: Open cranial vault remodeling techniques require rigid fixation with hardware such as plates and screws; however, complications can occur. The purpose of this study was to assess the surgical outcome after open reconstruction for craniosynostosis with less rigid fixation using nonabsorbable suture.
METHODS: Retrospective review of patients who underwent open craniofacial reconstruction for craniosynostosis at the Hospital Kuala Lumpur between January 2011 and December 2016 were performed. Demographic data, surgical complications, and postoperative aesthetic outcomes and reoperations were evaluated using Whitaker classification. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS.
RESULTS: Thirty-four (n = 34) cases were included in this review consisting of 16 males and 18 females (ratio 1:1.25). Sixteen patients were syndromic with multiple suture synostoses: Apert syndrome (n = 8), Crouzon syndrome (n = 6), and Muenke's syndrome (n = 2). Eighteen patients were nonsyndromic: isolated single-suture craniosynostosis (n = 12) and multiple suture involvement (n = 6). Mean age of presentation was 17.4 months (4-16 months) with mean age of surgery of 23.8 months (6-68 months). Mean length of surgery was 6.1 hours (range 3-10 hours) and mean length of hospital stay was 10 days (mean 7-20 days). Mean duration of follow-up was 2.2 years (6 month-4 years). There were a total of 9 complications postoperatively: massive blood loss (n = 4), seroma (n = 2), exposure keratitis (n = 1), hand extravasation (n = 1), and occipital sore (n = 1). Analysis showed multiple suture craniosynostoses were associated with longer operative times (4.3 hours vs 6.5 hours, P = 0.0082 24 months of age, P = 0.00059). Patients were categorized as 88.2% (n = 30) Whitaker I and II and 11.8% (n = 4) Whitaker III and IV. Reoperation rates were 2.9% (n = 1). Whitaker III and IV class were higher among patients with syndromic synostosis, unicoronal and multiple suture synostoses.
CONCLUSIONS: Our technique of open cranial reconstruction with nonabsorbable suture nylon 2/0 as sole method of fixation has resulted in good aesthetic outcome with low reoperations and complications rate. Longer follow-up is needed to ascertain our long-term results.
In human, sporotrichosis infection commonly manifests as skin lesions through direct inoculation. It is rarely associated with ocular manifestation via a zoonotic transmission. We describe a young lady who presented with acute left eye granulomatous conjunctivitis who had a history of exposure to her sick cat diagnosed with sporotrichosis infection. Sporothrix schenckii was isolated from the culture of the excised conjunctival tissue. The patient recovered fully after six months of oral anti-fungal treatment. Clinicians should be aware of this new zoonotic infection transmitted by infected felines as it is reversible with timely diagnosis and initiation of anti-fungal therapy.
Non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION) may develop due to severe anaemia and hypotension which is seen in acute blood loss. The devastating visual loss is often irreversible. We report a case of NAION in a 20-year-old healthy woman, who presented on the third day of a heavy menstrual cycle with hypovolaemic shock. On day 2 of admission, she had sudden right eye blurring of vision at the superior field on awakening from sleep. Funduscopy revealed a pale and swollen right optic disc. There was a dense right superior altitudinal visual field defect. Her haemoglobin level was low (3.6 g/dL), but she refused blood transfusion due to her religious belief (Jehovah's Witness) and opted for conservative management. She later developed right optic atrophy with persistent visual field defect despite an improved haemoglobin level of 10.5 g/dL.
Webbed neck deformity is a congenital anomaly that exists in several syndromes. Various techniques for surgically correcting the webbed neck deformity have been described in the literature, each comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. The aim of surgery is to achieve normal neck contour and symmetrical hairline, avoid excessive scarring over the anterior and lateral neck, and limit recurrence. In this report, we described our experience in managing a case of Turner syndrome with bilateral webbed neck deformity using the modified five-flap Z-plasty technique.
Choroidal melanoma with ciliary body involvement is rare, especially in young adults and Asians. Here, we report the case of a young, healthy Chinese woman who complained of decreased vision in the left eye for one week. Her ocular examination and imaging were suggestive of choroidal melanoma involving the ciliary body. The patient underwent enucleation of the left eye. Close monitoring was needed, as the involvement of the ciliary body in choroidal melanoma is associated with a high risk of metastasis.
Chest wall resection is defined as partial or full-thickness removal of the chest wall. Significant morbidity has been recorded, with documented respiratory failure as high as 27%. Medical records of all patients who had undergone chest wall resection and reconstruction were reviewed. Patients' demographics, length of surgery, reconstruction method, size of tumor and chest wall defect, histopathological result, complications, duration of post-operative antibiotics, and hospital stay were assessed. From 1 April 2017 to 30 April 2019, a total of 20 patients underwent chest wall reconstructive surgery. The median age was 57 years, with 12 females and 8 males. Fourteen patients (70%) had malignant disease and 6 patients (30%) had benign disease. Nine patients underwent rigid reconstruction (titanium mesh for sternum and titanium plates for ribs), 6 patients had non-rigid reconstruction (with polypropylene or composite mesh), and 5 patients had primary closure. Nine patients (45%) required closure with myocutaneous flap. Complications were noted in 70% of patients. Patients who underwent primary closure had minor complications. In total, 66.7% of patients who had closure with either fasciocutaneous or myocutaneous flaps had threatened flap necrosis. Two patients developed pneumonia and 3 patients (15%) had respiratory failure requiring tracheostomy and prolonged ventilation. There was 1 mortality (5%) in this series. In conclusion, chest wall resections involving large defects require prudent clinical judgment and multidisciplinary assessments in determining the choice of chest wall reconstruction to improve outcomes.