Research

The Department of Plastic Surgery at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center is a robust department of clinical research. Headed by Petros Konofaos, MD, PhD, plastic surgery research is diversified in all areas, from basic and translational clinical research in wound healing, flap surgery, nerve grafting to facial reanimation and cleft palate management.

Resident Research

Resident(s)	Faculty	Project Summary	Progress
Anderson	Konofaos	Fat grafting for craniofacial patients	Literature review
Carlson	Luce	Illicit silicone injection	Manuscript
Carlson	Konofaos	Review paper: eye sphincter reanimation in facial nerve palsy	Final edits
Carlson	Konofaos	Cadaveric nerve allografts	Accepted to Annals of Plastic Surgery
Carlson/Farhadi	Wallace	Septal reset technique for lower eyelid blepharoplasty	IRB approved/Data collection
Carlson	Wallace (Konofaos)	Long term follow-up of strip craniectomy with barrel staves for sagittal craniosynostosis	IRB approved/Data collection and analysis
Carlson	Wallace (Konofaos)	Surgical management of complex fronto-orbital fibrous dysplasia	Manuscript
Daugherty	Konofaos	Sensory neurotization of the face	Submitted to Journal of Microsurgery
Daugherty/Carlson /Miller	Wallace	Successful separation of ischiopagus conjoined twins	Accepted to Annals of Plastic Surgery
Farhadi/Jordi	Wallace	Surgical management of large mid-face lesions in the pediatric patient	Manuscript
Farhadi	Wallace	Case review with cleft lip and palate with fly away premaxilla and oral management	Accepted to Annals of Plastic Surgery
Goulart	Gbulie	Breast tissue expander infection risk factors: a retrospective review
Hamidian	N/A	Determining oncologic safety of autologous fat grafting as reconstructive modality: an institutional review of breast cancer recurrence rates and surgical outcome	Accepted as letter to editor in PRS
Hamidian/Carlson	Jing (Luce)	Edwardsiella tarda septicemia case report	Final edits
Miller	Jing	Severe graft-versus-host disease with limb ischemia: case report	Literature review
Robinson	Alvarez	Lotrimin solution in pediatric facial burns	Data collection
Kozusko/Hamidian	Konofaos	Principles of Lymph Node Dissection Book Chapter	Awaiting Response From European Editor
Kozusko	Nezakatgoo/Rohrer	A technique for salvage of megafistulas allowing immediate dialysis access	Accepted and will be published in the Journal of Vascular Surgery
Kozusko	Gbulie	Detecting microsurgical complications with ViOptix tissue oximetry in pediatric myocutaneous free flap: case presentation and literature review	Published in Journal of Reconstructive Microsurgery Open
Kozusko	Luce	Breast augmentation essential article for residents	Accepted and will be published in PRS Magazine
Kozusko/Kaminsky	Konofaos	Sensory Neurotization Review	Submitting April 2018 to Medicine
Kozusko/Riccio/Goulart	Konofaos	Chitosan Review Manuscript	Awaiting Response from Journal of Craniofacial Surgery
Kozusko	Konofaos	Facial Sensory Neurotization and Human Cadaver Nerve Grafts in Trauma	Two abstracts accepted to EURAPS and to be presented May 2018
Kozusko	Konofaos/M. Fleming	Spiradenoma Cancer Database Review	Abstract pending decision for American College of Surgeons meeting, Manuscript to be submitted by July 2018
Kozusko/Hamidian/Riccio	Konofaos	Submental vs Platysma Flaps	Presented at 2017 Thuss, Presented at 2018 ASPS, Manuscript writing to begin April 2018 with goal by end of 2018
Kozusko	Konofaos	EOM CN Anatomic Study	Abstract pending decision for SESPRS, Will write manuscript if accepted to SESPRS
Kaminsky/Liu	Velamuri	Heterotopic Ossification : a preventable case of gossypiboma in spinal cord injury patient	3rd edit underway with plans to submit shortly
Riccio	Konofaos	Keystone Flap: Physiology, Types and Clinical Applications: A Review	Final manuscript ready for for sumission to Annals of Plastic Surgery once pictures have been added

Publications

2019 Graduate Publications

Chitosan as a Bone Scaffold Biomaterial.
Kozusko SD, Riccio C, Goulart M, Bumgardner J, Jing XL, Konofaos P.
J Craniofac Surg. 2018 Oct;29(7):1788-1793. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000004909. Review.
PMID:
30157141

Smaller Diameter Anastomotic Coupling Devices Have Higher Rates of Venous Thrombosis in Microvascular Free Tissue Transfer.
Hanson SE, Mitchell MB, Palivela N, Peng SA, Feng L, Largo RD, Butler CE, Garvey PB.
Plast Reconstr Surg. 2017 Dec;140(6):1293-1300. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000003865.
PMID:
28820839

Therapeutic time window of multipotent adult progenitor therapy after traumatic brain injury.
Bedi SS, Aertker BM, Liao GP, Caplan HW, Bhattarai D, Mandy F, Mandy F, Fernandez LG, Zelnick P, Mitchell MB, Schiffer W, Johnson M, Denson E, Prabhakara K, Xue H, Smith P, Uray K, Olson SD, Mays RW, Cox CS Jr.
J Neuroinflammation. 2018 Mar 16;15(1):84. doi: 10.1186/s12974-018-1122-8.
PMID:
29548333

Cutaneous Histoplasmosis in a Renal Transplant Patient Presenting With Hand and Forearm Necrotizing Myofasciitis.
Kozusko SD, Riccio CA, Minor GM, Konofaos P.
J Hand Surg Am. 2019 May 21. pii: S0363-5023(18)31710-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2019.04.003. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
31126815

Keystone Flaps: Physiology, Types, and Clinical Applications.
Riccio CA, Chang J, Henderson JT, Hassouba M, Ashfaq F, Kostopoulos E, Konofaos P.
Ann Plast Surg. 2019 Aug;83(2):226-231. doi: 10.1097/SAP.0000000000001854.
PMID:
31135505

2018 Graduate Publications

Carlson TL, Wallace RD, Konofaos P. Cadaveric Nerve Allograft: Single Center's Experience in a Variety of Peripheral Nerve Injuries. Ann Plast Surg. 2018 Jun;80(6S Suppl 6):S328-S332. PMID: 29847373

Carlson TL, Daugherty R, Miller A, Gbulie UB, Wallace R. Successful Separation of Conjoined Twins: The Contemporary Experience and Historic Review in Memphis. Ann Plast Surg. 2018 Jun;80(6S Suppl 6):S333-S339. PMID: 29401126

Farhadi R, Wallace RD. Primary Premaxillary Ostectomy and Setback: Dealing With the "Fly-away" Premaxilla. Ann Plast Surg. 2018 May 14. PMID: 2976243

2017 Graduates

Painful Neuroma Treatment of the Supraorbital Nerve and Forehead Neurotization Using Human Cadaveric Nerve Allograft.
Bassilios Habre S, Depew JB, Wallace RD, Konofaos P.
J Craniofac Surg. 2018 Jun;29(4):1023-1025. doi: 10.197/SCS.0000000000004439.
PMID: 29521743

2016 Graduates

Excision and Fat Grafting of Nasal Tip Dermoid Cysts Through an Open Rhinoplasty Approach.
Pierce CA, Konofaos P, Alvarez S, Wallace RD.
J Craniofac Surg. 2016 Jan;27(1):e18-20. PMID:26681174

Lack of Validity of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database for Alloplastic Immediate Postmastectomy Reconstruction.
Luce EA, Pierce CE.
Plast Reconstr Surg. 2015 Sep;136(3):296e-300e. PMID:26313833

The Use of Posterior Rectus Sheath Free Flap for Reconstruction of Total Forehead Defects.
Pierce C, Konofaos P, Hickerson WL.
J Craniofac Surg. 2015 Jul;26(5):1728-9. PMID: 26167992

The Use of Posterior Rectus Sheath Free Flap for Reconstruction of Total Forehead Defects.Pierce C, Konofaos P, Hickerson WL.
J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2015 Jun 24. PMID:26114504

Correction of Pterygium Colli in Turner Syndrome: A Clinical Report and Review of the Surgical Management.
Lou RB, Konofaos P, Wallace RD.
J Craniofac Surg. 2016 Nov;27(8):2081-2083. PMID:28005757

2015 Graduates

Illicit Cosmetic Silicone Injection: A Recent Reiteration of History.
Leonardi NR, Compoginis JM, Luce EA.
Ann Plast Surg. 2016 Oct;77(4):485-90. PMID: 26954730

2014 Graduates

Human acellular dermis versus no acellular dermis in tissue expansion breast reconstruction.
Parks JW, Hammond SE, Walsh WA, Adams RL, Chandler RG, Luce EA.
Plast Reconstr Surg. 2012 Oct;130(4):739-46. PMID:23018685

Tissue Expander versus Tissue Expander and Latissimus Flap in Morbidly Obese Breast Reconstruction Patients.
Luce EA, Adams RL, Chandler RG, Parks J.
Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2015 Apr 7;3(3):e323. PMID: 25878934

Total scalp reconstruction following a dog bite in a pediatric patient.
Konofaos P, Kashyap A, Wallace RD.
J Craniofac Surg. 2014 Jul;25(4):1362-4. PMID:24902108

Biomedical approaches to improve bone healing in distraction osteogenesis: a current update and review.
Konofaos P, Kashyap A, Ver Halen J.
Biomed Tech (Berl). 2014 Jun;59(3):177-83. PMID:24399674

Nanotechnology applications in plastic and reconstructive surgery: a review.
Parks J 4th, Kath M, Gabrick K, Ver Halen JP.
Plast Surg Nurs. 2012 Oct-Dec;32(4):156-64. PMID: 2318814

2012 Graduates

Excision and Fat Grafting of Nasal Tip Dermoid Cysts Through an Open Rhinoplasty Approach.
Pierce CA, Konofaos P, Alvarez S, Wallace RD.
J Craniofac Surg. 2016 Jan;27(1):e18-20. PMID: 26681174

2011 Graduates

Reconstruction of massive oncologic defects following extremity amputation: a 10-year experience.
Samant M, Chang EI, Petrungaro J, Ver Halen JP, Yu P, Skoracki RJ, Chang DW.
Ann Plast Surg. 2012 May;68(5):467-71. PMID: 22214800

Presentations

2017-2018

Steve Kozukso (3 presentations)

European Association of Plastic Surgeons Annual Meeting (EURAPS)-May 2018, Madrid, Spain

Human Cadaver Nerve Grafts in Traumatic Cranial and Peripheral Nerve Injuries
Facial Sensory Reconstruction using Human Cadaver Nerve Allografts: A Report of Two Cases

American Society of Plastic Surgeons Annual Meeting (ASPS)-October 2017, Orlando, FL
Submental and Platysma Myocutaneous Flaps in Head and Neck Reconstruction

2016-2017

Terri Carlson (4 Presentation)

American Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery (ASRM)- January 2017, Hawaii
Cadaveric Nerve Allografts for presentation
American Society of Craniofacial Surgery (ASCFS) - January 2017, Hawaii
Surgical management of complex fronto-orbital fibrous dysplasia for presentation
Southeastern Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (SESPRS) – June 2017 Georgia
- Cadaveric nerve allografts for presentation
- Successful separation of Ischiopagus twins for presentation

2015-2016

Charlie Pierce (1 Presentation)

American Society of Plastic Surgeons Annual Meeting, October 2015, Boston, MA
Long term outcomes with porous polyethylene in the reconstruction of complex
Craniofacial defects

2014-2015

Charlie Pierce (3 Presentations)

Southeastern Society of Plastic Surgeons Annual Meeting – June 2015, Amelia Island, FL
Lack of validity of the ACS National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP)
Data in breast reconstruction
Southeastern Society of Plastic Surgeons Annual Meeting – June 2015, Amelia Island, FL
The use of resorbable mesh in craniosynostosis
American Association of Plastic Surgeons Annual Meeting - May 2015, Scottsdale, AZ
Lack of validity of the ACS National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP)
Data in breast reconstruction

2013-2014

Nick Leonardi (1 Presentation)

Thuss Lectureship – April 2014, Nashville, TN
Commercial Grade Silicone Injection Injury-History Repeating Itself

Richard Lou (1 Presentation)

UT Pediatric Dentistry Lecture Series – May 2014, Memphis, TN
Pediatric Oral Burns: Principles and Management