Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2012

Mentor:  James Thornton, MD                  
Department: Plastic Surgery        
Room number: WA4.220  
Mail Code:9132                   
Phone number: 214-645-3113                 
E-mail: james.thornton@utsouthwestern.edu              
Project title: Variations in Graft Take in Mohs Patients            

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): Pending

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): 

Project Type (patient-based research, animal-based research, or basic research; this characterization is only to permit a general classification for grouping similar types of projects)

Brief Description of Project:

Data analysis and review of 1000+ patients receiving skin grafts, including full-thickness, split-thickness and Integra grafts. We are evaluating graft take in s/p Mohs surgery patients who are diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma or melanoma. 

The student will be responsible for extracting various data points from patient charts and shadow charts such as MRN, age, sex, defect location, defect size, type of procedure utilized, graft type, donor site, smoking status, comorbidites, procedure complications, and any other information that is pertinent. The student will compile this information into a database and then analyze it in such a way to determine variations in graft take based on what type of cancer the patient presented with to their Mohs’ surgeon, the location the graft was taken from (extremities, supraclavicular, postauricular, adjacent, etc), the age and gender of the patient, depth of the lesion, type of graft used (split-thickness, full-thickness, Integra, other). Ideally, this project will be submitted to the journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery for publication by the end of the summer term. This will be the first article of its kind to analyze this many skin graft procedures (1000+) that have been performed consecutively. Another responsibility of the student will be to take an active role in observing the skin grafting procedures performed during the summer term to gain an appreciation for the complexities of the procedures and to provide a deeper understanding of the principles that will be described in the manuscript. If possible based on the information that is gathered, an algorithm will be created that can be applied to the entire field of reconstructive plastic surgery when utilizing skin grafts.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:

“Simplifying Cheek Reconstruction: A Review of Over 400 Cases”
Emily Rapstine, James F Thornton, William Knaus II
To be published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in June 2012.

“Nasal reconstruction: an overview and nuances.”
James F Thornton, John R Griffin, Fadi C Constantine
Seminars in Plastic Surgery 11/2008; 22(4):257-68.

“Lower third nasal reconstruction: when is skin grafting an appropriate option?”
Paul D McCluskey, Fadi C Constantine, James F Thornton
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.10/2009; 124(3):826-35.