Ameloblastoma: analysis of 207 cases in a Nigerian teaching hospital.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to review all the cases of ameloblastoma seen at the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria, between 1980 and 2003. METHODS AND MATERIALS: In this retrospective study, case files and biopsy reports of new cases of ameloblastoma covering a 24-year period were retrieved and analyzed for sex, age on presentation, histologic type, and site distribution. RESULTS: A total of 207 cases of ameloblastoma were seen in the given period. One hundred and ninety-eight (95.7%) were benign, and 9 (4.3%) were malignant. A male-to-female ratio of 1.1:1 was found. The average ages on presentation for ameloblastoma and ameloblastic carcinoma were 31.67 and 46.44 years, respectively. The lesion was found to be more common in the premolar-molar region of the mandible. The most common histologic type was follicular ameloblastoma (25.1%). Nine (4.3%) cases of ameloblastic carcinoma were also reported. CONCLUSIONS: Ameloblastoma with a predilection for the posterior mandibular region is relatively common in our environment. Sex and site distributions are similar to previous reports in the literature.

Prospective, randomized, open-label, pilot clinical trial comparing the effects of dexamethasone coadministered with diclofenac potassium or acetaminophen and diclofenac potassium monotherapy after third-molar extraction in adults.

BACKGROUND: Patients who experience pain, swelling, and trismus after third-molar extraction are reported to experience a 3-fold higher rate of adverse effects (AEs) on quality of life compared with those who are asymptomatic after this surgery. Therefore, investigators emphasize the necessity for better control of this triad of sequelae. Steroids can reduce the risk for physiologic processes of inflammation, thereby suppressing the development of inflammation. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of dexamethasone 8 mg IM and diclofenac potassium (K) 50 mg PO, dexamethasone 8 mg IM and acetaminophen 1000 mg PO, and monotherapy with diclofenac K 50 mg PO on postoperative pain, swelling, and trismus after surgical removal of third molars. METHODS: This prospective, randomized, open-label pilot study was conducted at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria. Patients were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 treatment groups: concomitant treatment with dexamethasone 8 mg IM and diclofenac K 50 mg PO or acetaminophen 1000 mg PO, or monotherapy with diclofenac K 50 mg PO. Overall analgesic efficacy of the drug combinations was assessed for 7 days postoperatively using a 4-point categorical pain-intensity rating scale (0 = no pain; 1 = mild pain; 2 = moderate pain; and 3 = severe pain). Facial swelling was measured in 1 dimension on days 1, 2, and 7 after surgery using a tape measure placed from the tip of the tragus, to gonion, to the tip of the contralateral tragus, and trismus was assessed using interincisal mouth-opening ability, measured using a vernier-calibrated caliper on postoperative days 1, 2, and 7. Tolerability was assessed using direct questioning of the patients at follow-up visits. RESULTS: A total of 150 patients (50 per treatment group) were included in the analysis (76 women, 74 men; mean [SD] age, 26.8 [5.04] years [range, 18-45 years]; 100% Nigerian). The proportion of patients reporting no pain on the pain-intensity rating scale was significantly higher in the group receiving dexamethasone and diclofenac K compared with that in the groups receiving dexamethasone and acetaminophen or diclofenac K monotherapy (44% vs 22% and 24%, respectively; both, P < 0.05). Facial swelling was significantly less with dexamethasone and diclofenac K or dexamethasone and acetaminophen compared with diclofenac K alone (day 1: P = 0.013 and P = 0.011, respectively; day 2: P = 0.002 and P = 0.004, respectively). However, trismus relief was statistically similar between the 3 treatment groups on postoperative days 1 and 2. No AEs or complications were recorded. CONCLUSION: In this open-label pilot study, concomitant treatment with dexamethasone and diclofenac K provided significant relief of postsurgical pain and swelling compared with dexamethasone and acetaminophen or monotherapy with diclofenac K after third-molar extraction in these patients.

Odontogenic tumors: a review of 319 cases in a Nigerian teaching hospital.

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to determine the relative frequency of odontogenic tumors in a Nigerian population and to compare these data with previous reports. STUDY DESIGN: Records of patients seen at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital between January 1980 and December 2003, with histologic diagnosis of odontogenic tumors (based on World Health Organisation classification, 1992), were analyzed. RESULTS: Odontogenic tumors constituted 9.6% of all the biopsies of oral and jaw lesions seen within the period under study. Three hundred and eight (96.6%) were intraosseous, and 11 (3.4%) were peripheral (peripheral odontogenic fibroma=7; peripheral myxoma=3; peripheral ameloblastoma=1). The mean age of patients was 29.9+/-15.6 years (range, 4-85 years). Among these cases, 96.6% of the tumors were benign and 3.4% were malignant. Ameloblastoma with predilection for the mandible was the most frequent odontogenic tumor (63%), followed by adenomatoid odontogenic tumor (AOT) (7.5%), myxoma (6.5%), calcifying epithelial odontogenic cyst (5.3%), and odontogenic fibroma (5.3%). More cases of malignant odontogenic tumors were seen than cases of calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor and odontomas. The mean ages of patients with AOT, ameloblastic fibroma, and odontoma were significantly lower than those with ameloblastoma ( P<.05). No significant difference was found between the mean ages of patients with benign odontogenic tumors and those with malignant odontogenic tumors ( P=.058). CONCLUSIONS: Odontogenic tumors, especially ameloblastoma, are not considered rare among Nigerians, whereas odontoma, regarded as the most frequent odontogenic tumor in North and South America, is rare.

A comparative clinical evaluation of the effect of preoperative and postoperative antimicrobial therapy on postoperative sequelae after impacted mandibular third molar extraction.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the effect of preoperative and postoperative antibiotics therapy on postoperative sequelae after impacted mandibular third molar extractions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a prospective study conducted at Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of the Lagos University Teaching Hospitalon consecutive patients with impacted third molar extractions for a 12 month period. Group I (n = 31) had administration of 1 gram of oral metronidazole and 1 gram of amoxicillin capsules 30 minutes preoperative and Group II (n = 31) had 500 milligrams of amoxicillin capsule 8 hourly and 400 milligrams of metronidazole tablets administered post operatively for 5 days. Pain, facial swelling and mouth opening assessment were done postoperatively and on days 1, 3 and 7. RESULTS: The general pattern of postoperative pain, regardless of antimicrobial use revealed that pain increased from day 1 to day 3 postoperatively and began to decrease in intensity subsequently up to the seventh day. There was however a statistically significant difference (P = 0.0001) between the two groups on the 7th postoperative day with the subjects in Group I showing lower pain intensity. The mean difference of the facial width on days 1 and 3 was significant (P = 0.04 and P = 0.0001 respectively) with subjects in Group II having a reduced facial width compared to those in Group I. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that the administration of preoperative or postoperative antibiotics showed no marked differences in the degree of postoperative sequaele that occur after impacted mandibular third molar extractions.

Effects of co-administered dexamethasone and diclofenac potassium on pain, swelling and trismus following third molar surgery.

BACKGROUND: The apparent interactions between the mechanisms of action of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and steroids suggest that co-therapy may provide beneficial inflammatory and pain relief in the absence of side effects. The aim of the study was to compare the effect of co-administered dexamethasone and diclofenac potassium (diclofenac K) with diclofenac K alone on the postoperative pain, swelling and trismus after surgical removal of third molars. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective randomized double-blind study was conducted at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. A total of 100 patients were randomly allocated to two treatment groups of dexamethasone (prophylactic 8 mg and postoperative 4 mg IV) and diclofenac K (50 mg Oral before and after surgery), and diclofenac K alone (as with first group). The overall analgesic efficacy of the drug combinations was assessed postoperatively by determination of pain intensity using a category rating scale. Facial swelling was measured using a tape measure placed from tragus to gonion to tragus, while interincisal mouth-opening of patients was measured using a vernier calibrated caliper pre-operatively and post-operatively. RESULTS: Co-administration of dexamethasone and diclofenac K was significantly superior to diclofenac alone for the relief of pain (P < 0.05), and facial swelling up to post-operative 48 hour (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference for trismus relief between the two medication protocols (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study illustrates enhanced effects of co-administered dexamethasone and diclofenac K on short-term post-operative pain and swelling, compared to diclofenac potassium alone in third molar surgery.