Miniplate With a Bendable C-Tube Head Allows the Clinician to Alter Biomechanical Advantage in Extremely Complicated Anatomic Structure.

BACKGROUNDS: This article reports C-tube miniplates as a practical temporary anchorage device choice to treat open bite patients with maxillary sinus pneumatization. METHODS: The C-tube components are titanium anchor plates and monocortical screws that are basically similar to any other miniplate systems, but it has the unique characteristic of the tube head to be malleable. The manipulation of the head part is easy due to the composition of pure titanium. The I-shaped C-tube with 3 holes and T-shaped C-tube miniplates were placed above the apices of maxillary molars as an absolute anchorage system to intrude the posterior maxilla. The bending of the tube heads assisted in reduction of severe open bite patient with maxillary sinus pneumatization. RESULTS: Sinus perforation during placement of skeletal anchorage system weakens stability of the anchorage and further cause complications. Placement of titanium C-tube miniplates allowed reliable skeletal anchorage and avoided maxillary sinus perforation in patients with extreme pneumatizations. Simple bending of C-tube miniplates ensured increased orthodontic intrusion force without having to replace them, and eliminated consequences such as perforation of maxillary sinus, sinusitis, soft tissue irritation, or infection. CONCLUSIONS: Anatomic difficulties in the placement of temporary anchorage device can be easily managed by using the bendable C-tube miniplate. It can serve as a great alternative over miniscrews or regular miniplates with reduced risk of sinus perforation and ability to bend the head portion to control orthodontic vectors and forces.

Effect of computerized cognitive rehabilitation in comparison between young and old age after traumatic brain injury.

INTRODUCTION: Cognitive dysfunction reduces patients' quality of life and social participation with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Computerized cognitive rehabilitation is increasingly being used for cognitive therapy in TBI patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of age on the effect of computerized cognitive rehabilitation in cognitive dysfunction after TBI. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 34 patients with cognitive dysfunction after TBI were enrolled. Participants performed 30 sessions of computerized cognitive rehabilitation (Comcog) for 6 weeks. A cognitive evaluation was performed before and after treatment with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Computerized Neurophyschologic Test (CNT). RESULTS: There were no cognitive tests that differed between the young group and the old group at baseline. However, after computerized cognitive rehabilitation, the young group showed significant improvement compared to the old group in verbal memory, visual memory, attention, and visuo-motor coordination tests. The young group showed improvement in MMSE, verbal and visual memory, and visuo-motor coordination tests after computerized cognitive rehabilitation. In contrast, the old group showed significant improvement only in MMSE and visual learning test, one of the visual memory tests. CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrate that age may be an important factor related to the effect of computer cognitive rehabilitation on cognitive dysfunction after TBI. Methodologically more ordered studies with larger sample sizes are needed in the future.

Treatment outcomes of clevudine versus lamivudine at week 48 in naïve patients with HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B.

The authors assessed the efficacy and antiviral resistance of 48-week clevudine therapy versus lamivudine in treatment of naïve patients with HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B. In this retrospective study, a total of 116 HBeAg positive patients, who received 30 mg of clevudine once daily (n=53) or 100 mg of lamivudine once daily (n=63) for 48 weeks, were included. At week 48, clevudine therapy produced a significantly greater mean reductions in serum HBV DNA levels from baseline than lamivudine therapy (-5.2 vs. -4.2 log(10)IU/mL; P=0.005). Furthermore, a significantly higher proportion of patients on clevudine achieved negative serum HBV DNA by PCR (<13 IU/mL) at week 48 (60.4% vs. 38.1%; P=0.025). The incidence of virologic breakthrough in the clevudine group was significantly lower than in the lamivudine group (9.4% vs. 25.4%; P=0.031). However, rates of alanine aminotransferase normalization and HBeAg loss or seroconversion were similar in the two groups (83.0% vs. 81.0%, 11.3% vs. 11.1%; P=0.813, 1.000, respectively). In conclusion, clevudine is more potent for viral suppression and lower for antiviral resistance at week 48 than lamivudine in treatment of naïve patients with HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B.

An unusual complication of pyloric ring obstruction caused by flange of lumen apposing metal stent in endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD) is an alternative treatment option for patients with acute cholecystitis, especially for those who are unsuitable for cholecystectomy. Recently used luminal apposing metal stents (LAMS) in EUS-GBD has several advantages over standard metal stents. However, there is no current guideline on where to locate the LAMS when transgastric approach is required. This study reports a case of gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) by placing LAMS too close to the pyloric ring. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 79-year-old female patient was referred to our department for evaluation of a large hepatic mass on abdominal ultrasound. Abdominal pain on right upper quadrant and spiking fever up to 38 °C appeared after liver biopsy. Abdominal ultrasound showed thickened GB wall and positive sonographic Murphy sign. DIAGNOSES: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with multiple lung and intrahepatic metastasis, acute cholecystitis, and pyloric ring obstruction caused by flange of LAMS in EUS-GBD. INTERVENTIONS: EUS-GBD via transgastric approach was performed with LAMS. After complete deployment of stent, esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed complete GOO by flange of LAMS. A gastroduodenal metal stent was inserted to relieve the GOO. OUTCOMES: The patient recovered well. She did not complain about obstruction induced symptom such as vomiting or abdominal fullness after gastroduodenal stent insertion. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of EUS-GBD induced GOO. If physicians use LAMS as a transgastric approach in EUS-GBD, the puncture site should be carefully selected considering the size of the flange.

Bio-Exercise (BioEx) - A biocreative orofacial myofunctional therapy: preliminary cephalometric study and clinical application

ABSTRACT Objective: To introduce newly structured and developed orofacial myofunctional therapy (OFMFT) protocols named Bio-Exercise (BioEx), and evaluate the treatment effect of this method, using lateral cephalometric analysis on malocclusion with low tongue posture in young patients. Methods: A retrospective preliminary study was performed using orthodontic records from 28 patients (mean age of 8.41±1.45-year-old, 13 males, 15 females) treated with BioEx therapy using tongue elevators for 18.14±9.04 months (range: 6 to 37 months). Pretreatment (T0) and post-BioEx therapy (T1) lateral cephalograms were subsequently analyzed for tongue posture changes by linear, anteroposterior and vertical measurements. The data were analyzed by paired t-test, considering a 5% significance level. Results: The tongue length (TGL) and tongue height (TGH) increased statistically significant between T0 and T1. The decrease of the dorsum of the tongue perpendicular to the palatal plane (Td-PP value) was statistically significant. The increase of the tip of the tongue perpendicular to the pterygomaxillary vertical line (TT-PMV) was not statistically significant. Conclusions: These preliminary cephalometric results indicate that BioEx can be an effective OFMFT modality in increasing the tonicity of the tongue muscles to establish more normalized tongue position at rest.

RESUMO Objetivo: Introduzir protocolos de terapia miofuncional orofacial (TMO) recém-estruturados e desenvolvidos, denominados Bio-Exercise (BioEx), e avaliar o efeito do tratamento com esse método, usando análise cefalométrica em radiografias laterais de jovens com má oclusão e postura baixa da língua. Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo preliminar retrospectivo com registros ortodônticos de 28 pacientes (idade média de 8,41±1,45 anos, 13 homens, 15 mulheres) tratados com terapia BioEx usando elevadores de língua por 18,14±9,04 meses (intervalo: 6 a 37 meses). As radiografias cefalométricas laterais pré-tratamento (T0) e pós-tratamento com BioEx (T1) foram analisadas quanto às alterações na postura da língua, por meio de medidas lineares, anteroposteriores e verticais. Os dados foram analisados pelo teste t pareado, considerando-se um nível de significância de 5%. Resultados: O comprimento da língua (CL) e a altura da língua (AL) aumentaram entre T0 e T1, com significância estatística. A diminuição do dorso da língua perpendicular ao plano palatino (valor Td-PP) foi estatisticamente significativa. O aumento da ponta da língua perpendicular à linha vertical pterigomaxilar (PL-PMV) não foi estatisticamente significativo. Conclusões: Esses resultados cefalométricos preliminares indicam que o BioEx pode ser uma modalidade de TMO eficaz no aumento da tonicidade dos músculos da língua, para estabelecer uma postura de língua adequada em repouso.

Terapia BioCriativa: o C-Implante / Terapia BioCriativa: o C-Implante

Muitos dos esforços dos ortodontistas do século passadoconsistiam em fundamentar a ancoragem para a uma mecânicaproposta. Com a utilização dos implantes na Odontologia, surgiu umnovo conceito de ancoragem na Ortodontia, denominado ancoragemesquelética, a qual não permite a movimentação da unidade de reação.Este artigo apresenta um conceito de ancoragem desenvolvida para aterapia biocriativa, que possui uma biomecânica desenvolvida associadaa diversos dispositivos de ancoragem. O C-Implante possui característicaspróprias, e sua eficiência é demonstrada em um relato de casoclínico. Com a introdução da ancoragem absoluta independente, abiomecânica ortodôntica contemporânea permite que, em diversassituações clínicas, as unidades anteriores mal posicionadas possamser retraídas sem a mudança de posição indesejada dos elementosposteriores durante todo o tratamento ativo.