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Radial nerve compression is seldom encountered in the upper arm, and most commonly described compression syndromes have their anatomical cause in the forearm. The teres major, the triceps muscle, the intermuscular septum region and the space between the brachialis and brachioradialis muscles have all been identified as radial nerve compression sites above the elbow. We describe the case of a 38-year-old male patient who presented with dorso-lateral forearm pain and paraesthesias without neurological deficit. Surgical exploration revealed radial nerve compression at the humeral origin of the brachioradialis muscle. Liberation of the nerve at this site was successful at relieving the symptoms. To our knowledge, this compression site has not been described in the literature.

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BACKGROUND: The use of microsurgery in the management of burn sequelae is not a new idea. According to the properties of various types of free flaps different goals can be achieved or various additional procedures have to be combined. We report the comparison of two different free flaps on a single patient for reconstruction of both upper extremities for burn sequelae. CASE REPORT: A 1-year-old child sustained severe burns on both hands, arms and thorax and was initially only treated conservatively. This resulted in severe contractures. At the age of 4-years a free gracilis flap was selected for reconstruction of his left hand and a free anterolateral thigh flap for the right hand. RESULTS: We noticed a better functional and esthetic result for the gracilis flap associated with a shorter operative time and a minor donor site morbidity. The intraoperative technique and time, postoperative complications, functional and esthetic results and donor site morbidities were studied in the two types of flaps chosen. A review of literature was also performed. CONCLUSION: Our experience reported a better success of the gracilis muscle flap covered with a split skin graft compared to the anterolateral thigh flap in the reconstruction of hand function after severe burn sequelae.

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Cutaneous Fluorescence Diagnosis (FD) is a new promising dermatological procedure which is based on the combination of a local application of a photosensitizer such as 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) or its methyl ester (MAL) and the use of a light source (red light) adapted to the absorption spectrum of these molecules. The targeted photosensitization of skin cancers, particularily superficial and extensive lesions including superficial basal cell carcinoma and Bowen's disease, by ALA or MAL induced porphyrins leads to a selective red fluorescence which can be demonstrated by Wood's lamp. This technique may be useful either to define better the choice of margins or to detect earlier and or multifocal recurrences.

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Between January 1996 and December 2002, 189 women underwent bilateral superior-pedicle breast reduction according to the Lejour technique, at Brugmann University Hospital (Brussels, Belgium). We conducted a retrospective study on the 18 women who gave birth since the operation. Our aim was to find out how many of them breastfed, the reasons for not breastfeeding from those who did not, and to look for parameters that might have interfered with breastfeeding success. The latter was defined as the ability to breastfeed for a minimum of 2 weeks, with or without nutritional supplementation. Eight patients out of 18 successfully breastfed for an average duration of 1.9+/-1.3 months, and ceased to do so in most cases for reasons other than spontaneous cessation of lactation. Another eight women made no attempt at breastfeeding for various reasons. According to data obtained from a report of the Belgian French-speaking Community, our series of patients made proportionally fewer breastfeeding attempts than women from a culturally similar context (74%). However, they exclusively breastfed for a median duration of 3 months, superior to the 8-9 weeks of the women included in the government report. Two patients failed at their breastfeeding attempts. We were able to demonstrate the role of neither anthropomorphic, operation-related, neuro-sensitive nor psychological factors in those failures. Our results, when confronted to those of similar studies, show that the Lejour technique allows breastfeeding in proportions similar to those of any other pedicled technique.

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Craniofacial anomalies, in particular cleft lip and palate, are major human birth defects with a worldwide frequency of 1 in 700 and substantial clinical impact. This article reviews the embryology of the face, lip, and palate to enhance the understanding of the pathogenesis of these lesions, with particular attention to the period of susceptibility during gestation, complexity, and the factors that may influence their development. It includes an overview of the prevalence and environmental and genetic causes of cleft lip-with or without cleft palate- and cleft palate.

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BACKGROUND: The purpose of this retrospective of prospectively acquired data was to evaluate and to compare global evolution in children with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate treated at the Brussels cleft centre following two different surgical treatment protocols. METHODS: A series of forty-four patients operated for non-syndromic complete unilateral cleft lip and palate were included in this study at the age of approximately ten years. Twenty-six children (17 males, 9 females) were treated according to the Malek surgical treatment protocol: the soft palate was closed at a mean age of 3 months, followed by simultaneous repair of the lip and hard palate at a mean age of 6 months. Eighteen children (15 males, 3 females) underwent one-stage "all-in-one" closure of the lip, hard and soft palate at a mean age of 3 months. Craniofacial morphology was evaluated by means of digital lateral cephalometric analysis. Cephalometric data were compared to a control, non-cleft group (n = 40) matched according to age. Data concerning otological status and speech were collected in the same series of children. RESULTS: Statistical analysis showed that the inclination of the maxillary (MxPVSN) plane to the anterior cranial base was significantly increased (p <0.001) in both cleft groups compared to the non-cleft group and significantly increased (p = 0.002) in the Malek cleft group compared to the "all-in-one" cleft group. Otological status was not improved by an early complete closure but by close follow-up and the repeated placement of ventilating tubes. Speech was found to be satisfactory in the majority of children of both groups at six years after speech therapy. Only 15% needed further surgery with pharyngeal flaps. CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant differences in anteroposterior midfacial morphology between the Malek and "all-in-one" protocols at ten years of age. One-stage "all-in-one" closure resulted in less downward inclination of the maxillary plane to the anterior cranial base compared to the Malek protocol at ten years of age. Early complete closure of the cleft resulted in no significant change in otological status or the occurrence of nasality. However, early complete closure of the cleft allowed for earlier intelligibility of speech compared to the staged later closure.

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Primary cutaneous mucormycosis is an uncommon, deep and aggressive fungal infection occurring mainly in immunosuppressed or diabetic patients. Rapid diagnosis and therapy are necessary to prevent a fatal outcome. An eight-year-old leukaemic child presented with a dark necrotic ulcer on the volar-ulnar aspect of the left forehand. The lesion had developed over seven days, beginning as a vasculo-haemorrhagic erythematous plaque. There was no known history of trauma to the area, but skin necrosis from external compression caused by an intravenous line could not be completely ruled out. The lesion rapidly progressed to a 5 x 8 cm painful necrotic ulcer with an erythematous border. Treatment with ichthyol dressing and intra-venous antibiotherapy failed to improve the condition. Wide debridement was performed and specimens were sent for microbiology and pathology examinations. Microscopic examination demonstrated broad, irregularly walled, non-septate fungal hyphae that were consistent with Mucor. Amphotericin B was administrated intravenously (1 mg/kg/day) and hydrogel and hydrophile adhesive polyurethane foam dressings were applied. After 12 days, the soft tissue defect was covered with a split-thickness skin graft, harvested from the lateral aspect of the thigh. Diagnosis of this infection is based on complete histopathological and microbiological studies. Awareness, and a high index of suspicion are required because of the potential fulminant and fatal course.

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We report the case of a 2-year-old boy suffering from juvenile hyaline fibromatosis. Our patient had all the main clinical features of the disease, i.e. multiple cutaneous facial nodules, gingival fibromatosis and osteolytic lesions in the proximal metaphysis of the tibia and humerus symmetrically. However, he also presented an eyelid tumour scalloping the superior orbital osseous rim, causing blepharoptosis. The histopathology confirmed this very rare condition. After 6 months, our patient has improved functionally and cosmetically following surgical resection of the eyelid tumours without recurrence.

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Esthetic surgery is today a commercial product. However, it remains a real surgical practice with its results but also its complications and the difficulty to have the good indication in order to avoid the possible excess dictated by the medias.

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Esthetic surgery became very popular during the last years. It helps many patients psychologically. However, the operations have to correspond to the wishes of the patients. Therefore, the patients have not to be only informed of the possible results but also of the risk of complications, the presence of scars, of swellings, etc. At this condition only will the patients be satisfied of their esthetic operation.

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We report the case of a 20-year-old woman with a desmoid fibroma of the finger, which is an extremely rare location. Desmoid fibromas are benign but very infiltrative tumors, known for their frequent recurrences. Because of the many vascular and nervous structures concentrated in the finger, complete surgical excision is difficult.

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INTRODUCTION: The main goal of first carpometacarpal arthritis surgical treatment is to relieve pain. The main disadvantages of the usual techniques (trapeziectomy, implant arthroplasty) are loss of strength or presence of a prosthetic device. It is difficult to propose such extensive surgery at an early stage of the disease. Selective denervation of the first carpometacarpal joint seems to be an interesting choice. We propose a new technique of denervation based on our previous anatomical investigations. TECHNIQUE: Two incisions are needed to cut all the articular branches derive from the superficial branch of the radial nerve, the palmar cutaneous branch of the median nerve, the thenar branch of the median nerve and the lateral ante brachial cutaneous nerve. MATERIAL: Fourteen patients were prospectively included in our study with a mean follow-up of 5 months. RESULTS: Pain relief was very satisfying in 12 cases (mean decrease 84%). An increase in grip and key pinch strength was noted. Complications were uncommon, excepted temporary paresthésia in the radial nerve area. DISCUSSION: This technique seems to be promising and a good indication for patients with no disabling deformity, but only long-term results will confirm the place of denervation in the treatment of first carpometacarpal arthritis.

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The priority in the treatment of facial clefts is to avoid the iatrogenic sequellae by restoring a normal anatomy of the face. The difficulty of this treatment is that the majority of the sequellae are only observed 15 years after the primary treatment. After having treated our children during more than 20 years by a primary closure of the lip at 6 months and closure of the palate by push back according to Veau Wardill at 18 months, we adopted the technique of René Malek since 1981 with early closure of the palate at 3 months then, without undermining of the palatal mucosa, closure of the bony palate with a vomer flap at the age of 6 months. Since 1988, in unilateral complete cleft, we perform a complete closure of the lip and palate at 3 months according to the same surgical principles. The study of the dental casts according to the Golson Yardstick at the age of 10 and the cephalometric study by lateral Xrays at the age of 15 show an excellent facial growth in the majority of the cases with only 6% needing a osteotomy at the end of growth. Moreover the phonation of these children was very good in the majority of the cases, 15% only needing a secondary surgery. The only remaining sequellae are in the auditory field with an abnormal frequency of sero mucous otitis. These could not be improved until now despite the early use of tympanic drains.

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Ten forearm and hand specimens from fresh cadavers were dissected and examined under magnification for articular branches to the trapeziometacarpal joint arising from the thenar and palmar cutaneous branches of the median nerve, the superficial branch of the radial nerve and the lateral cutaneous nerve of forearm. In all but one specimen the thenar branch of the median nerve sent an articular branch to the trapeziometacarpal joint. Multiple branches from the palmar cutaneous branch of the median nerve, the superficial branch of the radial nerve and the lateral cutaneous nerve of forearm were also found. All these branches need to be divided during a "complete" denervation of the trapeziometacarpal joint.

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The purpose of this study was to compare cranio-facial, particularly midfacial morphology, in two groups of children with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) treated at two different cleft centres (Hannover. Germany and Brussels, Belgium) following different surgical treatment protocols. A total of 62 children (40 males; 22 females) with non-syndromic UCLP were included in this study at approximately the age of 10. The Hannover group comprised 36 children, who had repair of the lip at a mean age of 5.83 +/- 1.16 months, followed by repair of the hard and soft palate at a mean age of 29.08 +/- 4.68 and 32.25 +/- 4.29 months. respectively. The Brussels group consisted of 26 children who underwent surgical treatment according to the Malek protocol: the soft palate was closed at a mean age of 3.04 +/- 0.20 months, followed by simultaneous repair of the lip and hard palate at a mean age of 6.15 +/- 0.68 months. Midfacial morphology was evaluated by means of cephalometric analysis according to Ross. The children in the Hannover UCLP group did not differ significantly from those in the Brussels group in the anteroposterior dimension of the midface. However, the maxillary plane was significantly more open in the Brussels group due to less posterior vertical maxillary development.

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INTRODUCTION: Denervation has been proposed successfully for chronic wrist pain. This procedure is not commonly performed for degenerative osteoarthritis of the trapeziometacarpal joint. According to the classic anatomical descriptions of the wrist innervation, it seems that the thenar branch of the median nerve (TBMN) is the only nerve of the wrist for which no articular branches are clearly defined. The aim of this study is to complete the few anatomical descriptions of the trapeziometacarpal joint innervation with microdissections of the TBMN. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten wrist and hand specimens from fresh cadavers were dissected by the same operator under magnification (3.5-12x). The TBMN was identified at its origin from the median nerve and followed in the thenar muscles. All the divisions of the TBMN were identified and followed to their terminal branches. RESULTS: The TBMN divided in at least two main branches, one each to the opponens and to the abductor pollicis brevis. In all but one specimen, the branch to the opponens pollicis muscle passed over or into its medial aspect to spread on the palmar side of the trapezium. Each dissected articular branches were histologically confirmed. DISCUSSION: Our results show a clear participation of the TBMN in the innervation of the trapeziometacarpal joint. The lack of knowledge of this anatomical feature may explain the inconstant results obtained with selective denervation of the trapeziometacarpal joint.

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Reduction mammaplasty techniques using the inferior pedicle have been recommended to preserve the nipple and areolar sensation after surgery. The vertical scar mammaplasty with a superior pedicle has often been criticised because of the potential for damage to the sensory supply of the nipple-areola complex. The aim of this study was to assess the breast sensation in two prospective series of patients operated upon using superior pedicle and inferior pedicle mammaplasties. Between November 1996 and February 1997, 20 consecutive patients (39 breasts) underwent breast reduction using the inferior pedicle technique with inverted T scar (Robbin's technique). This series of patients was matched with another series of 18 patients (36 breasts) who had breast reduction using a vertical scar mammaplasty with superior pedicle (Lejour's technique) in another centre. Cutaneous pressure thresholds were recorded using Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments. The values were obtained on the quadrants of the skin of the breast, the areola and the nipple. The sensitivity test was performed preoperatively, then at 3 and 6 months postoperatively. Patients' characteristics (age, weight, breast ptosis, breast mass resected and risk factors) were statistically similar between the two groups. The preoperative values of pressure sensation on the different areas tested were statistically similar between the two groups. The sensitivity decreased on almost all the tested areas of the breast at 3 months postoperatively. No patient had an insensitive area on the breast at 6 months after surgery. Some areas of the breast showed a significant difference in pressure sensitivity after one technique compared to the other: better sensation on the skin of the superior and lateral quadrants after the superior pedicle technique at 3 months (P< 0.001), poorer areolar sensation on the inferior quadrant after the superior pedicle technique at 3 and 6 months (P< 0.05) and on the superior quadrant after the inferior pedicle technique at 3 months only (P< 0.05). However, the mean value of the areolar quadrants was statistically similar after both techniques. The nipple sensation was significantly decreased in both groups at 3 months but remained comparable between the two groups. Breast innervation was damaged by breast reduction using both the inferior and the superior pedicle techniques. The breast skin had better sensation after the superior pedicle technique while the areola had slightly better sensation after the inferior pedicle technique. At 6 months, the mean value of nipple-areola complex pressure sensation was comparable in the two series of patients.

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Maxillary distraction osteogenesis is a challenging technique to treat severe maxillary retrusion. Maxillary advancement by distraction has the advantage to provide new bone in combination with simultaneous expansion of the soft-tissue functional matrix. Cleft lip and palate patients can present with severe maxillary retrusion and Class III malocclusion. Two 13-year-old patients, born with non-syndromic cleft lip and palate, underwent maxillary distraction--one had a bilateral, the other a unilateral complete cleft lip and palate. Maxillary advancement was performed using an external distraction device in combination with titanium miniplates as a skeletal maxillary anchorage. After a complete Lefort I osteotomy with pterygomaxillary disjunction, a latency period of 3 days was respected. On the fourth postoperative day, distraction was initiated at the rate of 1 mm/d. Preoperative clinical photographs, dental casts, lateral cephalograms, and panoramic radiographs were taken. Further lateral cephalograms were obtained after the latency period, after completion of the active period of distraction, at the completion of the consolidation period, and at 6 and 12 months postoperatively. The aesthetic outcome was excellent and skeletal advancement of 8 and 7 mm was measured without dentoalveolar compensations.

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