ABSTRACT We report the case of a 70-year-old patient who developed an extensive skin defect in the anterior chest wall after undergoing myocardial revascularization and postoperative mediastinitis. Owing to the impossibility of using cutaneous and muscular flaps on the region, we performed the reconstruction with an omentum flap based on the left gastroepiploic artery and meshed skin graft.

RESUMO Apresentamos o caso de um paciente de 70 anos de idade que evoluiu com extenso defeito cutâneo em parede torácica anterior após ter sido submetido a revascularização do miocárdio e mediastinite pós-operatória. Pela impossibilidade de utilização de retalhos cutâneos e musculares da região, fizemos a reconstrução com a rotação de retalho de omento baseado na artéria gastroepiploica esquerda e enxerto de pele em malha.

PURPOSE: To compare three sterilization methods (autoclave, gamma irradiation and ethylene oxide) over non demineralized lyophilized bone allografts. METHODS: Bone allografts were implanted on paravertebral muscles of 21 rats. After 30 days animals were sacrificed and grafts underwent comparative analysis regarding histomorphometric and macroscopic parameters. RESULTS: Allografts that underwent the three sterilization methods presents similar weight gain, cortical thickness similar to control group, and less fibrosis than the control group. Grafts that underwent sterilization in autoclave presented less presence of multinucleated giant cells, although not statistically significant. There was also no statistically significant difference regarding mineralization on the three groups. CONCLUSION: The three sterilization methods cause similar effects on bone allografts regarding macroscopic and histomorphometric parameters.