1/25. A management strategy for palatal fractures: a 12-year review. Fractures of the palate are frequently associated with the more common and well-described Le Fort fractures. Palatal fractures may present diagnostic and exposure challenges and, if not satisfactorily treated, will result in occlusal problems after surgery. From 1986 through 1998, 116 complex maxillary fractures were treated at the authors' center. Among these, 13 patients were diagnosed with fracture of the palate. patients with gunshot wounds to the face were excluded from the present study. Open reduction and internal fixation of the palatal fractures were achieved through elevation of the entire palatal mucoperiosteal flap to avoid late hardware exposure. This paper presents a unique approach to visualizing the whole bony palatal surface for accurate reduction and internal fixation of fractures. ( info) |
2/25. Epidural hematoma after minor oral trauma. A case report was presented in which a 15-year-old boy was beaten about the head with a baseball bat. Intraoral trauma and facial lacerations were repaired. Since results of the neurological examination were within normal limits, the patient was discharged. The next day, the patient became lethargic; however, the patient's mother did not bring the patient back to the hospital until the routine postoperative visit. At that time, the patient had right hemiparesis, was unable to speak, and was clearly obtunded. A carotid angiogram disclosed a left venous epidural hematoma in the parietal area. A craniotomy was performed with good results. The importance of follow-up neurologic examinations in cases of trauma to the face and head is stressed. ( info) |
3/25. Bonded arch bars to manage traumatic injuries to the teeth and alveolar bone. A simple, rapid, painless, and bloodless method of successfully treating avulsed and partially avulsed teeth with or without associated dentoalveolar fractures is presented for management by the general practitioner in the office. It is a bonding technique with the key elements being a prefabricated malleable mesh backed arch bar in combination with any light curing composite procedure that is standard in the individual's office. ( info) |
4/25. A two-probe laser Doppler flowmetry assessment as an exclusive diagnostic device in a long-term follow-up of traumatised teeth: a case report. The reliability of laser Doppler flowmetry in a two-probe assessment of pulpal blood flow is well known. The purpose of this case report was to determine its use as an exclusive and reliable tool for tooth vitality diagnosis in a long-term follow-up. As a result of a traumatic injury to a 24-year-old Caucasian female, tooth pulp vitality was studied in six maxillary front teeth over 30 weeks using two-probe laser Doppler flowmetry and current sensitivity tests. A similar assessment was repeated after 228 weeks. Confronted with an alveolar bone fracture with a tooth in the fracture line, one intrusion and several luxated teeth, current sensitivity tests are found not to be as reliable indicators of revascularisation, as significant results are obtained later (7 weeks) than using laser Doppler flowmetry tests (1 week). A pathway with ischaemia (3 weeks), hyperaemia (7 weeks) and restored blood supply in the pulp measured by laser Doppler flowmetry tests was found and avoided endodontic treatment. Teeth vascularisation evolved normally (228 weeks). Despite a strong indication in all sensitivity tests for endodontic treatment, the use of laser Doppler flowmetry tests was clear, more reliable than sensitivity tests and exclusive, as denervation was postponed and pulp vascularisation evident. ( info) |
5/25. An unusual fatal injury due to tyre burst: a case report. A 20 year-old male driver of a heavy duty crane, employed in an industry located in an industrial area on the outskirts of Delhi was fatally injured while repositioning an ill-fitted locking rim of a crane tyre (Fig. 1). The inner tube of the crane tyre had accidentally burst, dislodging the loose iron-locking rim, which hit the individual with a great force resulting in multiple injuries. He died on his way to the hospital. ( info) |
6/25. A new prospect on the approach to open, complex, craniofacial trauma. Complex craniofacial trauma has been traditionally managed in three stages: urgent craniotomy, secondary orbitofacial repair and delayed cranioplasty. Departing from this conventional approach, we employ an early single-stage neuro and plastic-surgical reconstruction for patients presenting open cranial wounds of the frontobasilar region coexisting with orbitofacial fractures. Neurological outcome does not seem to be affected by the additional operating time, nor is the incidence of infection raised, although bone fragments are repositioned, primary bone grafting is employed, and metallic material is used for fixation. Adequate direct exposure followed by reduction and rigid internal fixation results in primary bone healing and permits to avoid the difficult complications related to soft tissue contracture over misaligned bone. Compared with the conventional staged approach, immediate reconstruction appears functionally and aesthetically preferable, as well as technically easier. ( info) |
| The restoration of the edentulous atrophic anterior maxillary ridge has proved difficult. The absence of both gingival and bony alveolar tissue contributes to these problems. Numerous techniques to address these issues have been described. We report a case of a patient who sustained multiple facial injuries as a consequence of an accident, including the loss of the maxillary incisor teeth and associated alveolus. This patient underwent fixed implant supported prosthetic rehabilitation, following the use of distraction osteogenesis in the reconstruction of the edentulous atrophic anterior maxillary ridge. ( info) |
8/25. Clinical update: a nonhealing fractured mandible. Bisphosphonates have shown significant clinical benefit in reducing skeletal fractures in patients with multiple myeloma or bone: penicillin VK 500 mg or amoxicillin 500 mg; both 4 times daily (QID) initially and twice daily (BID) for maintenance, If penicillin allergic: 1. clindamycin 150 to 300 mg QID. 2. Vibramycin 100 mg once daily (QD). 3. erythromycin ethylsuccinate 400 mg 3 times daily (TID). 4. Antifungals when required: 5. nystatin oral suspension 5 to 15 mL QID or 100,000 IU/mL. 6. Mycelex troches (clotrimazole 10 mg) x 5/day. 7. fluconazole 200 mg initially, then 100 mg QD. 8. Other potential systemic antifungals include itraconazole or ketoconazole. 9. Antivirals, if required: 10. acyclovir 400 mg BID. 11. Valacyclovir hydrochloride 500 mg to 2g BID. ( info) |
9/25. orthognathic surgery for occlusal reconstruction of old malunited jaw fracture. Old malunited jaw fractures of nine patients who underwent orthognathic surgery for occlusal reconstruction were clinically evaluated. Early surgery on fractures of the jaw is the optimal treatment when due attention must be paid to occlusion. Since occlusal revision surgery subsequent to inaccurate diagnosis and inappropriate surgery is certainly very difficult and often unsuccessful, surgeons need to pay special attention to this situation. ( info) |
10/25. Surgical root restoration after external inflammatory root resorption: A case report. External inflammatory root resorption after a jaw fracture is rare. This report describes a case of extensive external root resorption in the middle third of the root of a mandibular right canine after a mandibular fracture involving the tooth socket. Because of delayed treatment and damage to the root caused by a surgical screw, root canal treatment was performed followed by surgical intervention. The resorptive defect was debrided and part of the root was rebuilt with conventionally setting restorative glass ionomer cement. Postoperative follow-up revealed complete healing. ( info) |