Embolization and sclerotherapy of maxillofacial arteriovenous malformations with the use of fibrin glue combined with pingyangmycin

Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Pulsed Dye Laser Combined with Pingyangmycin on Hyperplastic Scar after Acne

Background

Acne is the most common chronic inflammatory disease of hair follicles and sebaceous glands in dermatology. Hyperplastic scar (HS), a very common sequelae of acne, is also the most common scar type in clinical practice.

Objective

This research analyzed the clinical effectiveness and safety of pulsed dye laser (PDL) combined with pingyangmycin (PI) in the treatment of post-acne HS.

Methods

One hundred and nine patients with post-acne HS admitted in June 2020 were selected and divided into a research group (n = 52) and a control group (n = 57) according to the difference in treatment methods. The efficacy, incidence of adverse reactions, skin repair, treatment comfort, and satisfaction were compared between groups.

Results

The total effective rate was higher in the research group compared with the control group. No statistical difference was observed between groups in the incidence of adverse reactions. The research group showed better scar repair, skin improvement, and granulation tissue maturity than the control group. And compared with the control group, the growth factor of the research group was lower, while the treatment comfort and satisfaction, psychological state, and prognosis quality of life were higher. The two groups showed no notable difference in the recurrence rate.

Conclusions

PDL combined with PI can effectively improve the clinical efficacy, scar repair effect, overall skin status, and treatment experience of patients and boost the psychological state and prognostic quality of life of patients, which has great clinical application prospect for the treatment of HS.

Surgical management of vascular tumors and malformations of the head and neck in adults

Vascular tumors and malformations present a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to many physicians. Because these lesions are rare, few surgeons have enough experience with them other than those practicing in tertiary vascular anomaly treatment centers. Some patients may have been misdiagnosed or mistreated during childhood and present in adult age with either recurrence or with an untreated lesion. Ideally, a multidisciplinary treatment team should be involved to discuss management with the patient including specialists in surgery, interventional radiology, pathology, hematology, genetics, and dermatology. As our understanding of the pathogenesis of these lesions grows, novel therapies are being employed which may decrease the need for surgery. Nevertheless, some lesions need definitive treatment with surgery. Improving understanding of the surgical management of vascular anomalies will improve cosmetic and functional outcomes for patients.

Development of a Method for Quantitative Evaluation of Facial Swelling in a Rat Model of Cerebral Ischemia by Facial Image Processing

A quantitative method for the evaluation of facial swelling in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was established using a mathematical method for the first time. The rat model of MCAO was established via bilateral common carotid artery ligation. Three groups of rats with the same baseline were selected (model group, positive drug group, and control group) according to their behavioral score and body weight 24 h after surgery. Drug administration was initiated on post-MCAO day 8 and was continued for 28 days. Mobile phones were used to collect facial images at different time points after surgery. In facial image analysis, the outer canthi of both eyes were used as the facial dividing line, and the outer edge of the rat's face was framed using the marking method, and the framed part was regarded as the facial area (S) of the rats. The histogram created with Photoshop CS5 was used to measure the face area in pixels. The distance between the outer canthi of both eyes (Le) and vertical line from the tip of the nose to the line joining the eyes was recorded as H1, and the line from the tip of the nose to the midpoint of the line joining the eyes was recorded as H2. The facial area was calibrated based on the relationship between H1 and H2. The distance between the eyes was inversely proportional to the distance between the rats and mobile phone such that the face area was calibrated by unifying Le. The size of Le between the eyes was inversely proportional to the distance between the rats and mobile phone. This was used to calibrate the face area. When compared with the control group, the facial area of the model group gradually increased from postoperative day 1 to day 7, and there was a significant difference in the facial area of the model group on postoperative day 7. Hence, positive drugs exhibited the effect of improving facial swelling. H1 and H2 can reflect the state of turning the head and raising the head of the rats, respectively. Facial area was calibrated according to the relationship between H1 and H2, which had no obvious effect on the overall conclusion. Furthermore, mobile phone lens was used to capture the picture of rat face, and the distance between the eyes and H1 and H2 was used to calibrate the facial area. Hence, this method is convenient and can be used to evaluate subjective judgment of the human eyes via a quantitative method.

Update on extracranial arteriovenous malformations: A staged multidisciplinary approach

Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are vascular lesions that are thought to arise from congenital errors during development of vessels resulting in abnormal connections between arteries and veins. Though most AVMs develop in the brain or spinal cord, they can occur anywhere in the body. These extracranial or peripheral AVMs have a predilection for the head, neck, and limbs. Since these malformations infiltrate normal soft tissue, management requires selective treatment with preservation of normal surrounding architecture. Therefore, they are best addressed through a staged multimodal and multidisciplinary approach, using a combination of different laser, interstitial, intravascular and surgical techniques to specifically target anomalous vessels. The goal of treatment is overall disease improvement and symptom control with interventions that do not result in outcomes worse than the disease itself. Recently, the discovery of somatic and germline mutations in peripheral AVMs have contributed to a better understanding of the pathophysiology, resulting in promising new pharmacologic treatments. Recent evidence suggests that adjuvant medical therapy can enhance and sustain interventional and/or surgical outcomes. Herein we describe how a new understanding of the etiology and physiology of extracranial AVM provides guidance to current treatment approaches.