Mathes DW

[BACKGROUND] The rising prevalence of cannabis use introduces unique considerations for surgical patients, yet its impact in breast surgery remains poorly characterized. This narrative review synthesized available evidence investigating out…

[BACKGROUND] Over 20,000 medical malpractice lawsuits are filed annually, with plastic surgeons being particularly vulnerable. The evolving medico-legal landscape-shaped by tort reform measures, such as damage caps, medical review panels, a…

[BACKGROUND] The deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) free flap reconstruction is a preferred breast reconstruction technique due to its muscle-sparing approach and patient satisfaction. However, donor-site complications, particularly…

Transverse abdominis plane (TAP) and rectus sheath (RS) blocks are utilized in enhanced recovery after surgery protocols, but with highly variable methodologies and outcomes in reported literature. The purpose of this study was to evaluate …

[BACKGROUND] Advancements in microsurgery and the adoption of enhanced recovery after surgery protocols have improved patient care in free flap breast reconstruction. However, there is limited and variable data on hospital readmissions foll…

Capsular contracture is characterized by the formation of a fibrous capsule around a breast implant after an augmentation mammaplasty, and often results in pain, firmness, and implant distortion. The aim of this meta-analysis was to investi…

[BACKGROUND] Craniofacial surgeons face significant medico-legal risks due to high procedural complexity and patient expectations. Despite extensive studies on plastic surgery litigation, the specific trends and risk factors for craniofacia…

[PURPOSE] Plastic surgery remains one of the most competitive specialties, with a 58.8% match rate during the 2023-2024 cycle. Research productivity is a well-established predictor of match success, yet its persistence throughout residency …

[BACKGROUND] Capsular contracture after implant-based breast reconstruction is not an uncommon problem and affects reconstruction outcomes. It can be influenced by various factors, such as the plane of implant placement, implant surface and…

[BACKGROUND] The deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) free flap is the gold standard procedure for autologous breast reconstruction. Although breast-related complications have been well described, donor-site complications and contribu…

[BACKGROUND] Deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap breast reconstruction is among the higher-risk patient groups for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in plastic surgery. Surgeons often opt for a patient-specific approach to postoperat…

[BACKGROUND]  The prevalence of obesity in the United States exceeds 40%, yet perioperative effects of higher body mass index (BMI) in autologous breast reconstruction remain poorly studied. The purpose of this study was to investigate BMI'…

[BACKGROUND] Gender-affirming breast augmentation comprises an increasing portion of breast augmentations performed by plastic surgeons. Satisfaction and breast implant illness (BII) symptoms in this population have not been well studied. T…

[UNLABELLED] Radiation is an integral part of breast cancer therapy. The ideal type and timing of breast reconstruction with relation to radiation delivery are not well established. The study aimed to identify reconstructive practices among…

[BACKGROUND] Body contouring procedures have significantly increased in popularity in the United States. [OBJECTIVES] The authors sought to understand, categorize, and classify patients' experiences with postoperative complications followi…

[BACKGROUND] Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) represents a prevalent mental health condition characterized by distress arising from self-perceived physical imperfections. BDD serves as a contraindication to aesthetic surgery. Recognizing BDD …

[BACKGROUND] CT angiogram (CTA) has become the preferred method for the planning of abdominal-based microsurgical breast reconstruction to gather information about location, number, caliber and trajectory of the abdominal perforators and to…

[BACKGROUND] Umbilical complications can be relatively common after breast reconstruction with deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flaps. The medial umbilical ligaments and the ligamentum teres hepatis can be the sole blood supply to…

[BACKGROUND] In addition to its intended purpose of perforator mapping, computed tomography angiography can also identify incidental findings that may require further evaluation. In this multi-institutional study, the authors evaluated the …

[BACKGROUND] Dopamine has a favorable therapeutic profile but has not been widely used to treat hypotension during microvascular breast reconstruction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcomes in patients who received dopamine dur…

[BACKGROUND] In recent years, indocyanine green angiography (ICG-A) has been used increasingly to assist tissue perfusion assessments during plastic and reconstructive surgery procedures, but no guidelines exist regarding its use. We sought…

[BACKGROUND] The superficial fascial system is routinely closed to alleviate tension at the abdominal donor site after harvest of the deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap (DIEP) for breast reconstruction. This is thought to decre…

[BACKGROUND]  Venous flow couplers are typically used to monitor free flaps during the postoperative period, with a continuous venous signal available immediately after completion of the anastomosis. Intraoperative loss of the coupler signa…

Patient safety is defined as freedom from accidental or preventable harm produced by medical care. The identification of patient- and procedure-related risk factors enables the surgical team to carry out prophylactic measures to reduce the …

[BACKGROUND] 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. Alth…

In flap reconstruction of complex defects the perfusion of the reconstructive flap is critical to the ultimate success of the reconstruction. This is especially true in perforator-based flaps where it can be difficult to assess the adequacy…

[BACKGROUND] Feasibility of composite tissue allotransplantation (CTA) has been substantiated by transplantations of the hand, abdominal wall, and face. CTA has the potential to reconstruct "like with like," but the risk-to-benefit ratio an…