This literature review provides a novel exploration of zinc’s multifaceted roles in dermatology, with a particular focus on its potential integration into botulinum toxin formulations—an area that remains relatively underexplored in clinical practice. Zinc is widely recognized for its critical functions in skin health, including morphogenesis, regeneration, and protection, and its use in aesthetic medicine offers a unique opportunity for innovation. Specifically, incorporating zinc into botulinum toxin formulations could enhance the efficacy and stability of these treatments. Although zinc has historically been used in topical dermatological products and systemic health interventions, its potential in cosmetic preparations, such as anti-aging therapies or non-invasive aesthetic treatments, remains under-researched. Emerging patents suggest promising formulations combining zinc with botulinum toxin that may improve product stability and extend therapeutic effects. While current studies on oral zinc supplementation present mixed results concerning its ability to prolong botulinum toxin effects, this underscores the need for more rigorous investigation in the realm of aesthetic medicine. Zinc’s well-established role in stabilizing dermatological products, such as sunscreens, and its applications in wound healing and skin regeneration, further highlights its potential for broader therapeutic uses beyond cosmetic applications. This review identifies a critical gap in the literature and calls for future research to optimize zinc concentrations and delivery methods specifically for aesthetic medical procedures, offering new insights into improving dermatological treatments beyond the scope of traditional cosmetic preparations.

Suture anchors (SAs) are medical devices used to connect soft tissue to bone. Traditionally these were made of metal; however, in the past few decades, bio-absorbable suture anchors have been created to overcome revision surgeries and other complications caused by metallic SAs. This systematic review aims to analyze the biomechanical properties of these SAs to gain a better understanding of their safety and utilization. A comprehensive systematic review that adhered to the PRISMA guidelines was conducted. Primary outcomes were that the pull-out strength of SAs, the rate of degradation secondarily, and the biocompatibility of all SAs were analyzed. After screening 347 articles, 16 were included in this review. These studies revealed that the pull-out strength of bio-absorbable SAs was not inferior to that of their non-absorbable comparatives. The studies also revealed that the rate of degradation varies widely from 7 to 90 months. It also showed that not all absorbable SAs were fully absorbed within the expected timeframe. This systematic review demonstrates that existing suture anchor materials exhibit comparable pull-out strengths, material-specific degradation rates, and variable biocompatibility. All-suture anchors had promising results in biocompatibility, but evidence fails to identify a single most favorable material. Higher-powered studies that incorporate tissue-specific characteristics, such as rotator cuff tear size, are warranted. To meet demonstrated shortcomings in strength and biocompatibility, we propose silk fibroin as a novel material for suture anchor design for its customizable properties and superior strength.

Postoperative pain is a prevalent problem, often lasting from days to years. To minimize opioid use and associated risks of dependency, Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols increasingly incorporate multimodal analgesics. Sodium channel-selective blockers are a promising non-opioid alternative, yet their application in postoperative pain remains underexplored. This systematic review evaluates their efficacy in managing postoperative, neuropathic, and neuralgia-related pain. A systematic review was conducted using controlled keywords across multiple databases to identify studies on sodium channel-selective blockers published up to 2024. Eligible studies included clinical trials, observational studies, case series, and reports involving patients aged 18 or older. Data were extracted on therapeutic outcomes, dosages, complications, and comparisons with other analgesics. Five studies met the inclusion criteria, involving 804 patients, 81.58% of whom were women. One study addressed postoperative pain, while the remaining five focused on neuropathy- and neuralgia-related pain. All studies reported significant pain reduction in at least one treatment group compared with placebo. In the study on postoperative pain, the sodium channel-selective blocker significantly reduced pain scores without requiring opioid analgesia. Across all studies, only two patients needed concomitant opioid therapy, and one discontinued treatment due to adverse effects. Dosages varied, with no reports of severe complications. Comparative analyses showed that sodium channel-selective blockers were as effective, if not superior, to traditional pain medications in reducing pain intensity. Sodium channel-selective blockers demonstrate significant potential in pain management with minimal opioid reliance. While effective for neuropathic pain, further studies are essential to validate their role in acute postoperative settings and refine their use in multimodal analgesia regimens.

Background: Nerve conduits are used to bridge peripheral nerve defects caused by trauma, iatrogenic injury, or oncologic disruption. Three-dimensional (3D) biomimetic scaffolds for peripheral nerve regeneration have advanced significantly in recent years, driven by improvements in printing technology and neuronal seeding techniques. We report on published designer conduits that can recreate the epineurium, a critical yet challenging-to-manufacture feature of nerve tissue. Methods: A medical librarian conducted a literature search for our systematic review on EMBASE, Web of Science, and PUBMED, following PRISMA guidelines, for articles from January 2010 to January 2026 for the systematic review. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft 365 Suite software. The literature review was conducted using keywords and search terms describing the history and development of 3DP nerve guidance conduits published prior to January 2026. Results: Our search yielded 273 titles, of which 8 were included after full-text review; these studies used 3D printing to generate nerve conduits for preclinical models. Manual data extraction identified studies reporting successful epineurial recreation. The included scaffold materials were polycaprolactone, poly(l-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone), poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), acrylate resin, and gelatin methacryloyl. In animal model studies, various terms were used to describe the epineurium outer sheath. Despite this variability in nomenclature, many of these reports indicated successful sciatic functional index (SFI) recovery, favorable g-ratios, good durability, high cell viability, and significant neurite elongation at the time of sacrifice. Conclusions: 3DP nerve conduits targeting the epineurium are promising approaches for treating peripheral nerve defects. The constructs promote oriented growth and myelination. Future research on incorporating the epineurium into nerve scaffolds may consider encapsulating NGF to promote more efficient nerve regeneration, standardizing the definition of epineurial recreation, designing mechanical and permeability reporting benchmarks, and evaluating cell strategies using comparable functional and histologic endpoints.

Background: In maxillofacial reconstruction, even small inaccuracies can compromise aesthetics, function, and safety. Surgeons currently rely on preoperative imaging; however, recent advances in intraoperative imaging now provide three-dimensional, real-time guidance, possibly enhancing surgical outcomes. This review evaluates the current application of intraoperative imaging in maxillary and mandibular surgery including its impact on accuracy, efficiency, and outcomes. Methods: Two separate systematic reviews (PROSPERO CRD420251125497, CRD420251124600), analyzing maxillary and mandibular repair were conducted through Cochrane, Medline, Embase, and Web of Science. Both reviews adhered to the PRISMA guidelines. Inclusion criteria encompassed intraoperative digital imaging or navigation in maxillary or mandibular surgery. Studies without human subjects, intraoperative imaging, or the surgery of interest were excluded. Bias was assessed with NIH Quality Assessment. Results: A combined total of 795 publications were screened, with 35 studies ultimately included in this review, encompassing 1643 patients. Techniques included intraoperative computed tomography (CT) (n = 12, 34.3%), stereotactic navigation (n = 16, 45.7%), augmented reality (n = 2, 5.7%), ultrasound, fluoroscopy, infrared stereoscopic and electromagnetic (n = 1, 2.9%, each). The most common indication for surgery was fracture repair. Reporting was heterogeneous, with variable metrics and reporting for accuracy, complications, and revisions. Overall, cone-beam CT (CBCT) and stereotactic navigation both demonstrated significant restoration of normal symmetry, and stereotactic navigation enabled accuracy of <2 mm. CBCT added the shortest amount of time intraoperatively, ranging from 1 to 20 min. Reporting on long-term outcomes was heterogeneous. Conclusions: A variety of intraoperative imaging and navigation techniques are being applied in maxillofacial surgery. However, inconsistent reporting metrics, small study size, and study feasibility-focused study design limit meaningful comparison across technologies. Rigorous prospective studies with standardized outcome measures are needed to further define their clinical value and guide adoption.

Traumatic injuries often result in nerve tissue damage and functional deficits due to limited regeneration. Silk fibroin, a biopolymer with inherent biocompatibility and tunable properties, is a promising material for 3D-bioprinted neural tissue scaffolds. This review highlights recent advancements in silk-derived composite scaffolds, often incorporating additional materials like collagen or conductive polymers to enhance their performance. This review examines how material composition, scaffold architecture, and fabrication strategy influence biological response and functional recovery. This comprehensive review follows PRISMA guidelines and uses comprehensive searches of PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central, and ClinicalTrials.gov for studies published through 2025. Studies were screened for eligibility based on substance type, mechanical properties, production methods, and outcomes. Findings were synthesized qualitatively. Twelve studies were included, comprising rat (50%), canine (8.3%), and in vitro (41.7%) models. Analysis reveals that silk fibroin acts as a highly adaptable mechanical backbone. It can consistently integrate with bioactive additives (collagen, dECM) or conductive polymers (Polypyrrole, MXene) to meet specific therapeutic demands. For spinal cord injuries, composites reached a compressive modulus capable of resisting physiological pressures and preventing scaffold collapse. In soft tissue applications, silk–hydrogel blends provided localized release of exosomes and small molecules during the acute injury phase, reducing neuroinflammatory markers. Additionally, adding conductive materials allowed the scaffolds to bridge electrical gaps and promote Schwann cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation. Furthermore, 3D bioprinting enabled the creation of defined microchannels that replicate native fascicular architecture. In vivo outcomes consistently showed superior axonal regeneration, myelination, and synaptic reconnection compared to controls, correlating with significant improvements in electrophysiological and motor function. This review highlights the clinical potential of silk fibroin-based 3D-printed biomaterials for nerve regeneration, including neural repair and neural tissue engineering. More recent studies place greater emphasis on integrating mechanical, architectural, and biological considerations into scaffold design, resulting in increasingly multifunctional scaffold systems. Despite promising efficacy, the heterogeneity of fabrication methods and the predominance of rodent models highlight the need for standardized protocols and evaluations in relevant models to facilitate clinical translation.