Adjunctive Techniques and Diagnostic Aids in the Early Detection of Oral Premalignant Disorders and Cancer: An Update for the General Dental Practitioners.

Oral cancer (OC), a potentially fatal disease, is a major health concern across the world. It is reported to be the sixth most common cancer in the world with a disappointingly low 5-year survival rate, despite major advances in onco-medicine in the past three decades. The low 5-year-survival rate is associated with late diagnosis of the disease, while OC diagnosed at early stages enjoy a much higher 5-year-survival rate, comparatively. Although the oral cavity is one of the most easily accessible parts of the body for cancer screening, OC is typically diagnosed at later stages. The delay in diagnosis is one of the factors for the poor 5-year survival rate and high mortality and morbidity among patients. Therefore, an early diagnosis is of utmost importance. Visual and tactile examination and scalpel biopsy are still considered the gold standard for definitive diagnosis of oral potentially malignant disorder (OPMD) and OC. Nevertheless, adjunctive techniques could be employed to increase the ability to distinguish benign abnormalities from dysplastic/malignant changes. These would also aid in identifying areas of dysplasia/early OC that are not visible to the naked eye and tackle the delay in diagnosing OPMD/OC. These adjunctive tools are not a replacement for visual and tactile examination but are supplementary aids. They could be used to screen healthy patients for the presence of any occult cancerous change and evaluate the biological potential of clinically abnormal mucosal lesions, thus enabling early recognition and diagnosis which might increase survival rate and reduce mortality and treatment-associated morbidity.

Sagittal Chevron Shortening Osteotomy With Lateral Wedge for Treatment of Lesser Metatarsal Overload: A Case Report.

Metatarsalgia is a common problem that refers to the tenderness and pain beneath the forefoot. Many metatarsal shortening osteotomies have been described to alleviate metatarsal overload; however, these osteotomies have been associated with a high complication rate of floating toe deformity. We present a case study that describes an innovative technique for the treatment of lesser metatarsalgia that allows for the repositioning of the metatarsal head, using a stable screw fixation designed to minimize the common complication of the floating toe.

Arthroscopic Treatment of Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus Utilizing Juvenile Particulated Cartilage Allograft: A Case Series.

The treatment options for osteochondral lesions of the ankle are scarce, and newer modalities are becoming available. We describe a minimally invasive arthroscopic approach with implantation of juvenile particulated allograft to facilitate the growth of true hyaline cartilage in patients with osteochondral lesions of the talus. The purpose of this study was to subjectively review clinical outcomes using the validated Foot and Ankle Outcomes Score in patients who underwent this technique. Our technique was performed on 82 consecutive patients with average follow-up of 24 (range 9 to 86) months. We found that 28 (88%) of 32 patients who responded to the questionnaire had good or excellent results for activities of daily living; 26 (82%) of 32 patients had at least a good result for both pain and symptoms; and 25 (78%) of 32 had at least a fair result for functional sports and quality of life.

Supramalleolar Osteotomies.

Distal tibial malalignment can result from posttraumatic malunion, physeal disturbances, congenital or metabolic diseases, and degenerative arthritis. Malalignment leads to an altered load distribution across the joint leading to early ankle joint arthritis. If a substantial part of the joint is salvageable, ankle fusion or joint replacement is not always the best option. Realignment of the distal tibia with a joint-sparing supramalleolar osteotomy is a valuable procedure in correcting deformity at the distal tibia. The goal of a supramalleolar osteotomy is to restore axial alignment. Several studies have demonstrated the successes of the osteotomy in improving function and relieving pain.