Grants Funded
ASPS/PSF leadership is committed to continuing to provide high levels of investigator-initiated research support to ensure that plastic surgeons have the needed research resources to be pioneers and innovators in advancing the practice of medicine.
Research Abstracts
Search The PSF database to have easy access to full-text grant abstracts from past PSF-funded research projects 2003 to present. All abstracts are the work of the Principal Investigators and were retrieved from their PSF grant applications. Several different filters may be applied to locate abstracts specific to a particular focus area or PSF funding mechanism.
PSF Research Grant Award
Principal Investigator
Carolyn De La Cruz MD
Carolyn De La Cruz MD
Year
2025
2025
Institution
University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
Funding Mechanism
ASRM/PSF Research Grant
ASRM/PSF Research Grant
Focus Area
Peripheral Nerve, Microsurgery
Peripheral Nerve, Microsurgery
Abstract
Project Summary
Increasing research on the lymphatic system has provided us a better understanding of these complex structures, allowing us to achieve improved monitorization and unique surgical manipulation. Though widely understood in the pathogenesis of other organ systems, there is limited research in understanding the presence and function of lymphatic vessels in peripheral nervous tissue.
Peripheral nerve injuries resulting from direct or iatrogenic trauma can be difficult to treat, severely impacting a patient's quality of life. Modalities promoting rapid recovery following nerve injury are an active area of research. There is a significant need to further understand the complex mechanisms involved in neural healing as well as identify new therapeutic targets and potential surgical measures to improve overall outcomes. Since the role of the lymphatic system in nerve repair is unknown, the potential benefits of
bringing a lymphatic tissue supply to the regenerating nerve is a topic of further study. This will allow for the development of novel therapeutics in nerve repair, such as lymph node transfer, to promote recovery following injury.
In a preliminary study, we characterized changes in the lymphatic system of an injured peripheral nerve repaired with neurorrhaphy and a surrounding lymph node flap. Through our novel protocol, we identified an increase of lymphatic vessels growing into the healing nerve 8 weeks after injury and reconstruction. An area requiring further exploration is the role of lymphangiogenesis in nerve healing and restoration of function through modulation of the inflammatory process. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key mediator of lymphatic endothelial cell proliferation and serves as a potent angiogenic factor for nerve growth and
regeneration. Utilizing a vascularized lymph node flap may improve lymphatic ingrowth by upregulating VEGF and hasten neural
healing by modulating the inflammatory process. In this proposal, we aim to evaluate the role of lymphatics and lymphangiogenesis in restoring sensory and motor function to an injured sciatic nerve through the transfer of a vascularized lymph node flap.
Impact Statement
Completion of our central goal will provide robust evidence for the role of lymphangiogenesis following peripheral nerve injury. This will allow for the development of novel therapeutics to
facilitate lymphangiogenesis in peripheral nerve regeneration, such as lymph node transfer, to promote and hasten recovery following injury. Our approach is highly innovative because no investigatory considerations have been given to the exploration of the role of lymphatic structures in peripheral nerve repair. The proposed model will serve as the initial testbed to explore novel approach strategies to facilitate lymphangiogenesis in neural recovery, which can translate into a
clinically applicable method.
Project Summary
Increasing research on the lymphatic system has provided us a better understanding of these complex structures, allowing us to achieve improved monitorization and unique surgical manipulation. Though widely understood in the pathogenesis of other organ systems, there is limited research in understanding the presence and function of lymphatic vessels in peripheral nervous tissue.
Peripheral nerve injuries resulting from direct or iatrogenic trauma can be difficult to treat, severely impacting a patient's quality of life. Modalities promoting rapid recovery following nerve injury are an active area of research. There is a significant need to further understand the complex mechanisms involved in neural healing as well as identify new therapeutic targets and potential surgical measures to improve overall outcomes. Since the role of the lymphatic system in nerve repair is unknown, the potential benefits of
bringing a lymphatic tissue supply to the regenerating nerve is a topic of further study. This will allow for the development of novel therapeutics in nerve repair, such as lymph node transfer, to promote recovery following injury.
In a preliminary study, we characterized changes in the lymphatic system of an injured peripheral nerve repaired with neurorrhaphy and a surrounding lymph node flap. Through our novel protocol, we identified an increase of lymphatic vessels growing into the healing nerve 8 weeks after injury and reconstruction. An area requiring further exploration is the role of lymphangiogenesis in nerve healing and restoration of function through modulation of the inflammatory process. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key mediator of lymphatic endothelial cell proliferation and serves as a potent angiogenic factor for nerve growth and
regeneration. Utilizing a vascularized lymph node flap may improve lymphatic ingrowth by upregulating VEGF and hasten neural
healing by modulating the inflammatory process. In this proposal, we aim to evaluate the role of lymphatics and lymphangiogenesis in restoring sensory and motor function to an injured sciatic nerve through the transfer of a vascularized lymph node flap.
Impact Statement
Completion of our central goal will provide robust evidence for the role of lymphangiogenesis following peripheral nerve injury. This will allow for the development of novel therapeutics to
facilitate lymphangiogenesis in peripheral nerve regeneration, such as lymph node transfer, to promote and hasten recovery following injury. Our approach is highly innovative because no investigatory considerations have been given to the exploration of the role of lymphatic structures in peripheral nerve repair. The proposed model will serve as the initial testbed to explore novel approach strategies to facilitate lymphangiogenesis in neural recovery, which can translate into a
clinically applicable method.
Biography
Dr. Carolyn De La Cruz is a full-time faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh and specializes in tertiary reconstruction. She has
had extensive post-graduate training spanning 10 years in research, general surgery and plastic surgery in Robert Wood Johnson and
University of Miami. Following completion of her microsurgery fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2004, she established
the microsurgical breast reconstruction program at Magee-Women’s Hospital of UPMC. She performs all types of breast
reconstruction including free flaps, implant-based reconstruction and fat grafting for women who have had mastectomies. For over
a decade the microsurgical program has thrived at Magee Womens Hospital under her direction. Dr. De La Cruz’s mission is to give
each patient specialized and individualized care. Subsequently, she started the multidisciplinary lymphedema program. She
performs lymphatic surgery including LYMPHA, LVA and lymph node transplants for patients who suffer from lymphedema. In
addition, she clinically uses ICG to diagnose patients with sub clinical lymphedema. This has been instrumental in understanding
truncal lymphedema in breast cancer related lymphedema. She currently serves as the Director of Lymphatic Surgery at the
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. De La Cruz is active in training plastic surgery residents and has won teaching awards
for her dedication. She is active in basic science and clinical research with numerous publications.
Dr. Carolyn De La Cruz is a full-time faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh and specializes in tertiary reconstruction. She has
had extensive post-graduate training spanning 10 years in research, general surgery and plastic surgery in Robert Wood Johnson and
University of Miami. Following completion of her microsurgery fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2004, she established
the microsurgical breast reconstruction program at Magee-Women’s Hospital of UPMC. She performs all types of breast
reconstruction including free flaps, implant-based reconstruction and fat grafting for women who have had mastectomies. For over
a decade the microsurgical program has thrived at Magee Womens Hospital under her direction. Dr. De La Cruz’s mission is to give
each patient specialized and individualized care. Subsequently, she started the multidisciplinary lymphedema program. She
performs lymphatic surgery including LYMPHA, LVA and lymph node transplants for patients who suffer from lymphedema. In
addition, she clinically uses ICG to diagnose patients with sub clinical lymphedema. This has been instrumental in understanding
truncal lymphedema in breast cancer related lymphedema. She currently serves as the Director of Lymphatic Surgery at the
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. De La Cruz is active in training plastic surgery residents and has won teaching awards
for her dedication. She is active in basic science and clinical research with numerous publications.