Background: Burn first aid awareness has been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality. We present a report on the knowledge and practices of the Saudi population with regard to burn first aid and the application of traditional remedies. Methods: An internet-based survey was conducted to assess the public’s knowledge on first aid practices and home remedies applied for burn injuries among Saudi adults. Results: A total of 2758 individuals responded to the survey. There were 1178 (42.7 %) respondents who had previously received burn first aid information. One thousand five hundred fifty respondents had a history of burn exposure in which burn injury first aid was applied as follows: 1118 (72.1 %) removed clothing and accessories from the injured area; water was applied by 990 (63.9 %); among those who applied water, 877 (88.6 %) applied cold water; and only 57 (5.8 %) did so for more than 15 min. Wrapping the burn area was performed by 526 (33.9 %), and 985 (63.5 %) sought medical assistance. When it comes to traditional remedies, 2134 (77.4 %) knew of and/or implemented these remedies as first aid or to treat burns. Honey and toothpaste were the commonest among these remedies with 1491 (69.9 %) and 1147 (53.7 %), respectively. This was associated with female gender (r = 0.87, P < 0.001), younger age group (19–25 years) (r = 0.077, P < 0.001), from central region (r = 0.012, P < 0.001), and university graduate (r = 0.05, P = 0.002). Nearly half of those who knew of traditional remedies did not have previous knowledge of burn first aid. Conclusions: Proper burn first aid is a simple, cheap, and accessible means of managing burns initially. Although the majority of the respondents were university graduates (51.1 %), knowledge and implementation of burn first aid was very poor. Major healthcare agencies should review and promote a consistent guideline for burn first aid in an effort to tackle and minimize the effect of this grave injury.

Botulinum toxin is a neurotoxin that has been utilized to induce chemo-denervation of muscles. Cutaneous wounds represent a special situation in which the tensile forces applied by these muscles on wound edges might have deleterious effects on the healing process. The aim of this review was to investigate such an effect and to review other mechanisms this toxin might have on the healing process. We also reviewed the role of botulinum toxin in the management of hypertrophic scars and cleft lip repair.

Introduction. Tendons are specialised, heterogeneous connective tissues, which represent a significant healthcare challenge after injury. Primary surgical repair is the gold standard modality of care; however, it is highly dependent on the extent of injuries. Tissue engineering represents an alternative solution for good tissue integration and regeneration. In this review, we look at the advanced biomaterial composites employed to improve cellular growth while providing appropriate mechanical properties for tendon and ligament repair. Methodology. Comprehensive literature searches focused on advanced composite biomaterials for tendon and ligament tissue engineering. Studies were categorised depending on the application. Results. In the literature, a range of natural and/or synthetic materials have been combined to produce composite scaffolds tendon and ligament tissue engineering. In vitro and in vivo assessment demonstrate promising cellular integration with sufficient mechanical strength. The biological properties were improved with the addition of growth factors within the composite materials. Most in vivo studies were completed in small-scale animal models. Conclusions. Advanced composite materials represent a promising solution to the challenges associated with tendon and ligament tissue engineering. Nevertheless, these approaches still demonstrate limitations, including the necessity of larger-scale animal models to ease future clinical translation and comprehensive assessment of tissue response after implantation.

Sutures have been at the forefront of surgical medicine throughout time. With recent advances in suture technology, it is possible to incorporate biologically active substances to enhance suture function and capability. Bioactive sutures represent a modality interest in controlled drug and cell delivery to traumatic sites. In this article, a comprehensive literature search of key bibliographic databases focusing on suture material fabrication and advanced modification was performed. The history, manufacturing process and cost-effectiveness of bioactive sutures are presented. Several novel modifications to enhance function in drug and growth factor delivery and cell therapy are also reviewed. Different antimicrobial drugs and anaesthetics have been shown to be effective in reducing inflammation and bacterial infection. Cellular therapy represents a unique modality augmenting the surgical repair of various soft tissue injuries. We propose a definition of bio-active sutures as biomaterials that are engineered to have controlled tissue interaction to optimise wound/defect healing, in addition to their essential function in tissue approximation.

High-resolution ultrasound has been used as an important tool in the diagnosis, management and monitoring of both acute and chronic peripheral nerve injuries. According to literature, it demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of specific pathologies and its ability to differentiate between them. Literature has been reviewed, summarizing the specific finding of such modality in various peripheral neuropathies and with a specific focus over its role in evaluation and management of traumatic peripheral neuropathies.

Background: Craniosynostosis is a complex craniofacial deformity. Surgical decision, if needed, is always hard on the parent and requires the use of multimodalities of explanation. To the authors’ knowledge, there have been no studies tackling family counseling about the deformity and surgical decision-making process with the use of low-cost patient-specific three-dimensional (3D)-printed models. Methods: A cross-sectional study investigating the utility of patient-specific 3D-printed models using a desktop-based 3D printer. Questionnaire was constructed and validated screening the demographics, knowledge, expectation, and surgical decision-making process supplied using Likert. Data were collected consecutively from each parent first after explanation with conventional 3D computed tomography (CT) images, and then repeated after the 3D-printed model has been presented. Results: Fourteen parents were screened. Majority of parents considered the pathology to have a potential effect of child's functional and aesthetic outcomes. After using the 3D-printed models, the participants had a clear vision and needed not to read any more about the condition (P = 0.05, P = 0.019, respectively). Agreement for surgical management was in favor of the 3D-printed models compared with CT images (P = 0.028). Explanation with CT images yielded higher mean score in knowledge about potential complications compared with 3D models (P value = 0.007). For the 3D models, average printing time was 26 hours, and a mean cost of 5.2$. Conclusion: The utility of desktop 3D printing is an affordable modality to provide adequate information about craniosynostosis and can assist surgical decision-making. Knowledge and adaptation of such cheap technology represents a great skill aiding clinical practice.