• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.304-311
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• 2013

With an increasing emphasis on microsurgery skill acquisition through simulated training, the need has been identified for standardised training programmes in microsurgery. We have reviewed microsurgery training courses available across the six continents of the World. Data was collected of relevant published output from PubMed, MEDLINE (Ovid), and EMBASE (Ovid) searches, and from information available on the Internet of up to six established microsurgery course from each of the six continents of the World. Fellowships and courses that concentrate on flap harvesting rather than microsurgical techniques were excluded. We identified 27 centres offering 39 courses. Total course length ranged from 20 hours to 1,950 hours. Student-to-teacher ratios ranged from 2:1 to 8:1. Only two-thirds of courses offered in-vivo animal models. Instructions in microvascular end-to-end and end-to-side anastomoses were common, but peripheral nerve repair or free groin flap transfer were not consistently offered. Methods of assessment ranged from no formal assessment, where an instructor monitored and gave instant feedback, through immediate assessment of patency and critique on quality of repair, to delayed re-assessment of patency after a 12 to 24 hours period. Globally, training in microsurgery is heterogeneous, with variations primarily due to resource and regulation of animal experimentation. Despite some merit to diversity in curricula, there should be a global minimum standard for microsurgery training.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.213-217
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• 2014

The widespread use of microsurgery in numerous surgical fields has increased the need for basic microsurgical training outside of the operating room. The traditional start of microsurgical training has been in undertaking a 5-day basic microsurgery course. In an era characterised by financial constraints in academic and healthcare institutions as well as increasing emphasis on patient safety, there has been a shift in microsurgery training to simulation environments. This paper reviews the stepwise framework of microsurgical skill acquisition providing a cost analysis of basic microsurgery courses in order to aid planning and dissemination of microsurgical training worldwide.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.225-230
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• 2014

The increased application of the da Vinci robotic platform (Intuitive Surgical Inc.) for microsurgery has led to the development of new adjunctive surgical instrumentation. In microsurgery, the robotic platform can provide high definition $12{\times}-15{\times}$ digital magnification, broader range of motion, fine instrument handling with decreased tremor, reduced surgeon fatigue, and improved surgical productivity. This paper presents novel adjunctive tools that provide enhanced optical magnification, micro-Doppler sensing of vessels down to a 1-mm size, vein mapping capabilities, hydro-dissection, micro-ablation technology (with minimal thermal spread-$CO_2$ laser technology), and confocal microscopy to provide imaging at a cellular level. Microsurgical outcomes from the use of these tools in the management of patients with infertility and chronic groin and testicular pain are reviewed. All these instruments have been adapted for the robotic console and enhance the robot-assisted microsurgery experience. As the popularity of robot-assisted microsurgery grows, so will its breadth of instrumentation.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.48-50
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• 2008

Loupes-assisted microsurgery often needs an operational head lamp for a better condition of light. This may cause serious neck fatigue due to the weight the operational head lamp, the limitation of the operator's head movement from the hind cable, and some cost for purchasing and management of it. On the contrary, a mountain head lamp is very light, full of freedom in movement, applicable to all types of loupes, and relatively very cheap. In conclusion, a mountain head lame can be a cost-effective light source for Loupes-assisted microsurgery.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.170-174
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• 2012

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.153-157
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• 2014

Background 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. Methods 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. Results 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. Conclusions 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.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.70-76
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• 2006

This study investigated the clinical application of anterolateral thigh (ALT) perforator flap in reconstruction of soft tissue defect of lower extremity. There were twenty-one patients who had been taken soft tissue reconstruction with anterolateral thigh perforator flap. There were 19 males and 2 females between 3 and 65 years (mean, 36 years). This study included 4 cases of pedatric case of under 10-year-old. All cases were a cutaneous flap. Flap size averaged $160\;cm^2\;(20{\sim}450\;cm^2)$. 19 cases were musculocutaneous perforator flaps and 2 were septocutaneous perforator. T-shaped pedicle were used to reconstruct and to preserve major artery of lower extremity in 2 cases. 19 cases flaps survived completely and 2 cases flap were marginal necrosis partially. There was venous congestion in one case of type of reverse island flap but that was improved after salvage procedure with leech. While the donor sites were closed directly in 5cases, 16 cases underwent skin graft. ALT flap is suitable for coverage of defects in lower extremity where have various condition and reliable in children as in adult.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.157-168
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• 2008

Vocal polyp is one of the representative chronic diseases of vocal folds, and it can be cured by voice therapy and/or laryngeal microsurgery. However, the existing therapeutic methods about vocal polyp are in great demand. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of vocal improvement between laryngeal microsurgery and $SKMVTT^{(R)}$ (Seong-Tae Kim's Multiple Voice Therapy Technique), which was designed by the author. We identified 37 patients, who were diagnosed with unilateral vocal polyp, aged from 21 to 62 years(mean age: 46 years). 21 patients were treated by the $SKMVTT^{(R)}$ and the other 16 patients were only treated by the laryngeal microsurgery. All patients who were treated by the $SKMVTT^{(R)}$, received 12 sessions of treatment, and were evaluated before therapy and after finishing the 12th session. The patients who were treated by laryngeal microsurgery, were evaluated prior to and at least 8 weeks after surgery. The results showed that the $SKMVTT^{(R)}$ produced better results compared to the laryngeal microsurgery alone. The $SKMVTT^{(R)}$ produced better results, especially, at the initial stage of voice therapy compared with those of laryngeal microsurgery. In this study, we can suggest that $SKMVTT^{(R)}$ may be useful in improving the voice qualities of vocal polyp patients. However, more data should be collected and evaluated to be widely used in other clinics.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.187-193
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• 2013

Epinephrine is one of the most widely-used vasoconstrictors in dental treatment including endodontic microsurgery. However, the systemic safety of epinephrine has been in debate for many years because of its potential risk to cause cardiovascular complications. The purpose of this review was to assess the cardiovascular effect of epinephrine use in endodontic microsurgery. Endodontic microsurgery directly applies epinephrine into the bone cavity, and the amount is reported to be much larger than other dental surgeries. Moreover, when considering that systemic potency of intraosseous application is reported to be comparable to intravenous application, the systemic influence of epinephrine could be increased in endodontic microsurgery. Besides, pre-existing cardiovascular complications or drug interactions can enhance its systemic influence, resulting in increased susceptibility to cardiovascular complications. Although clinical studies have not reported significant complications for patients without severe systemic complications, many epinephrine-induced emergency cases are warning the cardiovascular risk related with pre-existing systemic disease or drug interactions. Epinephrine is a dose-sensitive drug, and its hypersensitivity reaction can be fatal to patients when it is related to cardiovascular complications. Therefore, clinicians should recognize the risk, and the usage of pre-operative patient evaluation, dose control and patient monitoring are required to ensure patient's safety during endodontic microsurgery.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.87-91
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• 2006

Objective : Management of recurrent vestibular schwannomas[VS] after microsurgery or radiosurgery is a complicated subject. However, few studies have documented the outcome of recurrent VS. The authorsreviewclinicalexperience of recurrent VS management and analyzed the efficacy of treatment modalities. Methods : Between 1990 and 2002, 293 patients harboring unilateral VS underwent, microsurgery, radiosurgery, microsurgery followed by radiosurgery. Of these, 26 procedures [in 20 patients] were performed to assessed from an increased tumor size by magnetic resonance imaging[MRI]. The mean age of patients with recurred VS was 46.9 years and the mean follow-up period was 68 months. Radiological characteristics were investigated and growth rates of recurred tumors were calculated by measuring changes in tumor diameter on MRI after treatment. Results : MRI characteristics revealed a lobulated contour in 75% and a cyst in 60% of the patients. Only 1 patient showed neither lobulation nor a cyst. The average diameter of the recurrent tumors were 36.9mm. The overall tumor control rate for initial management was 87.4%, 94.7%, and 98.5% for microsurgery, radiosurgery, and microsurgery plus radiosurgery, respectively. However, control rates for recurrent tumors were lower at 85%, 63%, and 80%, respectively. Conclusion : A cystic nature and a lobulated tumor contour are frequent clinical characteristics of recurrent VS. Microsurgery or microsurgery followed by radiosurgery shows little difference in tumor control rate for primary and recurrent VS. However, radiosurgery alone appears to be less beneficial for recurrent VS.