Conectar
Complex reconstructions are often required after head and neck tumour resections, particularly in irradiated fields and areas with exposed bone. Fish skin grafts (FSG) have recently emerged as a potential adjunct in difficult wound healing. This case report series evaluates the effectiveness of FSG in combination with octenidine-based antiseptics, which have already shown beneficial results in split-thickness skin transplantation in high-risk patients, focusing on the time period for granulation and wound closure. Five patients with seven defects of different aetiology in the head and neck region received FSG applications. Defect sizes ranged from 2 × 4 cm (occipital) to 7 × 6 cm (temporal). Granulation was determined, with irradiated and non-irradiated wounds analysed separately. In three consecutive cases, octenilin gel (octenidine-based hydrogel) was implemented in the treatment regimen. Three patients achieved complete granulation, while two reached 66%–80% granulation. Non-irradiated wounds demonstrated faster granulation (mean 16.5 days) compared to irradiated wounds (mean 48.8 days). Although there was no statistical significance, a trend toward delayed healing in irradiated tissue was observed. Patients treated with octenilin gel showed favourable healing outcomes, including shorter granulation times. Despite the poor prognosis for uncomplicated healing in this cohort, both treatment protocols—octenisept with Flaminal forte and octenisept with octenilin gel—achieved satisfactory outcomes when combined with FSG transplantation. This approach appears promising for reconstruction in challenging head and neck wounds and warrants further evaluation in prospective clinical studies.
In Germany, influenza vaccination rates in at-risk groups are well below the 75% coverage recommended by the WHO. Although it has been shown that general practitioners (GPs) can play a key role in increasing their patients’ willingness to be vaccinated, this potential does not seem to have been fully used. This study aims to uncover factors that motivate GPs to vaccinate their patients against influenza, investigate the role of financial incentives in achieving higher vaccination rates and determine how the daily practice of GPs can be made more vaccination friendly.
A mixed-methods approach is employed to reach the research aims. Literature reviews will be conducted to identify factors that motivate GPs to vaccinate against influenza and to identify studies in which preferences are elicited. This is followed by semistructured interviews with GPs (n=6–10). The scoping reviews and interviews serve as a basis for the development of a quantitative survey directed at GPs which includes a discrete choice experiment. The quantitative survey will be sent to a total of 3760 GPs.
The study will be conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. A positive vote has been received from the Ethics Committee of the Medical Association North Rhine (2024259). Study participants will only be included in the study after being given informed consent. Manuscripts will be prepared for the scoping review on motivating factors and after completion of the quantitative survey, which will be submitted to peer-reviewed journals. Interim results and final results of the project will be presented at conferences.
FreshRSS 