Kelvin Ramsey - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Kelvin Ramsey

Journal of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Sep 1, 2006

Journal of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Sep 1, 2011

Over the last thirty years the internal mammary system has become the recipient of choice when pe... more Over the last thirty years the internal mammary system has become the recipient of choice when performing free tissue transfer breast reconstruction. The cranial ends of the internal mammary artery and vein are safely and reliably used for anastomosis following division. Using these cranial vessels maintains their normal antegrade direction of flow. As the complexity of reconstruction has increased, use of the caudal end of the internal mammary vein (IMV) has been cited as a convenient option for additional venous drainage. This requires blood flow in a retrograde fashion. The literature to date suggests that this is possible based on the principle that there are no valves in the internal mammary vein. This will be shown to be incorrect. In this study, the internal mammary veins of 32 formalin-preserved cadavers were dissected to specifically look for and to map valves. 21 valves were discovered in the internal mammary veins of 14 of the 32 cadavers (99 internal mammary veins and major branches). 20 of these were bicuspid in nature, one being tricuspid. Valves were found before or after the branching point of the IMVs, and at multiple sites within some individuals. The significance of valve position relative to rib-space and arborisation of parent IMVs is discussed. Whereas existing data support the use of retrograde IMVs to provide a source of additional venous drainage, we would urge caution in using them exclusively. A proportion of IMVs appear to have valves between the commonly used 2nd or 3rd rib-spaces, and the next draining side-branch.

Journal of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Mar 1, 2021

British Journal of Sports Medicine, Dec 1, 2006

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Sep 1, 2018

I n the United Kingdom, 53 percent of women with symptomatic breast cancer and 27 percent of thos... more I n the United Kingdom, 53 percent of women with symptomatic breast cancer and 27 percent of those with screen-detected breast cancer are treated surgically with mastectomy. 1 The immediate breast reconstruction rate was 21 percent at the time of the UK National Mastectomy and

Journal of Clinical Oncology, May 20, 2021

e24040 Background: Cancer treatment-related lymphoedema (CTRL) is a chronic and disabling complic... more e24040 Background: Cancer treatment-related lymphoedema (CTRL) is a chronic and disabling complication that carries a significant health burden during cancer survivorship. Vascularized lymph node transfer (VLNT) is employed increasingly to microsurgically reconstruct physiological lymphatic flow in affected limbs. We set out to synthesise and assess the efficacy of VLNT for reducing limb volume and infection outcomes in CTRL. Methods: A systematic review was conducted by searching PubMed, Medline and EMBASE databases during early 2020. All full-text English-language articles reporting VLNT as the sole therapeutic intervention for the management of CTRL that provided volumetric limb and/or patient-reported lymphatic quality of life and/or cellulitis-related outcomes were included. All studies were scored for methodological quality (STROBE and CONSORT checklists) and lymphoedema-specific data reporting quality. Using a random-effects model, we estimated the pooled limb volume reduction and 95% CI for upper and lower limbs stratifying according to site of measurement and VLNT donor. We also estimated the pooled reduction in cellulitis episodes and mean improvement in lymphoedema-related quality of life. PROSPERO ID: CRD42020204080. Results: The search strategy identified 277 articles. Thirty-one studies encompassing 581 patients were included with the overall methodological quality of studies assessed to be low. Meta-analysis demonstrated that performing VLNT for CTRL led to limb volume reductions in both upper limb (above elbow circumferential reduction rates (CRR) = 42.7 % (95% CI: 36.5-48.8, I2: 94.3 %, p = 0.000, 153 patients, 10 studies); below elbow CRR = 34.1 % (95% CI: 33.0-35.1, I2: 0.0 %, p = 0.919, 144 patients, 9 studies)) and lower limb (above knee CRR = 46.8 % (95% CI: 43.2-50.4, I2: 92.4 %, p = 0.000 26 patients, 3 studies); below knee CRR = 54.6 % (95% CI: 39.0-70.2, I2: 97.6%, p = 0.000, 26 patients, 3 studies)) CTRL. Similarly, extra-abdominal VLNT, abdominal VLNT and autologous breast reconstruction with VLNT reduced CTRL by CRRs of 49.5 % (95% CI: 46.5-52.5, I2: 8.3 %, p = 0.365, 7 studies, 108 patients), 39.6 % (95% CI: 37.2-42.0, I2: 89.5 %, p = 0.000, 3 studies, 15 patients) and 32.7 % (95% CI: 11.1-54.4, I2: 96.9 %, p = 0.000 3 studies, 29 patients). VLNT reduced mean annual cellulitis episodes by 2.1 (95% CI: -2.7- -1.4) episodes per annum and improved lymphoedema-specific quality of life was improved by 4.26 (LYMQOL “overall domain” scale). Conclusions: Performing VLNT for CTRL results in reductions of limb volume and cellulitis episodes for both upper and lower limbs. However, published studies were methodologically heterogeneous and of low quality highlighting the need for standardized outcome reporting and further well-designed randomized controlled trials comparing VLNT against existing therapies.

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Dec 1, 2009

Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, May 1, 2003

Journal of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Jun 1, 2018

British Journal of Surgery, Oct 8, 2018

Background: Breast cancer-related lymphoedema (BCRL) presents a significant healthcare burden and... more Background: Breast cancer-related lymphoedema (BCRL) presents a significant healthcare burden and adversely affects quality of life of breast cancer survivors. A prospective feasibility study was performed on lymphaticovenous anastomosis (LVA) for the treatment of BCRL. Methods: Patients with BCRL underwent near-infrared spectroscopy with indocyanine green lymphatic mapping to identify suitable lymphatic channels for LVA. End-to-end anastomoses to subdermal venules were performed and patients recommenced compression garment therapy (CGT) after surgery. Volumetric assessment of the affected limb was performed at regular intervals using infrared perometry to calculate the excess volume reduction. Results: Over a 24-month interval, 27 patients with BCRL underwent LVA. The mean duration of lymphoedema was 3⋅5 (range 0⋅5-18) years, and the mean number of LVAs performed was 3 (range 2-5). Twenty-four of the 27 patients completed 12-month follow-up. Patients exhibited three patterns of volumetric response following LVA: sustained response (16 patients), transient response (5) or no response (6). Sustained responders showed an excess volume reduction of −33⋅2 per cent at 12 months, and this correlated positively with the number of LVAs performed (r = −0⋅56, P = 0⋅034). Overall, ten patients were able to downgrade CGT after surgery, and two patients were CGT-free at 12 months. Conclusion: LVA resulted in a sustained volume reduction in selected patients and may offset the burden of CGT. Further work is required to identify biomarkers that predict a favourable response to LVA surgery.

European Journal of Cancer, Jul 1, 2021

BACKGROUND Lymphoedema after cancer treatment is a chronic and disabling complication that presen... more BACKGROUND Lymphoedema after cancer treatment is a chronic and disabling complication that presents a significant health care burden during survivorship with limited treatment options. Vascularised lymph node transfer (VLNT) can reconstruct lymphatic flow to reduce limb volumes, but limited higher-order evidence exists to support its effectiveness. AIM The aim of the study was to systematically review and meta-analyse the effectiveness of VLNT in reducing upper limb (UL) or lower limb (LL) volume and cellulitis episodes in patients with cancer treatment-related lymphoedema (CTRL). METHODS PubMed, Medline (Ovid) and Embase databases were searched between January 1974 and December 2019. Full-length articles where VLNT was the sole therapeutic procedure for CTRL, reporting volumetric limb, frequency of infection episodes and/or lymphoedema-specific quality-of-life data, were included in a random-effects meta-analysis of circumferential reduction rate (CRR). Methodological quality was assessed using STROBE/CONSORT, and a novel, lymphoedema-specific scoring tool was used to assess lymphoedema-specific methodological reporting. Sensitivity analyses on the site of VLNT harvest and recipient location were performed. RESULTS Thirty-one studies (581 patients) were eligible for inclusion. VLNT led to significant limb volume reductions in UL (above elbow pooled CRRs [CRRP] = 42.7% [95% confidence interval (CI): 36.5-48.8]; below elbow CRRP = 34.1% [95% CI: 33.0-35.1]) and LL (above knee CRRP = 46.8% [95% CI: 43.2-50.4]; below knee CRRP = 54.6% [95% CI: 39.0-70.2]) CTRL. VLNT flaps from extra-abdominal donor sites were associated with greater volume reductions (CRRP = 49.5% [95% CI: 46.5-52.5]) than those from intra-abdominal donor sites (CRRP = 39.6% [95% CI: 37.2-42.0]) and synchronous autologous breast reconstruction/VLNT flaps (CRRP = 32.7% [95% CI: 11.1-54.4]) (p < 0.05). VLNT was also found to reduce the mean number of cellulitis episodes by 2.1 episodes per year (95% CI: -2.7- -1.4) and increased lymphoedema-specific quality-of-life scores (mean difference in Lymphoedema-Specific Quality of Life (LYMQOL) "overall domain" = +4.26). CONCLUSIONS VLNT is effective in reducing excess limb volume and cellulitis episodes in both UL and LL lymphoedema after cancer treatment. However, significant heterogeneity exists in outcome reporting, and standardisation of reporting processes is recommended.

The Lancet Oncology, 2019

Background Use of biological or synthetic mesh might improve outcomes of immediate implant-based ... more Background Use of biological or synthetic mesh might improve outcomes of immediate implant-based breast reconstruction-breast reconstruction with implants or expanders at the time of mastectomy-but there is a lack of high-quality evidence to support the safety or effectiveness of the technique. We aimed to establish the short-term safety of immediate implant-based breast reconstruction performed with and without mesh, to inform the feasibility of undertaking a future randomised clinical trial comparing different breast reconstruction techniques. Methods In this prospective, multicentre cohort study, we consecutively recruited women aged 16 years or older who had any type of immediate implant-based breast reconstruction for malignancy or risk reduction, with any technique, at 81 participating breast and plastic surgical units in the UK. Data about patient demographics and operative, oncological, and complication details were collected before and after surgery. Outcomes of interest were implant loss (defined as unplanned removal of the expander or implant), infection requiring treatment with antibiotics or surgery, unplanned return to theatre, and unplanned re-admission to hospital for complications of reconstructive surgery, up to 3 months after reconstruction and assessed by clinical review or patient self-report. Follow-up is complete. The study is registered with the ISRCTN Registry, number ISRCTN37664281.

British Journal of Plastic Surgery, Dec 1, 2002

Epidermolysis bullosa predisposes to the development of squamous cell carcinoma. Despite regular ... more Epidermolysis bullosa predisposes to the development of squamous cell carcinoma. Despite regular surveillance, the majority of severely affected epidermolysis bullosa patients die from metastatic spread. There are no reports on regional control of metastatic spread. We describe our experience with two cases of groin dissection in epidermolysis bullosa. By anticipating the pitfalls in the perioperative care of patients with epidermolysis bullosa, we feel confident that they should make a full recovery.

Cancer Research

Clinico-pathological co-variates define a predictive model of breast cancer related lymphoedema (... more Clinico-pathological co-variates define a predictive model of breast cancer related lymphoedema (BCRL) in patients undergoing axillary surgery for breast cancer CC Tang1*, J Timbres2*, KWD Ramsey1, A Mera2, S Irshad2, E Sawyer2, AA Khan1 1 Department of Plastic Surgery, The Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK 2 School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, Guy’s Cancer Centre, King’s College London, London, UK. *These authors contributed equally Introduction Breast cancer-related lymphoedema (BCRL) negatively impacts body image, limb function and quality-of-life during cancer survivorship and affects 20% of women undergoing axillary clearance (ALND).1 Stratifying women undergoing axillary intervention into high- and low-risk groups for BCRL is important to identify those most likely to benefit from surgical interventions for lymphoedema prevention (eg LYMPHA) and mitigate BCRL risk in this subset of patients. In this study, we aimed to identify ...

British Journal of Surgery, 2013

Consensus abstract Background The management of primary rectal cancer beyond total mesorectal exc... more Consensus abstract Background The management of primary rectal cancer beyond total mesorectal excision planes (PRC-bTME) and recurrent rectal cancer (RRC) is challenging. There is global variation in standards and no guidelines exist. To achieve cure most patients require extended, multivisceral, exenterative surgery, beyond conventional total mesorectal excision planes. The aim of the Beyond TME Group was to achieve consensus on the definitions and principles of management, and to identify areas of research priority. Methods Delphi methodology was used to achieve consensus. The Group consisted of invited experts from surgery, radiology, oncology and pathology. The process included two international dedicated discussion conferences, formal feedback, three rounds of editing and two rounds of anonymized web-based voting. Consensus was achieved with more than 80 per cent agreement; less than 80 per cent agreement indicated low consensus. During conferences held in September 2011 and Ma...

British Journal of Surgery, 2020

Background Therapeutic mammaplasty (TM) may be an alternative to mastectomy, but few well designe... more Background Therapeutic mammaplasty (TM) may be an alternative to mastectomy, but few well designed studies have evaluated the success of this approach or compared the short-term outcomes of TM with mastectomy with or without immediate breast reconstruction (IBR). Data from the national iBRA-2 and TeaM studies were combined to compare the safety and short-term outcomes of TM and mastectomy with or without IBR. Methods The subgroup of patients in the TeaM study who underwent TM to avoid mastectomy were identified, and data on demographics, complications, oncology and adjuvant treatment were compared with those of patients undergoing mastectomy with or without IBR in the iBRA-2 study. The primary outcome was the percentage of successful breast-conserving procedures in the TM group. Secondary outcomes included postoperative complications and time to adjuvant therapy. Results A total of 2916 patients (TM 376; mastectomy 1532; mastectomy and IBR 1008) were included in the analysis. Patien...

Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery