Evaluation of micromorphological changes in tooth enamel after mechanical and ultrafast laser preparation of surface cavities.

The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the morphological changes that occur in tooth enamel after mechanical instrumentation and after femtosecond laser irradiation with different parameters via light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Twelve totally impacted third molars were collected and sectioned to provide several cut surfaces. These surfaces were exposed to infrared (λ = 795 nm, 120 fs, 1-kHz repetition rate, maximum mean power 1 W) laser pulses and machined by means of a conventional mechanical technique. Two very different geometrical patterns were performed with femtosecond laser pulses: shallow rectangular cavities and deep cylindrical ones. The results of both machining procedures were examined using light and scanning electron microscopy. The SEM images show the femtosecond laser ability to produce high-precision cavities in tooth enamel. No signs of collateral damage, burning, melting, or cracks were observed despite the far different laser pulse energies used (ranging from 7 to 400 µJ), unlike what is seen with conventional mechanical techniques. The femtosecond laser has the potential to become an optimal tool for the treatment of dental decay and as an alternative to the conventional drill to reduce mechanical damage during removal of the hard dental tissue.

[Right atrial angiosarcoma and MRI: a case report]. / Angiosarcome de l'oreillette droite et IRM: à propos d'un cas.

The authors report a case of right atrial angiosarcoma in a 29 year old man presenting with massive pericardial effusion. This case illustrates the value of MRI in the preoperative evaluation, providing accurate information about the site and extension of the tumor, and even about the malignant nature of the lesion. Multiplanar transesophageal echocardiography did not provide any additional information in this case.

[Primary care population screening for growth]. / Cribado poblacional de crecimiento en atención primaria. Grupo de Trabajo de Atención Primaria.

OBJECTIVE: To find the effectiveness of growth screening of 6 and 7-year olds in primary care and the characteristics of slow growth found. DESIGN: Crossover, observational study. PATIENTS: 6 to 7-year old population attended at 8 health centres in the province of Barcelona. INTERVENTIONS: Exploration of height and weight. The population with height=percentile 3 was referred to the paediatric endocrinologist for diagnosis. RESULTS: 2306 children (45% of the population attended) were screened. 73 had low height (3.5%). Of these, 8.2% did not attend the appointment with the endocrinologist; 5.5% had been wrongly measured, and for 19% no definite diagnosis could be reached. 49 cases were classified as cases of slow growth: 11 organic and 38 non-organic. The effectiveness of the screening was one unidentified case of slow growth in every 80 children screened. CONCLUSIONS: It would seem advisable to maintain the practice of screening for slow growth in primary care. To improve its efficiency, it is proposed to refer to the specialist only the population with their height under the percentile 0.4. The paediatrics team should deal with non-organic growth disorders.