Category Archives: Global Surgery

PUBLISHED: Drainage of Cystic Mass on First Left Toe

Drainage of Cystic Mass on First Left Toe
Jasmine Beloy1Jaymie Ang Henry, MD, MPH2Marcus Lester R. Suntay, MD, FPCS, FPSPS, FPALES3
1Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
2Florida Atlantic University
2Philippine Children’s Medical Center

Cutaneous cysts are closed, sac-like, or encapsulated structures that may be filled with air, liquid, or semi-solid material, and are generally benign. Many types of cysts can occur in almost any place throughout the body and can form in all ages. They are seen as slow-growing and painless lumps underneath the skin. However, some cysts may be painful if they are particularly large. Treatment depends on several factors including the type of cyst, location, size, and the degree of discomfort caused. Large, symptomatic cysts can be removed surgically, while smaller, asymptomatic cysts can be drained or aspirated. Here, we present the case of a 12-year-old male with a pus-filled cystic mass on his first left toe and discuss surgical management and follow-up.

PUBLISHED: Basal Cell Carcinoma Excision from the Lower Lip with Versatile Keystone Flap for Vascularized Skin Replacement

Basal Cell Carcinoma Excision from the Lower Lip with Versatile Keystone Flap for Vascularized Skin Replacement
Geoffrey G. Hallock, MD
Sacred Heart Campus, St. Luke’s Hospital

Maintenance of intact skin throughout the body is essential to prevent dehydration, to act as a barrier to infection, to allow unrestricted movement, and to provide a normal appearance. A flap is a piece of body tissue, usually skin and fat, that always has its own blood supply. Therefore, a flap can be moved anywhere it can reach without worrying about the circulation present at the place that needs it, which is called the recipient site. When compared with all other possible choices, a flap best meets all the requirements for any area needing skin replacement.

The keystone type flap as one such option is so named because its design has the shape of the keystone of a Roman arch. If taken from loose tissues adjacent to a defect, it can be simply cut and advanced for any necessary skin coverage. Direct closure of the donor site where this flap comes from is possible so that usually a quite good overall cosmetic result is also obtained. These virtues are shown as an overview in this video where a keystone flap is transferred after removal of a common basal cell skin cancer from the lower lip.

PUBLISHED: Bone Graft for Nonunion of Right Thumb Proximal Phalanx Fracture

Bone Graft for Nonunion of Right Thumb Proximal Phalanx Fracture
Sudhir B. Rao, MD1Mark N. Perlmutter, MS, MD, FICS, FAANOS2Arya S. Rao3Grant Darner4
1Big Rapids Orthopaedics
2Carolina Regional Orthopaedics
3Columbia University
4Duke University School of Medicine

In this video, the authors describe and demonstrate a surgical technique for the treatment of an unstable nonunion of a proximal phalangeal fracture of the thumb.

The video describes the surgical exposure, preparation of the nonunion site, harvesting of autogenous iliac corticocancellous bone graft, bone grafting of the defect, and stabilization with K-wire fixation.

PUBLISHED: Open Cholecystectomy for Gallbladder Disease

Open Cholecystectomy for Gallbladder Disease
Jacob C. Mesiti1Yoko Young Sang, MD2Peter F. Rovito, MD2;
1Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
2World Surgical Foundation

Gallbladder diseases are a subset of a spectrum of pathologies of the biliary system and are a particularly common etiology of abdominal pain encountered in modern medicine. These pathologies most often share a similar underlying mechanism of disease: obstruction of a portion of the biliary tree by cholelithiasis, or gallstones.

Gallstones, for the most part, form initially in the gallbladder with the exception of primary common bile duct (CBD) stones that form primarily in the CBD. Risk factors include a wide variety of conditions both pathologic and physiologic, including hyperlipidemia, hemolysis, and pregnancy. The resulting obstruction creates a state of biliary stasis, eventually leading to inflammation, pain, and an increased risk of infection. The anatomical location of the obstruction contributes greatly to both the clinical presentation and the ultimate treatment of the disease.

A hallmark of the treatment of gallbladder disease, ranging from simple biliary colic to life-threatening emphysematous cholecystitis, is the cholecystectomy. In modernized countries, this procedure is almost invariably performed laparoscopically. However, in certain clinical scenarios, such as when a patient cannot tolerate the pneumoperitoneum associated with laparoscopic surgery or when the procedure takes place in a developing country with limited access to laparoscopic capabilities, an open approach is preferred.

PUBLISHED: Open Cholecystectomy for Gallstone Disease

Open Cholecystectomy for Gallstone Disease
Liborio “Jun” Soledad, MDEnrico Jayma, MDTed Carpio, MD
World Surgical Foundation

Gallstone disease is one of the most common disorders affecting the digestive tract. Most individuals with gallstones are asymptomatic and do not require treatment. For symptomatic patients, however, cholecystectomy is recommended.

Cholecystectomy is one of the most common abdominal surgeries performed worldwide. Indications include moderate-to-severe symptoms, stones obstructing the bile duct, gallbladder inflammation, large gallbladder polyps, and pancreatic inflammation due to gallstones.

Here, we report the case of a 53-year-old male with stones in his biliary duct. Despite having uncomplicated disease, the patient was treated with a primary open cholecystectomy because laparoscopy was not available.

PUBLISHED: Lipoma Excision

Lipoma Excision
John Grove1Marcus Lester R. Suntay, MD, FPCS, FPSPS, FPALES2
1Lincoln Memorial University – DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine
2Philippine Children’s Medical Center

Lipomas are slow-growing lumps that occur as a result of overgrowth of fat cells. They present as doughy, moveable, and non-tender lumps usually found underneath the skin; however, they may occasionally be deeper. Lipomas occur in 1 in every 1,000 people and commonly grow on the upper back, shoulders, and abdomen. In most cases, lipomas are painless unless they affect joints, nerves, or blood vessels. A physical examination is the easiest way to diagnose a lipoma; however, imaging studies and biopsy may aid in the diagnosis when they are large, have unusual features, or appear deep.

No treatment is usually necessary for a lipoma; however, if a lipoma is painful or growing, removal may be recommended by excision or liposuction. Here, we present a 35-year-old male who has a large and deep 8-year-old lipoma on his upper back. The lipoma was excised and sent for biopsy.

PUBLISHED: Anal Fistulotomy

Anal Fistulotomy
M. Grant Liska, BS¹; Marcus Lester R. Suntay, MD, FPCS, FPSPS, FPALES²
¹University of Central Florida College of Medicine
²Philippine Children’s Medical Center

Fistula-in-ano is a chronic abnormal communication between the anal canal and, usually, the perianal skin. It can be described as a hollow tract that is lined with granulation tissue and connects a primary opening inside the anal canal to a secondary opening in the perianal skin. It usually originates from the anal glands and is frequently the result of a previous anal abscess. Anal fistulae present with pain, swelling, pruritus, skin irritation, and purulent or bloody drainage. Most anal fistulae are diagnosed based on clinical findings, but complex and deep anal fistulae usually require imaging studies such as CT scan or MRI to delineate the tract.

Currently, there is no medical treatment available and surgery is almost always necessary. A simple intersphincteric fistula can often be treated with fistulotomy or fistulectomy, while trans-sphincteric and suprasphincteric fistulae are treated by placement of a seton to maintain drainage and induce fibrosis. Extrasphincteric fistula treatment depends on the anatomy and etiology of the fistula.

This article presents the case of a 1-year-old male with a history of recurrent perianal infection, which led to the development of an anal fistula. The anal fistula was noted to be superficial, and a fistulotomy was performed.

PUBLISHED: Sebaceous Cyst Excision

Sebaceous Cyst Excision
Casey L. Meier, RN¹; Marcus Lester R. Suntay, MD, FPCS, FPSPS, FPALES²
¹Lincoln Memorial University, DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine
²Philippine Children’s Medical Center

Sebaceous cysts are closed sacs filled with foul-smelling, cheese-like material found underneath the skin. They form when a gland or hair follicle becomes blocked and are commonly found on the scalp, face, neck, or torso. Sebaceous cysts are non-cancerous and usually present as painless lumps, but can become tender when infected.

In most cases, smaller sebaceous cysts may be ignored as they do not cause any symptoms; however, larger cysts may need to be removed with complete excision recommended to prevent recurrence. Oral antibiotics may be required when a sebaceous cyst becomes infected. Here is the case of a 33-year-old male patient who underwent complete resection of a 2-year-old cyst.

PUBLISHED: Excision of Epidermal Inclusion Cyst

Excision of Epidermal Inclusion Cyst

John Grove
Lincoln Memorial University – DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine

Marcus Lester R. Suntay, MD, FPCS, FPSPS, FPALES
Philippine Children’s Medical Center

Epidermal inclusion cysts, also called keratin or epithelial cysts, are benign lumps that develop beneath the skin. They present as a slow-growing, painless lumps, usually with a punctum in the middle that represents the blockage of keratin excretion. Here, Dr. Lester Suntay with the World Surgical Foundation presents the case of a 64-year-old male with a mass on his upper back. It was noted to be gradually enlarging, and thus excision was performed in order to prevent further growth and infection.

PREPRINT RELEASE: Colonic Interposition for Esophageal Atresia

Colonic Interposition for Esophageal Atresia
Mario Catarino Rivas Hospital, Honduras

Yoko Young Sang, MD
Resident Physician
General Surgery
Louisiana State University Shreveport

Caroll Alvarado Lemus, MD
Pediatric Surgery, Mario Catarino Rivas Hospital, Honduras
San Pedro Sula, Honduras

Domingo Alvear, MD
Founder
World Surgical Foundation

The patient in this case is a 6-year-old boy who was born with Down syndrome and esophageal atresia. In this video article, Dr. Alvear performs a colonic interposition to replace the absent esophagus with part of the patient’s colon. This was performed during a global surgical mission in Honduras with the World Surgical Foundation.