Jaw cysts diagnosed in an Italian population over a 20-year period.

BACKGROUND: Cysts of the jaws (JCs) are an important topic of oral pathology, but few epidemiological data are present in the literature, in particular about the potential of recurrence. The aim of this study was to describe a case series of JCs from a single institution, evaluating the frequency, the site, the age distribution, and the percentage of recurrence of all types of JCs. METHODS: All JCs present in the histological records of the Section of Anatomic Pathology of the University of Bologna at Bellaria Hospital from 1992 to 2012 were retrieved. RESULTS: A total of 1136 jaws cysts were obtained, of which 1117 (98.3%) were odontogenic and 19 (1.7%) were nonodontogenic. About odontogenic cysts (OCs), the most frequent was the radicular cyst (538 cases), followed by parakeratinized keratocystic odontogenic tumor (pKOT, 193 cases) and dentigerous cyst (120 cases). Among pKOT, 21 out of 193 cases (10.89%) showed a recurrence after a mean time of 4.5 years (range, 1-12 years). During follow-up (mean 11 years, range 1-19 years), all 3 cases of botrioid cysts, 12 out of 46 cases of unicystic ameloblastoma (26.09%), 2 out of 20 cases of calcifying OCs (10%) and 2 out of 538 cases of radicular cyst (0.37%) showed a recurrence. CONCLUSION: Our study confirms that the distribution pattern of JCs in Italy is relatively similar to other studies worldwide and emphasizes the importance of recognizing the different histological types of JCs for their potential local aggressive behavior.

Rationale of treatment in Graves ophthalmopathy.

Graves ophthalmopathy is a chronic and multisystem disorder caused by an autoimmune process, characterized by the presence of antibodies that stimulate a general fibroblastic reaction (thyroid gland and lower extremities), and involves orbital fat tissue and muscles. The clinical findings and therapy for the treatment of the exophthalmos, such as changes in extrinsic eye motility, diplopia, optic nerve involvement, and lid retraction, were analyzed, and the various types of surgical treatment currently available for Graves ophthalmopathy were evaluated. The aim was to choose the best option to treat each case. The surgical techniques were transpalpebral decompression by removal of intraorbital fat, three-wall osseous expansion, and zygomatic osteotomy. Adjunctive procedures were lengthening of the levator muscle of the upper eyelid, lengthening of the retractor of the lower eyelid (if necessary), and surgery of the extrinsic muscles to correct diplopia. All these techniques were useful in treating the disease, which is characterized by chronic evolution and, at times, a "malignant" outcome. A total of 39 orbits were treated using different techniques of decompression and secondary adjunctive procedures. Results were analyzed after a minimum 6-month follow-up. It was evident that surgery greatly reduced the degree of exophthalmos and improved eye motility, diplopia, and visual acuity. Close cooperation among a team of specialists, including an endocrinologist, ophthalmologist, neuroradiologist, surgeon, anesthesiologist, and radiotherapist, is essential to manage and to quantify the postoperative results of this complex disorder. The authors' experience and application of different surgical strategies, as based on clinical data and histopathological classification, are presented.

[Fibrous dysplasia. The clinico-therapeutic picture and new data on its etiology. A review of the literature]. / Displasia fibrosa. Quadro clinico terapeutico e nuove acquisizioni sulla eziologia. Revisione della letteratura.

In this paper the authors examine current findings on the etiology of fibrous dysplasia. Particular emphasized is the role of the biochemical pathways and the genetic mutations occurring in the disease. In fact it is demonstrated that the McCune-Albright syndrome, a variant of fibrous dysplasia, is caused by the mutations of the GNAS 1 gene that codify for the alfa-subunit of the stimulatory guanine-nucleotide binding protein (G-protein). This mutation activates adenylate cyclase and consequently increases intracellular concentrations of cAMP. The increased signaling through the cAMP is believed to be responsible for the clinical characteristic of the McCune-Albright syndrome. The cap is translocated to the nucleus where a family of transcription factors is phosphorylated. This group of factors regulates the expression of CAp responsive genes: one of them, the c-fos proto-oncogene, produces a nuclear protein that binds with other proteins encoded by c-jun proto-oncogene, to form a transcription factor, AP-1. Several studies have shown an increase of c-fos mRNA in the bone lesions of patients with fibrous dysplasia. It suggests that the overexpression of c-fos may represent the first step in the carcinogenesis of bone sarcomas. Finally, attention is focused on the intravenous use of pamidronate as medical management in the treatment of the lesions that are not susceptible to surgical treatment.