Background: Despite cocoon silk’s well-known strength, biocompatibility, and hypoallergenic properties, its potential medical applications remain largely unexplored. This review, therefore, is of significance as it evaluates the mechanical properties and clinical potential of cocoon silk, a material with promising applications in biomaterials and tissue engineering. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive systematic review adhering to PRISMA guidelines. Our focus was on the primary outcomes of tensile strength and elongation at break, and the secondary outcomes included other mechanical properties, applications, and complications. Results: Out of the 192 silk-related studies, 9 met the criteria. These studies revealed that cocoon silk derivatives exhibit a wide range of tensile strength, from 0.464 to 483.9 MPa (with a median of 4.27 MPa), and elongation at break, from 2.56% to 946.5% (with a median of 60.0%). Biomedical applications of cocoon silk derivatives span from tissue regeneration (n = 6) to energy harvesting (n = 4). Complications often arose from material fragility in non-optimized derivative components. Conclusions: While cocoon silk shows expansive promise due to its suitable mechanical properties and low complication risk, plenty remains to be discovered. Future research is crucial to fully realizing its vast surgical and biomedical potential.

Background: The incidence of psychiatric disorders, particularly major depressive disorder, is increasingly observed among patients undergoing plastic surgery procedures. This trend has raised concerns about the impact of serotonergic antidepressants on postoperative complications, especially the incidence of hematomas. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the risk of developing postoperative hematoma after abdominoplasty in patients who did or did not use serotonergic antidepressants before surgery. Methods: Data from TriNetX was utilized to identify female patients who underwent abdominoplasty. Patients were classified in 2 cohorts: the exposure cohort included patients with serotonergic antidepressant use, and the control cohort included patients who did not take these medications. Propensity score–matching analyses were performed to adjust for bleeding risk factors. Hematoma diagnosis was the primary outcome; other outcomes included seroma, wound dehiscence, surgical site infection, blood transfusion, and hematoma/seroma evacuation. All outcomes were assessed at 7, 15, and 30 days following surgery. Results: After matching for the 7-day outcomes analysis, each group contained 5882 individuals. Patients who were taking serotonergic antidepressants had a significantly increased risk of hematoma (risk ratio [RR] 1.95, P < .001), transfusion (RR 1.57, P = .007), and hematoma/seroma evacuation (RR 1.65, P = .004) within 7 days postsurgery. Similar results were observed at 15 and 30 days after surgery. Conclusions: Patients who took serotonergic antidepressants before surgery had an increased risk of hematoma and other related complications after abdominoplasty. These findings underscore the need for preoperative counseling and risk assessment in this population. Level of Evidence: 3 (Therapeutic):

Background/Objectives: The amniotic membrane, which is widely available and inexpensive, has received recent attention for its potential applications in wound healing. This is the first study to use a large database to examine the efficacy of amniotic membrane grafting compared to other skin substitutes. Methods: The TriNetX electronic health database was queried in October 2024 for patients with burns or chronic skin ulcers. Patients were stratified by treatment with amniotic membrane grafts or another skin substitute. These patients were then 1:1 propensity score-matched based on age, demographics, and comorbidities. Group differences were assessed with risk ratios and p-values. Results: A total of 557 patients remained in each group after propensity score matching. Patients who were treated with amniotic membrane grafts had significantly decreased hypertrophic scarring (1.7% vs. 6.2%, p < 0.0001), local skin infections (17.4% vs. 29.9%, p < 0.0001), and acute postoperative pain (3.7% vs. 7.8%, p = 0.003). Additionally, subsequent split-thickness skin grafting was utilized significantly less after amniotic membrane grafts. When compared to skin substitutes for large wounds (>100 cm²), the advantages of amniotic membrane were even more pronounced. Conclusions: This multi-institutional study supports amniotic membranes as a viable alternative to conventional bioengineered skin substitutes. Further research should evaluate amniotic membranes in wound beds of different sizes to better characterize their use in preparation for or as an alternative to skin grafting itself.

Cutaneotrichosporon debeurmannianum is a yeast-like anamorphic rare fungus commonly found in tropical areas. This case report is the first one located in South America. A 67-year-old patient presented with a 5-year history of right foot pain attributed to foot trauma while at sea 5 years prior. During surgical exploration, an impressive whitish cerebriform-like cyst was encountered. Genetic analysis using the genes ITS1, ITS4, LSU-R, and LSU-F was performed, and a phylogenetic tree identified C. debeurmannianum. A complete characterization of this fungus which causes human disease has not yet been achieved and more research is needed.