Journal Reviews
Nanocrystalline silver compared to alternative silver delivery systems in the management of burns
With the rapid pace of new medical products being developed and marketed, it can be difficult to identify which product will provide most benefit to our patients. It is essential to have good evidence to allow us to make the...
Effect of skin expansion on acellular dermis
Acellular dermis is widely used in prosthesis based breast reconstruction, however, there is a lack of data concerning its expandability and related skin changes. This experimental study in rats aimed to determine whether acellular dermis could be expanded and whether...
Non-surgical vs. surgical labiaplasty
The author suggests that unfavourable post-surgical complications and patient satisfaction are outcomes which are often unmet following more invasive procedures, demonstrated by an increase in demand into non-surgical procedures to correct labial hypertrophy, which is inconsistently defined by a limited...
Modified reversed superficial peroneal artery flap in reconstruction of ankle and foot defects following severe burns
Deep burns involving the foot and ankle represent a significant reconstructive challenge. This paper serves as a clinical review of the modified reversed superficial artery flap. The authors describe key anatomy, surgical steps and clinical outcomes in a small series....
TRALI following fresh frozen plasma resuscitation from burn shock
This study aims to examine the incidence of transfusion related acute lung injury (TRALI) in burns resuscitation using fresh frozen plasma (FFP). The authors conducted a retrospective chart review of patients who met their requirement of ‘severe burn‘, that being...
Autologous fat grafting does not improve burn scar appearance
Fat grafting procedure has had a surge in popularity in more recent times. This procedure has been used for many different treatments including management of scars, correction of contour deformities, breast augmentation and facial rejuvenation. However, prospective randomised studies of...
The effect of smoking status on burn inhalation injury mortality
It is well recognised that inhalational injury is a major predictor of mortality in burns patients. However, there have not been any studies looking at the effect smoking (and its effects on the lungs) in these patients. Therefore, this is...
Clinical outcome of patients with self-inflicted burns
This study examines the link between patients presenting with self-inflicted burns (SIB) and key outcomes including length of stay (LOS) and mortality. The authors describe current ambiguity in the literature relating to this topic in burns care. They highlight similar...
A review of reconstruction of the burned ear
The exposed location of the ear, combined with its thin skin and subcutaneous tissue makes it prone to full thickness burn injuries. As a result, deformity and disfigurement of the ear is a common sequelae of burns. This is a...
Controlling intraoperative haemorrhage during burn surgery
This study aims to compare the efficacy of NuStat, a new haemostatic agent based on bamboo cellulose that proposes to activate the clotting cascade, against more traditional methods of haemostasis during burn surgery. The authors argue the requirement for further...
Medical tattooing for a better life
Dermatography (medical tattooing), was first documented in the 19th century, and is nowadays frequently performed for nipple reconstruction after mastectomy. Despite its popularity in the field of breast reconstruction, this procedure is not used on a broad scale in any...
Treating laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers with pharyngolaryngectomy
The debate amongst head and neck surgeons, as to whether a skin flap or enteric flap offers superior outcomes in pharyngeal reconstruction, still rumbles on. The evidence pool is very shallow, even accounting for the so-called ‘landmark’ papers that swung...
