Intraoral distraction of a patient with premaxilla agenesis.

The complex disharmonies which affect the maxillofacial region, in the sagittal and vertical dimensions, can find further complications due to the deficit of maxillary osseous tissue in transversal direction. Surgery can be indispensable to correct the malocclusion. Various methodologies have been developed for the correction of transversal maxillary hypoplasia. Among these, the Authors mention the intraoral distraction for the treatment of a male patient with pre-maxilla agenesis and serious contraction of the upper maxillary. A particularity of this case is represented by the occurred transversal skeletal expansion, starting from a past scar, outcome of a previous surgery.

Efficacy of the long-acting octreotide formulation (octreotide-LAR) in patients with thyrotropin-secreting pituitary adenomas.

The presence of somatostatin receptors on TSH-secreting pituitary adenomas allows treatment of central hyperthyroidism with somatostatin analogs. Six women and 5 men (mean +/- SEM age, 43 +/- 3 yr) presented TSH-secreting pituitary adenomas (micro, n = 2; macro, n = 9). Seven patients had previously been treated with partial surgical removal (n = 6) and/or external radiation (n = 4) of their adenoma at least 1 yr before the study, whereas 4 patients had not been treated before somatostatin analog therapy. TSH, free T(4), and free T(3) levels were in the normal range during treatment with sc injections (n = 9) or continuous infusion (n = 2) of octreotide (280 +/- 25 microg/day). Mean thyroid hormone levels increased (P < 0.01) after the washout period (34 +/- 6 days). The patients received monthly im injections of 20 mg Octreotide-LAR. In patients with an elevated free T(4) level after 3 months (n = 1) the Octreotide-LAR dose was increased to 30 mg. After 3 months of Octreotide-LAR treatment, TSH, free T(4)/T(3), and alpha-subunit levels decreased, and 10 patients were euthyroid with normal free T(4) levels. These results remained at the same level over the next 3 months. There were no statistically significant differences in the TSH and free T(4) responses to sc octreotide or im Octreotide-LAR between previously untreated patients and patients who had undergone surgical resection and/or pituitary radiation before somatostatin analog treatment. During Octreotide-LAR treatment, minor digestive problems or moderate discomfort at the injection site, lasting less than 48 h, were reported in 6 and 5 patients, respectively. Gallbladder echographies did not reveal new gallstones during Octreotide-LAR treatment. In conclusion, this study shows that monthly im Octreotide-LAR is as effective as daily sc octreotide in controlling hyperthyroidism in patients with TSH-secreting pituitary adenomas, in both previously untreated patients and patients treated with surgery and/or pituitary radiotherapy. Octreotide-LAR is well tolerated, except for minor digestive problems or mild pain at the injection site. Therefore, Octreotide-LAR appears to be a useful therapeutic tool to facilitate medical treatment of TSH-secreting pituitary adenomas in patients who need long-term somatostatin analog therapy.

Condylar fractures during growth: follow-up of 16 patients.

Fractures of the mandibular condyle represent 20% to 35% of all mandibular fractures. There are several clinical variants of this type of fracture that give rise to different problems in relation to their classification and treatment. A sample of 16 patients (of a total of 280 patients examined and treated from 1985 through 1995) with mono- and bilateral, displaced and decomposed, condylar fractures that occurred during growth were examined by the authors, who assessed, by a 2-year follow-up, the relevant clinical, functional, and instrumental parameters. On the basis of the data gathered by this study, a plan was drawn up for treating these patients that takes into account the different situations, such as either a nonsurgical or surgical treatment (by the use of condylectomy or external rigid fixation), and points out the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

Vitiligo, autoimmune thyroiditis: a rare thyroid cancer arising with bone metastates on maxillofacial area.

An association between vitiligo and autoimmune thyroid disorders had previously been postulated. Thyroid disorders were found in 18.5% of 15,126 patients with vitiligo, on the basis of the anamnestic data. Then, we investigated 255 healthy relatives in whom we tested only T3, T4 and TSH. With the immunological investigation we detected a higher incidence of TMA in vitiligo patients and in the family members. Therefore, on the basis of the immunologic and thyroid pathology functional data, we observed a thyroid pathology in 25% of the 890 vitiligo patients and in 21.1% of their first degree relatives. Then, clinical observation enabled to discover that 3 of 15,126 patients had undergone exeresis for a thyroid carcinoma and in the 890 vitiligo patients, who had undergone particular investigations, we found a thyroid carcinoma in 3 subjects. In one case lymphnodal involvement and bone metastases in the maxillary district were found. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the incidence of thyrosis and of thyroid carcinoma in vitiligo patients observed for 20 years.

Obstructive sleep apnea in a growing patient.

Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) is a complex respiratory disorder that is very difficult to diagnose and to treat surgically as well as medically. SAS can affect growing patients as well as adults. SAS shows a central, an obstructive, and a mixed form. Diagnosis is based on clinical examination of the patient and instrumental examinations such as teleradiography, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMR), three-dimensional computed tomography, polysomnography, rhinomanometry, and spirometry. The patient presented has an obstructive form of SAS in addition to Crouzon's disease. He underwent a Le Fort III osteotomy to obtain an advancement of the orbitomaxillary complex, allowing an increase in volume of posterior airway space at the level of the hypopharynx.

Surgical planning and correction of medial craniofacial cleft.

In the framework of malformations that concerns the craniofacial area, the orbit is often involved because it represents the border structure between the neurocranium and the splanchnocranium. In these malformations it is very easy to find hypertelorism. Tessier classified clefts rising from the anterior skullbase and involving the maxilla and the alveolar process, as medial or 0 = 14 clefts. We report on a 2-year-old patient, treated with cranial decompression at an early age, suffering from this kind of malformation. To correct it, the surgical technique of facial bipartition was used. This technique, used for the first time by Tessier and then modified by Stricker and colleagues, allows the simultaneous correction of the orbits and maxilla. It is very important to make a correct diagnosis, to plan for surgery carefully for patients suffering from this kind of pathology, and to prescribe the most effective therapy. A computerized analysis system, based on the study of teleradiographic images and on three-dimensional computed tomography, to quantify the extent of the malformation and to define surgical planning was developed.

Firearm injuries in maxillofacial region reconstructive surgery.

Firearms induce severe morphological and structural alterations on both soft and bony tissues of the face. It is therefore essential to restore their previous functionality. In our experience, maxillofacial lesions due to firearm shooting must be divided, from a locational point of view, into those lesions involving the upper third, those involving the medium third, and those involving the lower third of the face. Lesions of soft and bony tissues must be evaluated precisely through instrumental diagnostic examinations and axial and coronal computed tomographic projection, preferably with a three-dimensional construction, to be able to restore the previous functional integrity of the maxillofacial region. At a subsequent surgical time, it may be necessary to plan aesthetic corrections for recovery of the previous facial harmony.

Aesthetic and functional reconstruction in intraosseus hemangiomas of the zygoma.

The incidence of intraosseus hemangiomas is very low. The mandible, the zygoma, the maxilla, and the frontal bone are the most frequent areas of localization in the craniomaxillofacial region. Surgery, without preoperative embolization, is always the best treatment for intraosseus hemangiomas of the zygoma. The radical removal of the tumor frequently causes a contour defect that has to be corrected. Calvarial grafts provide a good solution to the problem of reconstruction of bone loss. They are easy to prepare, near to the implant zone, and they do not require changes in the patient's position during the operation. The implants fixed by micro- and minifixation systems provide a good functional and aesthetic result. We, after a review of the literature on intraosseus hemangiomas of the craniomaxillofacial region, report two cases of intraosseus hemangiomas of the zygoma in which removal of the tumor and reconstruction with calvarial grafts have been performed.

[Surgical and local treatment in a case of fungal sinusitis in a patient with bone marrow aplasia]. / Trattamento chirurgico e locale in un caso di sinusite fungina in un paziente con aplasia midollare.

We report a clinical case of severe medullary aplasia complicated by fungal antritis. The treatment adopted for this patient consists in a clean operation of the infective focus and the local instillation of Amfotericina B during the post operative period. In this way the systemic circulation is not interested by the use of Amfotericina B, which is extremely important to avoid the inevitable onset of several unwanted side-effects; besides, we avoid the progression of the infective focus and its systemic diffusion.

Parathyroid hormone and cardiovascular effects of dihydropyridines in chronic renal failure.

We studied the influence of parathyroid gland activity on cardiovascular response to dihydropyridines (nicardipine (NIC), 80 mg/day for 4 weeks) in 20 hypertensive patients with end-stage renal failure (ESRF). Before the treatment hyperparathyroidism (HPTH) was estimated on the basis of serum parathormone (PTH), and bone histomorphometry (osteoclastic resorption surfaces (ORS), and number of osteoclasts (NO]. NIC induced a significant decrease in systolic (SAP) and diastolic (DAP) arterial blood pressure, but did not significantly change the heart rate (HR) or the SAP X HR (myocardial oxygen consumption estimate). Changes in SAP and DAP were correlated to baseline serum PTH (P less than .001), to ORS (P less than .01) and to NO (P less than .01). Furthermore, a significant decrease in blood pressure was observed only in patients with histological signs of hyperparathyroidism (ORS greater than 1%). In this subset of patients NIC induced a significant decrease in SAP X HR (P less than .02) which was correlated to PTH and histomorphometric indexes of HPTH (P less than .01). The results of the present study show that blood pressure response to dihydropyridines in ESRF is associated with parathyroid activity as judged from serum PTH and bone histomorphometry.

[A simple diagnostic test for primary hyperaldosteronism]. / Test diagnostique simple de l'hyperaldostéronisme primaire.

Plasma aldosterone levels were measured as part of two suppression tests in 31 hypertensive patients on normal sodium diet and without recent treatment. Thirteen patients had essential hypertension, 6 had probable bilateral adrenal hyperplasia and 12 had confirmed Conn's adenoma. In the first test, aldosterone levels were measured in the supine patients, then after infusion of 2 litres of isotonic saline over 2 hours. In the second test, aldosterone levels were measured before and 3 hours after oral administration of Captopril 1 mg/kg. Plasma aldosterone values superior to 360 pmol.l-1 after sodium load or to 665 pmol.l-1 after Captopril were characteristic of primary hyperaldosteronism due to adenoma. The test using Captopril has the advantages of being rapid, of avoiding acute blood volume expansion and of being applicable to all forms of hypertension, including severe ones.

[A new diagnostic test for primary tumoral hyperaldosteronism]. / Un nouveau test diagnostique de l'hyperaldostéronisme primaire tumoral.

Plasma aldosterone levels were measured during two tests of inhibition in 31 hypertensive patients (13 essential hypertension, 6 bilateral adrenal hyperplasia and 12 documented Conn adenomas) on normal salt diets after withdrawal of all therapy: 1--before and after intravenous infusion of 2 I normal saline in two hours; 2--before and three hours after administration of 1 mg/kg of Captopril. Plasma aldosterone levels greater than 360 pmol/I after salt loading, or greater than 748 pmol/I after Captopril is characteristic of primary tumoral hyperaldosteronism. Apart from the rapidity of the test, Captopril is well-tolerated, does not require acute volume expansion and can be carried out in all forms of hypertension, even in severe cases.

The effect of beta-adrenergic blockade on patterns of urinary sodium excretion, blood pressure and plasma renin activity in patients with essential and renovascular hypertension.

The effects of beta-adrenergic blockade, using oxprenolol, were studied in plasma renin activity, urinary sodium excretion and blood pressure in ten normal subjects and in 120 patients with essential and renovascular hypertension. Blood pressure was reduced by oxprenolol administration. The hypotensive action of the drug was independent of either the basal plasma renin activity or of the plasma renin activity response. Oxprenolol decreased plasma renin activity in normal subjects and in patients with essential hypertension with normal or high basal plasma renin activity. Patients with low plasma renin activity may show a lack of response to the beta-blockade. In patients with renovascular disease the response of plasma renin activity to oxprenolol was not a discriminant factor between patients cured or not cured by surgery. Some renovascular patients were unresponsive to beta-blockade with oxprenolol.

Clinical significance of plasma renin activity in human renovascular hypertension.

1. Plasma renin activity (PRA) in peripheral venous blood of patients with renovascular hypertension was found to be high (thirty-five), normal (twenty-one) and low (three). Twenty-one patients with high PRA were cured or improved after successful surgery, as were eight of eleven with normal PRA and one with a low PRA. After surgery high PRA values became normal or low. 2. A beta-receptor-blocking agent (oxprenolol) decreased PRA in twenty-eight patients (responders) and it either did not modify or increased PRA in the other fifteen (non-responders). All fourteen non-responders were cured by surgery, as were thirteen out of fifteen responders; ten non-responders became responders after surgery. Oxprenolol suppressed renin secretion of both kidneys of two patients with essential hypertension, and it either decreased (six) or did not modify (four) renin secretion from the ischaemic kidney. 3. PRA measurement in renal veins of twenty-six patients with renovascular hypertension showed that only the ischaemic kidney contributes to the peripheral PRA, renin secretion being suppressed in the contralateral kidney. The suppression of renin secretion from the ischaemic kidney produced either by nephrectomy (nine) or by aortorenal by-pass (six) normalized blood pressure. 4. Peripheral PRA values are of poor diagnostic significance and PRA unresponsiveness to a beta-receptor-blocking drug and the suppression of renin secretion from the ischaemic kidney are characteristic findings of renovascular hypertension curable by appropriate surgery.