Use of methylene blue in the complete excisionof ruptured cutaneous cysts

I have found methylene blue dye to be of great helpin the complete removal of accidentally rupturedcyst during surgery. Cutaneous cyst of the face orother regions may be extremely thin walled andaccidental rupture during surgery may occur.Further attempts at removal by careful dissectionor curettage may result in incomplete excision andrecurrence. If the cyst ruptures during surgery, oneshould gently evacuate the contents, insert a finebore canula into the cyst cavity and inject a drop ofmethylene blue dye, just adequate to stain the cystwall. Any excess should be delicately absorbed

away with a swab stick at the mouth of the cyst soas to avoid staining of the surrounding tissues. Thecyst wall can then be completely excised as anyremnant wall can be easily visualised. This simpletechnique should be of great help to the traineesurgeon who is often seen struggling with rupturedcyst during surgery and allay his fears aboutincomplete excision and recurrence.

George Alexander, Ibrahim GhoneimAl-Babtain Center for Plastic Surgery and Burns,

Ibn-Sina Hospital, P.O. Box No. 25427,Safat 13115, Kuwait

doi:10.1016/j.bjps.2004.06.022

Notices

Techniques in Facial Plastic SurgeryOtoplasty, Facial Incisions, Scar Revision, Face & Neck Flaps, Surgery of the Ageing Face,Facial Laser SurgeryThe Royal National Throat, Nose & Ear Hospital (Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust) and TheInstitute of Laryngology & Otology7-9 February 2005

Live Surgery; Course Organisers: C.A. East, S. Paun, D. Roberts. Registration: 3695; CME approved;Course affiliated with The European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery. Applications with £200 depositto: Joy Gibney or Charmaine Henry, Administration, The Institute of Laryngology & Otology, 330-336Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK; Tel: 020-7915 1514/1592; e-mail: j.gibney@ucl.ac.uk orc.henry@ucl.ac.uk. Administrator: Cheryl Overington

The Rhinoplasty and Septal Surgery Course 2005The definitive aesthetic and functional rhinoplasty and septal surgery courseThe Royal National Throat, Nose & Ear Hospital (Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust) and TheInstitute of Laryngology & Otology11-13 April 2005

Live Surgery; Guest Lecturer: Professor P. Plama (Milan); Course Convenor: C.A. East; Faculty: D. Roberts,J.R. Jones. Suitable for level 5/6 Fellows. Full course with anatomical prosection: £945 at Guy’s,King’s & St. Thomas’ School of Biomedical Sciences (limited spaces). Fee without prosection: £745.CME approved; Course affiliated with The European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery.Applications with £200 deposit to: Joy Gibney or Charmaine Henry, Administration, The Institute ofLaryngology & Otology, 330-336 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK; Tel: 020-7915 1514/1592;e-mail: j.gibney@ucl.ac.uk or c.henry@ucl.ac.uk. Administrator: Cheryl Overington

Short reports and correspondence808