Association of Dental Infections with Intracranial Atherosclerotic Stenosis.

INTRODUCTION: Periodontal disease (PD) and dental caries are oral infections leading to tooth loss that are associated with atherosclerosis and cerebrovascular disease. We assessed the hypothesis that PD and caries are associated with asymptomatic intracranial atherosclerosis (ICAS) in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. METHODS: Full-mouth clinical periodontal measurements (7 indices) collected at 6 sites per tooth from 6,155 subjects from the Dental Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (DARIC) without prior stroke were used to differentiate seven PD stages (Periodontal Profile Class [PPC]-I to -VII) and dental caries on coronal dental surface (DS) and dental root surface (DRS). A stratified subset underwent 3D time-of-flight MR angiogram and 3D high isotropic-resolution black blood MRI. ICAS was graded according to the criteria established by the Warfarin-Aspirin Symptomatic Intracranial Disease (WASID) trial. We evaluated the relationship between PD stage and dental caries with asymptomatic ICAS, graded as no ICAS, <50% ICAS, and ≥50% ICAS. RESULTS: Among dentate subjects who underwent vascular imaging, 801 (70%) had no ICAS, 232 (20%) had <50% ICAS, and 112 (10%) had ≥50% ICAS. Compared to participants without gum disease (PPC-I), participants with mild-moderate tooth loss (PPC-VI), severe tooth loss (PPC-VII), and severe PD (PPC-IV) had higher odds of having <50% ICAS. Participants with extensive gingivitis (PPC-V) had significantly higher odds of having ≥50% ICAS. This association remained significant after adjusting for confounding variables: age, gender, race, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, 3-level education, and smoking status. There was no association between dental caries (DS and DRS) and ICAS <50% and ≥50%. CONCLUSION: We report significant associations between mild-moderate tooth loss, severe tooth loss, and severe PD with <50% ICAS as well as an association between extensive gingivitis and ≥50% ICAS. We did not find an association between dental caries and ICAS.

Resection and reconstruction of the carotid bifurcation with polytetrafluoroethylene grafts; operative technique. Preliminary results in 25 procedures and indications.

Although carotid endarterectomy is the standard procedure, the purpose of this paper is to describe a new surgical technique and indicate its role in the surgery of cervical cerebrovascular disease. The technique consists of resection of the pathologic carotid artery bifurcation followed by its total replacement with a bifurcated thin-wall polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) graft constructed by the surgeon. Prosthetic graft reconstruction of the carotid bifurcation (PGRCB) was performed in 21 patients (25 procedures) from November 1984 to May 1987. Many patients were over 70 years old. The indications for surgery were transient ischemic attacks (TIA)'s in 10 patients (high-grade stenosis), established stroke with mild deficit in 3 patients (high-grade stenosis). Eight patients (high-grade stenosis) were asymptomatic and 4 had vertebro-basilar symptoms. In 11 procedures the indications were the same as for standard carotid endarterectomy (significant stenosis and/or ulcerated plaque). In 14 cases, the procedure was justified by extensive lesions involving a long segment of the internal carotid artery (2 restenoses, 12 calcified lesions). In the perioperative period, there were no deaths and no TIA's. The 25 procedures were assessed one month postoperatively by ultrasonic imaging and venous substraction angiography. All the grafts were patent with perfect restoration of the carotid bifurcation anatomy. Systematic follow-up study was carried out in 1987. Three patients had died of non-neurologic causes and one was lost to study. The remaining 19 procedures were evaluated with an average follow-up of 19 months (range 7 to 32 months). The patients were asymptomatic and all the grafts remained patent including one stenosis (greater than 50%) at the common carotid artery anastomosis. Because recent studies have documented a much higher rate of technical defects or recurrent stenosis after carotid endarterectomy, we believe that PGRCB merits consideration, particularly in difficult endarterectomies, and in recurrent carotid stenosis. Furthermore it seems acceptable to advocate PGRCB in aneurysms of the internal carotid artery and in post-irradiation arteritis.