Arya Akhavan
YOU?
Author Swipe
View article: Non-stationary Bandit Convex Optimization: A Comprehensive Study
Non-stationary Bandit Convex Optimization: A Comprehensive Study Open
Bandit Convex Optimization is a fundamental class of sequential decision-making problems, where the learner selects actions from a continuous domain and observes a loss (but not its gradient) at only one point per round. We study this prob…
View article: Development and Assessment of a Patient-Reported Outcome Instrument for Gender-Affirming Care
Development and Assessment of a Patient-Reported Outcome Instrument for Gender-Affirming Care Open
Importance There is an urgent need for a validated gender-affirming care–specific patient-reported outcome measure (PROM). Objective To field test the GENDER-Q, a new PROM for gender-affirming care, in a large, international sample of tran…
View article: AI in Cosmetic Surgery: A New Look at Virtual Abdominoplasty and Buttock Augmentation.
AI in Cosmetic Surgery: A New Look at Virtual Abdominoplasty and Buttock Augmentation. Open
Despite some realistic and accurate surgical predictions, most AI-generated images were anatomically unrealistic, demonstrated inaccurate postoperative results, and invoked the "uncanny valley" effect. Given the uniformly poor performance,…
View article: The Surgeon’s Digital Eye: Assessing Artificial Intelligence–generated Images in Breast Augmentation and Reduction
The Surgeon’s Digital Eye: Assessing Artificial Intelligence–generated Images in Breast Augmentation and Reduction Open
Background: Given the public’s tendency to overestimate the capability of artificial intelligence (AI) in surgical outcomes for plastic surgery, this study assesses the accuracy of AI-generated images for breast augmentation and reduction,…
View article: A conversion theorem and minimax optimality for continuum contextual bandits
A conversion theorem and minimax optimality for continuum contextual bandits Open
We study the contextual continuum bandits problem, where the learner sequentially receives a side information vector and has to choose an action in a convex set, minimizing a function associated with the context. The goal is to minimize al…
View article: Role of allogeneic placental tissues in penile inversion vaginoplasty
Role of allogeneic placental tissues in penile inversion vaginoplasty Open
Though its use in urogenital reconstruction has been limited, this study indicates that the placement of APT during PIV significantly lowered the risk of complications associated with poor wound healing. This supports a novel use for place…
View article: Outcomes After Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction Following the National Institution of a Ban on Bacitracin Irrigation
Outcomes After Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction Following the National Institution of a Ban on Bacitracin Irrigation Open
Background The use of irrigation with bacitracin-containing solution is common among surgeons, as it was widely thought to have antibacterial properties and prevent postoperative infection. Current literature, however, suggests that antibi…
View article: Predicting Postsurgical Complications of Peripheral Nerve Decompression: NSQIP Analysis of Frailty Measures Versus Historic Proxies.
Predicting Postsurgical Complications of Peripheral Nerve Decompression: NSQIP Analysis of Frailty Measures Versus Historic Proxies. Open
Frailty and risk proxies may predict postoperative complications in PND at uncommon sites. Use of frailty indices may expand the age range of patients offered PND. Further research is necessary to delineate contributing risk factors and to…
View article: Are Plastic Surgery Residents Properly Compensated?: An Analysis of Resident Compensation When Adjusted For Cost Of Living
Are Plastic Surgery Residents Properly Compensated?: An Analysis of Resident Compensation When Adjusted For Cost Of Living Open
INTRODUCTION: Resident salaries have remained stagnant. The 2022 Medscape Report states a 3% increase from 2017-2020, well below the 5.6% increase in Consumer Price Index. The Medscape report suggests most residents feel inadequately compe…
View article: Rebounding from Rejection: Journal Submission Algorithms for Plastic Surgery and Curated Lists of Relevant Journals
Rebounding from Rejection: Journal Submission Algorithms for Plastic Surgery and Curated Lists of Relevant Journals Open
BACKGROUND: Junior trainee participation in plastic surgery research is increasing. However, junior researchers may not have prior experience or sufficient involvement in the manuscript submission process, and may not be familiar with jour…
View article: The Expanding Utility of Robotic-Assisted Flap Harvest in Autologous Breast Reconstruction: A Systematic Review
The Expanding Utility of Robotic-Assisted Flap Harvest in Autologous Breast Reconstruction: A Systematic Review Open
The expansion of robotic surgery has led to developments in robotic-assisted breast reconstruction techniques. Specifically, robotic flap harvest is being evaluated to help maximize operative reliability and reduce donor site morbidity wit…
View article: Gradient-free optimization of highly smooth functions: improved analysis and a new algorithm
Gradient-free optimization of highly smooth functions: improved analysis and a new algorithm Open
This work studies minimization problems with zero-order noisy oracle information under the assumption that the objective function is highly smooth and possibly satisfies additional properties. We consider two kinds of zero-order projected …
View article: D68. Did The National Ban on Bacitracin Irrigation Affect Infection Rates in Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction? An Analysis of a National Database
D68. Did The National Ban on Bacitracin Irrigation Affect Infection Rates in Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction? An Analysis of a National Database Open
PURPOSE: The current standard of practice for implant-based breast reconstruction is irrigation prior to insertion of implants.1-3 One of the most common solutions was a triple antibiotic solution composed of cefazolin, gentamicin, and bac…
View article: 42. Creation of a Novel Plastic Surgery Research Program Framework: A Single Division’s Experience
42. Creation of a Novel Plastic Surgery Research Program Framework: A Single Division’s Experience Open
Background: The influence of research team structure on institutional scholarly activity, culture, and productivity is sparsely reported in the literature. Here, we present a single institution's experience with the development of a novel …
View article: 16. Knowledge is Power – Designing a Pilot Plastic Surgery Residency “Curated Wiki” to Improve Efficiency and Spread Institutional Knowledge
16. Knowledge is Power – Designing a Pilot Plastic Surgery Residency “Curated Wiki” to Improve Efficiency and Spread Institutional Knowledge Open
Background: While the literature has examined plastic surgery formal curricula, institutional knowledge and the informal curriculum are less explored. The "curated wiki" concept, an end user-driven comprehensive resource for institutional …
View article: 32. Gender Surgery Training in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Programs: A Description of the Current Academic Landscape
32. Gender Surgery Training in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Programs: A Description of the Current Academic Landscape Open
Background: The volume of gender affirmation surgery has increased steadily in recent years. Gender surgery as a subspecialty is an increasingly prevalent component of plastic and reconstructive surgery practice; however, the gender surger…
View article: 2. Fear and Panic: Stories from Displaced Plastic Surgery Residents after Residency Closures
2. Fear and Panic: Stories from Displaced Plastic Surgery Residents after Residency Closures Open
Background: In April 2021, two plastic surgery residency programs lost ACGME-accreditation. This displaced 23 trainees, including students who matched into these programs only a month before. In order to study relocation and provide assist…
View article: 15. An Analysis of Difficulty Levels in Plastic Surgery: How Fast Can Residents Achieve Competency?
15. An Analysis of Difficulty Levels in Plastic Surgery: How Fast Can Residents Achieve Competency? Open
Backgrounds: Despite efforts to evaluate plastic surgery residents' operative performance, little is known regarding the time and cases needed for residents to achieve competency. We aim to use the Operative Entrustability Assessment (OEA)…
View article: Efficacy of the Modified 5-Item Frailty Index in Predicting Surgical-Site Infections in Patients Undergoing Breast Implant Augmentation: A National Surgical Quality Improvement Project-Based 5-Year Study
Efficacy of the Modified 5-Item Frailty Index in Predicting Surgical-Site Infections in Patients Undergoing Breast Implant Augmentation: A National Surgical Quality Improvement Project-Based 5-Year Study Open
Background The ability to predict breast implant augmentation complications can significantly inform patient management. A frailty measure, such as the modified 5-item frailty index (mFI-5), is becoming an increasingly established risk fac…
View article: Estimating the minimizer and the minimum value of a regression function under passive design
Estimating the minimizer and the minimum value of a regression function under passive design Open
We propose a new method for estimating the minimizer $\boldsymbol{x}^*$ and the minimum value $f^*$ of a smooth and strongly convex regression function $f$ from the observations contaminated by random noise. Our estimator $\boldsymbol{z}_n…
View article: The Modified Five-Item Frailty Index to Predict Hand and Wrist Surgical Repair Postoperative Outcomes: An ACS-NSQIP Analysis of 11 369 Patients
The Modified Five-Item Frailty Index to Predict Hand and Wrist Surgical Repair Postoperative Outcomes: An ACS-NSQIP Analysis of 11 369 Patients Open
Background: Hand and wrist injuries can cause painful, everyday obstacles for patients. Carefully indexing preoperative patient health conditions may better inform surgical care, leading to improved postoperative outcomes. The purpose of t…
View article: Breast Implant Illness: Identifying Patients Concerns from Public Comments on Regulation.gov
Breast Implant Illness: Identifying Patients Concerns from Public Comments on Regulation.gov Open
INTRODUCTION: Breast Implant Illness is an evolving syndrome that has been gaining traction from the public and the medical community. Patients are experiencing negative emotions towards BII and are dissatisfied with the quality of patient…
View article: Can Frailty Indices Predict Surgical Risk in Open Reduction and Fixation of Facial Fractures?
Can Frailty Indices Predict Surgical Risk in Open Reduction and Fixation of Facial Fractures? Open
PURPOSE: Facial fractures, often resulting from high impact trauma, necessitate surgical fixation with postoperative complications occurring in 3-30% of patients.1 Thus, risk prediction of unfavorable postoperative complications is essenti…
View article: Changes in Burn Surgery Operative Volume and Metrics due to COVID-19
Changes in Burn Surgery Operative Volume and Metrics due to COVID-19 Open
Due to COVID-19, hospitals underwent drastic changes to operating room policy to mitigate the spread of the disease. Given these unprecedented measures, we aimed to look at the changes in operative volume and metrics of the burn surgery se…
View article: Target Receptors of Regenerating Nerves: Neuroma Formation and Current Treatment Options
Target Receptors of Regenerating Nerves: Neuroma Formation and Current Treatment Options Open
Neuromas form as a result of disorganized sensory axonal regeneration following nerve injury. Painful neuromas lead to poor quality of life for patients and place a burden on healthcare systems. Modern surgical interventions for neuromas e…
View article: Group Meritocratic Fairness in Linear Contextual Bandits
Group Meritocratic Fairness in Linear Contextual Bandits Open
We study the linear contextual bandit problem where an agent has to select one candidate from a pool and each candidate belongs to a sensitive group. In this setting, candidates' rewards may not be directly comparable between groups, for e…
View article: Is Antibiotic Prophylaxis Necessary in Small (≤20% TBSA) Burn Excisions? A Retrospective Study
Is Antibiotic Prophylaxis Necessary in Small (≤20% TBSA) Burn Excisions? A Retrospective Study Open
Background: This study investigates the effect of prophylactic perioperative antibiotic use on patients with small burns [≤20% total body surface area (TBSA)] on rates of infection, graft loss, or readmission. Methods: A retrospective char…