Gastrointestinal stromal tumor with maxillary metastasis: a case report and literature review.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) form commonly in the stomach, small intestine, colorectum, and esophagus. Metastatic GIST occurs in up to 50% of patients at presentation. The liver and peritoneal cavity are the most common (93%) metastatic sites; head and neck metastases are extremely rare. This report describes a unique case of a 77-year-old man who was diagnosed with a duodenal GIST that had been completely resected 15 years ago. Eleven years after complete resection, he presented with liver metastases and then received multiple lines of systemic therapy and ablative radiotherapy. In 2015, he presented to our oral and maxillofacial surgery department with a left exophytic maxillary mass that filled the left maxillary sinus. Incisional biopsy confirmed metastatic GIST. Further evaluation revealed extensive metastases in the patient's liver, lungs, spleen, abdominal wall, and lymph nodes. After adequate staging, the patient's condition was deemed palliative, and he was referred to the radiation oncology department for palliative treatment of the symptomatic maxillary lesion. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of maxillary metastasis from a duodenal GIST. Inclusion of GIST in the differential diagnosis of jaw tumors in patients with nonoral malignancies is recommended. The literature on oral metastasis of GIST is reviewed and discussed in this case report.

Ranitidine Impairs Bone Healing and Implant Osseointegration in Rats' Tibiae.

PURPOSE: Ranitidine has been found to have an impact on bone metabolism by suppressing osteoclastogenesis. We hypothesized that the use of ranitidine would impair bone healing and implant osseointegration. This study investigated the effect of postoperative administration of ranitidine on bone healing and osseointegration in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-two Sprague-Dawley rats underwent surgery to create a unicortical bone defect in each tibia. A titanium implant was placed on the right tibial defect, whereas the contralateral defect was left unfilled. After surgery, the rats were randomly divided into 2 groups receiving a daily dose of ranitidine or saline solution for 14 days and then euthanized for assessment of bone healing and osseointegration using micro-computed tomography (CT) and histomorphometry. RESULTS: Micro-CT analysis of the bone defect showed a larger bone defect volume in the ranitidine group (0.82 ± 0.13 µL vs 0.66 ± 0.16 µL, P = .034), thinner cortical thickness (0.54 ± 0.07 mm vs 0.63 ± 0.11 mm, P = .026), and less bone regeneration at the defect site (40% ± 12% vs 57% ± 11%, P = .003). Implant-site micro-CT analysis showed less osseointegration in the ranitidine group (34.1% ± 2.7% vs 43.5% ± 2.1%, P = .014), and implant-site histologic analysis showed less medullary (P = .021), cortical (P = .001), and total (P = .003) bone-implant contact and less peri-implant bone volume-tissue volume (P = .002) in the ranitidine group. Histologic analysis for osteoclastic activity showed a lower number of osteoclasts in the ranitidine group (4.8 ± 2.4 mm-2 vs 9.1 ± 2.1 mm-2, P = .026). CONCLUSIONS: The postoperative use of ranitidine impaired bone healing and osseointegration.

Single-implant overdentures retained by the Novaloc attachment system: study protocol for a mixed-methods randomized cross-over trial.

BACKGROUND: Overdentures retained by a single implant in the midline have arisen as a minimal implant treatment for edentulous mandibles. The success of this treatment depends on the performance of a single stud attachment that is susceptible to wear-related retention loss. Recently developed biomaterials used in attachments may result in better performance of the overdentures, offering minimal retention loss and greater patient satisfaction. These biomaterials include resistant polymeric matrixes and amorphous diamond-like carbon applied on metallic components. The objective of this explanatory mixed-methods study is to compare Novaloc, a novel attachment system with such characteristics, to a traditional alternative for single implants in the mandible of edentate elderly patients. METHODS/DESIGN: We will carry out a randomized cross-over clinical trial comparing Novaloc attachments to Locators for single-implant mandibular overdentures in edentate elderly individuals. Participants will be followed for three months with each attachment type; patient-based, clinical, and economic outcomes will be gathered. A sample of 26 participants is estimated to be required to detect clinically relevant differences in terms of the primary outcome (patient ratings of general satisfaction). Participants will choose which attachment they wish to keep, then be interviewed about their experiences and preferences with a single implant prosthesis and with the two attachments. Data from the quantitative and qualitative assessments will be integrated through a mixed-methods explanatory strategy. A last quantitative assessment will take place after 12 months with the preferred attachment; this latter assessment will enable measurement of the attachments' long-term wear and maintenance requirements. DISCUSSION: Our results will lead to evidence-based recommendations regarding these systems, guiding providers and patients when making decisions on which attachment systems and implant numbers will be most appropriate for individual cases. The recommendation of a specific attachment for elderly edentulous patients may combine positive outcomes from patient perspectives with low cost, good maintenance, and minimal invasiveness. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03126942 . Registered on 13 April 2017.

Should Live Patient Licensing Examinations in Dentistry Be Discontinued? Two Viewpoints: Viewpoint 1: Alternative Assessment Models Are Not Yet Viable Replacements for Live Patients in Clinical Licensure Exams and Viewpoint 2: Ethical and Patient Care Concerns About Live Patient Exams Require Full Acceptance of Justifiable Alternatives.

This Point/Counterpoint article addresses a long-standing but still-unresolved debate on the advantages and disadvantages of using live patients in dental licensure exams. Two contrasting viewpoints are presented. Viewpoint 1 supports the traditional use of live patients, arguing that other assessment models have not yet been demonstrated to be viable alternatives to the actual treatment of patients in the clinical licensure process. This viewpoint also contends that the use of live patients and inherent variances in live patient treatment represent the realities of daily private practice. Viewpoint 2 argues that the use of live patients in licensure exams needs to be discontinued considering those exams' ethical dilemmas of exposing patients to potential harm, as well as their lack of reliability and validity and limited scope. According to this viewpoint, the current presence of viable alternatives means that the risk of harm inherent in live patient exams can finally be eliminated and those exams replaced with other means to confirm that candidates are qualified for licensure to practice.