A descriptive and correlational design was used. In total, 1440 academic ophthalmologists from 99 ophthalmology training programs were analyzed. The h-index data were obtained from the Scopus database. Faculty members were classified by academic rank and grouped into 10 categories based on fellowship training: anterior segment, corneal and external disease, glaucoma, uveitis and ocular immunology, vitreoretinal disease, ophthalmic plastic surgery, pediatric ophthalmology, neuro-ophthalmology, ophthalmic pathology, and "other." A one-way analysis of variance or Student t test using Microsoft Excel and "R" statistical software were used for comparison of continuous variables, with significance set at p < 0.05. Faculty working in academic ophthalmology residency training programs in the United States whose information is stored in the American Medical Association's Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database. Fellowship-trained ophthalmologists had significantly higher research productivity, as measured using the h-index, than non-fellowship-trained ophthalmologists in this study (p < 0.0005). Academic ophthalmologists trained in vitreoretinal disease or ophthalmic pathology had the highest scholarly productivity compared with those in other ophthalmology subspecialties (p < 0.05). There was a significant increase in scholarly productivity with increasing academic rank from Assistant Professor to Professor (p < 0.05). A significant difference in productivity between fellowship-trained and non-fellowship-trained ophthalmologists existed individually only at the level of Assistant Professor (p < 0.0005). Academic ophthalmologists with fellowship training have significantly higher scholarly output than non

  2. Why Do Women Choose to Enter Academic Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery?

    PubMed

    Kolokythas, Antonia; Miloro, Michael

    2016-05-01

    To determine why women choose to enter an academic career in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS). An online questionnaire was developed and e-mailed to female OMS surgeons to assess the reasons women choose to pursue an academic career, the perceived positive and negative features of academia for women, and proposed measures to increase the percentage of women choosing to specialize in OMS and pursue an academic career. Thirty-one female OMS surgeons completed the questionnaire; 1 additional participant accessed the survey but did not respond to any of the questions. There were 25 full-time academics and 6 part-time academics (≥50% time commitment). Of the responders, 72% were married, and of these, 72% were married before entering academics. Forty-seven percent of the women had children, all during their academic tenure. Among the full-time academicians with children, only 2 (7.7%) reported moderate difficulty finding the time for childbirth and maternity leave, whereas 3 of the 5 part-time academics with children reported moderate or significant difficulty with childbirth and maternity leave. Factors associated with choosing and enjoying an academic career are involvement in resident-student teaching (78%), followed by colleague camaraderie and collaboration (65.6%), research potential (50%), time flexibility, and not having to deal with excessive "business" practice issues (33%). The main reason for considering leaving an academic OMS career and/or among the least enjoyable aspects of being in academics was the potential for a higher income in private practice (56%). Less significant reasons for considering leaving an academic OMS career were a more flexible work schedule in the private sector and less institutional red tape (37.5%), as well as independence/being in control and more family time (22%). Engaging residents and students by female OMS surgeons, better mentorship from academic OMS surgeons, and increasing the number of women serving in leadership

  3. Do Quantitative Measures of Research Productivity Correlate with Academic Rank in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery?

    PubMed

    Susarla, Srinivas M; Dodson, Thomas B; Lopez, Joseph; Swanson, Edward W; Calotta, Nicholas; Peacock, Zachary S

    2015-08-01

    Academic promotion is linked to research productivity. The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation between quantitative measures of academic productivity and academic rank among academic oral and maxillofacial surgeons. This was a cross-sectional study of full-time academic oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the United States. The predictor variables were categorized as demographic (gender, medical degree, research doctorate, other advanced degree) and quantitative measures of academic productivity (total number of publications, total number of citations, maximum number of citations for a single article, I-10 index [number of publications with ≥ 10 citations], and h-index [number of publications h with ≥ h citations each]). The outcome variable was current academic rank (instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, professor, or endowed professor). Descriptive, bivariate, and multiple regression statistics were computed to evaluate associations between the predictors and academic rank. Receiver-operator characteristic curves were computed to identify thresholds for academic promotion. The sample consisted of 324 academic oral and maxillofacial surgeons, of whom 11.7% were female, 40% had medical degrees, and 8% had research doctorates. The h-index was the most strongly correlated with academic rank (ρ = 0.62, p < 0.001). H-indexes of ≥ 4, ≥ 8, and ≥ 13 were identified as thresholds for promotion to associate professor, professor, and endowed professor, respectively (p < 0.001). This study found that the h-index was strongly correlated with academic rank among oral and maxillofacial surgery faculty members and thus suggests that promotions committees should consider using the h-index as an additional method to assess research activity.

  4. What do plastic surgeons do?

    PubMed

    Park, A J; Scerri, G V; Benamore, R; McDiarmid, J G; Lamberty, B G

    1998-06-01

    The image of plastic surgery as portrayed by the media is of concern to all plastic surgeons. In order to assess knowledge about the specialty, a questionnaire was devised and given to five groups of participants: general practitioners, medical students, nurses, plastic surgical out-patient attendees, and the general public. The results revealed that general practitioners, nurses and medical students in the Cambridge area are, on the whole, knowledgeable about the role of plastic surgery. However, the general public are not so well educated and 23.7% of them could not think of five conditions treated by plastic surgeons, and felt that burns and cosmetic problems were the commonest conditions dealt with. Improved liaison with general practitioners, other specialties and more teaching of undergraduates, coupled with more effective promotion of the skills on offer might permit better use to be made of the specialty.

  5. Fundamental principles in periodontal plastic surgery and mucosal augmentation--a narrative review.

    PubMed

    Burkhardt, Rino; Lang, Niklaus P

    2014-04-01

    To provide a narrative review of the current literature elaborating on fundamental principles of periodontal plastic surgical procedures. Based on a presumptive outline of the narrative review, MESH terms have been used to search the relevant literature electronically in the PubMed and Cochrane Collaboration databases. If possible, systematic reviews were included. The review is divided into three phases associated with periodontal plastic surgery: a) pre-operative phase, b) surgical procedures and c) post-surgical care. The surgical procedures were discussed in the light of a) flap design and preparation, b) flap mobilization and c) flap adaptation and stabilization. Pre-operative paradigms include the optimal plaque control and smoking counselling. Fundamental principles in surgical procedures address basic knowledge in anatomy and vascularity, leading to novel appropriate flap designs with papilla preservation. Flap mobilization based on releasing incisions can be performed up to 5 mm. Flap adaptation and stabilization depend on appropriate wound bed characteristics, undisturbed blood clot formation, revascularization and wound stability through adequate suturing. Delicate tissue handling and tension free wound closure represent prerequisites for optimal healing outcomes. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. A randomized controlled trial of skin care protocols for facial resurfacing: lessons learned from the Plastic Surgery Educational Foundation's Skin Products Assessment Research study.

    PubMed

    Pannucci, Christopher J; Reavey, Patrick L; Kaweski, Susan; Hamill, Jennifer B; Hume, Keith M; Wilkins, Edwin G; Pusic, Andrea L

    2011-03-01

    The Skin Products Assessment Research Committee was created by the Plastic Surgery Educational Foundation in 2006. The Skin Products Assessment Research study aims were to (1) develop an infrastructure for Plastic Surgery Educational Foundation-conducted, industry-sponsored research in facial aesthetic surgery and (2) test the research process by comparing outcomes of the Obagi Nu-Derm System versus conventional therapy as treatment adjuncts for facial resurfacing procedures. The Skin Products Assessment Research study was designed as a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial. The study was conducted in women with Fitzpatrick type I to IV skin, moderate to severe facial photodamage, and periocular and/or perioral fine wrinkles. Patients underwent chemical peel or laser facial resurfacing and were randomized to the Obagi Nu-Derm System or a standard care regimen. The study endpoints were time to reepithelialization, erythema, and pigmentation changes. Fifty-six women were enrolled and 82 percent were followed beyond reepithelialization. There were no significant differences in mean time to reepithelialization between Obagi Nu-Derm System and control groups. The Obagi Nu-Derm System group had a significantly higher median erythema score on the day of surgery (after 4 weeks of product use) that did not persist after surgery. Test-retest photographic evaluations demonstrated that both interrater and intrarater reliability were adequate for primary study outcomes. The authors demonstrated no significant difference in time to reepithelialization between patients who used the Obagi Nu-Derm System or a standard care regimen as an adjunct to facial resurfacing procedures. The Skin Products Assessment Research team has also provided a discussion of future challenges for Plastic Surgery Educational Foundation-sponsored clinical research for readers of this article.

  7. IOL Implants: Lens Replacement and Cataract Surgery (Intraocular Lenses)

    MedlinePlus

    ... Plastic Surgery Center Laser Surgery Education Center Redmond Ethics Center Global Ophthalmology Guide Academy Publications EyeNet Ophthalmology ... Plastic Surgery Center Laser Surgery Education Center Redmond Ethics Center Global Ophthalmology Guide Find an Ophthalmologist Advanced ...

  8. Bacterial recolonization of the skin and wound contamination during cardiac surgery: a randomized controlled trial of the use of plastic adhesive drape compared with bare skin.

    PubMed

    Falk-Brynhildsen, K; Söderquist, B; Friberg, O; Nilsson, U G

    2013-06-01

    Sternal wound infection after cardiac surgery is a serious complication. Various perioperative strategies, including plastic adhesive drapes, are used to reduce bacterial contamination of surgical wounds. To compare plastic adhesive drape to bare skin regarding bacterial growth in wound and time to recolonization of the adjacent skin intraoperatively, in cardiac surgery patients. This single-blinded randomized controlled trial (May 2010 to May 2011) included 140 patients scheduled for cardiac surgery via median sternotomy. The patients were randomly allocated to the adhesive drape (chest covered with plastic adhesive drape) or bare skin group. Bacterial samples were taken preoperatively and intraoperatively every hour during surgery until skin closure. Disinfection with 0.5% chlorhexidine solution in 70% alcohol decreased coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), while the proportion colonized with Propionibacterium acnes was not significantly reduced and was still present in more than 50% of skin samples. P. acnes was significantly more common in men than in women. Progressive bacterial recolonization of the skin occurred within 2-3 h. At 120 min there were significantly more positive cultures in the adhesive drape group versus bare skin group for P. acnes (63% vs 44%; P = 0.034) and for CoNS (45% vs 24%; P = 0.013). The only statistically significant difference in bacterial growth in the surgical wound was higher proportion of CoNS at the end of surgery in the adhesive drape group (14.7% vs 4.4%; P = 0.044). Plastic adhesive drape does not reduce bacterial recolonization. P. acnes colonized men more frequently, and was not decreased by disinfection with chlorhexidine solution in alcohol. Copyright © 2013 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. The New Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Next Accreditation System Milestones Evaluation System: What Is Expected and How Are Plastic Surgery Residency Programs Preparing?

    PubMed

    Sillah, Nyama M; Ibrahim, Ahmed M S; Lau, Frank H; Shah, Jinesh; Medin, Caroline; Lee, Bernard T; Lin, Samuel J

    2015-07-01

    The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Next Accreditation System milestones were implemented for plastic surgery programs in July of 2014. Forward progress through the milestones is an indicator of trainee-appropriate development, whereas regression or stalling may indicate the need for concentrated, targeted training. Online software at www.surveymonkey.com was used to create a survey about the program's approaches to milestones and was distributed to program directors and administrators of 96 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-approved plastic surgery programs. The authors had a 63.5 percent response rate (61 of 96 plastic surgery programs). Most programs report some level of readiness, only 22 percent feel completely prepared for the Next Accreditation System milestones, and only 23 percent are completely satisfied with their planned approach for compliance. Seventy-five percent of programs claim to be using some form of electronic tracking system. Programs plan to use multiple tools to capture and report milestone data. Most programs (44.4 percent) plan to administer evaluations at the end of each rotation. Over 70 percent of respondents believe that the milestones approach would improve the quality of resident training. However, programs were less than confident that their current compliance systems would live up to their full potential. The Next Accreditation System has been implemented nationwide for plastic surgery training programs. Milestone-based resident training is a new paradigm for residency training evaluation; programs are in the process of making this transition to find ways to make milestone data meaningful for faculty and residents.

  10. The use of standardized patients in the plastic surgery residency curriculum: teaching core competencies with objective structured clinical examinations.

    PubMed

    Davis, Drew; Lee, Gordon

    2011-07-01

    As of 2006, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education had defined six "core competencies" of residency education: interpersonal communication skills, medical knowledge, patient care, professionalism, practice-based learning and improvement, and systems-based practice. Objective structured clinical examinations using standardized patients are becoming effective educational tools, and the authors developed a novel use of the examinations in plastic surgery residency education that assesses all six competencies. Six plastic surgery residents, two each from postgraduate years 4, 5, and 6, participated in the plastic surgery-specific objective structured clinical examination that focused on melanoma. The examination included a 30-minute videotaped encounter with a standardized patient actor and a postencounter written exercise. The residents were scored on their performance in all six core competencies by the standardized patients and faculty experts on a three-point scale (1 = novice, 2 = moderately skilled, and 3 = proficient). Resident performance was averaged for each postgraduate year, stratified according to core competency, and scored from a total of 100 percent. Residents overall scored well in interpersonal communications skills (84 percent), patient care (83 percent), professionalism (86 percent), and practice-based learning (84 percent). Scores in medical knowledge showed a positive correlation with level of training (86 percent). All residents scored comparatively lower in systems-based practice (65 percent). The residents reported unanimously that the objective structured clinical examination was realistic and educational. The objective structured clinical examination provided comprehensive and meaningful feedback and identified areas of strengths and weakness for the residents and for the teaching program. The examination is an effective assessment tool for the core competencies and a valuable adjunct to residency training.

  11. Clinical application of adipose stem cells in plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Kim, Yong-Jin; Jeong, Jae-Ho

    2014-04-01

    Adipose stem cells (ASCs) are a type of adult stem cells that share common characteristics with typical mesenchymal stem cells. In the last decade, ASCs have been shown to be a useful cell resource for tissue regeneration. The major role of regenerative medicine in this century is based on cell therapy in which ASCs hold a key position. Active research on this new type of adult stem cell has been ongoing and these cells now have several clinical applications, including fat grafting, overcoming wound healing difficulties, recovery from local tissue ischemia, and scar remodeling. The application of cultured cells will increase the efficiency of cell therapy. However, the use of cultured stem cells is strictly controlled by government regulation to ensure patient safety. Government regulation is a factor that can limit more versatile clinical application of ASCs. In this review, current clinical applications of ASCs in plastic surgery are introduced. Future stem cell applications in clinical field including culturing and banking of ASCs are also discussed in this review.

  12. Self-reported attitudes and behaviors of general surgery residents about ethical academic practices in test taking.

    PubMed

    Grignol, Valerie P; Gans, Alyssa; Booth, Branyan A; Markert, Ronald; Termuhlen, Paula M

    2010-08-01

    A correlation exists between people who engage in academic dishonesty as students and unethical behaviors later as professionals. Academic dishonesty has been assessed among medical students, but not among general surgery residents. We sought to describe the attitudes of general surgery residents with regard to ethical practices in test taking. A survey with 4 scenarios describing activities related to examination taking that may or may not be considered unethical was administered. Participants were asked about participation in the activities-either personally or any knowledge of others-and whether the activities were unethical. Fifty-seven of 62 residents (92%) participated. For each scenario, >70% indicated that neither they nor anyone else they knew had participated in the activities. Behaviors deemed unethical included memorizing or using memorized questions to prepare for future tests (52%), selling questions for financial gain (90%), and purchasing previously used questions (57%). No difference in attitudes was seen among incoming interns, junior-level (postgraduate year [PGY]1-3), or senior-level (PGY4-6) residents. Overall, general surgery residents indicated that they had not participated in activities they felt to be unethical. Defining what is unethical was less clear. This represents an area for further education. Copyright 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Student Teachers' Evaluations of Slides of Children with Down Syndrome: Impact of Facial Plastic Surgery, Labelling and Factual Knowledge.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elkabetz, R.; And Others

    1990-01-01

    This study examined the impact of facial plastic surgery, labeling (mentally retarded, normal, Down's syndrome), and level of knowledge of Down's syndrome on 127 student teachers' evaluations of slides of persons with such characteristics. Although there was no overall significant main effect for the pre-post operation condition, there was a…

  14. Breast Reduction Surgery

    MedlinePlus

    ... considering breast reduction surgery, consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. It's important to understand what breast reduction surgery entails — including possible risks and complications — as ...

  15. The Misconception of Case-Control Studies in the Plastic Surgery Literature: A Literature Audit.

    PubMed

    Hatchell, Alexandra C; Farrokhyar, Forough; Choi, Matthew

    2017-06-01

    Case-control study designs are commonly used. However, many published case-control studies are not true case-controls and are in fact mislabeled. The purpose of this study was to identify all case-control studies published in the top three plastic surgery journals over the past 10 years, assess which were truly case-control studies, clarify the actual design of the articles, and address common misconceptions. MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched for case-control studies in the three highest-impact factor plastic surgery journals (2005 to 2015). Two independent reviewers screened the resulting titles, abstracts, and methods, if applicable, to identify articles labeled as case-control studies. These articles were appraised and classified as true case-control studies or non-case-control studies. The authors found 28 articles labeled as case-control studies. However, only six of these articles (21 percent) were truly case-control designs. Of the 22 incorrectly labeled studies, one (5 percent) was a randomized controlled trial, three (14 percent) were nonrandomized trials, two (9 percent) were prospective comparative cohort designs, 14 (64 percent) were retrospective comparative cohort designs, and two (9 percent) were cross-sectional designs. The mislabeling was worse in recent years, despite increases in evidence-based medicine awareness. The majority of published case-control studies are not in fact case-control studies. This misunderstanding is worsening with time. Most of these studies are actually comparative cohort designs. However, some studies are truly clinical trials and thus a higher level of evidence than originally proposed.

  16. The Plastic Surgery Match: A Quantitative Analysis of Applicant Impressions From the Interview Visit.

    PubMed

    Frojo, Gianfranco; Tadisina, Kashyap Komarraju; Pressman, Zachary; Chibnall, John T; Lin, Alexander Y; Kraemer, Bruce A

    2016-12-01

    The integrated plastic surgery match is a competitive process not only for applicants but also for programs vying for highly qualified candidates. Interactions between applicants and program constituents are limited to a single interview visit. The authors aimed to identify components of the interview visit that influence applicant decision making when determining a final program rank list. Thirty-six applicants who were interviewed (100% response) completed the survey. Applicants rated the importance of 20 elements of the interview visit regarding future ranking of the program on a 1 to 5 Likert scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, hierarchical cluster analysis, analysis of variance, and Pearson correlations. A literature review was performed regarding the plastic surgery integrated residency interview process. Survey questions were categorized into four groups based on mean survey responses:1. Interactions with faculty and residents (mean response > 4),2. Information about the program (3.5-4),3. Ancillaries (food, amenities, stipends) (3-3.5),4. Hospital tour, hotel (<3).Hierarchical item cluster analysis and analysis of variance testing validated these groupings. Average summary scores were calculated for the items representing Interactions, Information, and Ancillaries. Correlation analysis between clusters yielded no significant correlations. A review of the literature yielded a paucity of data on analysis of the interview visit. The interview visit consists of a discrete hierarchy of perceived importance by applicants. The strongest independent factor in determining future program ranking is the quality of interactions between applicants and program constituents on the interview visit. This calls for further investigation and optimization of the interview visit experience.

  17. Division or department: a microeconomic analysis.

    PubMed

    Mar, Philip L; Yu, Robert A; Yu, Jack C

    2011-06-01

    In this article, the authors present a microeconomic analysis of the effects of the administrative status on plastic surgery units within academic medical centers, comparing the departmental versus subdepartmental status. The objectives are to introduce decision-making tools of microeconomics and use them to explore the potential effects of administrative status on academic plastic surgery services. Real financial data over a decade were used to construct total cost (TC), average total cost (ATC), and total revenue (TR) curves. From these, the authors derive the efficiency scale and express the fiscal performance by examining profitability, and the commonly used ATC curve. Mathematical modeling is then used to examine the effects of departmental versus subdepartmental status, assuming that (1) a plastic surgery unit exists in a competitive market; and (2) TR > TC for the plastic surgery unit to self-sustain in the long term. The variables considered are total clinical production (Q), gross collection rates (GCR), personnel cost, and departmental tax. The sustainability (Q against GCR) is a hyperbolic curve with Q × GCR = TC at break-even. The TC/TR = f(TR) curve resembles the ATC curve. Sectional versus departmental status for a plastic surgery service in an academic medical center depends greatly on the shape of their TC/TR = f(TR) curve. With most competing clinical units within the same academic medical center having departmental status, and most competing private surgeons having no institutional "taxes," the essential requirement for academic medical center plastic surgery services is to ensure that their TC/TR = f(TR) curve is comparable to that of their competitors.

  18. Audit of healthcare professionals' attitudes towards patients who self-harm and adherence to national guidance in a UK burns and plastic surgery department.

    PubMed

    Heyward-Chaplin, Jessica; Shepherd, Laura; Arya, Reza; O'Boyle, Ciaran P

    2018-01-01

    Rates of self-harm injuries are considered to be increasing. The attitudes of healthcare staff towards patients who self-harm may be negative and a small amount of research specifically investigating burns and plastic surgery healthcare professionals has recently been conducted exploring this issue. This study aimed to determine attitudes towards and adherence to national guidance by healthcare professionals in a UK burns and plastic surgery department with respect to patients who self-harm. An audit questionnaire, completed in a designated Burns Unit and plastic surgery department, within a UK hospital with a major trauma centre. Data were obtained from 59 healthcare professionals. The majority of responders held positive attitudes towards those who had self-harmed. However, a significant minority held negative attitudes, stating that they found it difficult to be compassionate (10%; n = 6) and believing that patients usually self-harm to get attention (9%; n = 5). One-fifth (n = 12) agreed that, on a departmental level, conservative management (as opposed to surgery) was offered more frequently for self-harm injuries compared with accidental injuries, contrary to national guidance. Awareness of national guidance in relation to self-harm injuries was markedly lacking, in only 12% (n = 7/59) and the frequency of completing relevant training was low (34%, n = 20/59). Education among healthcare professionals is important, to ensure adherence to best practice. The findings of this study strongly suggest that many healthcare professionals do not know the current best practice. As a result, these highly vulnerable patients may be receiving sub-optimal care, with consequentially poor outcomes.

  19. A review of prophylactic antibiotics use in plastic surgery in China and a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Li, Ge-hong; Hou, Dian-ju; Fu, Hua-dong; Guo, Jing-ying; Guo, Xiao-bo; Gong, Hui

    2014-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of antibiotic prophylaxis for plastic surgical procedures at our hospital, and to perform a systematic literature review of randomized controlled trials evaluating the use of prophylactic antibiotics in plastic surgery. The records of patients who received plastic surgical procedures with Class I surgical incisions between 2009 and 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. A systematic literature review was conducted for studies examining the use of prophylactic antibiotics for Class I surgical wounds. A total of 13,997 cases with Class I surgical incisions were included. Prophylactic antibiotics were given in 13,865 cases (99.1%). The antibiotics used were primarily cefuroxime, clindamycin, metronidazole, cefoxitin sodium, and gentamicin. The average duration of administration was 4.84 ± 3.07 (range, 1-51) days. Antibiotics were administered postoperatively in >99% of cases while preoperative antibiotic administration was only given in 32 cases (0.23%). Wound infections occurred in 21 cases for an overall infection rate of 0.15%. Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria of the systematic review. There was marked variation in the timing of antibiotic administration with antibiotics given pre-, peri-, and postoperatively. Of studies that compared the use of prophylactic antibiotics with placebo, a reduction in wound infections was noted in 4 trials and no difference was noted in 6 trials. No significant difference in infection rates was shown between the prophylactic and postoperative arms. In conclusion, prophylactic antibiotics are overused in plastic surgical procedures. Evidence-based guidelines for the use of prophylactic antibiotics in plastic surgical procedures are needed. Copyright © 2014 Surgical Associates Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Breast augmentation surgery

    MedlinePlus

    ... the shape of your breasts. Talk with a plastic surgeon if you are considering breast augmentation. Discuss ... mammograms or breast x-rays before surgery. The plastic surgeon will do a routine breast exam. Several ...

  1. Efficacy and safety profile of antibiotic prophylaxis usage in clean and clean-contaminated plastic and reconstructive surgery: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yi; Dong, Jiasheng; Qiao, Yufei; He, Jinguang; Wang, Tao; Ma, Sunxiang

    2014-01-01

    There is no consensus with regard to antibiotic prophylaxis usage in clean and clean-contaminated plastic and reconstructive surgery. This meta-analysis sought to assess the efficacy and safety of antibiotic prophylaxis and to determine appropriate duration of prophylaxis. An English language literature search was conducted using PubMed and the Cochrane Collaboration for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluate the use of antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent postoperative surgical site infection (SSI) in patients undergoing clean and clean-contaminated plastic and reconstructive surgery. Data from intention-to-treat analyses were used where available. For the dichotomous data, results for each study were odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) and combined for meta-analysis using the Mantel-Haenszel method or the DerSimonian and Laird method. Study quality was critically appraised by 2 reviewers using established criteria. STATA version 12 was used for meta-analyses. Twelve RCTs involving 2395 patients were included, of which 8 trials were considered to be of high methodological quality. Effect of antibiotic prophylaxis in plastic and reconstructive surgery was found favorable over placebo in SSI prevention (13 studies; 2449 participants; OR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.4-0.7; P < 0.01) and the other wound complication (OWC) prevention (9 studies; 1843 participants; OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.15-0.84; P < 0.02). Subgroup analysis performed according to surgical wound type or the duration of prophylaxis did not modify the results except for the OWC with short-term antibiotic treatment. Compared with short-term antibiotic prophylaxis, long-term administration showed no evidence of a difference in risk of SSI (7 studies; 1012 participants; OR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.63-1.55; P < 0.95), OWC (5 studies; 824 participants; OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.46-1.86; P < 0.82), and adverse event relative to antibiotic administration (3 studies; 653 participants; OR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.01-4.92; P < 0

  2. Laboratory animal research published in plastic surgery journals in 2014 has extensive waste: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Freshwater, M Felix

    2015-11-01

    Laboratory animal research must be designed in a manner that minimizes bias if it is to yield valid and reproducible results. In 2009, a survey that examined 271 animal studies found that 87% did not use randomization and 86% did not use blinding. This has been called "research waste" because it wasted time and resources. This systematic review measured the quantity of research waste in plastic surgery journals in 2014. The PRISMA-P protocol was used. SCOPUS and PubMed searches were done for all animal studies published in 2014 in Aesthetic Plast Surg, Aesthet Surg J, Ann Plast Surg, JPRAS, J Plast Surg Hand Surg and Plast Reconstr Surg. These were supplemented by manual searches of the 2014 issues not indexed. Articles were analyzed for descriptions of randomization, randomization methodology, allocation concealment, and blinding of the primary outcome assessment. Corresponding authors who mentioned randomization without elaborating were emailed for details. 112 of 154 articles met the inclusion criteria. Only 24/112 (21.4%) had blinding of the primary outcome measure, 28/110 (25.5%) of articles that required randomization mentioned it. While 12/28 articles clearly described randomizing the intervention, only 4/28 described the method of randomization, and 2/28 mentioned allocation concealment. Only two authors responded and described the randomization methodology. The quality of plastic surgery laboratory animal research published in 2014 was poor. Use of the National Centre for the Replacement Refinement & Reduction of Animals in Research's "Animal Research: Reporting In Vivo Experiments" (ARRIVE) Guidelines by authors, and enforcement of them by editors and reviewers could improve research quality and reduce waste. Copyright © 2015 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. [Carbon fiber-reinforced plastics as implant materials].

    PubMed

    Bader, R; Steinhauser, E; Rechl, H; Siebels, W; Mittelmeier, W; Gradinger, R

    2003-01-01

    Carbon fiber-reinforced plastics have been used clinically as an implant material for different applications for over 20 years.A review of technical basics of the composite materials (carbon fibers and matrix systems), fields of application,advantages (e.g., postoperative visualization without distortion in computed and magnetic resonance tomography), and disadvantages with use as an implant material is given. The question of the biocompatibility of carbon fiber-reinforced plastics is discussed on the basis of experimental and clinical studies. Selected implant systems made of carbon composite materials for treatments in orthopedic surgery such as joint replacement, tumor surgery, and spinal operations are presented and assessed. Present applications for carbon fiber reinforced plastics are seen in the field of spinal surgery, both as cages for interbody fusion and vertebral body replacement.

  4. Eleven Years of Parotid Gland Surgery in a Plastic and Reconstructive Department.

    PubMed

    Correia-Sá, Inês Bastos; Correia-Sá, Mário; Costa-Ferreira, Pedro; Silva, Álvaro; Marques, Marisa

    2016-01-01

    Salivary gland tumors are an uncommon entity, comprising 3% to 6% of all head and neck tumors. Approximately 75% to 80% occur in the parotid gland, and 80% are benign. It is difficult to establish epidemiologic characteristics of parotid gland tumors due to their low incidence. We performed a retrospective study to analyze clinical diagnostic and therapeutic features of patients submitted to parotid gland surgery. A retrospective study was performed, regarding all the patients (n = 96) submitted to surgery for treatment of parotid gland disease in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery of Centro Hospitalar de S. João (Porto, Portugal) between 2002 and 2012. Medical records were analyzed and the following data were collected: patient age at diagnosis, sex, tumor location, symptom, tumor position, preoperative diagnosis techniques, type of operation performed, pathology, postoperative complications, adjuvant therapy (radiotherapy or chemotherapy), follow-up time, and tumor recurrence. SPSS was used for statistical analysis. Fifty-two percent of the patients were males and 48% females and mean age of 52.02. In 68.75% of the patients, superficial parotidectomy was performed. Benign pathology was found in 72% patients, and pleomorphic adenoma the most common tumor (39%). Facial paralysis (41.7%), Frey syndrome (9.4%), and great auricular nerve hyposthesia (10.4%) were major complications. Tumor recurrence was observed in 16 patients (16.7%), which forced 17 reoperations (17.7%). There were 5 deaths (5.2%). For most tumors, superficial parotidectomy is an effective treatment with acceptable morbidity. In patients of malignancy, treatment should be aggressive.

  5. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) survey: current trends in liposuction.

    PubMed

    Ahmad, Jamil; Eaves, Felmont F; Rohrich, Rod J; Kenkel, Jeffrey M

    2011-02-01

    The emergence of new technologies necessitates a study of current trends in liposuction and other methods for fat removal. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) conducted a survey of its members to gain valuable information from Board-certified plastic surgeons about their experience with new technologies for fat removal and managing complications after liposuction. The ASAPS Current Trends in Liposuction Survey was emailed to 1713 ASAPS members. Data were tabulated and examined to determine current trends in liposuction and other fat removal techniques performed by ASAPS members. The response rate for the survey was 28.7% (n = 492). Most ASAPS respondents reported performing between 50 and 100 liposuction procedures annually. Most plastic surgeons currently employ or have previous experience with suction-assisted lipectomy/liposuction (SAL), ultrasound-assisted liposuction (UAL), and power-assisted liposuction, but fewer reported experience with laser-assisted liposuction (LAL), mesotherapy, or external, noninvasive devices. SAL was the preferred method of fat removal for 51.4%. UAL, LAL, and SAL were most commonly associated with complications. Only 10.5% of ASAPS members employ LAL; 38% have treated a patient with complications secondary to LAL. Valuable information about current trends in liposuction and other fat removal techniques has been gained from this survey. Although many studies have been published that review issues related to safety, morbidity, aesthetics, and recovery after different methods of fat removal, more prospective studies with standardized objective outcome measures comparing these techniques, particularly newer modalities, are needed to continue improving safety-related standards of care.

  6. Audit of healthcare professionals’ attitudes towards patients who self-harm and adherence to national guidance in a UK burns and plastic surgery department

    PubMed Central

    Heyward-Chaplin, Jessica; Shepherd, Laura; Arya, Reza; O’Boyle, Ciaran P

    2018-01-01

    Background: Rates of self-harm injuries are considered to be increasing. The attitudes of healthcare staff towards patients who self-harm may be negative and a small amount of research specifically investigating burns and plastic surgery healthcare professionals has recently been conducted exploring this issue. This study aimed to determine attitudes towards and adherence to national guidance by healthcare professionals in a UK burns and plastic surgery department with respect to patients who self-harm. Method: An audit questionnaire, completed in a designated Burns Unit and plastic surgery department, within a UK hospital with a major trauma centre. Results: Data were obtained from 59 healthcare professionals. The majority of responders held positive attitudes towards those who had self-harmed. However, a significant minority held negative attitudes, stating that they found it difficult to be compassionate (10%; n = 6) and believing that patients usually self-harm to get attention (9%; n = 5). One-fifth (n = 12) agreed that, on a departmental level, conservative management (as opposed to surgery) was offered more frequently for self-harm injuries compared with accidental injuries, contrary to national guidance. Awareness of national guidance in relation to self-harm injuries was markedly lacking, in only 12% (n = 7/59) and the frequency of completing relevant training was low (34%, n = 20/59). Conclusion: Education among healthcare professionals is important, to ensure adherence to best practice. The findings of this study strongly suggest that many healthcare professionals do not know the current best practice. As a result, these highly vulnerable patients may be receiving sub-optimal care, with consequentially poor outcomes. PMID:29873329

  7. Gender differences in academic surgery, work-life balance, and satisfaction.

    PubMed

    Baptiste, Dadrie; Fecher, Alison M; Dolejs, Scott C; Yoder, Joseph; Schmidt, C Maximillian; Couch, Marion E; Ceppa, DuyKhanh P

    2017-10-01

    An increasing number of women are pursuing a career in surgery. Concurrently, the percentage of surgeons in dual-profession partnerships is increasing. We sought to evaluate the gender differences in professional advancement, work-life balance, and satisfaction at a large academic center. All surgical trainees and faculty at a single academic medical center were surveyed. Collected variables included gender, academic rank, marital status, family size, division of household responsibilities, and career satisfaction. Student t-test, Fisher's exact test, and chi-square test were used to compare results. There were 127 faculty and 116 trainee respondents (>80% response rate). Respondents were mostly male (77% of faculty, 58% of trainees). Women were more likely than men to be married to a professional (90% versus 37%, for faculty; 82% versus 41% for trainees, P < 0.001 for both) who was working full time (P < 0.001) and were less likely to be on tenure track (P = 0.002). Women faculty were more likely to be primarily responsible for childcare planning (P < 0.001), meal planning (P < 0.001), grocery shopping (P < 0.001), and vacation planning (P = 0.003). Gender-neutral responsibilities included financial planning (P = 0.04) and monthly bill payment (P = 0.03). Gender differences in division of household responsibilities were similar in surgical trainees except for childcare planning, which was a shared responsibility. Women surgeons are more likely to be partnered with a full-time working spouse and to be primarily responsible for managing their households. Additional consideration for improvement in recruitment and retention strategies for surgeons might address barriers to equalizing these gender disparities. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  8. Three-Dimensional Printing in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Bauermeister, Adam J; Zuriarrain, Alexander; Newman, Martin I

    2016-11-01

    Increasingly affordable three-dimensional (3D) printing technologies now make it possible for surgeons to create highly customizable patient-tailored products. This process provides the potential to produce individualized artificial and biologic implants, regenerative scaffolds, and cell-specific replacement tissue and organs. The combination of accurate volumetric analysis and production of 3D printed biologic materials are evolving techniques that demonstrate great promise in achieving an accurate and naturally appearing anthropomorphic reconstruction. This systematic review summarizes the current published literature and known ongoing research on 3D printing in the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery (PRS). Three medical databases (PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and Google Scholar) as well as recent news articles and university websites were searched using PRS and industry-related search terms. Inclusion criteria consisted of any publication or reputable news or academic article in electronic or printed media directly studying or commenting on the use of 3D printing technology in relation to PRS. The current literature was critically appraised, and quality of selected articles was assessed and manually filtered for relevance by 2 reviewers. A total of 1092 articles were identified from the aforementioned sources discussing 3D printing in medicine. The 3D printing in relation to biologic and surgical applications was discussed in 226 articles. Within this subset, 103 articles were included in the review. Of those selected, 5 were pertinent to surgical planning, training, and patient education; 4 to upper extremity and hand prosthetics; 24 to bone and craniomaxillofacial (CMF) reconstruction; 10 to breast reconstruction; 20 to nose, ear, and cartilage reconstruction; 20 to skin; and finally 20 involving overlapping general topics in 3D printing and PRS. The 3D printing provides the ability to construct complex individualized implants that not only improve patient

  9. A 9-year comparison of practice profiles of candidates for primary and recertification examinations of the American Board of Plastic Surgery relative to economic indicators.

    PubMed

    Gosain, Arun K; Haller, Harold S; Lee, Michelle; Cullison, Terry M; Noone, R Barrett

    2013-03-01

    This study compared the practice profiles of plastic surgeons applying for recertification/maintenance of certification with those applying for primary certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery between 2003 and 2011. American Board of Plastic Surgery case logs from both recertification and primary certification candidates from 2003 to 2011 were examined. Deidentified data included operative year, Current Procedural Terminology codes, and the candidate's designation of the case relative to (1) cosmetic or reconstructive and (2) the Maintenance of Certification in Plastic Surgery module (i.e., comprehensive, cosmetic, craniomaxillofacial, and hand). Department of Commerce unemployment data from 2003 to 2011 served as an economic indicator for the period studied. A negative trend in the median number of cases per candidate was observed for both groups for cosmetic, reconstructive, and total number of cases, corresponding to a rise in unemployment. With every 1 percent increase in the unemployment rate, recertification candidates demonstrated a greater loss of cosmetic cases relative to primary candidates and an accelerated decline in reconstructive cases starting in 2007. Distribution of the four Maintenance of Certification modules demonstrated a negative trend for cosmetic and comprehensive cases in both groups. Hand and craniofacial consistently constituted approximately 20 percent of cases for primary and 14 percent of cases for recertification candidates. There was a shift away from hand cases toward craniofacial cases in both groups. Both primary and recertification candidates reported a decline in overall caseload from 2003 to 2011. Negative economic trends have a greater impact on the practice profile of recertification candidates.

  10. Trends in Orbital Decompression Techniques of Surveyed American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Members.

    PubMed

    Reich, Shani S; Null, Robert C; Timoney, Peter J; Sokol, Jason A

    To assess current members of the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS) regarding preference in surgical techniques for orbital decompression in Graves' disease. A 10-question web-based, anonymous survey was distributed to oculoplastic surgeons utilizing the ASOPRS listserv. The questions addressed the number of years of experience performing orbital decompression surgery, preferred surgical techniques, and whether orbital decompression was performed in collaboration with an ENT surgeon. Ninety ASOPRS members participated in the study. Most that completed the survey have performed orbital decompression surgery for >15 years. The majority of responders preferred a combined approach of floor and medial wall decompression or balanced lateral and medial wall decompression; only a minority selected a technique limited to 1 wall. Those surgeons who perform fat decompression were more likely to operate in collaboration with ENT. Most surgeons rarely remove the orbital strut, citing risk of worsening diplopia or orbital dystopia except in cases of optic nerve compression or severe proptosis. The most common reason given for performing orbital decompression was exposure keratopathy. The majority of surgeons perform the surgery without ENT involvement, and number of years of experience did not correlate significantly with collaboration with ENT. The majority of surveyed ASOPRS surgeons prefer a combined wall approach over single wall approach to initial orbital decompression. Despite the technological advances made in the field of modern endoscopic surgery, no single approach has been adopted by the ASOPRS community as the gold standard.

  11. Surgery and Research: A Practical Approach to Managing the Research Process

    PubMed Central

    Swiatek, Peter R.; Chung, Kevin C.; Mahmoudi, Elham

    2016-01-01

    Following a practical project management method is essential in completing a research project on time and within budget. Although this concept is well developed in the business world, it has yet to be explored in academic surgical research. Defining and adhering to a suitable workflow would increase portability, reusability, and therefore, efficiency of the research process. In this article, we briefly review project management techniques. We specifically underline four main steps of project management: (1) definition and organization, (2) planning, (3) execution, and (4) evaluation, using practical examples from our own multidisciplinary plastic surgery research team. PMID:26710037

  12. Readability analysis of healthcare-oriented education resources from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

    PubMed

    Misra, Poonam; Agarwal, Nitin; Kasabwala, Khushabu; Hansberry, David R; Setzen, Michael; Eloy, Jean Anderson

    2013-01-01

    Deficient health literacy remains a widespread public issue. As such, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends that all patient resources should be written around a sixth-grade level. The authors evaluate healthcare-oriented resources specified for patient use on the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) Web site in order to identify potential areas of improvement and highlight those sections that may serve as paradigms for future revisions. Descriptive and correlational design. Seventeen healthcare-oriented resources specifically for patients were downloaded in February 2012 from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Web site. Readability assessments of each article were performed using Readability Studio Professional Edition Version 2012.1. These tests included the Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, SMOG Grading, Coleman-Liau Index, Gunning-Fog Index, the New Fog Count, the New Dale-Chall Readability Formula, FORCAST formula, Raygor Readability Estimate, and the Fry Graph. Patient health education material found on the AAFPRS Web site has been found to be written at an average grade level of 12th grade using 10 different readability scales. Modifications of the patient education section of the AAFPRS Web site can increase the readability of the literature, and allow greater comprehension among a wider audience. Copyright © 2012 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.

  13. The Legal Doctrine on 'Limitation of Liability' in the Precedent Analysis on Plastic Surgery Medical Malpractice Lawsuits.

    PubMed

    Park, Bo Young; Pak, Ji-Hyun; Hong, Seung-Eun; Kang, So Ra

    2015-12-01

    This study intended to review the precedents on plastic surgery medical malpractice lawsuits in lower-court trials, classify the reasons of 'limitation of liability' by type, and suggest a standard in the acknowledgement of limitation of liability ratio. The 30 lower-court's rulings on the cases bearing the medical negligence of the defendants acknowledged the liability ratio of the defendants between 30% and 100%. Ten cases ruled that the defendants were wholly responsible for the negligence or malpractice, while 20 cases acknowledged the limitation of liability principle. In the determination of damage compensation amount, the court considered the cause of the victim side, which contributed in the occurrence of the damage. The court also believed that it is against the idea of fairness to have the assailant pay the whole compensation, even there is no victim-side cause such as previous illness or physical constitution of the patient, and applies the legal doctrine on limitation of liability, which is an independent damage compensation adjustment system. Most of the rulings also limited the ratio of responsibility to certain extent. When considering that the legal doctrine on limitation of liability which supports concrete validity for the fair sharing of damage, the tangible classification of causes of limitation of liability suggested in this study would be a useful tool in forecasting the ruling of a plastic surgery medical malpractice lawsuit.

  14. The Legal Doctrine on 'Limitation of Liability' in the Precedent Analysis on Plastic Surgery Medical Malpractice Lawsuits

    PubMed Central

    Kang, So Ra

    2015-01-01

    This study intended to review the precedents on plastic surgery medical malpractice lawsuits in lower-court trials, classify the reasons of 'limitation of liability' by type, and suggest a standard in the acknowledgement of limitation of liability ratio. The 30 lower-court's rulings on the cases bearing the medical negligence of the defendants acknowledged the liability ratio of the defendants between 30% and 100%. Ten cases ruled that the defendants were wholly responsible for the negligence or malpractice, while 20 cases acknowledged the limitation of liability principle. In the determination of damage compensation amount, the court considered the cause of the victim side, which contributed in the occurrence of the damage. The court also believed that it is against the idea of fairness to have the assailant pay the whole compensation, even there is no victim-side cause such as previous illness or physical constitution of the patient, and applies the legal doctrine on limitation of liability, which is an independent damage compensation adjustment system. Most of the rulings also limited the ratio of responsibility to certain extent. When considering that the legal doctrine on limitation of liability which supports concrete validity for the fair sharing of damage, the tangible classification of causes of limitation of liability suggested in this study would be a useful tool in forecasting the ruling of a plastic surgery medical malpractice lawsuit. PMID:26713045

  15. Evidence-Based Medicine in Aesthetic Surgery: The Significance of Level to Aesthetic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Rohrich, Rod J; Cho, Min-Jeong

    2017-05-01

    Since its popularization in the 1980s, evidence-based medicine has become the cornerstone of American health care. Many specialties rapidly adapted to the paradigm shift of health care by delivering treatment using the evidence-based guidelines. However, the field of plastic surgery has been slow to implement evidence-based medicine compared with the other specialties because of the challenges of performing randomized controlled trials, such as funding, variability in surgical skills, and difficulty with standardization of techniques. To date, aesthetic surgery has been at the forefront of evidence-based medicine in plastic surgery by having the most randomized controlled trials. Nevertheless, a detailed analysis of these studies has not been previously performed. In this article, the level I and II articles of aesthetic surgery are discussed to increase awareness of high-quality evidence-based medicine in aesthetic surgery.

  16. High-frequency cortical subdural stimulation enhanced plasticity in surgery of a tumor in Broca's area.

    PubMed

    Barcia, Juan A; Sanz, Ana; Balugo, Paloma; Alonso-Lera, Pedro; Brin, Juan Raúl; Yus, Miguel; Gonzalez-Hidalgo, Mercedes; Acedo, Victoria M; Oliviero, Antonio

    2012-03-28

    Functional areas located near or within brain gliomas prevent the complete resection of these tumors. It has recently been described that slow tumor invasion promotes neural reorganization, and even topographic plasticity, allowing a staged resection of those tumors. Thus, our aim was to promote plasticity by mimicking the tumor's capability to displace brain function. This proceeded through the production of a 'virtual lesion' in eloquent areas within a tumor using continuous high-frequency cortical electrical stimulation (cHFCS). An anaplastic astrocytoma located in Broca's area progressed in a patient whose lateralization of language to the side of the lesion was demonstrated with functional MRI. After partial tumor resection using awake cortical monitoring, we implanted a subdural grid over the eloquent cortex located within residual tumor. We then applied cHFCS for 25 days, using a frequency of 130 Hz and a pulse width of 1 ms. Stimulus intensity was set to the threshold wherein mild speech disturbance was evident without any other neurological effects. This treatment successfully achieved the displacement of speech functions, and a more radical resection of the tumor was possible in a second surgery. Critically, a reorganization of motor language areas was demonstrated both with functional MRI and cortical stimulation. Furthermore, motor language areas were also identified in the right hemisphere, where previously they were absent. The patient's speech fluency improved both after stimulation and resection. We therefore demonstrate the first evidence of induced topographic plasticity using cHFCS in eloquent areas within a tumor, which allowed for increased tumor removal. Our results open the possibility to induce plasticity before the resection of brain tumors near eloquent areas, in order to increase the extent of resection.

  17. [Plastic surgery to correct deformities of the ear].

    PubMed

    Naumann, A

    2005-08-18

    For the plastic-surgical correction of mild deformities of the ears, well-proven incisional and suturing techniques are available. Only in exceptional cases is skin grafting or the use of cartilage ersatz material required. In the plastic surgical treatment of moderate to severe ear deformities, in contrast, not only incisional and suturing techniques, but also free skin grafts and ersatz materials are needed. At the ENT Department of the Ludwig-Maximilian University in Munich, plastic reconstruction of moderate to severe deformities of the external ear using porous polyethylene implants instead of rib cartilage grafts has been practiced with success for the past two years or so. Porous polyethylene implants provide good results and may help to avoid pre- and postoperative morbidity at donor site defects.

  18. Discount cosmetic surgery: industry trends and strategies for success.

    PubMed

    Krieger, Lloyd M

    2002-08-01

    Discount cosmetic surgery is a topic of interest to plastic surgeons. To understand this trend and its effects on plastic surgeons, it is necessary to review the economics of cosmetic surgery, plastic surgery's practice environment, and the broader business principles of service industries. Recent work looked at the economics of the plastic surgery market. This analysis demonstrated that increased local density of plastic surgeons was associated with lower adjusted fees for cosmetic procedures. A survey of plastic surgeons about their practice environment revealed that 93 percent categorized the majority of their patients as very or moderately price-sensitive. Fully 98 percent described their business climate as very or moderately competitive and most plastic surgeons thought they lost a sizable number of cosmetic patients within the last year for reasons of price.A standard industry analysis, when applied to cosmetic surgery, reveals the following: an increased number of surgeons leads to lower fees (reducing their bargaining power as suppliers), patients are price-sensitive (increasing their bargaining power as buyers), and there are few barriers to entry among providers (allowing potential new entrants into the market). Such a situation is conducive to discounting taking hold-and even becoming the industry norm. In this environment, business strategy dictates there are three protocols for success: discounting, differentiation, and focus. Discounting joins the trend toward cutting fees. Success comes from increasing volume and efficiency and thus preserving profits. Differentiation creates an industrywide perception of uniqueness; this requires broadly positioning plastic surgeons as holders of a distinct brand identity separate from other "cosmetic surgeons." The final strategy is to focus on a particular buyer group to develop a market niche, such as establishing a "Park Avenue" practice catering to patients who demand a prestigious surgeon, although this is

  19. The clinical and economic impact of a sustained program in global plastic surgery: valuing cleft care in resource-poor settings.

    PubMed

    Hughes, Christopher D; Babigian, Alan; McCormack, Susan; Alkire, Blake C; Wong, Anselm; Pap, Stephen A; Vincent, Jeffrey R; Meara, John G; Castiglione, Charles; Silverman, Richard

    2012-07-01

    The development of surgery in low- and middle-income countries has been limited by a belief that it is too expensive to be sustainable. However, subspecialist surgical care can provide substantial clinical and economic benefits in low-resource settings. The goal of this study is to describe the clinical and economic impact of recurrent short-term plastic surgical trips in low- and middle-income countries. The authors conducted a retrospective review of clinic and operative logbooks from Hands Across the World's surgical experience in Ecuador. The authors calculated the disability-adjusted life-years averted to estimate the clinical impact of cleft repair and then calculated the economic impact of surgical intervention for cleft disease. One thousand one hundred forty-two reconstructive surgical cases were performed over 15 years. Surgery was most commonly performed for scar contractures [449 cases (39.3 percent)], of which burn scars comprised a substantial amount [215 cases (18.8 percent)]. There were 40 postoperative complications within 7 days of operation (3.5 percent), and partial wound dehiscence was the most common complication [16 of 40 (40 percent)]. Cleft disorders constituted 277 cases (24.3 percent), and 102 cases were primary cleft lip and/or palate cases. Between 396 and 1042 total disability-adjusted life-years were averted through surgery for these 102 cases of primary cleft repair. This translates to an economic benefit between $4.7 million (human capital approach) and $27.5 million (value of a statistical life approach). Plastic surgical disease is a significant source of morbidity for patients in resource-limited regions. Dedicated programs that provide essential reconstructive surgery can produce substantial clinical and economic benefits to host countries.

  20. Efficacy of a Procedure-Specific Education Module on Informed Consent in Plastic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Brandel, Michael G; Reid, Christopher M; Parmeshwar, Nisha; Dobke, Marek K; Gosman, Amanda A

    2017-05-01

    Truly informed consent is an elusive goal, seldom attained in medical or surgical practice. Patients often do not fully understand procedures and therapies they undergo or the associated sequelae. Historically, informed consent and patient education have been limited to physician discussions, sometimes with the addition of simple visual aids. More recently, there is a growing body of decision aids available, including interactive multimedia patient educational modules that review preoperative through postoperative care, risks, benefits, alternatives, different surgical options, as well as commonly asked questions. We hypothesized that the addition of a Web-based educational tool would positively impact attainment of informed consent and satisfaction in plastic surgery patients. We performed a prospective randomized controlled study comparing patients who presented in consultation for breast reconstruction, breast reduction, and abdominoplasty. Patients received standard patient education along with a procedure-specific (study) or general patient safety (control) Web-based educational module. Informed consent was measured using a surgical-focused, modified version of the Shared Decision-making 25 index tool. Patient demographic information as well as surrogate markers of familiarity with technology were recorded preoperatively and postoperatively. Comparisons were made between study and control groups, procedure subgroups, and preoperative and postoperative time points. Demographic factors and consent variables were compared among experimental and procedure groups. Data were collected from 65 patients preoperatively and 48 patients postoperatively. Thirty patients competed both surveys. Overall, no differences in patient characteristics or familiarity with technology were observed between experimental groups. Demographic characteristics were also similar between groups. No meaningful differences were identified in comparisons between experimental groups on either

  1. Fellowship and career path preferences in residents of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery.

    PubMed

    Golub, Justin S; Ossoff, Robert H; Johns, Michael M

    2011-04-01

    Assess fellowship and academic/private practice career track preferences in residents of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery. Cross-sectional survey. A total of 1,364 U.S. otolaryngology residents were surveyed. Questions addressed demographics, work hours and sleep, fellowship preference, and career track preference (academic/private practice). Trends in fellowship and career track preference were analyzed by year of clinical otolaryngology training. Data were additionally analyzed after stratification by sex. The response rate was 50%. The desire to complete a fellowship declined from 62% (year 2) to 58% (year 5), whereas the desire to not complete a fellowship increased from 31% (year 2) to 41% (year 5). Fellowship interest increased for rhinology and head and neck surgery by training year, whereas interest declined for neurotology and facial plastics. Expectation of an academic path increased from 29% (year 2) to 38% (year 5), whereas expectation of private practice declined slightly from 59% (year 2) to 57% (year 5). Women were initially more interested in both completing a fellowship (69% women, 60% men) and academics (40% women, 27% men). At the end of training, these sex differences were eliminated or reversed (59% men, 54% women for fellowship; 39% men, 35% women for academics). Residents interested in pursuing fellowship or academics reported working 2 hr/week more than those interested in no fellowship or private practice, respectively (P < 0.01). Fellowship and career track preferences suggest trends that may be useful to residency/fellowship program directors and residents making career choices. Inequalities producing differences according to sex should be addressed. Copyright © 2011 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.

  2. Nursing students' perceptions of clients undergoing elective cosmetic surgery.

    PubMed

    Cooper, Leah Beth

    2007-01-01

    Aesthetic obsession is commonplace in current society. Supermarket a isles dedicated to beauty products, makeup, and anti-aging creams seem to expand daily. Television and publications flood the public with messages of what constitutes beauty and how to achieve the ideal. Surgical alteration of the body is swiftly becoming a form of self-care technique along with other heath-promoting behavior. Since 2003, the general acceptance of plastic surgery among all Americans surpassed 50% (American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2003). Elective cosmetic surgical procedures have increased by an astounding 444% since 1997 (American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 2006). This quest for body satisfaction based on modern cultural norms increases the public's need for accurate information and understanding from those in the healthcare profession. Despite a transformation in the general population's conception of cosmetic surgery and its clients, stigma still lies in many individuals, including those in the healthcare profession. As this progressively growing patient population emerges, many in healthcare question their attitudes toward plastic surgery and the patients receiving aesthetic operations. With clients undergoing plastic surgery becoming increasingly visible within the healthcare system, some unique aspects of patient care must be addressed.

  3. NBME subject examination in surgery scores correlate with surgery clerkship clinical experience.

    PubMed

    Myers, Jonathan A; Vigneswaran, Yalini; Gabryszak, Beth; Fogg, Louis F; Francescatti, Amanda B; Golner, Christine; Bines, Steven D

    2014-01-01

    Most medical schools in the United States use the National Board of Medical Examiners Subject Examinations as a method of at least partial assessment of student performance, yet there is still uncertainty of how well these examination scores correlate with clinical proficiency. Thus, we investigated which factors in a surgery clerkship curriculum have a positive effect on academic achievement on the National Board of Medical Examiners Subject Examination in Surgery. A retrospective analysis of 83 third-year medical students at our institution with 4 unique clinical experiences on the general surgery clerkship for the 2007-2008 academic year was conducted. Records of the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 scores, National Board of Medical Examiners Subject Examination in Surgery scores, and essay examination scores for the groups were compared using 1-way analysis of variance testing. Rush University Medical Center, Chicago IL, an academic institution and tertiary care center. Our data demonstrated National Board of Medical Examiners Subject Examination in Surgery scores from the group with the heavier clinical loads and least time for self-study were statistically higher than the group with lighter clinical services and higher rated self-study time (p = 0.036). However, there was no statistical difference of National Board of Medical Examiners Subject Examination in Surgery scores between the groups with equal clinical loads (p = 0.751). Students experiencing higher clinical volumes on surgical services, but less self-study time demonstrated statistically higher academic performance on objective evaluation, suggesting clinical experience may be of higher value than self-study and reading. Copyright © 2014 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Implementing a robotics curriculum at an academic general surgery training program: our initial experience.

    PubMed

    Winder, Joshua S; Juza, Ryan M; Sasaki, Jennifer; Rogers, Ann M; Pauli, Eric M; Haluck, Randy S; Estes, Stephanie J; Lyn-Sue, Jerome R

    2016-09-01

    The robotic surgical platform is being utilized by a growing number of hospitals across the country, including academic medical centers. Training programs are tasked with teaching their residents how to utilize this technology. To this end, we have developed and implemented a robotic surgical curriculum, and share our initial experience here. Our curriculum was implemented for all General Surgical residents for the academic year 2014-2015. The curriculum consisted of online training, readings, bedside training, console simulation, participating in ten cases as bedside first assistant, and operating at the console. 20 surgical residents were included. Residents were provided the curriculum and notified the department upon completion. Bedside assistance and operative console training were completed in the operating room through a mix of biliary, foregut, and colorectal cases. During the fiscal years of 2014 and 2015, there were 164 and 263 robot-assisted surgeries performed within the General Surgery Department, respectively. All 20 residents completed the online and bedside instruction portions of the curriculum. Of the 20 residents trained, 13/20 (65 %) sat at the Surgeon console during at least one case. Utilizing this curriculum, we have trained and incorporated residents into robot-assisted cases in an efficient manner. A successful curriculum must be based on didactic learning, reading, bedside training, simulation, and training in the operating room. Each program must examine their caseload and resident class to ensure proper exposure to this platform.

  5. Addressing Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) in the Era of Clitoral Reconstruction: Plastic Surgery.

    PubMed

    Sigurjonsson, Hannes; Jordal, Malin

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this review is to give an overview of the recent evidence on clitoral reconstruction and other relevant reconstructive plastic surgery measures after female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). Recent publications present refinements and modifications of the surgical technique of clitoral reconstruction along with reconstruction of the labia majora and clitoral hood. Novel approaches with reposition of the clitoral nerve, anchoring of the labia majora, fat grafting, and full thickness mucosa grafts have been introduced. The current evidence on outcomes of clitoral reconstruction shows potential benefits. However, there is a risk of postoperative complications and a negative outcome. Experts in the field advocate for a multidisciplinary approach including psychosexual counseling and health education with or without subsequent clitoral reconstructive surgery. The evolution of reconstructive treatment for women with FGM/C is expanding, however at a slow rate. The scarcity of evidence on clitoral reconstruction halters availability of clinical guidelines and consensus regarding best practice. Clitoral reconstruction should be provided by multidisciplinary referral centers in a research setting with long-term follow-up on outcomes of postoperative morbidity and possible benefits.

  6. Female genital cosmetic surgery: a critical review of current knowledge and contemporary debates.

    PubMed

    Braun, Virginia

    2010-07-01

    Female genital cosmetic surgery procedures have gained popularity in the West in recent years. Marketing by surgeons promotes the surgeries, but professional organizations have started to question the promotion and practice of these procedures. Despite some surgeon claims of drastic transformations of psychological, emotional, and sexual life associated with the surgery, little reliable evidence of such effects exists. This article achieves two objectives. First, reviewing the published academic work on the topic, it identifies the current state of knowledge around female genital cosmetic procedures, as well as limitations in our knowledge. Second, examining a body of critical scholarship that raises sociological and psychological concerns not typically addressed in medical literature, it summarizes broader issues and debates. Overall, the article demonstrates a paucity of scientific knowledge and highlights a pressing need to consider the broader ramifications of surgical practices. "Today we have a whole society held in thrall to the drastic plastic of labial rejuvenation."( 1 ) "At the present time, the field of female cosmetic genital surgery is like the old Wild, Wild West: wide open and unregulated"( 2 ).

  7. Plastic surgery residency graduate outcomes: a 43-year experience at a single institution and the first "integrated" training program in the United States.

    PubMed

    Noland, Shelley S; Lee, Gordon K

    2012-04-01

    The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education emphasizes outcome-based residency education. This project is an outcomes study on graduates of the Stanford University Integrated Plastic Surgery Residency. A survey assessing various outcomes, including practice profile, financial, personal, and educational issues, was electronically distributed to all 130 graduates between 1966 and 2009. There was a 65% response rate. Nearly all respondents are currently in practice. Popular fellowships included hand and microsurgery. Most respondents participated in research and held leadership roles. Adequate residency education was noted in areas of patient care, board preparation, and ethical and legal issues. Inadequate residency education was noted in areas of managing a practice, coding, and cost-effective medicine. This is the first long-term outcomes study of plastic surgery graduates. Most are in active, successful practice. We have incorporated educational content related to running a small business, contract negotiating, and marketing to better prepare our residents for future practice.

  8. A cost comparison of laparoscopic and open colon surgery in a publicly funded academic institution.

    PubMed

    Hardy, Krista M; Kwong, Josephine; Pitzul, Kristen B; Vergis, Ashley S; Jackson, Timothy D; Urbach, David R; Okrainec, Allan

    2014-04-01

    The objective of this study was to compare the total hospital cost of laparoscopic (lap) and open colon surgery at a publicly funded academic institution. Patients undergoing elective laparoscopic or open colon surgery for all indications at the University Health Network, Toronto, Canada, from April 2004 to March 2009 were included. Patient demographic, operative, and outcome data were reviewed retrospectively. Hospital costs were determined from the Ontario Case Costing Initiative, adjusted for inflation, and compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. Linear regression was used to analyze the relationship between length of stay and total hospital cost. There were 391 elective colon resections (223 lap/168 open, 15.4 % conversion). There was no difference in median age, gender, or Charlson score. Body mass index was slightly higher for laparoscopic surgery (27.5/25.9 lap/open; p = 0.008), while the American Society of Anesthesiologists score was slightly higher for open surgery. Median operative time was greater for laparoscopic surgery (224/196 min, lap/open; p = 0.001). There was no difference in complication rates (21.6/22.5 % lap/open; p = 0.900), reoperations (5.8/6.5 % lap/open; p = 0.833) or 30-day readmissions (7.6/12.5 % lap/open; p = 0.122). Number of emergency room visits was greater with open surgery (12.6/20.8 % lap/open; p = 0.037). Operative cost was higher for laparoscopic surgery ($4,171.37/3,489.29 lap/open; p = 0.001), while total hospital cost was significantly reduced ($9,600.22/12,721.41 lap/open; p = 0.001). Median length of stay was shorter for laparoscopic surgery (5/7 days lap/open; p = 0.000), and this correlated directly with hospital cost. Laparoscopic colon surgery is associated with increased operative costs but significantly lower total hospital costs. The cost savings is related, in part, to reduced length of stay with laparoscopic surgery.

  9. [Analysis of projects received and funded in fields of emergency and intensive care medicine/trauma/burns/plastic surgery from National Natural Science Foundation of China during 2010-2013].

    PubMed

    Xiong, Kun; Wang, Linlin; Chen, Xulin; Cao, Yongqian; Xiang, Chuan; Xue, Lixiang; Yan, Zhangcai

    2014-01-01

    To summarized the projects received and funded in the fields of emergency and intensive care medicine/trauma/burns/plastic surgery from National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) during 2010-2013, put forward the thinking and perspective of this future trend in these fields. The number of the funded project and total funding in the fields of emergency and intensive care medicine/trauma/burns/plastic surgery from NSFC during 2010-2013 had been statistical analyzed, in the meantime, the overview situation of various branches in basic research and further preliminary analysis the research frontier and hot issues have been analyzed. (1) The number of funded project were 581 in H15 of NSFC during 2010-2013, total funding reached to 277.13 million RMB, including 117 projects in H1511 (emergency and intensive care medicine/trauma/burns/plastic surgery and other science issue), 96 projects in H1507 (wound healing and scar), 88 projects in H1502 (multi-organ failure), 71 projects in H1505 (burn), 61 projects in H1504 (trauma). (2) The top 10 working unit for project funding in the field of emergency and intensive care medicine/trauma/burns/plastic surgery present as Third Military Medical University (70), Shanghai Jiao tong University (69), Second Military Medical University (40), Chinese PLA General Hospital (36), Forth Military Medical University (35), Zhejiang University (22), Sun Yat-Sen University (18), Southern Medical University (14), China Medical University (11), Capital Medical University (11) respectively, the number of funded project positive correlated with funding. (3) The funded research field in H15 covered almost all important organs and system injury or repair research, our scientists reached a fairly high level in some research field, for example, sepsis, trauma, repair, et al. "Sepsis" was funded 112 projects in H15 for 4 years, the growth rate became rapid and stable comparing to shock, burns and cardiopulmonary resuscitation funded projects

  10. Career outcomes of nondesignated preliminary general surgery residents at an academic surgical program.

    PubMed

    Ahmad, Rima; Mullen, John T

    2013-01-01

    There remains a debate as to whether nondesignated preliminary (NDP) positions in surgery ultimately translate into successful surgical careers for those who pursue them. We sought to identify the success with which our NDP residents were able to transition to their desired career and what, if any, factors contributed to their success. The records of all NDP residents accepted into the Massachusetts General Hospital General Surgery Residency Program from 1995 to 2010 were examined and long-term follow-up was completed. Thirty-four NDP residents were identified, including 26.5% US graduates and 73.5% international medical graduates. At the end of the initial preliminary year, 30 (88%) got placed in a postgraduate residency program, whereas 4 (12%) pursued other career paths. Of those who got placed, 25 (83%) attained surgical residency positions, including 17 (57%) who continued as preliminary residents at our institution and 8 (27%) who got placed in categorical surgical positions at other programs. After multiple preliminary years, 15 of 17 achieved a categorical position, of which, 93% were in surgical fields. Overall, 64.7% of all entering NDP residents eventually went on to have careers in general surgery (50%) or surgical subspecialties (14.7%), and 24 of 34 (71%) fulfilled their desired career goals. No factor predicted success. From 1995 to 2012 there have been 15 midlevel (11 postgraduate year 4) vacancies in our program, 4 of which were filled by preliminary residents, 2 from our program and 2 from elsewhere. All have gone on to board certifications and careers in surgery. More than 70% of NDP residents in our program successfully transitioned to their desired career paths, many achieving categorical surgical positions and academic surgical careers, thus demonstrating the benefit of this track to both residency programs and trainees. © 2013 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Plastic surgery outpatient audit: principles and practice of "consultant only" clinics.

    PubMed

    Griffiths, R W

    1990-11-01

    The effect of instituting "consultant only" clinics on plastic surgery outpatient activity was to produce a 19% reduction in both clinic sessions and new patient bookings, but a 50% reduction in booked follow-up patients; non-attender rates reduced from 20% to 11% (Northern General Hospital, April 1986-March 1989). Mean clinic attendances reduced from 35 to 26 (Northern General Hospital) and from 33 to 27 (Barnsley District Hospital)--26% and 18%, respectively. Analysis of new referrals to such clinics in the 6 months January-June 1989 showed 41% of patients came from general practitioners, although 80% of "aesthetic" conditions came from this source. 31% of referrals were for malignancy, 51/72 (70%) being basal cell carcinomas. Malignancies waited on average 4 weeks, benign conditions 15 weeks, and "aesthetic" conditions 28 weeks from referral to consultation. Such clinic management has dramatically reduced follow-up episodes, but regulation of new patient attendances is associated with appreciable waiting times for non-malignant conditions. To reduce such waiting times and pursue a "consultant only" clinic policy nationally requires many more consultants.

  12. Trends in refractive surgery at an academic center: 2007-2009.

    PubMed

    Kuo, Irene C

    2011-05-14

    The United States officially entered a recession in December 2007, and it officially exited the recession in December 2009, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. Since the economy may affect not only the volume of excimer laser refractive surgery, but also the clinical characteristics of patients undergoing surgery, our goal was to compare the characteristics of patients completing excimer laser refractive surgery and the types of procedures performed in the summer quarter in 2007 and the same quarter in 2009 at an academic center. A secondary goal was to determine whether the volume of astigmatism- or presbyopia-correcting intraocular lenses (IOLs) has concurrently changed because like laser refractive surgery, these "premium" IOLs involve out-of-pocket costs for patients. Retrospective case series. Medical records were reviewed for all patients completing surgery at the Wilmer Laser Vision Center in the summer quarter of 2007 and the summer quarter of 2009. Outcome measures were the proportions of treated refractive errors, the proportion of photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) vs. laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK), and the mean age of patients in each quarter. Chi-square test was used to compare the proportions of treated refractive errors and the proportions of procedures; two-tailed t-test to compare the mean age of patients; and two-tailed z-test to compare proportions of grouped refractive errors in 2007 vs. 2009; alpha = 0.05 for all tests. Refractive errors were grouped by the spherical equivalent of the manifest refraction and were considered "low myopia" for 6 diopters (D) of myopia or less, "high myopia" for more than 6 D, and "hyperopia" for any hyperopia. Billing data were reviewed to obtain the volume of premium IOLs. Volume of laser refractive procedures decreased by at least 30%. The distribution of proportions of treated refractive errors did not change (p = 0.10). The proportion of high myopes, however, decreased (p = 0

  13. Trends in refractive surgery at an academic center: 2007-2009

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background The United States officially entered a recession in December 2007, and it officially exited the recession in December 2009, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. Since the economy may affect not only the volume of excimer laser refractive surgery, but also the clinical characteristics of patients undergoing surgery, our goal was to compare the characteristics of patients completing excimer laser refractive surgery and the types of procedures performed in the summer quarter in 2007 and the same quarter in 2009 at an academic center. A secondary goal was to determine whether the volume of astigmatism- or presbyopia-correcting intraocular lenses (IOLs) has concurrently changed because like laser refractive surgery, these "premium" IOLs involve out-of-pocket costs for patients. Methods Retrospective case series. Medical records were reviewed for all patients completing surgery at the Wilmer Laser Vision Center in the summer quarter of 2007 and the summer quarter of 2009. Outcome measures were the proportions of treated refractive errors, the proportion of photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) vs. laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK), and the mean age of patients in each quarter. Chi-square test was used to compare the proportions of treated refractive errors and the proportions of procedures; two-tailed t-test to compare the mean age of patients; and two-tailed z-test to compare proportions of grouped refractive errors in 2007 vs. 2009; alpha = 0.05 for all tests. Refractive errors were grouped by the spherical equivalent of the manifest refraction and were considered "low myopia" for 6 diopters (D) of myopia or less, "high myopia" for more than 6 D, and "hyperopia" for any hyperopia. Billing data were reviewed to obtain the volume of premium IOLs. Results Volume of laser refractive procedures decreased by at least 30%. The distribution of proportions of treated refractive errors did not change (p = 0.10). The proportion of high myopes

  14. The use of the digital smile design concept as an auxiliary tool in periodontal plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Santos, Felipe Rychuv; Kamarowski, Stephanie Felice; Lopez, Camilo Andres Villabona; Storrer, Carmen Lucia Mueller; Neto, Alexandre Teixeira; Deliberador, Tatiana Miranda

    2017-01-01

    Periodontal surgery associated with prior waxing, mock-up, and the use of digital tools to design the smile is the current trend of reverse planning in periodontal plastic surgery. The objective of this study is to report a surgical resolution of the gummy smile using a prior esthetic design with the use of digital tools. A digital smile design and mock-up were used for performing gingival recontouring surgery. The relationship between the facial and dental measures and the incisal plane with the horizontal facial plane of reference were evaluated. The relative dental height x width was measured, and the dental contour drawing was inserted. Complementary lines are drawn such as the gingival zenith, joining lines of the gingival and incisal battlements. The periodontal esthetic was improved according to the established design digital smile pattern. These results demonstrate the importance of surgical techniques and are well accepted by patients and are easy to perform for the professional. When properly planned, they provide the desired expectations. Periodontal Surgical procedures associated with the design digital smile facilitate the communication between the patient and the professional. It is, therefore, essential to demonstrate the reverse planning of the smile and periodontal parameters with approval by the patient to solve the esthetic problem.

  15. Validation of the Modified Surgeon Periorbital Rating of Edema and Ecchymosis (SPREE) Questionnaire: A Prospective Analysis of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Procedures.

    PubMed

    Oliver, Jeremie D; Menapace, Deanna; Younes, Ahmed; Recker, Chelsey; Hamilton, Grant; Friedman, Oren

    2018-02-01

    Although periorbital edema and ecchymosis are commonly encountered after facial plastic and reconstructive surgery procedures, there is currently no validated grading scale to qualify these findings. In this study, the modified "Surgeon Periorbital Rating of Edema and Ecchymosis (SPREE)" questionnaire is used as a grading scale for patients undergoing facial plastic surgery procedures. This article aims to validate a uniform grading scale for periorbital edema and ecchymosis using the modified SPREE questionnaire in the postoperative period. This is a prospective study including 82 patients at two different routine postoperative visits (second and seventh postoperative days), wherein the staff and resident physicians, physician assistants (PAs), patients, and any accompanying adults were asked to use the modified SPREE questionnaire to score edema and ecchymosis of each eye of the patient who had undergone a plastic surgery procedure. Interrater and intrarater agreements were then examined. Cohen's kappa coefficient was calculated to measure intrarater and interrater agreement between health care professionals (staff physicians and resident physicians); staff physicians and PAs; and staff physicians, patients, and accompanying adults. Good to excellent agreement was identified between staff physicians and resident physicians as well as between staff physicians and PAs. There was, however, poor agreement between staff physicians, patients, and accompanying adults. In addition, excellent agreement was found for intraobserver reliability during same-day visits. The modified SPREE questionnaire is a validated grading system for use by health care professionals to reliably rate periorbital edema and ecchymosis in the postoperative period. Validation of the modified SPREE questionnaire may improve ubiquity in medical literature reporting and related outcomes reporting in future. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

  16. Plastic surgery trends parallel Playboy magazine: the pudenda preoccupation.

    PubMed

    Placik, Otto J; Arkins, John P

    2014-09-01

    Aesthetic vulvovaginal procedures are being performed with increased frequency. Many experts have suggested that the growing demand for these procedures relates to the availability and revealing nature of nude images on the Internet and in other media. The authors examined chronologically organized nude photographs from a popular magazine and objectively measured the position of the vulva relative to the center of focus to observe trends for the past 6 decades. Playboy magazine centerfold photographs from 1954 to 2013 were analyzed and categorized. The positions of the vaginal area (V-line) and the breast area (N-line) were measured in relation to the horizontal midline of the photograph. Images also were assessed for degree of grooming and exposure of the breast and pubic areas, as well as visibility of the pudendal cleft, labia majora, and labia minora. Four hundred ninety images met inclusion criteria for the analysis. Full exposure of the V-line increased from 0 instances in the 1950s to 78.6% of images from 2010 through 2013 (P<.001). Moreover, the V-line position became 41.0% closer to the photographic midline (P=.045). The results demonstrate a trend toward increased visibility and prominence of the female genitalia as the focal point of popular nude photographs. © 2014 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc.

  17. Metal or plastic stents for preoperative biliary drainage in resectable pancreatic cancer.

    PubMed

    Tol, J A M G; van Hooft, J E; Timmer, R; Kubben, F J G M; van der Harst, E; de Hingh, I H J T; Vleggaar, F P; Molenaar, I Q; Keulemans, Y C A; Boerma, D; Bruno, M J; Schoon, E J; van der Gaag, N A; Besselink, M G H; Fockens, P; van Gulik, T M; Rauws, E A J; Busch, O R C; Gouma, D J

    2016-12-01

    In pancreatic cancer, preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) increases complications compared with surgery without PBD, demonstrated by a recent randomised controlled trial (RCT). This outcome might be related to the plastic endoprosthesis used. Metal stents may reduce the PBD-related complications risk. A prospective multicentre cohort study was performed including patients with obstructive jaundice due to pancreatic cancer, scheduled to undergo PBD before surgery. This cohort was added to the earlier RCT (ISRCTN31939699). The RCT protocol was adhered to, except PBD was performed with a fully covered self-expandable metal stent (FCSEMS). This FCSEMS cohort was compared with the RCT's plastic stent cohort. PBD-related complications were the primary outcome. Three-group comparison of overall complications including early surgery patients was performed. 53 patients underwent PBD with FCSEMS compared with 102 patients treated with plastic stents. Patients' characteristics did not differ. PBD-related complication rates were 24% in the FCSEMS group vs 46% in the plastic stent group (relative risk of plastic stent use 1.9, 95% CI 1.1 to 3.2, p=0.011). Stent-related complications (occlusion and exchange) were 6% vs 31%. Surgical complications did not differ, 40% vs 47%. Overall complication rates for the FCSEMS, plastic stent and early surgery groups were 51% vs 74% vs 39%. For PBD in pancreatic cancer, FCSEMS yield a better outcome compared with plastic stents. Although early surgery without PBD remains the treatment of choice, FCSEMS should be preferred over plastic stents whenever PBD is indicated. Dutch Trial Registry (NTR3142). Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  18. Implementation of a Clinical Documentation Improvement Curriculum Improves Quality Metrics and Hospital Charges in an Academic Surgery Department.

    PubMed

    Reyes, Cynthia; Greenbaum, Alissa; Porto, Catherine; Russell, John C

    2017-03-01

    Accurate clinical documentation (CD) is necessary for many aspects of modern health care, including excellent communication, quality metrics reporting, and legal documentation. New requirements have mandated adoption of ICD-10-CM coding systems, adding another layer of complexity to CD. A clinical documentation improvement (CDI) and ICD-10 training program was created for health care providers in our academic surgery department. We aimed to assess the impact of our CDI curriculum by comparing quality metrics, coding, and reimbursement before and after implementation of our CDI program. A CDI/ICD-10 training curriculum was instituted in September 2014 for all members of our university surgery department. The curriculum consisted of didactic lectures, 1-on-1 provider training, case reviews, e-learning modules, and CD queries from nurse CDI staff and hospital coders. Outcomes parameters included monthly documentation completion rates, severity of illness (SOI), risk of mortality (ROM), case-mix index (CMI), all-payer refined diagnosis-related groups (APR-DRG), and Surgical Care Improvement Program (SCIP) metrics. Financial gain from responses to CDI queries was determined retrospectively. Surgery department delinquent documentation decreased by 85% after CDI implementation. Compliance with SCIP measures improved from 85% to 97%. Significant increases in surgical SOI, ROM, CMI, and APR-DRG (all p < 0.01) were found after CDI/ICD-10 training implementation. Provider responses to CDI queries resulted in an estimated $4,672,786 increase in charges. Clinical documentation improvement/ICD-10 training in an academic surgery department is an effective method to improve documentation rates, increase the hospital estimated reimbursement based on more accurate CD, and provide better compliance with surgical quality measures. Copyright © 2016 American College of Surgeons. All rights reserved.

  19. Pressure sores--a constant problem for plegic patients and a permanent challenge for plastic surgery.

    PubMed

    Giuglea, Carmen; Marinescu, Sllviu; Florescu, Ioan Petre; Jecan, Crenguta

    2010-01-01

    Pressure sores can be defined as lesions caused by unrelieved pressure resulting in damage of the underlying tissue. They represent a common problem in the pathology of plegic patients and, plastic surgery has a significant role in their treatment. Pressure sores occur over bony prominences and so, they are most commonly seen at the sacrum and trochanters in paralyzed patients and at ischium for the patients who sit in a wheelchair for a long time. For these patients, surgical treatment is very important because on one hand, it stops the loss of nutrients and proteins at the site of the pressure sore, and on the other hand, it permits the initiation of neuromuscular recuperation treatment much faster.

  20. The Public Recognizes Plastic Surgeons as Leading Experts in the Treatment of Congenital Cleft and Craniofacial Anomalies.

    PubMed

    Denadai, Rafael; Samartine Junior, Hugo; Denadai, Rodrigo; Raposo-Amaral, Cassio Eduardo

    2015-11-01

    The aim of this study is to assess the public perception of plastic surgeons (PS) as craniofacial surgery specialists. Members of the public (N = 1514) were asked to choose 1 or 2 specialists that they perceived to be an expert for 13 craniofacial surgery-related scenarios. Response patterns were distributed as "plastic surgeon alone" (PS alone), "PS combined with other specialists", or "no plastic surgeon" (No PS). Sociodemographic data, previous plastic surgery contact, and source of reported information were also collected. "Plastic surgeon alone" was significantly (all P < 0.05) more recognized as experts than all other response patterns particularly in congenital anomalies-related scenarios (83.33%). There was a significantly (all P < 0.05) poor understanding of the role of PSs in head/neck infection management, chronic facial palsy management, dental disease management, head and neck cancer surgery, vascular malformation surgery, and facial fracture surgery. Sex, age, education level, health care professional, prior plastic surgery contact, and source of reported information were not significant (all P < 0.05) determinants of "PS" as the response in bivariate and multivariate analyses. Public recognized PSs as experts primarily in treatment of congenital cleft and craniofacial anomalies, but as the overall scope of craniofacial surgery practice was poorly understood and known, improved public education is needed.