• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.496-498
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• 2010

Purpose: Lacerations requiring formal wound closure compose a significant number of all childhood injuries presenting to the emergency department. The problem with conventional suture technique are that suture removal is quite cumbersome, especially in children. Unwanted soft tissue damage can result in the process of suture removal, which calls for sedation, stressful for both medical personnel and child. The purpose of this study is to introduce the convenient suture technique for pediatric facial lacerations. Methods: Children under the age of four, presenting to the emergency department with facial lacerations were enrolled in the study. From March 2008 to June 2009, 63 patients (41 males and 22 females) with an average age of 1.4 years were treated with our convenient suture technique using utilized a loop suspended above a double, flat tie. Clean, tension free wounds were treated with our technique, wounds with significant skin defect and concomitant fractures were excluded. Results: The Patients were followed-up in 1, 3 and 5 days postoperatively. On the third hospital visit, suture removal was done by simply cutting the loop suspended above the wound margin and gently pulling the thread with forceps. There were no significant differences in the rates of infection and dehiscence compared with conventional suture technique. Conclusion: The use of our technique was to be simple with similar operative time compared with conventional suture technique. Removal of suture materials were easy without unwanted injuries to the surrounding tissue which resulted in less discomfort for the patient and greater parental satisfaction, minimized the complications. It can be considered as a viable alternative in the repair of pediatric facial lacerations.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.15-19
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• 1998

Microsurgical free-tissue transfer has allowed surgeons to salvage injured limbs but choosing appropriate healthy recipient vessels has proved to be a difficult problem. Retrograde flow flaps are established in island flaps. Retrograde flow anastomosis could prevent the possible kinking and twisting of the arterial anastomosis. By not interrupting the proximal blood flow to the fracture or soft tissue defect site, the compromise of fracture or wound healing might be prevented. We wished to estabilish an animal model in rat for a retrograde arterial flow based free flap. Nembutal-anesthetized male rats; weighing 250 to 300 gm, were used. The femoral artery and common carotid artery were exposed and divided. The systemic and retrograde arterial pressure were quantified by utilizing a parallel tubing system connected with peripheral arterial line. In this study, the retrograde flow was not pulsatile and the retrograde arterial pressure was 64-65mmHg, with a mean arterial pressure of 106-109mmHg. An epigastiic skin flap, measuring $3{\times}3cm$, was raised with its vascular pedicle. The epigastric free flap was transfered in the same rat from femoral vessels to carotid vessels in end to end fashion. We anastomosed the donor arteries to the distal parts of the divided recipient arteries and the donor veins to the proximal parts of the recipient veins. Twelve experiments were performed and the transplantations succeeded in 75 percent of them. In the remaining 25 percent, the experiments failed due to thrombosis at the site of anastpmosis, or other causes. This animal model represents an excellent example of retrograde arterial flow free flap transfer that is reliable.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.152-156
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• 2005

Purpose: We reconstructed the thumb with groin flap combined with secondary heterodigital neurovascular island flap and report our 6 cases. Materials and Methods: Between March 2003 and August 2004, 6 degloving thumbs or amputation of thumbs were reconstructed with groin flap combined with secondary heterodigital neurovascular island flap. There ware 4 men and 2 women, and mean age was 42.2 years. The following parameters were evaluated. Results: Recipient thumb was no limitation of apposition. but flexion contracture of interphalangeal joint was about 10 degree in two cases. Average grip power were 80% and average pinch power were 70% that of the normal thumb. The two point discrimination was average 10.5 mm and double sensibility in 2 cases. 2 patients have cold intolerance. Neuroma formation was not made. Cosmetic results as judged by patients were that 4 cases are good and 2 cases are fair. Conclusion: If massive skin defect after degloving thumb or amputation of thumb are present, we consider the numerous methods for reconstruction of thumb. This surgical procedure is good methods because of it's pliability, sensation, satisfactory functional results but major disadvantage are the staged operation and cosmetic effect of the absence of thumb nail.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.105-111
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• 2005

Perforator flaps have become increasingly popular in microsurgery nowadays and are being used widely for many cases of reconstruction after trauma and cancer ablation. And thoracodorsal perforator based free flap is one of them having the merits of carrying a large skin paddle with leaving intact innervation and function of the remaining latissimus dorsi muscle. We made a homogeneous thin flap excluding the main muscle with a long vascular pedicle and tried to decrease the donor site morbidity. But, it needs a long learning-curve and we have met marginal flap necrosis frequently. Besides, prolonged operation time for complete perforator dissection may be a tedious job to the microsurgeon. To overcome these disadvantages, we usually included very small portion of the latissimus dorsi muscle during this flap elevation around the pedicled 2-3 thoracodorsal perforators during this flap elevation. We performed 3 cases of thoracodorsal perforator based free flap at Hallym university sacred heart hospital between May and August 2005 for the soft tissue defect of the scalp and feet. The average flap size was $8{\times}14\;cm$. Although it is not a true perforator flap, we can get the reliability for the flap survival with much better blood circulation and save the time of one or two hours to dissect the perforators completely. All cutaneous flaps survived completely without any complication except one fatty female who had the very small superficial fat necrosis due to flap bulkiness. We believe the thoracodorsal perforator based free flap can be extended its versatility and reliability by including the very small portion of the muscle around the perforators.

• The Korean Journal of Legal Medicine
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.61-64
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• 2016

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV (EDS IV) is a hereditary disorder of the connective tissue, characterized by easy bruising, thin skin with visible veins, and spontaneous rupture of the large arteries, uterus, or bowel. EDS IV is caused by mutations of the gene for type III procollagen (COL3A1), resulting in insufficient collagen production or a defect in the structure of collagen. EDS IV can have fatal complications such as the rupture of great vessels or organs, which can cause hemorrhaging and sudden unexpected death. Here, we report a case of a 43-year-old female who collapsed after a struggle with a neighbor. In this patient, the bifurcation of the bilateral common iliac artery ruptured, with no evidence of trauma, inflammation, or atherosclerosis. Genetic analysis of COL3A1 showed the presence of a c.2771G>A (p.Gly924Arg) mutation, which may be associated with EDS IV. The forensic pathologist should consider the possibility that the spontaneous visceral or arterial rupture was caused by EDS IV. Genetic analysis is not currently a routine procedure during autopsy. However, in this case, we suggest that the patient possibly had an underlying EDS IV condition, and we recommended family members of the deceased to seek genetic analysis and counseling.

• Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.721-733
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• 2018

BACKGROUND: Because three-dimensional (3D) models more closely mimic native tissues, one of the goals of 3D in vitro tissue models is to aid in the development and toxicity screening of new drug therapies. In this study, a 3D skin wound healing model comprising of a collagen type I construct with fibrin-filled defects was developed. METHODS: Optical imaging was used to measure keratinocyte migration in the presence of fibroblasts over 7 days onto the fibrin-filled defects. Additionally, cell viability and growth of fibroblasts and keratinocytes was measured using the $alamarBlue^{(R)}$ assay and changes in the mechanical stiffness of the 3D construct was monitored using compressive indentation testing. RESULTS: Keratinocyte migration rate was significantly increased in the presence of fibroblasts with the cells reaching the center of the defect as early as day 3 in the co-culture constructs compared to day 7 for the control keratinocyte monoculture constructs. Additionally, constructs with the greatest rate of keratinocyte migration had reduced cell growth. When fibroblasts were cultured alone in the wound healing construct, there was a 1.3 to 3.4-fold increase in cell growth and a 1.2 to 1.4-fold increase in cell growth for keratinocyte monocultures. However, co-culture constructs exhibited no significant growth over 7 days. Finally, mechanical testing showed that fibroblasts and keratinocytes had varying effects on matrix stiffness with fibroblasts degrading the constructs while keratinocytes increased the construct's stiffness. CONCLUSION: This 3D in vitro wound healing model is a step towards developing a mimetic construct that recapitulates the complex microenvironment of healing wounds and could aid in the early studies of novel therapeutics that promote migration and proliferation of epithelial cells.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.226-237
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• 2005

Purpose : Extensive defect of oral and maxillofacial area is usually reconstructed with composite flap including skin paddle. However, if the defects are lined with only skin components, the mucosa's role in mastication and texture are not restored. Furthermore, stiffness and hair-growing prevent denture rehabilitation and good oral hygiene. This study was performed to overcome the disadvantages of composite soft tissue flaps including the skin and to make a model for myo-mucosal flaps. Materials and methods : Buccal mucosa sized $0.5\times1.0\;cm^2$ from New Zealand rabbit (around 1.5kg) was harvested and cultivated by the modification of Rheinwald and Green's keratinocyte culture method. Cultured mucosa was grafted on the fascia of latismus dorsi as form of mucosal sheet. After 7, 10, 14 days, the myomucosal flap was excised and evaluated under light microscope with H & E and immunohistochemical staining. As control group, harvested buccal mucosa from rabbit was transplanted to gracilis muscle(n=6). Results : From 7 days after prelamination, the basal layer of the grafted mucosa resembled that of normal mucosa. As control group, transplanted mucosa had original shape but there's slight inflammatory reaction. Prelaminated mucosa has 19.8$\pm$4.59 cell layers and some samples have more than 20 layers. The expression rate of PCNA was relatively strong (42.9%$\pm$14.1) at the basal layer of grafted mucosa and the laminin was found at the basal layer. On the contrary, prelaminated mucosa at 10 days showed moderate expression rate of PCNA(32.4%$\pm$4.62). We found the mucosal layer was somehow disappeared and there is strong inflammatory reaction. After 14 days prelamination, the grafted oral keratinocytes were almost disappeared and expression of PCNA was not observed. Conclusion : We can make 75 fold large mucosal($3850mm^2$) sheet from small samples of mucosa $(50mm^2)$. Epithelial sheet that grafted on the fascia of muscle underwent differentiation and proliferation. But after 10, 14 days, there was strong inflammatory reaction and the grafted mucosa was destroyed from surface layer. In rabbit model, transfer of fascio-mucosal flap should be done from 7 to 10 days after prelamination.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SP
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.39-47
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• 2010

A research of image-based articulated pose estimation has some problems such as detection of human feature, precise pose estimation, and real-time performance. In particular, various methods are currently presented for recovering many joints of human body. We propose the novel numerical inverse kinematics improved with the UKF(unscented Kalman filter) in order to estimate the human pose in real-time. An existing numerical inverse kinematics is required many iterations for solving the optimal estimation and has some problems such as the singularity of jacobian matrix and a local minima. To solve these problems, we combine the UKF as a tool for optimal state estimation with the numerical inverse kinematics. Combining the solution of the numerical inverse kinematics with the sampling based UKF provides the stability and rapid convergence to optimal estimate. In order to estimate the human pose, we extract the interesting human body using both background subtraction and skin color detection algorithm. We localize its 3D position with the camera geometry. Next, through we use the UKF based numerical inverse kinematics, we generate the intermediate joints that are not detect from the images. Proposed method complements the defect of numerical inverse kinematics such as a computational complexity and an accuracy of estimation.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.348-355
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• 2006

Tennison was the first to recognize and to preserve the Cupid's bow by lowering the peak in the margin of the cleft. Randall had modified the Tennison's repair based on accurate measurements. Bardach's technique evolved from the basic concept of triangular flap cleft lip repair described by Tennison-Randall method. Precise measurements are used to define the dimensions of the equilateral triangular flap, which is created on the cleft side and is inserted into an equilateral triangular defect on the noncleft side. Two symmetrical vertical distances on either side of the cleft are thus formed. It is essential that the incisions in the skin correspond precisely with those on the muscles and mucosa, and that all layers are sutured with the use of the triangular flap, thus preventing vertical scar contracture. This procedure produces a symmetric, balance lip with a well-defined Cupid's bow, a symmetric vermilion, and a properly aligned orbicularis oris muscle. We had treated three patients with unilateral incomplete cleft lip by using Bardach's triangular flap method. The operation scars could be reduced comparing to Millard method because Bardach's method did not use the columella base and the alar base incision. And the flap design was more simple and accurate comparing to Tennison-Randall method. On the other hand, the postoperative scars on the philtrum pointed as a disadvantage of triangular flap method were cosmetically acceptable because the three patients had incomplete cleft lip. We have experienced that Bardach's triangular flap is a recommendable technique for the repair of unilateral incomplete cleft lip.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.177-181
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to compare the two prosthesis that used for total ankle arthroplasty. Materials and Methods: From Sept. 2003 to Jun 2006, 13 patients and 14 ankles that could be follow up more than 1 months. Semiconstrained type (Group I, 7 cases) and Unconstrained type (Group II, 7 cases) were used for total ankle arthroplasty. Mean age was 63.2 year-old, 12 ankles are men and 2 ankles were women. Mean follow up periods were 29 months. The criteria to compare the clinical result were postoperative range of motion, AOFAS score and residual bone stock of medial malleolus. Results: Postoperative range of motion of group I was $43.6{\pm}9.4$ degrees and of group II was $50.7{\pm}7.3$ degrees (p=0.115). Postoperative AOFAS score of group I was $77.1{\pm}13.0$ points and of group II was $86.0{\pm}5.7$ points (p=0.094). Resected bone stock in medial malleolus of group I was $10.7{\pm}2.5\;mm$ and of group II was $5.1{\pm}1.2\;mm$ (p=0.003). Total number of complication in our study was 9 cases. 3 cases were a malleolar fracture, two occurred at intra-operation, the other at follow-up period. Re-operation was done in 6 cases, 3 cases were calcaneal corrective osteotomy, 2 cases were resection of a heterotopic bone and one case was pedicular flap operation for skin problem. Conclusion: In our hospital, mobile bearing type prosthesis shows good result than a semiconstrained type in respect of residual bone stock in medial malleolus. Postoperative range of motion and AOFAS score between two groups shows no significant difference. But small number of patients and short term follow up period is a defect in our study, afterward more population and long term follow up period are needed.