A Prospective, Randomized Study between the Small Jaw® and the Harmonic Focus® in Open Thyroidectomy.

OBJECTIVES: LigaSure Small Jaw(®) (LSJ) was recently developed and applied to thyroid surgery along with Harmonic Focus(®) (HF). We compared the 2 devices in open total thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). STUDY DESIGN: A prospective, randomized study. SETTING: Tertiary care center. METHODS: This prospective, randomized study included 126 patients enrolled between December 2011 and June 2012. The numbers of patients in the LSJ group and the HF group were 64 and 62, respectively. Operative times, drain output, parathyroid status, complications, laboratory data, hospital stay, and analgesia requirements were analyzed. RESULTS: Operation time, parathyroid status, postoperative complications including hypocalcemia, oral calcium supplement, calcium, parathyroid hormone, usage count of painkiller, and hospital stay were not different among the 2 groups. Ionized calcium on postoperative days 1, 2, and 10 was higher in the LSJ group (P = .04, P = .04, P = .01), and drain output was lower in the LSJ group (106.8 vs 123.6 mL, P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Open thyroidectomy for PTC using the HF or the LSJ was safe and effective and was not associated with any increase in complications. Surgical outcomes and operative morbidity were equivalent between the 2 groups.

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for dissolution of clots in a rabbit model of embolic stroke.

It is estimated that only 2-6% of patients receive thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke suggesting that alternative therapies are necessary. In this study, we investigate the potential for high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to initiate thrombolysis in an embolic model of stroke. Iron-loaded blood clots were injected into the middle cerebral artery (MCA) of New Zealand White rabbits, through the internal carotid artery and blockages were confirmed by angiography. MRI was used to localize the iron-loaded clot and target the HIFU beam for treatment. HIFU pulses (1.5 MHz, 1 ms bursts, 1 Hz pulse repetition frequency, 20 s duration) were applied to initiate thrombolysis. Repeat angiograms and histology were used to assess reperfusion and vessel damage. Using 275 W of acoustic power, there was no evidence of reperfusion in post-treatment angiograms of 3 rabbits tested. In a separate group of animals, 415 W of acoustic power was applied and reperfusion was observed in 2 of the 4 (50%) animals treated. In the last group of animals, acoustic power was further increased to 550 W, which led to the reperfusion in 5 of 7 (∼70%) animals tested. Histological analysis confirmed that the sonicated vessels remained intact after HIFU treatment. Hemorrhage was detected outside of the sonication site, likely due to the proximity of the target vessel with the base of the rabbit skull. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using HIFU, as a stand-alone method, to cause effective thrombolysis without immediate damage to the targeted vessels. HIFU, combined with imaging modalities used to identify and assess stroke patients, could dramatically reduce the time to achieve flow restoration in patients thereby significantly increasing the number of patients which benefit from thrombolysis treatments.

Effect of guided tissue regeneration on the outcome of surgical endodontic treatment of through-and-through lesions: a retrospective study at 4-year follow-up.

PURPOSE: The main purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the 4-year success rate of endodontic surgery in combination with a collagen resorbable membrane for the treatment of through-and-through periradicular lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with one or more teeth with a through-and-through periradicular lesion in need of endodontic surgery were treated. A clinical and radiographic evaluation was performed at 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 months. The outcome was categorized at 1 and 4-year follow-up as success, failure, and doubtful depending on clinical signs and symptoms and radiographic evaluation. Fisher's exact test was used to evaluate differences between successful and failed cases (P < 0.05). RESULTS: Forty-three teeth in 33 patients were radiographically and clinically evaluated after 4 years. Thirty-eight teeth were classified as success, 4 teeth as failure, and 1 tooth as doubtful. No statistically significant differences were found in results related to tooth type, tooth location, and presence of post. CONCLUSIONS: The association of endodontic surgery and guided tissue regeneration for the treatment of through-and-through periapical lesions leads to excellent outcomes up to 4 years. Standardized criteria are needed to determine the treatment outcome.

[Root canal therapy of resinified teeth with surgical operating microscope and ultrasonic instruments].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of surgical operating microscope and ultrasonic instruments in endodontic treatment of patients who underwent previous resinifying therapy. METHODS: 63 premolars and molars that had been treated with resinifying therapy before were selected for root canal therapy. The coronal portion of resinified root canals were negotiated with ultrasonic instruments under surgical operating microscope, and the apical portion was managed with small size hand files and 15% EDTA. The root canals of all cases were shaped by Nickel-Titanium rotary instruments Hero 642, and obturated with lateral condensation technique. The negotiation of root canal system, instrument fracture, alterations of canal morphology, and operation time were recorded. The efficiency of preparation and obturation was analyzed by radiographs before and after treatment. RESULTS: The root canals of 54 teeth were negotiated, enlarged and obturated, with a success rate of 85.7%. No complications were found, such as vertical fracture, ledge, perforation and instrument separation. Good result of treatment was achieved in the 54 cases. CONCLUSIONS: The use of surgical operating microscope and ultrasonic instruments is proved to be effective in negotiation of coronal portion of the resinified root canals. Nevertheless, the use of ultrasonic instruments in apical or curved portion of root canals is not encouraged.