Chronic wounds are a major clinical problem that leads to considerable morbidity and mortality. We hypothesized that an important factor in the failure of chronic wounds to heal was the presence of microbial biofilm resistant to antibiotics and protected from host defenses. A major difficulty in studying chronic wounds is the absence of suitable animal models. The goal of this study was to create a reproducible chronic wound model in diabetic mice by application of bacterial biofilm. Six millimeter punch biopsy wounds were created on the dorsal surface of diabetic (db/db) mice, subsequently challenged with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAO1) biofilms two days postwounding, and covered with semi-occlusive dressings for two weeks. Most of the control wounds were epithelialized by 28 days post-wounding. In contrast, none of biofilm challenged wounds were closed. Histological analysis showed extensive inflammatory cell infiltration, tissue necrosis and epidermal hyperplasia adjacent to challenged wounds-all indicators of an inflammatory nonhealing wound. Quantitative cultures and transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that the majority of bacteria were in the scab above the wound bed rather than in the wound tissue. The model was reproducible, allowed localized cutaneous wound infections without high mortality and demonstrated delayed wound healing following biofilm challenge. This model may provide an approach to study the role of microbial biofilms in chronic wounds as well as the effect of specific biofilm therapy on wound healing.

Mohs micrographic surgery seems to be a useful treatment modality for HAC. This is the largest reported series of HAC treated with MMS with long-term follow-up.

Mohs surgical defects of the helix left to heal by second-intention have comparable long-term cosmetic outcomes to those repaired by FTSG. There was no significant difference in complications, and patients were highly satisfied with both repair options.

Although both MITF and melan-A facilitate the identification of tumor during MMS for MMIS and LMM, the apparent melanocyte density on tumor-free CSDS appears higher with melan-A than MITF. Microphthalmia transcription factor provides a crisp outline of melanocyte nuclei and is a useful alternative stain to melan-A for MMS of melanoma.