The efficacy of the diode laser at 800-980 nm as an aid to non-surgical therapy in periodontitis treatment: a review of literature.

The aim of this literature review is to assess the effectiveness of diode laser at a wavelength of 800-980 nm in addition to non-surgical periodontal therapy in periodontitis treatment. The authors performed an electronic research on Pubmed inserting as keywords: (laser OR laser therapy OR diode laser) and (periodontitis OR periodontal disease). The field has been narrowed to select only Randomized controlled clinical trials (RCT) performed from 2010 to 2020. The result of this research was 84 articles, of which eight were included in the review because they respect the inclusion criteria. The clinical, immunological, and microbiological parameters studied in the various clinical random trials were analysed. It has been shown that four out of eight studies have achieved greater benefits, in terms of clinical parameters, with the use of diode laser compared to Scaling and Root Planing. However, the greater increase in clinical parameters in diode laser-treated patients compared to the control group was mainly detected in the short term rather than in the long term. In terms of microbiological parameters, no improvement was detected after six months. Only one study reported six-month improvements in immunological parameters in patients treated with DL compared to the Scaling and Root Planing only group. In conclusion, considering the limitations of this review of literature, there is no evidence that the diode laser at 800-980 nm in addition to non-surgical periodontal therapy is more effective than SRP alone in the long term.

Non-traumatic brain abscess.

Between 1953 and 1989 eighty cases of non-traumatic brain abscess were treated in our department. We have re-examined the clinical and neuroradiological features of this pathological process and present our therapeutic approach and results. We believe that the optimal treatment for brain abscess consists of surgical removal. The prognosis for these lesions has undergone a marked improvement over the last two decades in response to neuroradiological, microbiological and surgical advances. The most influential prognostic factor seems to be preoperative clinical status.

[Surgical treatment of spasmodic torticollis. Physiopathological considerations and follow-up of 20 cases (author's transl)]. / Trattamento chirurgico del torcicollo spasmodico. Considerazioni fisiopatologiche e controllo a distanza di venti casi operati

The standard surgical procedures on either peripheral or central nervous system in the treatment of primary spasmodic torticollis are: myotomy, neurotomy, cervical rhizotomy, cortical topectomy, prefrontal lobotomy and a variety of stereotaxic nucleotomies and tractotomies (globus pallidus, thalamus, subthalamus, midbrain). These procedures are briefly reviewed. Some newly proposed operations are than discussed (Svien's labyrinthine suppression and Mazar's interruption of cortico-capsular head-turning pathways). The former surgical intervention is based on physiological and experimental evidence than an altered influence of the reticular substance of the midbrain on the "central" vestibular circuits may be relevant in the genesis of primary spasmodic torticollis. The results are reported of 20 personal cases treated with various surgical procedures with a maximum follow-up of 14.4 years (mean = 6.7 years). It is concluded that at present the most effective and reliable treatment is bilateral anterior rhizotomy of C1-C3 combined with unilateral or bilateral neurotomy (or spinal rhizotomy) of the 11th cranial nerve. The results were rated clinically as useful in 66.6% of the 15 patients treated with this procedure.