Assessment of a virtual prosthetic case planning environment for dental education - A multicentric analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was the multicentric assessment of the virtual prosthetic case planning environment (VCPE), which relocates patient planning into the virtual space in dental education. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The VCPE is separated into two rooms: a virtual entry area where the user can choose between 10 different prosthetic case plans of ascending complexity, and a virtual patient case planning room. In spring term 2022, the use of virtual case planning was voluntarily assessed in four different German dental schools (DSs) from the perspective of both lecturers and students. The assessment was performed afterwards using a questionnaire. Data were analysed using Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, exploratory data analysis, Fisher-Freeman-Halton test, and exact Fisher test. Reliability was assessed with Cronbach Alpha test (α < 0.05). RESULTS: A total of 59 lecturers and 63 students were included. There were 38.5% male, 60.7% female, and 0.8% diverse participants. The mean age of the lecturers was 36.2 ± 9.0 years and of the students 24.3 ± 3.0 years. The VCPE was assessed as good, yet the evaluations between either the DSs or between the lecturers and students were significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: Even though for some assessment criteria significantly different results between the four DS were observed, the majority of participants evaluated the VCPE positively and recommended them for teaching. The virtual reality as a teaching method for teaching prosthetic case planning for the further preparation of the students for the later professional life can be considered as helpful.

The VEGF/VEGF-R axis in sporadic vestibular schwannomas correlates with irradiation and disease recurrence.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The molecular mechanisms downstream of mutated neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) gene resulting in the growth and development of vestibular schwannoma (VS) are controversial. Several lines of evidence suggest the involvement of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway in VS development. Given that recent studies of VEGF blockade in patients with NF2-associated VS showed positive effects on VS growth control, we initiated this comprehensive study of the VEGF pathway in sporadic VS. METHODS: A tissue microarray analysis of 182 sporadic VS was conducted. The expression of VEGF and its receptors as well as the proliferative activity of the tumors were quantified. The expression data were correlated to tumor volumes and diameters as well as to tumor recurrence and previous irradiation. RESULTS: All studied tumors expressed VEGF and its receptors. Proliferative activity was related to the growth characteristics of the tumors. Moreover, we found significantly higher VEGF levels in recurrent tumors (p = 0.0387) and in preoperatively irradiated tumors (p = 0.0213). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest a relevant role of the VEGF pathway in VS growth and therapy outcome. Therefore, targeting this pathway using antiangiogenic compounds might be beneficial for patients with sporadic VS, especially those with recurrent or irradiated tumors.