Kevin Phan

• UNSW Sydney

Background: The treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa remains challenging, despite recent advances. A diverse range of management options, from lifestyle measures to monoclonal antibodies, are available and utilized based on disease severity and other patient factors. Increasingly, it is thought that combination therapy may be more adept in meeting...

Several studies have shown promising outcomes of the Woven EndoBridge (WEB) device for the treatment of wide-necked intracranial bifurcation aneurysms. This is a multicenter study attempts to explore the changes in trends and treatment outcomes over time for WEB embolization of intracranial aneurysms. The WorldWideWEB consortium is a retrospective...

Background : Although eyelid melanomas represent less than 1% of eyelid neoplasms, they have the worst prognosis. Wide local excision (WLE) and Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) are mainstay treatment options. We conducted a retrospective analysis to assess all-cause and cause-specific mortality rates in patients undergoing WLE or MMS for eyelid mela...

Introduction: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease, characterized by the presence of painful lesions and recurrent abscesses, and nodules. These lesions can later rupture to form sinus tracts and fistulas. The exact etiology of HS is currently unknown, however a link between genetic, social and environmental factors...

Background Vitiligo is an autoimmune skin disorder characterized by patches of depigmentation due to loss of melanocytes. Vitiligo is associated with significant psychosocial burden, with prior studies showing links with psychiatric comorbidities such as depression. Few studies have evaluated the relationship between vitiligo and suicidal ideation...

Background The Woven EndoBridge (WEB) device has Food and Drug Administration approval for treatment of wide-necked intracranial bifurcation aneurysms. The WEB device has been shown to result in adequate occlusion in bifurcation aneurysms overall, but its usefulness in the individual bifurcation locations has been evaluated separately only in few c...

Introduction: The epidemiology of second primary malignancies is an under-investigated domain within dermatology. This notion is particularly true for more uncommon cutaneous oncologic diseases. While general epidemiological characteristics and survival data of patients with cutaneous angiosarcoma have been reported before, there is no investigatio...

Background To analyse the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 with acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) and identify factors predicting functional outcome. Methods Multicentre retrospective cohort study of COVID-19 patients with AIS who presented to 30 stroke centres in the USA and Canada between 14 March and 30 August 2020. The primary endpoint was poor...

Endovascular treatment of wide-neck bifurcation aneurysms is notoriously challenging, as wide necks predispose to coil herniation into the parent artery and the bifurcation location poses challenges to use of assist devices. While flow diversion has revolutionized the treatment of wide-necked sidewall aneurysms, tubular flow diverting stents for bi...

Background Biologics represent a promising treatment for children with moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Randomized control trials (RCTs) have been published evaluating different biologics in children with psoriasis, but no summative review exists. Objective To summarize data from existing RCTs to assess the efficacy and safety of biologics in the man...

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Aim To conduct a meta-analysis to assess dysphagia complicating single-level and multiple-level (≥2) anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) surgery. Method Electronic searches were performed using four electronic databases from their inception to December 2017. Relevant studies reporting the rate of dysphagia as an endpoint for patients un...

Aim To assist surgeons to determine a potential approach to reduce incidences of recurrent lumbar disc herniation and assess the current devices regarding their outcomes and complications. Method Four electronic full-text databases were systematically searched through September 2017. All results were pooled utilising meta-analysis with weighted me...

Minimally invasive interspinous process devices (IPD), including interspinous distraction devices (IDD) and interspinous stabilizers (ISS), are increasingly utilized for treating symptomatic lumbar canal stenosis (LCS). There is ongoing debate around their efficacy and safety over traditional decompression techniques with and without interbody fusi...

Several novel biological agents and janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors are being investigated for efficacy in the management of atopic dermatitis (AD). However, there is a paucity of head-to-head trials comparing agents and their effect on quality of life (QoL). A systematic review of existing studies was performed, and data was pooled for meta-analysis...

Background Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system.¹ Although severe psoriasis and psoriasiform dermatitis have been noted in MS patients, the prevalence of psoriasis in these populations is uncertain and has not been explored in the Australian population. Objectives A pilot study to estim...

Purpose Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterized by painful nodules, abscesses, sinus tract formation and scarring. The relationship between HS and strokes is not well established. To assess this potential association, a systematic review and meta-analysis was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. Ma...

Unruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysms (SVAs) are rare cardiac lesions that arise due to congenital or acquired etiologies. They could be asymptomatic or cause various clinical manifestations as a consequence of their mass effect on the coronary arteries, heart valves, and other adjacent structures. While the factors predicting SVA rupture are not...

Introduction: Underlying biological, genetic, or epigenetic characteristics may predispose to health differences and outcomes with COVID-19 associated stroke. Social determinants of health, access and geographical differences pertaining both to population density and other location-based factors may also be important. Methods: We report 69 cases of...

Background: Sunscreen use has been shown to reduce the incidence of skin cancers. Internet purchasing allows access to internationally sourced sunscreens, despite varying accepted active ingredients and regulations around the world. Methods: 6 sunscreen-related search queries were executed on Google between January-November 2018. Qualitative ana...

Background There is a known correlation between the procedures of lumbar spinal fusion (LSF), total hip arthroplasty (THA) and the complication of hip dislocation and revision occurring in patients. However there is no consensus as to whether the risk of this complication is higher if THA is performed before or after LSF. This meta-analysis aims to...

Background There is a significant variation in the reported prevalence of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), ranging from 0.03–4%. We hypothesized that this significant variation may be due to different prevalence rates of HS according to geographical location as well as sex. Objective We aimed to perform a meta-analysis to determine pooled overall pr...

Background Trichofolliculoma of the eyelid and periorbital region remains is rare, and there is limited evidence regarding surgical management, clinical and histological margins, and recurrence rate. Objectives We performed a systematic review of cases to date on diagnosis and management outcomes of eyelid trichofolliculoma. Methods Electronic da...

Introduction: Meta-analyses provide high-level evidence and understanding their trends may provide understanding of the field as a whole. Bibliometric analysis was undertaken to understand research trends in a particular field or subfield and to assess citation as a measure of impact. Methods: All journals categorised as "Radiology, Nuclear Medici...

Objective: Race is a significant prognostic factor in various cancers, including the breast. Its prognostic association with spinal meningioma has not been established, although the incidence of spinal meningioma varies by race. In this retrospective cohort study, we aimed to investigate the association of race with the incidence and survival of s...

Pemphigus has been associated with other autoimmune and autoinflammatory disorders. Specifically, some case reports in the literature document coexistence of pemphigus with psoriasis, but this association is lacking larger scale investigation. With this in mind, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the association between...

A retrospective study from the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China demonstrated an incidence of acute ischaemic stroke of approximately 5% in hospitalised patients with severe disease. However, there has been limited evidence on the influence of racial background in stroke outcomes in this pandemic. We report 69 cases of acute stroke in patients posi...

Background Women continue to comprise a small minority of cardiothoracic surgeons. Representation of women in areas of academic achievement has not been well characterized. This study aims to evaluate female representation among authorship positions in high-impact articles published in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery. Methods Altmetric scores were...

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder of the hair follicles, and has been associated with a multitude of systemic disorders and pathologies. There is increasing evidence to suggest that chronic inflammatory skin disorders may be associated with psychiatric comorbidities, however this relationship has not...

Background: To conduct a meta-analysis to assess dysphagia complicating single-level and multiple-level (≥2) anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) surgery. Methods: Electronic searches were performed using four electronic databases from their inception to December 2017. Relevant studies reporting the rate of dysphagia as an endpoint for pa...

Background: Recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy is a common and potentially debilitating complication of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). The relationship between the risk of RLN palsy and the number of operated levels remains unclear, and no previous studies address potential differences between short- and long-term RLN injury fol...

Background Altmetric scores are increasingly utilized as non-traditional metrics of scholarly impact that capture article social media attention. This study aims to characterize articles from the Annals of Thoracic Surgery that achieved the greatest online reach over a longitudinal period. Methods The 50 articles with the highest Altmetric scores...

Background Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a serious complication of joint replacement surgeries. Surgeons often take extra measures to reduce the risk of PJI. Whilst many studies have compared between cemented, cementless and hybrid fixation (femoral cementless, tibial cemented), most focus on survivorship, clinical and function outcome scores...

Introduction: Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) are blistering cutaneous disorders that often manifest with epidermal and mucosal necrosis. In extreme cases, the upper or bronchial airways are threatened, necessitating intubation and mechanical ventilation. This systematic review and meta-analysis examines the prev...

Purpose This study aimed to provide an updated overview of primary central lymphoma (PCL) using a large cohort of 33 years. That being said, we attempted to examine the patient demographics, management plans and their outcome, causes of death and the time trends in overall incidence and mortality rates of these patients. Methods We conducted a ret...

Ustekinumab is a monoclonal antibody, which binds the p40 subunit of IL‐12 and IL‐23 so they are unable to bind to their receptors, ultimately reducing T‐cell‐mediated inflammation in psoriasis. Studies and cases have focused on the risk of infection and malignancy associated with the use of biologics medications; however, there have been limited d...

Objectives: To identify the use and purchasing behaviour of sunscreen products over the internet by Australian females, and factors contributing to these. Methods: A cross sectional study of 1065 Australian female participants aged 18 and over was performed in August 2019, utilising an online questionnaire to collect descriptive data regarding curr...

Introduction: Vitiligo is an autoimmune disorder characterised by progressive loss of melanocytes, leading to cutaneous depigmentation. Vitiligo has significant psychosocial impacts on patients and is challenging to manage with limited treatment options. Recent studies have suggested promising results for JAK1/3 inhibitors including tofacitinib and...

Introduction While prior studies have addressed the gender-specific survival of malignant melanoma, such investigation is lacking for melanoma in situ (MIS) and for the sun-exposed head and neck areas. Understanding the role of patient characteristics on disease prognosis is essential in determining optimal patient treatment and follow-up. We condu...

Ciclosporin (CsA) is a systemic immunosuppressive agent indicated for use in the treatment of patients with recalcitrant atopic dermatitis (AD). Studies demonstrate reasonable evidence of benefit compared with placebo. However as biologic agents are under development for use in AD, an assessment of the use, attitude to and safety of CsA is essentia...

Eccrine carcinomas are a rare tumor entity which originates from eccrine glands and comprise <0.01% of all cutaneous tumors. Eccrine carcinoma subtypes are classified based on their distinct histopathological pattern. Squamoid eccrine ductal carcinoma (SEDC) is a rare subtype, characterized by both squamous and adnexal ductal differentiation, and r...

Background Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder which involves painful nodules and draining abscesses in flexural areas. Acne vulgaris and its more severe variants including acne conglobata and acne fulminans are also disorders involving the follicular unit. Given that follicular obstruction, dilatation and inflamma...

Background: Basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) remain one of the most common non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs). Surgical options include primary excision with predetermined margins, frozen section controlled excision and Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS). There is no randomized study comparing recurrence rates between different surgical techniques for peri...

Background Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by painful nodules, sinus tracts, and significant scarring. Although the pathogenesis of this disease is not well established, there is increasing evidence to suggest that it is an immune-mediated disorder. Previous studies have suggested a relationship between...

Background: It has been noted both anecdotally and in a selection of studies that the incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) and psoriasis may be related, however the nature of that association is unclear. Clustering among families of multiple autoimmune diseases may be linked to genetic factors. Whether family members of those with MS are at increa...

Background: Topical steroids have been previously associated with potential for hyperglycemia and glucosuria, and thought to have a relatively safe side effect profile. In prolonged use, there is the potential for steroids to be absorbed through the skin and eventually reach systemic circulation. We aimed to investigate the potential association be...

Background: For severe cases of atopic dermatitis, systemic or potent agents may be required for control of disease. There have been some reports of treatment efficacy of off-label use of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in patients with refractory atopic dermatitis or have developed adverse effects to initial systemic agents. Methods: Electronic search...

Background: Various surgical options can be used to remove melanoma in situ (MIS). These include wide local excision (WLE), staged excision, and Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS). For MIS lesions located in the head and neck regions, the WLE approach may not always be a technically feasible option if both cosmesis and anatomical function is to be pre...

Background/objectives: Hidradenitis suppurativa has been associated with a number of pathologies, including various endocrine and autoimmune disorders. Although signs of hyperandrogenism are common in hidradenitis suppurativa, few formal studies have assessed the relationship between hidradenitis suppurativa and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Theref...

Background/objective: There have been a number of case reports and small clinical series reporting the potential association between dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPPIs) for diabetes and the onset of bullous pemphigoid (BP). The aim of this study was to assess the association between DPPI use and BP, and whether this varied according to DPPI...

Background Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a debilitating and distressing chronic systemic inflammatory skin disease. There have been several prior observational studies which reported a possibility link between HS and metabolic syndrome, however the current evidence is not definitive. It is unclear in HS whether this possible relationship is inde...