A clinical evaluation of the Endocater--an electronic apex locator.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of an electronic apex locator, the Endocater, in determining the location of the apical constriction or cementodentinal junction (CDJ). Measurements made by the Endocater were also compared with the adjustments recommended by an experienced endodontist. A total of 69 teeth with 99 canals from nine patients were evaluated. The results indicated that the evaluator was 95.8% and the Endocater 67.7% accurate in positioning the probe within +/- 1.000 mm from the CDJ. Thirty-three canals or 34.4% appeared to be clinically acceptable radiographically and no adjustments were deemed necessary by the evaluator. There was a significant difference (p less than 0.003) between the evaluator's ability to adjust the electronically generated file length radiograph to acceptable clinical standards and the Endocater's ability to determine the location of the CDJ. A total of 59 canals (59.6%) of the electronically determined working lengths were beyond the CDJ (n = 99). In 27 canals, the tip of the probe was greater than 1 mm beyond the constriction. Without radiographs to confirm working lengths, many canals in this study would have been overinstrumented. Future research with electronic apex locators is needed before accepting the technique as a substitution for radiographic working length determination.

A randomized comparison of early with conservative use of antihypertensive drugs in the management of pregnancy-induced hypertension.

Two treatment strategies were compared in 155 women with pregnancy-induced hypertension who were also given comprehensive non-pharmacological care. The mean gestation at entry was 28 weeks. As long as the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) remained below 106 mmHg, oxprenolol, or oxprenolol plus dihydralazine, were given to the early treatment group, and matching placebos to the control group. Open antihypertensive treatment was provided for patients whose DBP rose above 105 mmHg. Proteinuria occurred in seven women in each group. In the early treatment group, 13 of the 78 women were delivered by caesarean section; the corresponding numbers in the control group were 27 of 76 (17 vs 36%, 95% confidence interval (CI) of difference: 5-33%); the sections included seven and 16 in the early treatment and control groups, respectively, for severe hypertension and/or fetal distress. There were five perinatal deaths, two in the early treatment group and three in the control group. Early treatment did not influence gestational age at birth or birthweight. Respiratory distress syndrome occurred in four infants in the early treated group and in 10 in the control group; 14 infants in the former group and 26 in the latter were in hospital for more than 10 days (18 vs 35%; 95% CI of difference 4-32%). These results indicate that early antihypertensive treatment with oxprenolol is safe for the fetus and newborn in pregnancy-induced hypertension, but has no advantage over non-pharmacological care in terms of fetal growth. However, it may prevent acute hypertension in late pregnancy and associated fetal distress, and thus reduce the number of caesarean sections.