Quick Fire Surgical Pearls by Melissa Shive, MD MPH

Dr. Melissa Shive shares three surgical pearls to enhance practice efficiency and outcomes in her presentation. Firstly, she advises using the back of a surgical glove for demonstrating surgical planning, which helps in illustrating scar size to patients effectively. Her second tip emphasizes that maintaining a completely dry surgical field is not necessary for optimal results, referencing a study from UCI comparing outcomes between surgeons who do and do not use cautery. This study found no significant differences in complication rates, suggesting that handling some bleeding naturally can reduce tissue damage and exposure to smoke. Lastly, Dr. Shive recommends the use of free cartilage Batten grafts for repairing nasal defects, particularly in the mid-alar region, based on evidence from a study that demonstrated excellent outcomes. She notes that these grafts should be slightly larger than the defect to minimize contraction post-surgery. In summary, her key points are to utilize glove backings for surgical demos, relax about achieving a dry field, and consider Batten grafts for specific nasal repairs.